Not a promo post, genuinely trying to understand how rappers write in 2026.

I've been deep in the creator tool space for a while and noticed there's an insane amount of software built for YouTubers, streamers, podcasters analytics, growth tools, AI assistants but almost nothing serious built specifically for rap artists and songwriters. The stuff that exists (RapPad, RhymeZone) hasn't really changed in years.

So I'm trying to understand what the actual pain points are before building anything. Would love honest answers to these:

1. What's the hardest part of your writing process?

Starting? Finishing verses? Hooks? Staying consistent across a full song? Writer's block?

2. What tools or apps do you actually use when writing?

Notes app, RapPad, ChatGPT, something else? What's your setup?

3. When you listen back to a finished verse, what do you wish you'd caught earlier?

Weak rhymes, repetitive flows, clichéd lines, hook not hitting right?

4. Have you ever used AI to help write bars?

If so did it actually sound like you, or did it sound like a robot trying to rap?

5. If a tool could do ONE thing to make you a better writer, what would it be?

I'll read every reply. If enough people are interested I'll share what I'm building but right now I just want to listen.

Artists at any level welcome whether you're putting out mixtapes or just writing for yourself.

As you can read in the title, im searching for a prodcer who is willing to make a beat sampling the song by Miles Davis, so what. for free. If you can please let me know thank you
PS free for profit btw
PSS if you manage to make it tell me in the comments that you have sent it to me privately thx!

If there’s no financial damage done, who cares if rappers “steal” our beats? Yall should feel proud that a new artist took a liking to your work. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

I’ve seen producers on here telling brand new, blossoming artists that they need to clear every sample they use in their beats.. that’s just insane.

Here’s the thing: if you aren’t making any money off of the art, then you’re not hurting anyone’s pockets by simply creating it. Use every resource available to you until you are capable of generating income with it, and then worry about all the legalities..

Until then, treat it like the Wild Wild West, man.. no one’s gonna come knocking on your door because you used a snare drum that you didn’t pay for. There ain’t a single producer on here that’s gonna come for you if you “steal” their beat. This is a learning environment.

Too many people on here watch a YouTube video about Music Law, and then immediately come to Reddit and parrot what they just heard to appear like they’re more important than they are. Stop taking yourselves so seriously, man.. sheeesh.

Hi, I'm a 25-year-old producer. I've been producing for years, but I've always kept everything in the vault. Now I want to start sending things out, but I'm a bit lost.

I'm not into chasing placements and all that. I mean, it's okay, but I'd really like to connect with some underground rappers and work on an EP or album with them; it feels more personal.
However, I find it hard to search for and find truly underground rappers.

Can you give me some tricks or advice on how you guys find and connect with artists who are just starting out?

How are you guys managing massive sample libraries these days?

Mine’s gotten to the point where:

• duplicates everywhere
• random “One Shots” folders
• Mac junk files inside packs
• loops/drums all mixed together
• impossible to browse efficiently

Feels like sample management is becoming its own full-time job.

Curious what serious producers are actually doing once their library gets huge.

Hey Reddit,

After my divorce, things started happening I couldn't explain. So I wrote an EP.

This isn't just a rap album.

It's a public record. Confessional. Dark. Lo‑fi hip‑hop.

No apologies. Just the document.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6npfTyx4AqFZq26jo4LGb0

🎧 Also on YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n0V_kNMOrafqFhD0_hoZ37vmLeG-H4sWI

Ask me anything. I'll be in the comments.

I'm currently improving my wordplay and songwriting since I've only been doing this for 1,5 months. But I'm kind of against a roadblock because I feel like my English is not good enough. For context, I'm Dutch and I speak a lot of English on a daily basis and I'm fluent. But that's everyday life and not the way English is used in hiphop.

So my question is: what literature would you guys recommend to improve this?

READ THIS TEXT CLOSELY BEFORE POSTING!!! NO FEEDBACK = BAN

If you post something for feedback, you must give QUALITY feedback at least once before the next thread is up. Check out the Quality Feedback Guide for tips on giving good feedback. Sincere feedback requests only please. Posting for plays will not be tolerated.

One feedback request per thread max (i.e. one track)

Don't post songs more than a month old.

Leave feedback at least once as a reply to a top-level comment to avoid being flagged as a slacker. To be super clear, this means you click reply on someone else's original comment.

NO FEEDBACK = BAN

So the way I find flow is by scatting, and I record my scat to a beat and write lyrics to that while listening. I recently posted a song that someone said was trash and I guess it's because it might've not had a flow. I've had scats that didn't have flow but still had a rhythm and pocket, which doesn't make sense to me. It's got me frustrated and confused but how do you guys have a flow? Should I record a scat then give it some time for me to judge if it has flow or not?

