© Brassic Bhai

INTRO

Usually I try to help budding battlers through personal interaction and by training them on
messenger applications because I always think that a direct one to one conversation has a
better impact and helps in a quicker grasp of the whatever is being said. But this used to
consume a lot of my time. So I came up with this idea of writing a detailed tutorial and I
also expect to update this tutorial from time to time as and when I myself come to know
and learn of newer and better things. But before that, I should tell you that whatever you
will be reading henceforth in this tutorial are my experiences and my understanding of
battling. Of course its not complete and will never be. Nor do I follow or emphasise on too
much jargon except for some very basic and necessary terms. But this tutorial is not to be
taken as a be all and end all of battling. But surely I am confident that this will turn your
level a notch up for sure.

Finally this tutorial is written keeping in mind that someone who will be reading this has
no idea about what battling is, but keeps a little interest in it and wants to become better.

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++++++++++++++

IMPORTANT NOTE:

++++++++++++++

Read through it carefully and proceed from lesson 1 and continue reading in a
chronological fashion. Dont just randomly jump to any lesson because I have written this
with a cadence which would required you to read from the beginning. Anyway, if any
section is not completely explained or if you have difficulty in understanding any part of it
or if you want something else to be included, then feel free to contact me with suggestions
and I will happily include it to further improve this guide. Or if you have doubts about any
section in this tutorial, or find any mistakes, be free to get at me on the below-given mail
ids.

1) Mail me at - brassicbomber@gmail.com

2) Connect with me on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brassic-

Bhai/119065431486500

3) Follow me on twitter – www.twitter.com/Brassic_Bhai

VISIT

For my tracks

www.reverbnation.com/brassicbhai

For My groups on Orkut and Facebook

On orkut - http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=48329500

On Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100250665274&ref=mf

DOWNLOAD

INSIGNIA MIXTAPE 3 - DESI HIP HOP - http://www.not.net/thebeastmode

+++++++++++

DISCLAIMER:

+++++++++++

This aint no research (lol). Its just me explaining to you shit in the simplest way as possible

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INDEX
• LESSON 1: SELF LEARNING

• LESSON 2: BASICS

• LESSON 3: YOUR BATTLING WEAPONS

o MULTIES

o PUNCHES

o PICKING CONCEPTS

o METAPHORS/SIMILES

o WORDPLAYS

o NAMEPLAYS

o HOW TO SET UP A BAR

• LESSON 4: FRAMING

• LESSON 5: FREESTYLING

• End-Note & Version History

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===================

LESSON 1: SELF LEARNING

====================

Self-learning is the best way to learn battling. It can be done by many ways. You can read
battles around on the internet, but please stay wary of wack battles and avoid inculcating
their wackness. Try to sit on a website for some time and find out who is considered the
dopest by other better battlers of any site. Follow their battles and make sure that you read
all their battles. One should read such battles in order to understand how those battlers
made such punchlines and what kinda rhymes they used. While reading through those
battles, one must try to figure out how those battlers picked up concepts, developed
metaphors and connected their punchlines to the underlying concept in a bar. I am not
indicating a style pick up, but just advising on how you can also improve yourself massively
by just doing a simple thing. READ, READ AND READ MORE. This is where people falter
mostly. They would just wanna skip to the battling stage and assume, battling will give
them the experience needed to improve. NO, that is not the case at all. Reading battles of
better battlers will always inform you on where to improve. It will help you in knowing
about various techniques, methods, concepts used by others and also the rhymes that they
employ. It will help improving your knowledge base.

Another method would be to listen to songs of good lyricists like Chino XL, Immortal
Technique, Crooked I, Canibus, and others of their ilk. I have put out only very prominent
names here because this is mostly like a beginner's guide. But as you dig deeper into hip
hop, you will surely by yourself come across several other good lyricists. Listen to their
tracks, read up their lyrics. Understand how they used punches and what rhymes they put
out.

You will have to be on a constant vigil however to know what all is being put to lyrics, to
avoid the danger of repeating concepts used by others before. It is very important to keep
in mind what is played out and what is not. Its always relevant to bring out the newest
concept and the newest punchlines.

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==============

LESSON 2: BASICS

===============

So, for battling you will need to know of basics which I will deal with summarily

----------

2.1 Bars

----------

Bars in battling are understood to be two lines with a rhyme. Read what is given below

E.g. (1)

When I catch you at a sofa corner, pull your fingers out and make ya arm hurt,/

and get ya "breathing hard", like it was a "yoga warmup"// (Brassic Bhai)

Now here, this is understood as one bar with a rhyme. Simple and Sufficient

--------------------------------------

2.2 Setup Line and a Punchline

--------------------------------------

Each bar has a setup line and a punchline. Usually the standard is that the second line is the
punchline and the first line will be the setup line. Its always preferred that you think of
your punchline first. For example, if I were to make a bar in a battle. I would first think of
my punchline. Let it be this

E.g. (2)

and get ya "breathing hard", like it was a "yoga warmup//

Then to obtain a full bar, I need to have the first line as a setup line that rhymes with the
punchline. Therefore, next I will think of rhymes that go with WARMUP..

like for e.g.

E.g. (3)

1. arm hurt
2. calm fuck

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3. harm puff
4. palm butts

So I will pick up any rhyme that I think would be good for the bar and then make a line
ending with that line like the following examples.

