84 Rap Terms, Rap Slang, & Hip Hop Vocabulary 2023

This comprehensive guide of rap terms will take you through an extensive glossary of rap vocabulary words, often referred to as rapper vocabulary or rap vocab. These are the rap terms and meanings, the hip hop words that paint vivid stories in every verse. We’ll also look at specific rap slang words and phrases that have made their way into mainstream use.

We’ll dig into the various rap music terms that help structure a song and understand how rap lingo differs from region to region. Along with this, we’ll study the key hip hop terminology, tracing its roots from its genesis to its modern form. Rap music words, once understood, can provide a richer understanding of the genre’s culture and narrative.

From ‘bars’ to ‘beats’, from ‘flows’ to ‘samples’, the rap glossary is as wide as it is varied. Words related to rap are not just limited to the lyrics but also extend to the production aspect of the music. The hip hop glossary is rich with terms that define the beats, rhythm, and production styles.

1. 16 Bars: A standard verse in a rap song typically contains 16 bars or measures.
2. 40 in Rap: A ’40’ in rap often refers to a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor, a type of beer. It’s frequently mentioned in hip-hop lyrics, especially in the context of parties or street life.
3. 808: Refers to the Roland TR-808 drum machine, used extensively in hip hop production for its distinctive bass drum sound.
4. Acapella: When a rapper performs their lyrics without any instrumental beat in the background.
5. Acid Rap: Acid Rap is the title of a mixtape by Chance the Rapper. The term can also refer to a psychedelic subgenre of hip hop, which is characterized by abstract or surreal lyrics and experimental soundscapes.
6. Ad lib: A spontaneous vocal inserted in a song, often used for emphasis or to fill space.
7. Bars: A term that refers to a measure of time in music, but in hip hop, it’s often also used to refer to the rapper’s lyrics.
8. Battle: A competition between rappers to demonstrate superior skills, often involving freestyle rap.
9. Beat: The instrumental track that a rapper performs over.
10. Beatbox: The vocal percussion of hip hop culture and music, where the artist mimics drum sounds with their voice.
11. Beats Per Minute (BPM): The tempo of the song, measured in beats per minute.
12. Bling: Jewelry or flashy, expensive accessories.
13. Boom-Bap: A style of beat that originated in East Coast hip hop, characterized by hard bass and snare drum sounds.
14. Bounce Rap: Bounce music is a style of hip-hop that originated in New Orleans. It’s characterized by energetic, up-tempo beats, call-and-response style lyrics, and a heavy influence from Mardi Gras Indian chants and New Orleans jazz music.
15. Break: A section of music where the beat is stripped back, often showcasing the drums.
16. Breakbeat: A rhythm derived from a section of a song where the beat “breaks” from the melody, usually characterized by the percussion. It is often looped and used as the rhythmic base for a song.
17. Bridge in Rap: A bridge in a rap song is a section that contrasts with the verses and chorus, providing a sense of variety and interest. The bridge often has a different melody or lyrics, and sometimes a different tempo or key.
18. Cadence: The unique rhythmic pattern of how a rapper delivers their lyrics.
19. Cali Rap: Cali rap, or West Coast hip-hop, originated from California, particularly in cities like Los Angeles and Oakland. It’s known for its laid-back vibes, funk influences, and gangsta rap subgenre. Iconic artists include Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre.
20. Chicago Drill Rap: Chicago Drill is a subgenre of hip-hop that originated from the South Side of Chicago. The music is known for its dark, violent, and nihilistic lyrical content, and the tracks often discuss the harsh realities of street life.
21. Chopper: A style of rapping when the artist delivers many syllables per second.
22. Cypher: A gathering of rappers freestyling together in a circle.
23. Crew: A group of rappers or a collective who often work and perform together.
24. Deep Cut: A non-single song on an album; it’s often less well-known but appreciated by real fans.
25. DFW Rap: DFW stands for Dallas-Fort Worth, a region in Texas. DFW rap refers to the hip-hop scene and style originating from this area. It’s known for its unique southern style, and several well-known rappers hail from this region.
26. Dirty South: A style of rap music that originated from the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, Miami, Houston, and New Orleans.
27. Diss track: A song created specifically to insult or criticize another person or group, often another artist.
28. Dope: A term to describe something that’s cool or great.
29. Drop: The point in a track where the theme switches, often to a heavier or more intense sound.
30. East Coast/West Coast Rap: Refers to a coastal division in styles of hip hop music in the U.S., particularly during the mid-90s when an infamous rivalry was formed between artists from these regions.
31. Emcee: Another term for a rapper or MC (Master of Ceremonies). It’s often used to refer to a rapper who is particularly skilled at their craft.
32. Feature: When an artist contributes to another artist’s song, they are said to “feature” on the track.
33. Flex: To show off or boast about one’s wealth, success, or other achievements.
34. Flow: The rhythm and rhyme scheme of a rapper’s delivery.
35. Freestyle: A rap performed with no previously written lyrics, or at least, presented as such.
36. Gangsta Rap: A subgenre of hip hop that often focuses on the violent lifestyles and impoverished conditions of inner-city African-American youth.
37. Ghostwriter: Someone who writes lyrics for another artist without receiving credit.
38. Ghostwriting: The act of writing lyrics for another artist without receiving credit. The person who writes the lyrics is known as a ghostwriter.
39. Grime: A genre of music that emerged in London in the early 2000s, characterized by rapid, syncopated breakbeats and rapping.
40. Hook: The catchy part of the song, usually the chorus.
41. Hype man: A person who supports the main artist on stage, often by repeating lines or adding in ad-libs.
