Scorp

*Originally Posted in 2003*
ALLITERATION

One of the most overlooked and potent weapons an MC can utilize and keep in thier backpack is alliteration. Many MC's do it all the times, but may not even know that they are doing it. What is alliteration? well.....................


Quote:
originally found on Dictionary.com
al·lit·er·a·tion
n.
The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables, as in “on scrolls of silver snowy sentences” (Hart Crane). Modern alliteration is predominantly consonantal; certain literary traditions, such as Old English verse, also alliterate using vowel sounds.

Many of HipHops greatest Mc's use/used this technique constantly. For example Tupac on If I die tonight

Picturin pitiful punk niggaz coppin pleas
Puffin weed as I position myself to clock G's
My enemies scatter in suicidal situations
Never to witness the wicked **** that they was facin
Pockets is packed with presidents, pursue your riches
Evadin the playa hatin tricks, while hittin switches

Actually, the rest of that song is laced throughout with alliteration. What does it do?? Alliteraton can help the peice flow with the beauty of the Tigris River... It places stresses on certain syllables which in turn adds to the overall feeling of the ryme. This can help with the rythm of the ryme in general. It is my personal opinion that an alliterative line in a ryme may outpower a punch or a multi because of the level of complexity of the verse

Now I would like to add on to the definition of the word. Yes Dictionary.com does an outstanding job defining the word...but they do have a slight error. Traditionally , yes, the first syllable is where the alliteration will be found. However, in the present way we communicate and speak, stress is also given to the second and third syllable as well. Our vocabulary we have nowadays doesnt nessesarily stress first syllables.

Utilization of this Extra alliteration can be a bit more difficult to master, and trust me I am no master, but an example could be

I'm most ad-mired ad-mit it, remain a-mong the greastest
and i'm a-mused with the a-mount abuse this kat stated/

Now this is some possibilities with the third syllable

my rymes clear alu-minum , u cant see em any-more
my lyrics straight arith-metic , can u calculate the score?/

Because of the outanding complexities found in the English Languge, and because the true MC will flip any language, complex or not, alliteration can be an Mc's backup grenade, when the going gets rough......ya know???

I hope this helps some

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Froshkiller Figure out what you have to say instead of letting some bullshit media pressure to match a "hard" image force you to spit twenty-year-old punchlines and nonsense gun talk. Say something interesting, rhyme something clever, and distinguish yourself from the thousands of other dumb motherfuckers posing like they're something to be afraid of.

MurkinDem

Thankyou again, helped me loads.