Taking inspiration from 'Battle Rap' into Copywriting (sorry copywriters)

Over the last month I have discovered the world of Battle Rap. A seemingly underground scene that spans across the U.K., parts of Europe and the U.S. There are a host of YouTube channels dedicated to this art form. With the likes of 'Premier Battles' and 'Don't Flop' showcasing some of the best talent and rappers on the circuit.

The likes of Marlo, 100 Bulletz, Soul, Shotty Horroh, Jai Thinks, P Solja and more going toe-to-toe. Lyrical artists shaping stories to 'take down' their opponents with colourful language but also intralingual word play. Using words with double entendres. Rhyming flow. Complex multi-plays. It truly is an art form.

And it is within this art form, the structure of sentences, the playfulness with words that I take inspiration from (to note, not the context of some of the more colourful language used) into the form of copywriting. An art form that is integral to the Advertising and Marketing sector.

Copywriting not only shapes the 'Tone of Voice' of a brand, but elevates a brands communication off the page. It tells consumers what a brand truly stands for. Whether it is playful, empathetic, sentimental, serious or even outrageous. It can also be overlooked at times, but it's importance should never be downplayed. The copy, especially within media channels such as print, can transform the impact of even the best art directed of ads.

"He thinks I've betrayed him since turning veggi
So now I'm at events with a Dairylea Dunker, and a couple light snacks
I get the death stare as he squeezes his hummus fried wrap
Every bread stick dunked is a knife into the fucking guy's back
So now I'm walking on eggshells...and he doesn't like that"

 - Shuffle T          

And Battle Rap isn't just clever word play, but it is also about storytelling. It has a flow to it. A construction that needs to land at certain beats to maximise its damaging blow upon its rival. Every word has a purpose within the story.

Again, a lesson to be learnt perhaps?

Well yes. Whilst we (creatives) aren't trying to take down our rivals we are trying to shape and tell stories across a magnitude of platforms. Be it the conventional method of print (magazine or OOH), digital (social) or TV (Vod), crafting a story in each space takes a certain skill set.

Can we land that 'one two' punch. Land the objective of the campaign. Make our audience pause, think even for a moment. Words that carry meaning are so hugely important.

And the importance of copywriting has never been more relevant with the emergence of A.I., with platforms such as ChatGPT currently doing the rounds. It has ignited a debate on whether such tech will make creatives and copywriters almost obsolete in the near future?

A battle of of its own, between Machine and Human perhaps?

But again, a learning from the world of 'Battle Rap' can be taken. It shows how each rapper or lyrical master has to know their opponent and surrounding audience. Pulling through the human lens of emotions, feelings, empathy to shape the stories they tell. An element a machine, with all the learning, will never truly master.

So read. Listen to music. Go to talks. Maybe even attend a rap battle of your own. Inspiration can be found sometimes in the most unlikely of places. And for me, I have found some in the world of Battle rap (with just less profanities of course).