E.g. (4)

1. when I catch you at a sofa corner, pull your fingers out and make ya arm hurt
2. my verses fuck you up in a battle, like peeps doing a calm fuck
3. dont ever try to "smoke" me, cuz thats cancerous and a harm puff
4. your gay hands dont grab guns, they only palm butts

Finally I will choose any of those line, put my two lines together and form my bar like how
it is below.

E.g. (5)

my verses fuck you up in a battle, like peeps doing a calm fuck/and get ya "breathing hard",
like it was a "yoga warmup//

Hence its always advisable and better to first think of your punchline and let it end with
whatever words that seem natural with the setup and care should be taken to ensure that
those words are not forced rhymes because forced rhymes make the punch look awkward
and the whole impact of the punch goes awry. Its only after you have gotten your punchline
(i.e, 2nd line), that you should think of words that rhyme with the words of your punchline
and then make your first line accordingly. Its not always necessary that a setup line has to
relate to the punchline. The purpose of the setup line is only to provide words that rhyme
with your punchline so that you get your bar in proper shape. Though you can always get
better brownie points if the setup line is relevant to the punchline and that would only add
to the overall impact of the bar.

-----------------------------------

2.3 More how to create a bar

-----------------------------------

2.3.1 – Central idea or Concept 1 - Before you get down to create a bar, you must
think of a concept or an idea with which you would attack your opponent.
Think of common insults and phrases that come to your mind in that regard.
1
See section 3.2.2 on PICKING A CONCEPT

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Lets say you know that your opponent often has poor connections in his
punchlines. So you may as well try to take on your opponent on his
connections in his punchlines. Next, you ought to think of common phrases
that go with your concept and make your concept look like a general insult.
Examples in this regard would be – “fucked up connections”, “broken
connections”, “poor connections”.

2.3.2 – Metaphor - In order to create a punchline out of the concept that you just
thought of, you need to think of a metaphor that is appropriate for your
concept or a comparison that has a neat connection with your concept. In
order to help you think of those metaphors that would go with your concept
you have to imagine your concept with a like comparison. Since your concept
for the present purpose is “broken connections”, you should try to complete
the sentence, “Broken connections like _____ (what?) in your mind. Depending
on your creativity, you would be able to come up with different metaphors to
go with your concepts. Examples would be “Broken connections like those of
dysfunctional satellites”, or “Broken connections like an old phone”, or
“Broken connections like cracked joints”. Here right now, your punchline is
almost half-ready.

2.3.3 – Preparing your punchline – Now from those various examples mentioned
above, you will have to pick up one line/metaphor which you think hits the
best for you. (of couse, one can never be sure what hits for or works with the
voters, but if you have sufficient battling experience, such perception will
come easily to you anyhow). Lets say, one picks up the line – “Broken
connections like an old phone”. You just need to add some preparatory words
and decide/change on the framing of your punchline in order to get your
punchline ready. You may decide on something like this – “your punchlines
got more broken connections than an old phone”.

2.3.4 - Finishing your bar - Once you have gotten your 2nd line ( i.e. punchline ),
ready, you just need to think of those words that would rhyme with “old
phone”. Its advisable to always have 2 syllable rhymes ( or bi-multi ) in your
bars as single syllable rhymes don’t sound good when read and are pretty old
by now. So lets just think of rhymes for “old phone”. Such examples would be
“o-zone, slow drone, cold cone, hold dome”. Thereupon building on such a
rhyme-set, you need to prepare your first line. Those lines could be any of
these for e.g.

1) choke you on no oxygen right in the middle of o-zone

2) pimping ice in winter like a seller of cold cones

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3) m so dope on the mic, when i fight, I hold domes

Thereupon, you just need to pick up an appropriate first line in your opinion
and add it with the punchline where it would look something like this;

Choke you on no oxygen right in the middle of o-zone/

cuz you got more broken connections than an old phone//

2.3.5 – Creativity Element - You could try to figure out more different types of
metaphors for your concept and get different combinations for your
punchlines. Following examples may clarify it more;

E.g. (5) – Find a million flaws in his creation, get a fucker hoping
corrections/cuz my verse will make his skeleton like dysfunctional
satellites – all broken connection//

E.g. (6) - you do a good job at sucking on lines, so you better stay bent/Cuz yo
verse suffers from “poor connections” like a bad “PRO agent”//

E.g. (7) – Spark life into my rhymes, tried looking into yours even through a
Nebular crevice/but I could find “no connections” in your lines like a
“snapped cellular service”//

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======================================================

LESSON 3: YOUR BATTLING WEAPONS (MOST IMPORTANT LESSON)

======================================================

--------------

3.1 RHYMES

--------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.1.1. Multies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Multies is the short form of Multie-Syllable Rhymes. Before we try to understand that, we
need to know what Syllables actually are. Syllables roughly taken are the number of
different sounds in a word. For example in the word - "CLAIM", you utter just one sound
"CLAIM" and thats why its a one syllable word.
Similarly when you utter the word "RAPPER", you utter two sounds "RAP-PER" and thats
why its a 2 syllable word. Again in the word, "MAGICAL" we utter three different sounds,
"MAJ-IK-UL". Hence magical is a 3 syllable word. So when you rhyme just one syllable then
its a normal rhyme. In other words its just an example of nursery rhymes, such was used in
earlier rap tracks by Run DMC, KRS one and guys of their times. An example would be

E.g. (8)

I always collect respect, a cheque and some fame/

so you know what to expect, when you hear ma name//

(FAME AND NAME are just one syllable words, and since it is an instance of only one
syllable rhymes in the above-mentioned bar, therefore its a nursery rhyme). If you rhyme
more than one syllable in a bar, then it becomes MULTI SYLLABLE RHYME, in short,
Multies, and an example would be,

E.g. (9)

lay low, expect hazard cuz m a great CRASH-ER/

you meeting head-on the hardest ever RAP-PER//

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(here CRASHER and RAPPER are two syllable words, and therefore when you use such
words as rhymes, you are basically using more than just one syllable word for rhyming and
thats why it will be known as a multie. This is an example of 2 syllable rhyme).

