Rhymes in the Flow: How Rappers Flip the Beat

Smith, Macklin; Joshi, Aurko

doi:doi:10.3998/mpub.9450148

Fig. 2. Layering between the beats and dips

From Chapter 2

Fig. 2. Layering between the beats and dips.

Fig. 3a

From Chapter 2

Fig. 3a. Snare patterns in “I Know You Got Soul” by Rakim and Eric B. from Paid in Full
(transcribed).

Fig. 3b

From Chapter 2

Fig. 3b. Rakim’s fow and backloadedness over more than four beats in “I Know You Got
Soul” by Rakim and Eric B. from Paid in Full (transcribed).

Fig. 3c

From Chapter 2

Fig. 3c. More backloadedness in “I Know You Got Soul” by Rakim and Eric B. from Paid
in Full (transcribed).

Fig. 4. Sheet music of “A Milli” by Lil Wayne for drumset, bass, and a sample, measures one through eight.

Fig. 4a

From Chapter 2

Fig. 4a. “A Milli” by Lil Wayne from Ta Carter III.

Fig. 4b

From Chapter 2

Fig. 4b. “A Milli” by Lil Wayne from Ta Carter III.

Fig. 5. Table describing rap’s metrical model in terms of full and half-line units, versification, and meter.

Fig. 5. Rap’s metrical model

From Chapter 3

Fig. 5. Rap’s metrical model.

Fig. 6. Table showing the average length of rap lines from 1979 to 2009, showing maximum, minimum, and median lengths. Includes non-syllabic vocal events.

Fig. 6. The average length of rap lines from 1979 to 2009, showing maximum, minimum, and median lengths

From Chapter 3

Fig. 6. Te average length of rap lines from 1979 to 2009, showing maximum, minimum,
and median lengths. Averaging about thirteen syllables, rap line length has remained
roughly stable, ticking up slightly in recent years, but range has expanded, as has the
variation within these lines. (Note: the graph includes non-syllabic vocal events.)

Fig. 7. Line graph showing the percent variation of average length of rap line length by year from 1979 to 2009.

Fig. 7. Percent variation of average length of rap line length, by year, indexed to 1979

From Chapter 3

Fig. 7. Percent variation of average length of rap line length, by year, indexed to 2009.

Fig. 8. Bar graph showing average dip lengths by region (East Coast, Midwest, South, and West Coast).

Fig. 8. Average dip lengths by region (East Coast, Midwest, South, and West Coast)

From Chapter 7

Fig. 8. Average dip lengths by region (East Coast, Midwest, South, and West Coast).

Fig. 9. Bar graph comparing dip lengths of ten West Coast rappers. The bar at the left shows the averages of all ten. Shaded regions represent average dip lengths.

Fig. 9. Comparing dip lengths of ten West Coast rappers

From Chapter 7

Fig. 9. Comparing dip lengths of ten West Coast rappers. Te bar at the left shows the averages of all ten. Shaded regions represent average dip
lengths; they are stacked here but do not sum to represent lines as a whole.

Fig. 10. Hexagonal graph comparing average dip lengths of Los Angeles-based rappers with New York City-based rappers.

Fig. 10. Comparing average dip lengths of Los Angeles-based rappers (solid line) with New York City-based rappers (dotted line), with range of average dip length from .5 to 2.0 syllables

From Chapter 7

Fig. 10. Comparing average dip lengths of Los Angeles-based rappers (solid line) with
New York City-based rappers (dotted line), with range of average dip length from .5 to
2.0 syllables. Length from the center signifes the number of syllabic events within the
dip > 0.

Fig. 11. Hexagonal graph comparing Biggie with other New York City-based rappers.

Fig. 11. Comparing Biggie (dashed line) with other New York City-based rappers (dotted line), with range of dip length from .2 to 1.5 syllables

From Chapter 7

Fig. 11. Comparing Biggie (dashed line) with other New York City-based rappers (dotted
line), with range of dip length from .2 to 1.5 syllables. Length from the center signifes the
number of syllabic events within the dip > 0.

Fig. 12. Hexagonal graph showing a closer look at “Who Shot Ya?” by Biggie through the lens of average dip length.

