Figurative Languages are words and expressions used in poems and songs to convey various meanings and interpretations from the literal meaning. Figurative devices play major while writing. From music to books, literature is all around us. Many people, however, would not think to include rap music as literature. Rap music challenges the way we view things in a different light. Rap is actually the life of the streets with anger, joy, and hatred towards society. In it, we get glimpses of society and the way to believe in God also. Rappers lyrically engage internal rhyme, clear imagery, repetition, and blunt imagery through lyrics. While most of the rap songs are filled with profanity, illicit messages, and vulgarity, here you will find clean rap songs suitable for the young ones. Here are a few examples of figurative languages in rap songs:
Stereo Hearts – Gym class heroes
Make me your radioTurn me up when you feel lowThe melody was meant for youJust sing along to my stereo…If it was an old-school fifty pound boombox.
In the above lines, lyricist has used metaphor while comparing a heart and a stereo, which means that he wants to be as close to the girl as music. Love is personified because love is not a living thing; hence, it cannot die. There is also an exaggeration of how heavy a boom box is.
Diamond – Rihanna
Shine bright like a diamondShine bright like a diamond
Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happyYou and I, you and I, we’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasyWhen you hold me, I’m alive…
Palms rise to the universe, as we moonshine and molly
In the phrase ‘You’re a shooting star I see’ there is a metaphor. A person is compared to a shooting star without using like or as. The very first line has a simile. The singer is comparing a person’s character (shine) to a diamond’s brightness. There is a repetition of ‘shine bright like a diamond’ several times. In the phrase, ‘As we moonshine and molly’, the sound of /m/ is an alliteration. ‘When you hold me, I am alive’; it is a hyperbole because of exaggeration.
Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
Ice ice babyIce ice baby…
Bum rush the speaker that boomsI’m killin’ your brain like a poisonous mushroom
You better gain wayYou better hit bull’s eyeThe kid don’t play
Onomatopoeia is here because the line, ‘bum rush the speakers that boom’, has the sound of a speaker playing music. In verse, ‘you better gain way, you better hit bull’s eye’, the sound of /y/ is repeated. Hence the ‘y’ sound is a consonance. In the same line, the imagery (hearing) can also be found. Later in the line, ‘too cold, Too cold’, there is imagery and repetition of the phrase. In ‘your brain like a poisonous mushroom’ the singer has used a simile. He compared his brain to a poisonous mushroom.
Kick push – Methew Chacrellah
Since the first kick flip he landedLabeled a misfit a bandit cucump cucump cucump…So he kick push kick push kick push kick push coast…My man got a little older became a better a rollerYea no helmet hell he’ll end up killing himselfIs what his momma said but he was feeling himself
In the phrase, ‘cucump cucump cucump’ is an onomatopoeia, where the singer has described the sound of the skateboard. The sound of /h/ is alliteration in ‘Yea no helmet hell he’ll end up killing himself’. Skateboarding and also the entire song is an extended metaphor for life challenges. The repetition of the line ‘he kick push kick push kick push kick push coast…’ is a dominating in the whole song.
Glory – J. legend
The movement is a rhythm to usFreedom is like religion to usJustice is juxtapositionin’ us
That’s why Rosa sat on the busThat’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up…
We’ll cry glory, oh glory (Glory, glory)Oh (Glory, glory)
In the lines, ‘the movement is a rhythm to’ the movement is compared to a rhythm or music. There is a simile in ‘freedom is like religion to us’. Here the freedom is compared to religion. The line ‘that’s why Rosa sat on the bus, that’s why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up’ is an allusion. The repetition of the word ‘glory’ can be found in every stanza of the song.
Happy – Pharrell William
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to spaceWith the air, like I don’t care baby by the way
Huh, because I’m happyClap along if you feel like a room without a roof…
Here come bad news, talking this and that
Because I’m happyClap along if you feel like a room without a roofBecause I’m happy
There is a simile in ‘clap along if you feel like a room without a roof’. The person is compared to a room without a roof. A room without a roof is also an extended metaphor for sadness or abandonment. Personification is used when he says ‘bad news talking this and that’. Metaphor is used in the line, ‘I’m a hot air balloon that can go to space’. In the whole song the repetition of ‘because I’m happy’ is quite clear to stress on the word happiness.
I Can – Nas
I know I canBe what I wanna be…
No fun ’cause when she reaches for hugs, people hold their breath‘Cause she smells of corrosion and death
Careful, ‘fore you meet a man with HIVYou can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey…
In verse, ‘You can host the TV like Oprah Winfrey’, there is a simile. A new host is encouraged to be like the famous TV host, Oprah. ‘Cause she smells of corrosion and death’ is an extended metaphor for the negative personality of the woman. Repetition of ‘I can’ stresses on ability and ambition.
