A cypher just refers to when a group of rappers come together to rap or perform. Usually in a circle, each rapper takes turns to show of their skills before passing it along to the next person.
"So how long do I rap for?" Well, if everyone is freestyling, the more people in the circle the less time each individual typically has. As a rule of thumb, you probably want to keep between 16-32 bars. You don't actually need to count each bar though because most beats change in some way every 16 bars. Just pay attention to the changes you'll have a rough idea of how long you've been rapping.
CYPHER ETIQUETTE DICTATES WAITING FOR YOUR TURN IN THE CIRCLE AND NOT INTERRUPTING OTHER RAPPERS...
Knowing when to start is an important part of the cypher because you want to minimize downtime between turns, and keep the music flowing. Knowing when to start ironically starts by knowing how to end. This is because 99% of the time you will be going after someone else so it's important to recognize when they're winding down so you know when to jump in.
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Ending, or dismounts as they're called, aren't particularly hard, and don't require much thought. Anyone can do it, you just stop speaking. Dismounting well, however, does require some thought and self awareness. The two most important things are 1) that you want to finish on time and 2) you want to finish strong.
Technically, you can stop rapping whenever you want to but it always sounds better if you end on the fourth beat. It actually sounds the best if you get off on a 16th or when the music changes. But don't spit an extra 15 bars just to end on a 16th! Under no circumstances do you want to be rambling.
Finishing strong means you end leaving people wanting more not silently begging you to stop. Learning the difference between a hiccup, and rambling takes some time but if your hiccup last more than three bars, you're rambling.
Ending on a stronger line leaves people wanting more is by . This could be a punchline, the conclusion to a story or even just an above average bar would suffice. People only remember the beginning and ending of things so make your dismount count!
THE BEST CYPHERS HAPPEN WHEN RAPPERS BUILD OFF OF ONE ANOTHER. FEEDING OFF OF EACH OTHERS ENERGY WILL ESCALATE EVERYONE'S BARS...
See the tip above? Absolutely true. But what does building off of each other mean exactly? It's pretty simple, just be present. Put down your phone, and pay attention to what other people are saying. Reference something else someone has said, start an argument, copy the prior persons flow, build off of someone else's rhyme set, finish a theme or a story that someone else started, or recount your own. These things turn you from individual people rapping into a group vibing together, and really cyphering.
MAY YOUR JOURNEY NEVER END...
Congratulations!!! You're now a full-blown freestyler. You have all the tools and techniques you need to dazzle any audience. Hone your skill, and become the best! Continue on for additional skills.