Voice Care for Rappers

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It can be easy to forget about looking after your voice when you’re focused on your flow and remembering your words, but voice care is just as important for a rapper as it is for a singer or actor.

Getting where you want to be in the rap game takes hard work, practice and a lot of strain on the voice; if you don’t want to find yourself needing to rest it ahead of an important show or recording have a read through our voice care tips.

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Breathe

Breathe properly using your whole chest – not just the upper part of it – in order to support the voice. Our bodies are like a six-cylinder car, so if you only use the upper chest to breathe it’s like running on three cylinders and putting unnecessary strain on the body.

If you’re struggling to find time in your performance to breathe properly why not think about using a slower old school beat or making well timed pauses part of your flow Drake style?

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Keep Yourself Hydrated

You should always drink plenty of water to keep the vocal cords lubricated. Have a water bottle on you at all times or at least drink one glass every mealtime and at least one in between.

If you’re battling other MCs the last thing you want is your voice letting you down just through lack of water – make sure you’re well hydrated before you start!

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Try To Relax

Relax, relax, and relax! Tension tightens the voice and makes it harder to talk. Keep your posture low and easy, your face and jaw relaxed. Try and stretch your upper body regularly. Massage your neck on either side of your voice box. Also yawning and sighing before performing opens the voice and relieves stress.

You can help yourself feel relaxed on the day if you’ve practiced as much as possible and been looking after your voice already. If you’ve checked everything else off the list its much easier to focus completely on your performance.

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Speak Slowly & Pause When You Need To

Rapping is a strain on your voice, especially if you have a fast flow so make sure that you’re resting it as much as possible during your down time. If you’ve got a big gig at the weekend try not to do anything too strenuous on your voice beforehand.

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Try Not To Cough Too Much

Coughing or clearing your throat too much causes vocal fatigue and can damage your vocal folds. Try sipping water, sucking a cough sweet or try Vocalzone instead!

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Pause During Background Noise

Trying to project your voice over intense background noise strains it and makes for a poor listening experience. Whenever its possible thoroughly sound check before each performance to ensure that you don’t have to project your voice too loudly over the beat.

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Think About When You Eat

Eating late at night can allow stomach acid to spill into your larynx causing hoarseness. Watch out for any pain or hoarseness, they may signal a voice problem. Always consult with your doctor or voice coach if you feel you may have a problem.

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Avoid Alcohol & Smoking

Smoking is a major cause of vocal cord damage. Alcohol is an irritant too which should also be avoided as much as possible.

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Monitor Your Voice

Don’t ignore any warning signs – Monitor you voice! Don’t shout when you don’t have to; vocal cords already collide with each other more than a million times a day.

If you haven’t already, give Vocalzone Throat Pastilles a go! It is specially formulated for voice care and is designed specifically to relieve throat irritation or dryness which may occur if you have been singing, speaking or smoking excessively. The pastilles should be used prior to a performance but can be used throughout and after in addition.

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Written by Laura Thomas

Social Media and Marketing Executive at Vocalzone. The Simpsons, The Wicker Man (original!), real crime shows, metal, punk and the new punk (grime)