You can also attempt 2 syllable multies by using two different words. An example would be
this

E.g. (10)

You better shut yo bad mouth and your lil BLAME GAME/

cuz ma blow wont leave your bones in the SAME FRAME//

(here you are using two different words, each being a one syllable word by itself, but since
you are using them together, those will be considered as an example of a 2 syllable multie.
BLAME-GAME, SAME-FRAME. This bar still has a multie and it consists of 2 syllables).
Similarly, you can use try 3 syllable rhymes, 4 syllable rhymes, even 5,6,7. :)

Further examples of 3 syllable multies would be

E.g. (11)

MAG-IC-AL/TRA-GI-CAL

GREAT RAP-PER/HATE PACK-ER

examples of 4 syllable multies would be

E.g. (12)

MO-DEST TRADERS/HO-NEST HATERS (Phoebus)

and so on. Work on different combinations as much as you can. I still do that even after
engaging in a multitude of battles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.1.2. Slant Rhymes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slant rhymes are those rhymes that are not considered as proper rhymes in the English
language. But still they sound somewhat similar or little close atleast phonetically. Such

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rhymes can be legitimately used on text battles, but only to some extent. Though, one has a
greater freedom to experiment with slant rhymes on audios. Anyhow, further explanation
of slant rhymes would require an example;

Slant Rhyme

E.g. (13)- PLACE/GREAT

Place and Great dont end the same way when you write them down, but when you utter
those words, the enunciation is a lot similar. So they can also be considered as valid
examples of rhymes. More examples would be FAKE/GREAT/LATHE/SHAPE/PASTE and
so on.

Another set of examples would be TIGHT/DYKE/MIC/PRICE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.1.3. Inrhymes and Endrhymes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, now rhymes can be of two types when you use them in your battles. Usually its
understandable that you will be more familiar with the end-rhymes. Simply put they are
the rhymes that you end a bar with.

Like this for example

E.g. (14)

They came to India as just MO-DEST TRADERS/

but they turned out to be HON-EST HATERS//(Phoebus)

traders rhyme with haters..thats the end rhyme in the bar. Simple and easy to get.

Then there is another type of rhymes that are called Inrhymes which can improve the flow
in your verses when you spit it on a beat. Nonetheless, inrhymes are rhymes that come
within lines.

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Like this for example

E.g. (15)

ma MAGICAL PLAYS trash his TRAGICAL FRAME in a TACTICAL GAME/

cuz only place M goes before a bang is an african name//(Brassic Bhai) v. Mash

Here in the above example.. MAGICAL PLAYS and TRAGICAL FRAME are rhymes in the
same line and they come within a line. Hence these are called inrhymes. They can
drastically improve the flow in your verses if you learn to put them at the right places. To
learn how to do that, just read the following with care and attention

^^^^^^^^^

IMPORTANT:

^^^^^^^^^

Plan your rhymes after similar "syllable-intervals". Like in the example just given above, if
you look closely rhymes follow each other after 2 syllable intervals

MAGICAL PLAYS (trash his) TRAGICAL FRAME (in a) TACTICAL GAME

If you plan your syllable intervals between rhymes like that, it will give a very neat flow to
your verses. :). but if you have improper number of syllables between rhymes, that will
affect your flow. Read the same example again with a slight change now.

MAGICAL PLAYS (trash his) TRAGICAL FRAME (in a quick) TACTICAL GAME

You can read both the lines and know for yourself that the flow does not remain the same
anymore. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND, WHILE WRITING LYRICS FOR
AUDIOS, that your rhymes come mostly after equal syllable intervals

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----------------

3.2 PUNCHES

-----------------

New battlers who are not quite familiar with battling will ask me, what is a punch or a
punchline? Quitting the jargon and laying down it in simplest terms, a punch is anything
that does damage to your opponent's person/rep/name. Anything that hits your opponent
is a punch, and there are few methods where you can pick your opponent by the cuff and
trash him around in a battle. lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2.1 Straight Punches

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Straight insulting; on the face dissing or just grabbing the other by the jugular. No
technicalities involved. They will make your straight punches :).. They are the most volatile
plus involve a lot of creativity and some research to hit really hard. It can either hit really
hard or just fizzle out with no impact at all.

For example, if you got an Indian to battle. you can have a straight diss on him like this

E.g. (16)

called him out for street racing, he turned up in a hired auto. (lol)

But to make that kinda punches, you will need to have special knowledge bout Indians and
their street vehicles. Basically you should make sure that your concepts are bang on and
right on point if you attempt straight insults like that. They can be more insulting, the more
personal you can get on your opponent. Besides, to get such kinda info you should know
some background history of your opponent or some information from his profile. The
straight punch should be just that….STRAIGHT ON HIM and nothing else, if you make
something general, then it would hardly work out. So to attempt such kinda punches, you
got to have some dirt on your opponent. GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL :)

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2.2 PICKING CONCEPTS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now this is a really important thing. Many a times, I myself get stuck with concepts and end
up with having no clue where to start from or where to pick the concept from. How to
begin writing my spit for a battle? And trust me, such a phase will come if you dont battle
for a good amount of time. So its important to always continuously battle on a regular basis,
though you can reduce the frequency. Anyway coming to the topic at hand about picking
concepts for your battle, let us start on a general level where I will talk bout general
punchlines with no particular individual as a target.