42. Hyphy: A style of music and dance that originated in the Bay Area of California. It’s characterized by high-energy music and eccentric and flamboyant behavior.
43. Ill: A term to describe something that’s cool or awesome.
44. Jay: Slang term for a joint (marijuana).
45. Jiggy: A term popularized in the 90s, often meaning flashy, rich, or having swag.
46. Krush Groovin’: A term derived from the movie Krush Groove, used to describe the act of being involved in the hip hop music scene.
47. LBC in Rap: LBC stands for Long Beach City, California. It’s well-known in the hip-hop world as the home of Snoop Dogg and the place where G-funk (a subgenre of hip hop) originated.
48. Lo-Fi: A musical term meaning “low fidelity,” often characterized by a rough, raw, or unpolished sound quality.
49. Lyricist: A person who writes lyrics. In rap, it often refers to a rapper known for their complex and thoughtful lyrics.
50. Lyrical: A type of rap that focuses more on complex lyrics and wordplay.
51. MC (Master of Ceremonies): A term for a rapper that originated from the role of a host in live events.
52. Meme Rap: Meme rap refers to a subgenre of hip hop where the lyrics, video, or overall concept of the song is humorous or absurd, often designed to go viral or become a meme on social media. Artists like Lil Nas X and Yung Gravy have tracks considered part of this subgenre.
53. Mic: Short for microphone. It’s often used to refer to the act of rapping or a rapper’s skill.
54. Mixtape: Originally, a compilation of tracks typically recorded off the radio and compiled onto a cassette. In modern rap, it often refers to an artist’s self-released album.
55. Multisyllabic Rhymes: Rhymes that occur with multiple syllables, often used in complex lyrical patterns.
56. Nas Flow: A term used to describe the smooth, dense, and highly lyrical style of rap made popular by the artist Nas.
57. Old School: A style of hip-hop that predates the modern era of rap (late 70s to early 90s).
58. One-Hit Wonder: An artist who is known for a single successful song but is unable to replicate that success.
59. Patek / Paddock in Rap: “Paddock” is actually Patek in rap songs. Patek Philippe, often shortened to “Patek”, and Richard Mille are high-end luxury watch brands frequently mentioned in rap lyrics as a symbol of wealth and success.
60. Posse: Similar to a crew, a group of people who hang out together or support one another.
61. Producer: The individual who makes the beat for a track, and/or oversees the recording process.
62. Punchline: The final line of a joke or a rap verse that makes the joke or verse funny or impactful. In rap, it often involves clever wordplay.
63. Queen: A term for a female rapper or a woman of high status or respect in the rap community.
64. Rap Battle: A competition where two or more rappers take turns rapping, often insulting each other or boasting about their own skills.
65. Riddim: A term originating from Jamaica, it’s the instrumental beat of a song.
66. Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhymes in a song or verse.
67. Sample: A section of a pre-existing recording that is re-used in a new song.
68. Scam Rap: Scam rap is a subgenre of hip hop that emerged in the late 2010s. The lyrics of these songs often revolve around the theme of scamming or fraud, reflecting on digital hustles, credit card fraud, identity theft, etc. Detroit rapper Teejayx6 is a known figure in this subgenre.
69. Scratch: A technique used by DJs to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable.
70. Spit: To rap or deliver lyrics.
71. Spitter: A term for a highly skilled rapper, often one who is proficient in fast, complex delivery or impressive freestyling.
72. Swag: Short for swagger, a term that refers to a person’s style, confidence, or demeanor.
73. Thug Life: A term popularized by rapper Tupac Shakur, it refers to a particular lifestyle characterized by toughness in the face of hardship, often in a sociopolitical context.
74. Trap: A subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States, characterized by aggressive lyricism and heavy use of 808 kick drums, hi-hats, and synthesizers.
75. Turntablism: The art of manipulating sounds and creating music using turntables and a DJ mixer.
76. Underground Rap: A term for rap music that’s often independently released and not played on mainstream radio. These artists often focus on more diverse and complex lyrical themes.
77. Urban: A term often used in the music industry as a catch-all description for styles of music, including hip-hop and R&B, originating from multicultural inner-city communities.
78. Verse: A section of a song with original lyrics and melody. In rap, a verse is often 16 bars.
79. Vibe: A term that refers to the mood or atmosphere that a piece of music evokes.
80. VVS in Rap: “VVS” refers to a grading of diamond clarity, with VVS standing for “Very, Very Slightly” included. VVS diamonds are high-quality and expensive, and when rappers mention “VVS” in their lyrics, they are usually referring to jewelry as a status symbol.
81. Wack: An adjective used to describe something or someone that is not cool or lackluster.
82. Wordplay: Clever use of language, often involving puns or metaphors. A key component of many rap lyrics.
83. Yak in Rap: “Yak” is a slang term for cognac, a type of brandy. It is often used in rap lyrics to represent a certain lifestyle associated with success and wealth.
84. YSL Rap: YSL stands for Young Stoner Life Records, a record label founded by rapper Young Thug. It’s home to several prominent artists and has a significant influence in the modern hip-hop scene.

The dynamic nature of this genre means that the vocabulary is constantly being updated. This is why we’ve included the trending rap slang words of 2021 and current hip hop slang words and meanings. Slang for rap lyrics, rapper terminology, and hip hop phrases form the bedrock of the genre’s communication style, often serving as potent tools for expressing complex emotions and narrating compelling stories.

From ‘808s’ to ‘cyphers’, ‘ghostwriters’ to ‘mixtapes’, this rap keywords guide will leave you with a deep understanding of the words associated with rap, enabling you to describe rap music like a seasoned connoisseur. This guide is not just about definitions, but an invitation to engage with the genre, its artists, and its culture.