Fig. 12. Biggie: A closer look at “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) through the lens of average dip length

From Chapter 7

Fig. 12. Biggie: A closer look at “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) through the lens of average dip
length. Biggie is represented by the dotted line; New York City-based rappers by dashed
line. Range of dip length from .2 to 1.8 syllables. Length from the center signifes the
number of syllabic events within the dip > 0.

Fig. 13. Hexagonal graph showing a closer look at “Hit ’Em Up” by Tupac through the lens of average dip length.

Fig. 13. Tupac: A closer look at “Hit ‘Em Up” (dotted line) through the lens of average dip length

From Chapter 7

Fig. 13. Tupac: A closer look at “Hit ’Em Up” (dotted line) through the lens of average
dip length. Tupac’s overall style is represented by the contiguous black line; Los Angelesbased rappers by the dashed line. Range of dip length from .5 to 2.5 syllables. Length from
the center signifes the number of syllabic events within the dip > 0.

Fig. 14. Hexagonal graph showing average dip length of “Who Shot Ya?” by Biggie versus “Hit ’Em Up” by Tupac.

Fig. 14. Average dip length of “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) versus “Hit ‘Em Up” (dotted line)

From Chapter 7

Fig. 14. Average dip length of “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) versus “Hit ’Em Up” (dotted
line). Range of dip lengths from .5 to 2.5 syllables. Length from the center signifes the
number of syllabic events within the dip > 0.

Fig. 15. Hexagonal graph showing Lil Wayne’s varied style compared to Los Angeles-based rappers, New York City-based rappers and Atlanta-based rappers.

Fig. 15. Lil Wayne’s varied style (indicated by the dashed grey line) compared to Los Angeles-based rappers (dotted line), New York City-based rappers (dashed line) and Atlanta-based rappers (hybrid dashed and dotted line)

From Chapter 7

Fig. 15. Lil Wayne’s varied style (indicated by the dashed gray line) compared to Los
Angeles-based rappers (dotted line), New York City-based rappers (dashed line) and
Atlanta-based rappers (hybrid dashed and dotted line). Range of dip length from .5 to 2.5
syllables. Length from the center signifes the number of syllabic events within the
dip > 0.

Fig. 16. Bar graph showing the ten most common line variants and their average line length.

Fig. 16. The ten most common variants (in rank order reading from left to right, including all line types) and their average line length

From Appendix 1

Fig. 16. Te ten most common variants (in rank order reading from left to right,
including all line types) and their average line length.

Fig. 17. Bar graph showing the number of syllables per line, and percentages of each, during 1979-82.

Fig. 17. 1979-82 (e.g. Sugar Hill Gang, Melle Mel). Number of syllables per line, and percentages of each, during this period.

From Appendix 2

Fig. 17. 1979–1982 (e.g. Te Sugarhill Gang, Melle Mel). Number of syllables per line, and
percentages of each, during this period.

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Fig. 2. Layering between the beats and dips

Fig. 3a

Fig. 3b

Fig. 3c

Fig. 4a

Fig. 4b

Fig. 5. Rap’s metrical model

Fig. 6. The average length of rap lines from 1979 to 2009, showing maximum, minimum, and median lengths

Fig. 7. Percent variation of average length of rap line length, by year, indexed to 1979

Fig. 8. Average dip lengths by region (East Coast, Midwest, South, and West Coast)

Fig. 9. Comparing dip lengths of ten West Coast rappers

Fig. 10. Comparing average dip lengths of Los Angeles-based rappers (solid line) with New York City-based rappers (dotted line), with range of average dip length from .5 to 2.0 syllables

Fig. 11. Comparing Biggie (dashed line) with other New York City-based rappers (dotted line), with range of dip length from .2 to 1.5 syllables

Fig. 12. Biggie: A closer look at “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) through the lens of average dip length

Fig. 13. Tupac: A closer look at “Hit ‘Em Up” (dotted line) through the lens of average dip length

Fig. 14. Average dip length of “Who Shot Ya” (solid line) versus “Hit ‘Em Up” (dotted line)

Fig. 15. Lil Wayne’s varied style (indicated by the dashed grey line) compared to Los Angeles-based rappers (dotted line), New York City-based rappers (dashed line) and Atlanta-based rappers (hybrid dashed and dotted line)

Fig. 16. The ten most common variants (in rank order reading from left to right, including all line types) and their average line length

Fig. 17. 1979-82 (e.g. Sugar Hill Gang, Melle Mel). Number of syllables per line, and percentages of each, during this period.

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