1. Look at the things around you. Normally if you are reading this on your computer , if
you look around you will see your speaker, desktop or laptop, mic, headphones, magazines,
books, newspaper, cellphone, camera, deo and stuff like that. Observe the stuff around you
and pick one random object. Lets say for examples I pick up my speakers. Then make a
mental note of the characteristics of your speakers like its colour or brand or whatever you
can think of or relate to the speakers. Here the speakers I own are "Mercury Speakers". So I
can try and make a punchline of that. To get your punchline think of words or phrases that
go with Mercury. On a quick thought, i came up with these. (I am typing and thinking, lol)

E.g. (17)

Mercury Level (Degree/temperature)

Mercury Rising(Its getting hotter)

Now, just use that against your opponent. Word that in a punchline that puts your
opponent at the receiving end. Lol. like this for example

E.g. (18)

Last time he got the "mercury level" up was when he "tuned his speakers". (Brassic Bhai)

(And as I said earlier, get your punchline first and then make your setup line or the first line
and you will have your complete bar). As you can see here, you are mocking your opponent.
Raising the mercury level up indicates bringing hotness to a place. So as is evident you are

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mocking your opponent that the last time he put the mercury level up was when he tuned
his speakers. :) simple and easy.

Just a side note that you should keep in mind; do not try to use the same word in a
punchline as it will just make it look stupid and bring the quality of the punch impact down.

An example for this would be this line

last time he got the "mercury level" up was when he "tuned his speakers" up.

^^here , there is really no need to do that, the punch is good till speakers. Repetition of
words often reduces impact in your punchline, so try to avoid that or just use another
synonym that goes for it.

Similarly "mercury rising" can be used to mock your opponent

E.g. (19)

hez making the "mercury rise"???, bitch is just increasing the speaker volume. (Brassic
Bhai)

I hope you are clear with this example that was given :). If you have doubts, just mail me
about that part and i will try to sort it out

Again, many a times, observing an object the first time itself will not give you a concept or
an idea to make your punchline. But relax, just go through other related stuff with the thing
that you pick up. For example, check out the other brands of speakers that you know. I
know of this one. “Creative Speakers.” So i can use this in a line as well

E.g. (20)

I ma hit your "head with ma speakers", so you could "think creative" (Phoebus)

Well as you see, you are using the name Creative with speakers in this line. When you come
across the word “creative”, think of stuff that goes with it. Mind, thought, Brain, Head and
so on. And just pick the most suitable word (head) in this case and make your punchline
with it.

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2. The best source of concepts is probably your goddamn newspaper which you never
read. Or most do not atleast. Well, if you want to get better at battling, then pick up your
newspaper and no i am not telling you to read all the political and conspiratorial stuff that
spins out, but instead to look for off-the-cuff news items which are interesting. You may
never know that news item contains your next punchline. Recently, I was going through my
newspaper after breakfast and read a news article about British literature society not
appreciating "Enid Blyton" as a contributor to British literature because she wrote books
and stories mostly for kids of 8-12 years of age. So enid blyton was not held creditable only
because she was writing for children. She was a famous children's books author. And that
was bang on. I immediately got a punchline in my head there and I used it in the next battle
I had, and it was this punchline as follows;

E.g. (21)

you spit amateur, while I keep it tightened/

so you betta Stop "Writing for kids" like "enid blyton".//

Moreover reading newspaper makes you an aware citizen, educated and sensitive to
national developments and improves your vocabulary. Helping you getting punchlines is
just another advantage that crops up. So dont forget your newspapers from tomorrow if
you are serious bout this thing. Lol

3. Get to know your opponent, go through his profile or some shit, But if you dont wanna
do all that, just get his name and make concepts on it. Anyway I will be dealing with
nameplays in a later section.

4. Played out Concepts – Its very important to make sure that the concepts which you
plan to use in your battles have not been used earlier or utilized before because that will
not help you with your punchlines at all or help you garner appreciation from readers or
voters alike. One must constantly keep on reading battles at various places in order to keep
a tab on the concepts that have been used. In this regard, its advisable to also read all the
comments and votes that have been made in respect of a battle because it is on those
comments/feedbacks/votes, that one may come to know of which concepts are being
considered as played out. Once you gain such an information, its advisable to not use
similar concepts in such a similar manner as it would not help you gain points for
creativity. Using played out concepts is as good as not dropping a whole bar itself.

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Generally speaking, concepts related to gay, bitches, dicks, assholes and such heavily
common abuses are thoroughly played out. So is the case with terms such as suck, fuck,
cool, hot, sick etc and the like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2.3 METAPHORS/SIMILES

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Metaphors and similes are different poetical devices employed in the English language.
Simply put such are used for comparing one thing to another. Both metaphors and similes
are devices employed to put forth a comparison. It will be more clear with an example.