Dynamite – Taio Cruz
I came to dance-dance-dance-dance (Yeah)I hit the floor ’cause that’s my plans plans plans plans (Yeah)I’m wearing all my favorite brands brands brands brands (Yeah)
We gon’ go all nightWe gon’ light it upLike it’s dynamite
In verse, ‘We gon’ light it up, Like it’s dynamite’ a simile is used. Here the music and merriment are compared to dynamite. The same line is also a hyperbole as they are not going to light up like dynamites.
Hot line Bling – Drake
You used to call me on my cell phoneLate night when you need my loveAnd I know when that hotline blingThat can only mean one thing…Glasses of champagne out on the dance floorHangin’ with some girls I’ve never seen beforeWhy you always touching road？Used to always stay at home, be a good girl
In the verse, ‘why are you always touching roads’, we can find hyperbole because there is an exaggeration of thoughts. There is the rhyming between bling and thing, many other rhyming words can be found in the song. Personification is used in the line ‘Glasses of champagne out on the dance floor’.
Survivor – Destiny’s child
When the beat-boom-boom-pat-pat like that, ya heard me？…You thought that I’d be weak without ya, but I’m strongerYou thought that I’d be broke without ya, but I’m richerYou thought that I’d be sad without ya, I love harderYou thought I wouldn’t grow without ya, now I’m wiser!You thought that I’d be helpless without ya but I’m smarterYou thought that I’d be stressed without ya, but I’m chillin’You thought I wouldn’t sell without ya, sold nine million
Here the starting phrases are all in repetition. For example, ‘you thought’. There are also Onomatopea as words like ‘pat’ and ‘boom’ are used. The song also has imageries that provoke our senses.
Related posts:Examples Of Figurative Language In Popular Songs Examples Of Figurative Language In PoetryExamples Of Figurative Language In Children’s Poetry and RhymesExamples of Allusions in Songs20 Best Simile Examples from SongsExamples of Themes in Popular SongsFigurative Language10 Best Ballad Pop Songs10 Songs with Meaningful Personification10 Great Metaphors in R&B SongsFamous Songs with Alliteration10 Best 1980’s Ballad Songs10 Different Themes in Taylor Swift Songs10 Best Latest English Ballad Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular 2000’s Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular Disney Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular 1960s’ Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular 1970’s Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular 1980’s Songs10 Great Metaphors from Popular 1990’s SongsSensory LanguageExamples of Symbolism in Art10 Fun Examples of Personification in Poetry10 Examples of Irony in ShakespeareExamples of Imagery in PoetryExamples of Repetition in PoetryExamples of Refrain in PoetryExamples of Rhythm in PoetryExamples of Symbolism in PoetryExamples of Symbolism In ChristianityExamples of Symbolism in PoetryExamples of Symbolism in the BibleHow To Write Synopsis With ExamplesExamples of Biblical AllusionExamples of Historical Allusion10 Best Internal Rhymes Examples10 Best Euphemism Examples in Literature15 Understatement Examples in Literature 10 Best Characterization Examples in Literature15 Best Understatement Examples in Movies10 Best Euphemism Examples in Movies10 Antagonist Archetypes with Examples10 Hero Archetypes with Examples 10 Archetype Examples in Movies20 Best Cliché Examples in Literature10 Petrarchan Sonnets with ExamplesExamples of Adage in LiteratureBest Examples of Implied Metaphors10 Best Personification Examples in Poems15 Top Homeric Simile ExamplesTop 12 Examples of Irony in Poetry10 Irony Examples in Shakespeare200 Short and Sweet Metaphor ExamplesA Huge List of Onomatopoeia ExamplesHuge List of Idiom Examples15 Irony Examples in Disney Movies15 Visionary Simile Examples in The Bible11 Examples of Irony in Children’s LiteratureExamples of Symbolism in Song LyricsExamples of How to Write a Complaint LetterExamples of How to Write a Petition or an AppealGreat Metaphor Examples for KidsGreat Allegorical Poem Examples15 Examples of Haiku Poems for Kids7 Classic Story Archetypes with Examples6 Types of Conflicts in Literature With ExamplesImportance of Analogy and How to Write with Examples20 Major Types of Archetypes with ExamplesFour Main Types of Sonnets with Examples10 Best Examples of Extended Metaphors in PoetryBest Examples of Extended metaphors in Literature12 Thought Provoking Examples of Irony in History10 Best Free-Verse Poem Examples For Kids