Posting Rules:

• This is a SPOTIFY PLAYLIST so only SPOTIFY LINKS
• Subgenres other than hiphop/rap like drill, lofi, chill, jazzrap, and whatever can fit if I we fit proper by the vibe. Generaly anything underground (like not promoted by any major company or fewer than 1000 streams) with a good vibe either its dark or uplifting or even depressing and emotional can fit.
• No rush, no hurry, no personal pms to the OP. We are a group of two people with day jobs and hobbies that will have to navigate through this list of songs.
• No unmixed - Poor mixed/poorly mastered songs
• NO AI MUSIC - You are blocked on spot and you will be reported to spotify. AI MUSIC is NOT MUSIC.
• NO SPAM - DON'T POST TWICE - YOU CAN POST UP TO THREE SONGS IF YOU ARE NOT SURE- If my co-curator likes one song of you, he may check for more, but that's not for sure. So post your absolute best 3 songs.
• INTERNATIONAL / WORLDWIDE RAP IS WELCOMED. WE WANT TO HEAR NEW LANGUAGES, not only English.
• PLEASE POST LIKE THIS SO WE CAN EASILY NAVIGATE THROUGH ARTISTS AND SONGS:

ARTIST NAME - SONGTITLE - GENRE/SUBGENRE

LINK

I WILL LEAVE THE SUBMISSION OPEN FOR 1 OR 2 MONTHS so be patient.

ALSO IF YOU CAN KINDLY UPVOTE THIS POST SO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS SUBREDDIT SEE IT AND POST, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I AM DEADLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS BEING A LIT PLAYLIST THAT CAN REACH PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, AND F**CK THE PAID CURATORS AND THE SERVICES AND THE RECORD COMPANIES' CURATED PLAYLISTS AND SPOTIFY THAT PROMOTES SHIT...THIS LIST IS GOING TO RIDE THE ALGORITHM LIKE A UNICORN!

After finishing the playlist I will share it with all of you here and you can listen to it and share it with the world. To activate the algorithm it is suggested all of you listen it with your personal accounts and share it wherever you can. Some people will know instantly they are in, but if I don't instantly answer to everyone, relax...It's a journey for us too, we need to browse through these songs

Sorry if this takes long, I think it's going to be full with a lot of suggestions. BUT, the good side is that you will get yourselves some streams, and maybe if you are in, more of them to come when the playlist is out.

Hey tout le monde !

J’ai un petit projet de mixtape hip hop avec plein d’artistes différents, genre petit collectif. D’ailleurs les artistes féminines sont les bienvenues, ne soyez pas timides, ce n’est pas réservé qu’aux hommes.

Il y a 9 tracks en tout, j’ai déjà un gars sûr qui est très très fort (Vous pouvez l’écouter et le soutenir: oliviermoore sur Instagram ) qui a déjà réservé une prod.

Deux autres rappeurs qui devraient normalement réserver rapidement ; Donc potentiellement il reste 6-7 tracks disponibles.

« Premier arrivé, premier servi »
(Note : Mais il est aussi possible de faire des collabs sur une même prod si les artistes sont sur la même longueur d’onde, je vous mettrai en lien s’il le faut)

Si tu es intéressé(e) envoie moi un MP, je t’enverrais le lien des instrus pour voir s’il y en a un qui t’inspire. Aussi, si tu peux m’envoyer un peu ce que tu fais, ce que tu as déjà fait, ce serait très cool.

Si tu as des questions n’hésite pas.

Note: Simplement j’aimerais bien des artistes avec de vraies paroles, de vrais textes et pas simplement du "c’est moi le meilleur de l’univers", "je sors la kalach", "vroum vroum la voiture", etc., donc si vous vous reconnaissez là dedans, contactez moi pour voir si on peut faire quelque chose.

Si vous voulez écouter un peu ce que je fais pour voir si on est "compatible", vous pouvez aller sur ma chaine YouTube : GoombahWop

Si tu as des questions n’hésite pas.

Peace!
Goombah

When I'm rapping, especially melodi rapping, my voice goes really nasily how can I prevent this

Hello, so I’m thinking the best way to do this for panned doubles is a low pass on the doubles so the most audible frequencies don’t clash and create a chorus effect, and to more aggressively manually cut out sibilance/consonants for the same reason

I’m wondering if this is common and if this is the correct way to do it

Basically wanting a way to be able to have a detailed scalable energy control, so say a section of the beat is super empty, I could automate said doubles to lower in volume so the energy feel matches the previous sections etc

Any advice is appreciated! Sorry if this post is a bit scrambled lol my head is very hollow feeling today

I’m thinking this is how wraith9 did LV Sandals, it also sounds like the main vocals on that track are panned to the left but you can hear a double on the right that that sounds like a ton of the frequencies are cut or heavily reduced

Thanks again

I’m a producer currently building a collaborative album.