E.g. (22)

The guy fought bravely. He fought like a lion on the battlefield

Here you are comparing the guy to a lion, by saying that the guy fought "LIKE" a lion. When
you use such comparisons, then its called a simile, because you are evolving a similar
context for the guy by equating him with a lion and giving him quality and characteristics
which he had with that of a lion. Now read the following example;

E.g. (23)

The guy fought so bravely. He was a lion on the battlefield

Here you are actually replacing the "guy" with the "lion" in this context. In effect, here you
are no longer saying that there was a guy on the battlefield, you have totally replaced the
guy with the lion and instead your line has an effect of stating that it was a lion who fought
in the battlefield because the guy fought just so bravely. Whereas in the case of a simile, you
dont replace the guy with the lion altogether but instead only equate the characteristics of
the guy with that of the lion by using the connector "LIKE". hope its very clear for now

BUT THEN WHAT YOU READ ABOVE WAS ENGLISH LITERATURE . LOL. CUZ IN RAP
BATTLING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METAPHORS AND SIMILES IS NOT
APPRECIATED, AND BOTH ARE CLUBBED TOGETHER AND USED/CALLED AS

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METAPHORS ONLY. So whereever you hear a meta-punch has been used, you should
understand that either a metaphor or a simile was used.

Now coming to how to pick up a meta punch. First pick your concept/idea about which I
have explained in the preceding section. Now I shall proceed with how to evolve a meta
punch. You already have your concept. For starters, let me pick up a concept "Suck".

Now a novice might make his punch like this

E.g. (24)

my knifes all blazing, its sharpened for stabbing/

I wanna shut his mouth cuz he sucks so bad at rappin//

But a person who has knowledge of meta punches and how to use metaphors will add a
twist to it by comparing "suck" to some thing related with it.

E.g. (25)

my knifes all blazing, its sharpened for stabbing/

shit this dude sucks like vampires when it comes to rapping//

Now you used a metaphor here by comparing "Suckage" with vampires and you should
appreciate the significant increase in the quality of the punch impact in the altered
example. But the question then arises, how will you think of the meta? lol. Well, what I do
when I am faced with such a thing, is that I just think of stuff that is related to "Suck". Get in
your mind all the stuff that can be thought and related to "Suck". For e.g., those can be
"Babies sucking", "whores sucking", bloodsucking leechers, vampires. Then pick your meta
accordingly and make your punchline.

E.g. (26)

I even wanna battle him? I aint crazy or a dumb/

cuz dude "sucks" on the mic like a “baby on a thumb”//

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Now you picked your concept and you chose your metaphor and your punchline is
FUCKING READY. :)

But you do have to keep in mind that the concept you pick up fulfills two conditions.

1) That it amounts to some sort of dissing or insulting or damaging the rep of your
opponent. Like when you use such things as the guy "sucks".

2) That it should have a "good connection" with the metaphor. SUCK goes with baby on a
thumb and hence its a good connection. Keep the two components related and immediate,
so that when others read your punchline, THEY ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU
HAVE PUT IN YOUR PUNCHLINE.

Alternatively you can also have meta punches without using the word like in your lines, but
nonetheless, do not lose sight of the fact that "connection" between the concept you use
and the metaphor employed should remains there in a solid and strong fashion. More
examples will help you in clarifying my object here;

E.g. (27)

spitting like "bows & arrows", dude lacks the fucking "caliber" to rhyme/

you call yourself a "tornado MC"? thats cuz you a "disaster" on the mic//(Brassic Bhai)

Now as the diss on the opponent in the above example like "disaster on the mic", you need
to pick up an insulting phrase or a diss like that. Calling someone as a disaster on the mic is
a very common diss thats used. Now you can think of related ideas that go with "disaster"
and collect a stream of words/ideas in your mind. Such would be "tornadoes, cyclones,
failures, bad defeat" and stuff like that. Pick one metaphor from all the ideas that you get in
your head and choose that one which you think is the most appropriate metaphor for the
diss that you intend to use. Make sure that the connection goes well if you choose a
particular metaphor. Here when you say TORNADO MC, you kind of say, that the guy is
solid, hard and somebody awesome. But then you of course need to play with that term and
turn it around in order to mock your opponent by using a metaphor. In the above example,
"TORNADO" can be related to "DISASTER" and "MC can be related to MIC". So when you
choose to use a metaphor in your punchline, make sure that it sets well inside your
punchline and does not look out of place.

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Further more examples that you can read

E.g. (28)

1. your skills are like "TRUANT KIDS", they dont belong to any "CLASS"(Brassic Bhai)
2. you wont "SPIT HOT" even with "COALS in your MOUTH"
3. your ass wont "LOOK COOL" if you sat on an "ICEBERG

The above examples are very generic examples. Do not use them anywhere or make lines
like those because such concepts are totally played out by now, but I hope by now, you have
an idea of how to pick up a diss and use a metaphor together and make your punchline.

