The Cipher
What is it?
A cipher, or "cypher," is performed in a group setting of rappers. The cipher is commonly known as a rap battle in a competitive setting. In a cipher you will likely hear all of the hip hop cultural modes of discourse. Many ciphers are staged as rap battles where the person who creates the best lyrical rhymes comes out as the winner. In this setting rappers have the chance to think quickly, demonstrate linguistic creativity, and learn from other artists who are using the same craft. For the purpose of our project, an in-class cipher would generate your own creative rap skills. Some of rappers' best lyrics have come from participations in ciphers. You have already watched a video of a classroom cipher with Kendrick Lamar on the previous page. Now read the following excerpts of lyrics generated from a cypher between Kanye West, Big Sean, Cyhi Da Prince, and Common:Kanye:
Common, Don, Old G, battle rap, oh
that guy know you can't really mess with that
Pusha T, the Clipse just made a classic
Good music together we too Jurassic, you stay plastic
Ramadan with the flow, guaranteed everyone fasting
Big Sean is a don
Cyhi da Prince
why you so nervous dog stop being tense
if you aint talking bout Rash we aint got nothing in common
Big Sean:
Every week is fashion week and every day I'm pressed clean
Detroit's Angel, I even got red wings
I'm headed to the ball, me and three prom queens
my life's prom night and guess who's the Prom King
they having a kissing fight and I'm Don King
everybody know I'm coming soon like LeBron's ring
I'm Big L, Notorious, Big Pun, Shawn Carter, Sean Combs and Connery all in one
whoever told you sky's the limit is looking dumb
cause I'm 22 and I'm moonwalking on the sun
Cyhi Da Prince:
I'm Mr Got bread like Quizno's
better known as MJ with the big nose
I swear your artist couldn't see me on his tip toes
only on TV I gotta take a quick pose
let me stop I forgot this was a big show
Common:
F-f-fam fam fam I'ma monster too
you don't see I do things that the monsters do
the incomparable, remarkable, articles
about my audio technique, my technique
I recognize games like the ESPY's
cold to myself I say God Bless me the truth
so I speak live and directly
you, I will set free my mic is where my check be
rah, I echo, I echo, I echo, the sounds of the ghetto, future of the retro
Now It's Your Turn!
As a pre-writing activity I would like everyone to think of a couple poetic lines using a type of rhyme or alliteration that you can contribute to an in-class cipher. Your ideas are simply starting points, as we will bounce off of one another’s ideas.
For extra assistance with planning strategies refer to Flocabulary's step-by-step process of preparing for a cypher.
If you still feel like you are unsure of what a cipher is consider the following link where popular hip hop artists today define the cipher in their own words.