My idea is having each track built specifically around the artist’s style while still fitting into a consistent album. The album blends trap, rap, latin-inspired rhythms, orchestral textures, and ambient elements.

I am mainly looking for people who are open to experimenting with different style influences.

If it is possible, I would like the album will end with a final collaborative track featuring all artists involved.

I already have a demo for the style I want to go for.
If you are interested, comment or DM.

The only requirement is to have a decent recording setup.

Good afternoon, how is everyone here doing today? I have producing Electronic Music for over a Decade, I am entirely self taught and I am genuinely passionate about turning this from a small time hobby into a full on career

At the beginning of this year, I made it my goal to add or redo vocals to 13 previous tracks of mine, however there is 1 track that I would like a Rap recorded for that I could use some help on, I have a Google Doc with the lyrics written down and all of the key information needed for the track if that is any help

If you are interested in working with me, please shoot me a DM, any help would be greatly appreciated, otherwise have a nice day today.

I know his lyrics are not great and he has not released that much music officially, but there are hundreds of leaked songs with unique lyrics and there surely are a lot more that we have not heard yet.

Also on a lot of songs he switches his flow up multiple times.

My biggest struggle rn is coming up with lyrics and with flows that do not all sound the same, so im wondering, how artists like carti manage to make this much music.

I'm a Hip-Hop Producer and beat maker - searching for 3-4 rappers to collaborate with

Can pay $20-30 if it turns out well, and you can keep all the royalties/revenue if the project does well

I will mix and master. Want to mainly collaborate online so you will need to have a good quality recording setup

DM me for more info, or if you wanna hear some of my music

Styles: Travis Scott, Denzel Curry, Don Toliver, A$AP Rocky/Ferg - Honestly whatever you're into I can compose somethin

Some info about me im an entrepreneur who has founded and sold many businesses over the last decade. Now I mostly spread my money across VC deals.

My man background is brokering meaning I bring all the players to the table. Fund it. Execute it. Implement a CEO to scale.

I recently started a record label because I have a lot of connections in the music industry and I am a consumer of music. I have my first artist. He has the look. He has the voice he has the beats. He lacks in lyrics which as a broker my instinct is let’s contract this out to someone whose strengths offset our weaknesses, ie someone who is great at songwriting but maybe not capable of being the face of the brand. And an artist who can be the face of the brand but not good at writing.

Regardless, it’s necessary we get a songwriting so we can get diversity out at effective scale. I also have high contacts in producing, engineering, promoting, etc. the reason I do not want to seek songwriters from them is because I want to retain as much control and margin when coming to the table.

I do not know where to begin to find ghostwriters. I’ve done some research on the going rate per word or deal and dif structures and it’s within budget.

Please let me know how you found your first songwriter if you don’t mind sharing. Thank you :)

I've been thinking about this for the last few weeks, and I'd genuinely like to hear how this sub feels about it.

A workflow I see more and more especially with bedroom producers is: load up a reference track, A/B against your own mix, and tweak until it sits in the same space. Some people do it for the master, some do it per-element, some do it just for vocals.

I went down this rabbit hole hard with vocals over the past year. I produce in FL, mostly working solo, and I got tired of spending 90 minutes per session on the same vocal chain just to land somewhere close to the reference. So I started building a tool that does the reference-matching part for me, drop in a reference, drop in a dry vocal, get a processed vocal that's been EQ'd, compressed, saturated, and spatially placed to sit in that same sonic space.

It's been useful for me. But it's also raised a question I can't answer

Is this a legitimate workflow shortcut, or are we losing something by skipping the chain-building part of mixing?

Some specific things I'm genuinely unsure about:

1. Does this kill the "develop your ear" part of learning to mix, or does it free you up to focus on the song?
2. Is "match to a reference" fundamentally different from using a preset, or is it just a smarter preset?
3. Where does this break? Live vocals? Multi-tracked harmonies? Genres where the vocal isn't supposed to sit "in" the mix (drum & bass, hardcore, etc.)?

Not trying to sell anyone anything in this thread but if it's relevant to the discussion I'm happy to share what I built so people can react to it directly. Mods, take this down if it crosses a line

have been rapping for 20ish years. getting back to it. i can record and produce well, but would like to collab with ONE beat maker on this entire album.

will pay in in the four-figure range for all beats, stems, etc if we gel.

i will record, mix, master.

will invite you out to the studio in Ohio for sessions if you’d like and can pay for one roundtrip ticket in the continental US valued $500 or less in addition to payment for your work.

hit my inbox.

styles: alchemist, action bronson, jonwayne, atmosphere, j cole, logic

no trap, etc