>>>>>

~~~~~~~~~~~~

COMPLEX METAS

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In case of complex metas you include more than one meta at a time. A simple meta punch
would be like this - “your ass wont be "COOL" if you sat on an "ICEBERG". This is an
example of just a simple connection where you compared someone’s “Coolness” with an
“iceberg” in a dissing way. However if you use two words together, and give two connecting
words that go with them, then shit gets more interesting and complex, plus it hits even
more better. Take this for example

E.g. (29)

and his verse would receive a "cold reception" like it was an "eskimo's wedding"//(H.O.D)

Here cold is related with eskimo's. Its a related idea with Eskimos and reception is a term
that goes well with wedding. So when you are using "cold reception" you are giving two
related metas that can go with it and this becomes a more complex form of meta punch and
an even better and pro one at that. :). Here H.O.D first through of a common phrase or
expression that is often used in English language in a disparaging fashion. Then he
circulated the word “Cold reception” in his head and concocted various situations and
words that sit well and connect with cold reception. He must have imagined different
scenarios and metaphors to compare with the phrase “Cold reception”. That’s how through
such concept-crunching, he was able to develop “eskimo’s wedding” as a perfect meta to go
with his concept and hence this punchline.

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Another example would be this

E.g. (30)

his LINES-A-WASTE of CYBER SPACE cuz like "terrorists in loos", ya "shots just go DOWN
THE DRAIN"//(Brassic Bhai)

Terrorists go with SHOTS and loos go with DOWN THE DRAIN. stuff can be connected.

So basically its about how well you are able to use something related to a word and connect
to it.

Another example

E.g. (31)

your lucks bad like the sloths and the felons, even get robbed in the heavens/

make you feel like "clothes on a whore"... you getting "dropped in a second"//(Brassic
Bhai)

Further example and explanations

E.g. (32)

m sick off this bitch crossed with dicks, "go ahead try me" if ya rick ross/

or you better strap a "watch at ya dick" and know its "time to piss off"//(Brassic Bhai)

here the term - "watch"; if you use it in a simple way with a simple meta, you would just
make something like the following

take a look at ya "watch" and know it aint your "time"//

But to make it more professional and better and harder hitting, think of stuff that goes with
"Time" or phrases that are commonly used using the word "Time". Examples would be
"time to piss off", time to fuck off, your times up, bad time, my time and or stuff like that.

So to go with time to piss off , you can add something to "Watch" that goes with "piss off"

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watch --- time

piss off ??? ---

most obvious thing that will come to your mind will be a dick and that does it. frame your
punch that way and you have your complex meta punchline :)

\/\/

you better strap a "watch at ya dick" and know its "time to piss off"//

OR

lemme put a "watch on your head" so you know your "time's up"//(this is really not mine,
but its too played out and used many times)

here in the above example, "Watch" goes with "time" and head goes with up and you have
your punchline in good shape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2.4 WORDPLAYS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*This includes Infinitz' input as well without which I would not have been able to completely
lay out this particular section*

Wordplays are by far the most potent among all the devices employed in battling.
Wordplays refer to usage of those words which can have two meanings in the same line.
American humour is by and large based on wordplays and English is a language which
allows a good scope for wordplays. An example would be

A)

E.g. (33)

flip text with a wrist test as you be a witness to ma sickness

plus you "suck" so bad, you'll put "vampires" outta business//(General)

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Here the wordplay is on the word "suck", which doubles up as a word which has two
meanings, one is "Being bad at something" and in addition it also implies "the act of
sucking" like how vampires do. So in the same line, you use the word "Suck" in such a
manner that you can employ both the meanings in your punchline.

B)

Another way of using wordplays is where you use different words in the same line but
which are pronounced in the same way. An example would be

E.g. (34)

niggas battling with me are like "seven days", they just "week"(weak)//(Canibus)

Here "week" and "weak" are pronounced in the same way, but the word has been used in a
way which lends different meaning to the line when you read it with different perceptions.

Another example will be

E.g. (35)

I talk raspy, I'ma animal, I speak horse(hoarse)//(Celph Titled)

Here again "horse" and "hoarse" are pronounced the same way, so instead of simply saying
that I talk so raspy, cuz I am so hoarse. Celph Titled introduced the play on the word by
using the word "horse" and then editing his line so that it has something related with
"horse". Hence what you read goes like this.
"I m an animal, I speak hoarse”. Here the word animal goes with horse and therefore is a
good connection and is a good example to exhibit your intended wordplay.

C)

A third way to use wordplays would be putting two or three words together with the same
effect as the one given above. That even though both will sound the same, but when taken
differently, will convey different senses. An example would be

E.g. (36)

his gay traits couldn't get a "babe laid" if he used "animation"(bey-blade)//(Infinitz)

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Here if it was just a simple metaphor line, it would have been like this

his gay traits couldn't get him a "bey blade" if he used animation//

But this line with just a metaphor hardly disses the other person, it has no sting and no
punch. Its just a simple line. But when you use those two words together in another sense
that is "Babe-laid" it brings in a lot of sting and punch into your line and makes it a
successful and hard hitting diss. Now the next thing you would be left to wonder is
regarding how does one come up with such wordplays involving two or more words. For
this first of all you need to pick a concept or just any random word and see if you can get a
punchline out of that. I will explain to you how the above mentioned "Beyblade" line was
made.

First think of a random word which has a scope for another word within that word. Like
"spade" for example. That word includes within itself another word and that is "PAID".
