The word "Freestyle" in Hip Hop

[B.A.D.]

Its interesting how this word is used in hip hop and how often it creates debate

it came for 'of-the-top' rhyming to a beat in real time, to making an actual full song and calling it a freestlye. There is many definitions for this word now days

but, what does it mean to YOU?

[DƎRDYPK]

Even if you write something it comes from off the top so...both = freestyle to me

[Tash8]

Honestly, I never understood the word freestyle. When I say someone's not rapping prewrittens, I just call it off-the-top.

[Spyder]

to ME, its just thought of in that second.

but ive seen it defined as an unpracticed verse. i.e lil wayne mixtapes. he never changes them or practices them. (which i still doubt) but not thought of right then

[Chet Starr]

When I see the word freestyle, it makes me think "free verse". Since that's pretty much all that it is anymore, since the word has changed.

& when it's not written it's off the top, like Tash said

[Francesco]

It use to only mean as the most popular expression defines it Top of the dome/Of the dome rapping if we talk about rap battles & cyphers but those DJ mixtapes changed it. Whenever some raps aren't structured as a real song it is a freestyle... no matter if it came straight off the dome or if it was pre written.
Then just rapping over somebody's popular song started to be called a freestyle too.

As of today it's more about a structure rather than the off the dome/pre written thing as rappers pre write & most of it rehearse their stuff even for cyphers.

[Mr Change]

I believe freestyle should be a term used as intended, to signal off the top rhyming. However, when I see it now I immediately think of a song with no style. An all out shapeless rhyme-fest.

[Epidemik]

Off the top ... anything else is considered 'written' material to me...

[CrashBand]

In battle circles, freestyle is always off the dome.

[Midnight EyeZ]

Freestyle for me will always mean off-the-top...Thinking it up as you go along whilst keeping the rhyme scheme, flow and delivery consistent...

It's also used for people who basically put all their throw-away bars into one long verse and just drop them randomly...

Examples of Freestyle - Eminem competing in the rap olympics...

Examples of NOT Freestyle - Eminem's Retarded Kid Freestyle...



I think they should come up with a new term for not off-the-top Freestyles...

Freeverse perhaps lol...

..."Yeah dude did you catch the new Midnight EyeZ Freeverse!?!?"...

I think it could catch on lol...

[LK5]

For me freestyle is rapping off the top but now it's mostly rapping pre-written verses on a different beat

[PAINKILLƎR]

"Freestyle" in today's time seems to be known as off the dome. But back then it was like a freeverse. Well at least that's what I've always been under the impression of.