How are guest verses written?

Blisterman

How does this usually work? Do rappers generally instruct their guest stars on what to write, do they write their verses for them or leave them to their own devices?

Bobby Baccala

It varies from artist to artist.

Boom_Bap

It tends to vary. For example, if you watch the BlacRoc sessions, people like Raekwon were coming into a studio with no idea who they are working with, they hear the beat and go to thier phone to find a verse that suits the timing of the beat.

There are others who will go into a studio with prep work for a song done and then record it together.....although this is not common now because it's so easy to record remotely.

Then there are others who when getting a guest will give a theme and a sample of the beat and they will boune back and forth until something is complete.

So there is no one way they are written, really depends on who is looking for the guest spot, and who the guest is.

But back in the, the way the whole guest spot thing originated, if you happen to be in the studio where someone is recording, you write a verse, you showcase the verse, if it's good enough, you are put on the song. That's how the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Redman, Tupac, Nas (I think) and many many more go thier big breaks.