Then you split that word from the letter S. like this for example: Spade = S Paid. Now think
of some word that ends with "S". For example Blacks. Now club those two words together
and you have a potential example where you can get a wordplay out of it.

E.g. (37)

Here it is

Black Spade

Blacks Paid

Black-(S)

(S)-Paid

Now you have a set of words on which you can play around and then think of related terms
that go with BLACKS, PAID or BLACK SPADE. Using this understanding we will now
breakdown the making of the "Bey-blade" bar. Firstly the word that came to one's mind
would be BLADE. Then split it so that you can get another word from the same word and

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that would be B-LADE(LAID). Then think of another word that can end by incorporating
the B syllable. like for example BABE. now here split the word from the beginning, Bey-B.
And when you see the words "Blade" and "Babe", you have split the words in such a way
that "B" is the only letter left out and which is a common syllable between both the words
Babe and Blade.

E.g. (38)

Babe(Bey-B)

Blade(B-Lade)

When you get such a set of words, then you have the potential of making a wordplay punch
out of it. Then think of ideas/concepts related to BEY-BLADE, or BABE LAID.

BEY-BLADE-POKEMONS-ANIME-ANIMATION

BABE-LAID-IMPOTENCY-FAGGOTS-HOTNESS

Imagine several other connected concepts/phrases/terms and further stuff like that and
then use any idea among such related ideas which go with your punchline in the best
manner possible to get your punchline.

E.g. (39)

His impotency wouldn't get a "Bey-blade"*babe-laid* if he worshipped "pokemons"//

or

his gay traits wouldn't get a "Bey-blade"*babe-laid* if he used animation//

Both lines have an equal impact and are conveying more or less the same wordplay or the
punch.

So well, thats bout it when it comes to wordplays. :)

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3.2.5 NAMEPLAYS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A)

As the name of this section itself suggests, Nameplays are a battling device where you use
wordplays on your opponent's NAME AND NAME only. An example would make it simple. I
once had a battle with Young AR Lawson. Now you can twist his name around or use any
part of his name as your punchline. Law is very easy to diss on, so using your knowledge of
metaphors and wordplays, try making something on it.

E.g. (40) – Below is an example of a meta based nameplay.

class-rhymes-break this dyke-as-i-take-this-prize, this brawls done/

this faggots a virgin still!! cuz no one fucks with LAW,... son!!!// *lawson* (Brassic Bhai)

Simple enough? I just took his name and used a common phrase. I assume you must have
heard it very often that you should not fuck with law and stuff like that. So just think of
something that goes along with "not fucking with law", which is that you never fucked with
it and so I came up with that “virgin” punchline.

Below is an example for a wordplay based nameplay

E.g. (41) - now hogs wanna act? fifth now dun drop a sad answer/so get "Nigel, Mary and
Adam" as judges, cuz we need to drop this "baddan, sir!!"//*bad dancer* (7)

*Nigel, Mary and Adam are season 2011 judges for the show “so you think you can dance”// (

B)

Another way to diss a person's name is to take just a part of it. for example in the name
"lawson", its not important that you just take the whole name together and you are allowed
break the name, and take only a part of it. Lemme take just "law" for example and then I can
make something on it. Think of stuff that is related to law which would be among others
such examples as these - “law-congress-parliament-police-courts-legislation and stuff like
that”

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and then think of some common phrases that go with “law” like these for examples

E.g. (42)

New law tabled

law laid on any particular issue

So i can come up with a punchline using "laid" as my wordplay

E.g. (43)

spit fire flaw-less state, reduce him to bookshelf fables/

and only place "law gets laid" is a congress table!!!!//(lawson)

^that works as a diss to my opponent, lawson :)

Another example as follows

E.g. (44)

slam these boys with a whip crack to crack his plan b ploys/so just watch me fuck up "dan's
moves" like a "bad b-boy"// *dance moves* (v. Baddan)

C)

Another way to diss a person using his name is to just take the first letter of his name of the
initials of his name. Atleast thats how its mostly done and is followed as the standard by
man. So once I had this battle with Mash and I used the letter M for my disses on him. When
I just take up the letter M , i thought of all the stuff that I could come up with that begins
with M like mmorpg games, mp5, mms and especially mbango, mbangwa which are african
names. And of course the variety of thoughts that you can come up with depends on your
knowledge and awareness of your world. :) so its important that you carry a good amount
of g.k and in case you dont, then start reading anything for the sake of battle-rapping.

So it so happened, that i picked up MBANGO which is an african name and then used it this
way

E.g. (45)

Ma magical plays trash his tragical frame in a tactical game/

cuz only place "M comes before a bang" is an "african name"//(Brassic Bhai)

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The punchline is simple and clear. In the name Mbango, M goes before a bang. lol. What you
have to keep in mind is that you have to use phrases that are used commonly by many. Like
its common to hear that someone went before a bang on the stage, so on and so forth. Go
through another example. I had a battle against wallybombmic once. So I picked up "Wally"
from there and then I related it to Wall-E. Then i thought of stuff that is related to "Wall-E".
If you remember that in the movie, Wall-E was programmed to go through trash and sift
through it to discover remnants of life-forms and do stuff like that, so using that info, I came
up with this punchline

E.g. (46)

m giving spammers a blast, expect his living standard to last?

no hope, cuz "Wall-E"*Wally* is just known for living off trash//(Brassic Bhai)

E.g.(47)

Another example v. KanTANKerous

I could be listening to "alternative rock", and peeps are wondering, "WHO BUST
TANK?*hoobastank*//

And so thats about nameplays. I hope its all clear now.

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================

LESSON 4: FRAMING

================

Framing is how you make your punches land with maximum impact and give a good
structure to your bars that are easy to flow as well when someone reads them aloud. Its all
about using the right word and placing the punch at the right place so that it works the
best. Usually you are required to first build up a flow using your set up bar and fill it with
multies that go with your punchline(which for obvious reasons, should be made first). One
should try to reveal the punch using the least number of words and always try to put the
punch at the very end of the line for it to have the maximum impact. When the punch ends
just as you finish reading a line, then you get a knock on your head and its like woaah, that
surely hit like a bad motherfucka.

This can be explained and appreciated with an example

Refer to earlier e.g at 46

If I am not concerned bout framing the punch the right way and just try to use the concept
and attempt a wordplay, then I might have made it like this

wall-e lives off trash, thats why his rhymes are dirty//

Now ^ here, the main punch "living off trash" has been used earlier and the rest of the line
is just sort of made up or completed using words to fill it in. That reduces the impact of
your punchline. But when you make a bar like this as given below, then what you are
basically doing is building a flow first, getting your multies right and the punch is never
revealed until the very end of the line

m bout to get down to hitting off wacks, expect his gimmick to last?/

no hope, cuz "Wall-E"*Wally* is known for just living off trash//(Brassic Bhai)

That works better than the previously stated one!! (atleast I think so)

I hope, you have got an idea bout what framing is and where and how to place your
punches? I guess this much is enough for the framing part. In any case if you have
suggestions or feedbacks or additions to point out, feel free to contact me and I will edit it
accordingly

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===================

LESSON 5: FREESTYLING

===================

To freestyle is to feel like a rapper, a genuine one. So its important that you should know
freestyling. Well, I have not been freestyling for too long. It has been just about 3-4 months
or something for me, but I guess I have gained some valuable tips that I can share. And this
is just a start-up guide, for people to start freestyling. A pro freestyler will happen only if
you practice freestyling consistently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5.1 RHYME-SCHEME

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A)

First thing one should do is have a set of rhymes on the back of your head, which you can
recall at super quick notice. And the more you practice freestyling, the faster you will get
rhymes in your head which you can use while freestyling.

For example, I would keep some rhymes in my head for the word “read”, like
“read/preach/bleech/siege/beseech/seek/freak/leak/meek/bleak/steak. This should be
there in your head. You should have a good rhyme quotient with you which will only
improve if you start freestyling. So when you have a set of rhymes in your head, then
whenever in a freestyle you end your line with any word like “read” for example, then you
can quickly recall a set of rhymes and immediately spit using that. So when you end your
line like this

Man, what you coming at me for? You can barely read/

Once you utter that line, you should first RECALL IN YOUR HEAD the rhyme for the next
line and then think of the next line that you will spit. For example, you may quickly chose
the rhyme “Bleak” and then make a line ending with it

Man, what you coming at me for? You can barely read/as it is, your future is so fucking
bleak/black darkness in your area, the neighbourhood needs a lil bleach/so never try to act
hard, cuz you looking like a freak/as I beseech the powers of satan and lay siege/all over ya
home, so better run ya ass to a priest who preach//

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B)

And if you are freestyling in front of someone at a particular location, always try to
reference something that is relevant to your position, your opponent’s position, or your
listener’s position, or the particular place you are freestyling on. So for example if you are
freestyling with your friend at a street corner, you end a line like that in the example above

Man, what you coming at me for? You can barely read/so just get off from school, get back
to the streets//cuz this corners are the places where we meet/on everyday grind, but lady
luck wants to leave/us for all the bad things that’s making us meek/with a future so
bleak//

And so on. The more you are able to incorporate the surroundings in your freestyle, the
better your originality of the freestyle be, and more it would be appreciated as well.

C)

If you have a history of text battling, then I guess it would be easy to come with on the spot
metaphors and punches as well. But before being able to do that, you should have some
battling history one way or the other, cuz otherwise it really gets tough to think on the spot
punches/metaphors and therefore you will just be doing simple syllaballic non-sense lines.
:)

Besides, major punchlines are mostly pre-written even when they are used in a freestyle
and what one does is just utter 3-4 setup lines in freestyle and then land the punch in the
end. Of course when you know who you are going to battle, then you get some time to think
of punches. I believe that strong punchlines are always made backstage ;).

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END-NOTE
THANK YOU FOR READING

IF THIS HELPED YOU AND IF YOU ARE NOT MY FRIEND ON ORKUT OR FACEBOOK, DO
MAIL ME. IF YOU COME ACROSS A GROSS MISTAKE WHICH IS IRRITATING AND CANNOT
BE OVERLOOKED OR MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THEN
DO POINT OUT THE PAGE NUMBER TO ME AND I WILL TRY TO RECTIFY IT.

You are free to make use of this guide to improve yourself. You are free to share this as well
but under no circumstances can any content or part of this guide be claimed as yours and
due credit must be given to the author of this e-book. You are requested to not use any of
the punchlines mentioned in this e-book cuz you would get caught for biting anyway
sooner or later. Lol. P.S – hows my legal drafting skills? Not bad huh!! . lol

VERSION HISTORY
Version 1.1
• New Section 2.3 added - More on How to Create a bar under the Lesson called
"Basics".
• 3 more examples added under section 2.3.5.
• More info added under section 3.2 on punches.
• Complex metas explained a little more by expanding on the explanation of an
example in section 3.2.3.
• 2 examples added under the section 3.2.5 on Nameplays.
• New sub-heading added called “played out concepts” under Section 3.2.2 on Picking
concepts.
• Version history added after the end-note. :P
• Lot of errors rectified (as the previous one was written in mad hurry)
• Cover-page of the e-book changed. (lol)
• Insignia Mixtape 3 link added. Twitter links and FB artist page added.

Version 1.0
• E-book released all fresh and clean

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