Utilizing AI in The Hip-Hop & Rap Production Process: A Guide for Artists and Producers

As an artist and producer who does not specialize in rapping, I see AI tools like Suno as essential collaborators in my creative process. These tools allow artists to streamline their workflow by generating lyrics, defining and refining their musical style, and optimizing both pre- and post-production phases. The goal is to minimize the need to start from scratch with each new project, enabling a more efficient and focused approach to music production. This guide aims to explore how artists can effectively integrate AI into their creative processes, enhancing both productivity and artistic expression.

Writing lyrics can be a time-consuming process, especially when starting from scratch. AI-powered tools can assist in generating lyrics that match your desired themes, tone, and style.

For this step I suggest using ChatGPT, especially AI-Assistants, such as Deep Poetry and Music Guide.

1. Define Your Theme and Style: Begin by inputting key themes, emotions, and stylistic preferences into the AI. Whether you want introspective lyrics or high-energy anthems, provide the AI with clear directives.
2. Generate and Refine: Use the AI to generate a series of lyrical drafts. Review these drafts, and select the most compelling elements. You can then edit or rearrange the lyrics to better fit your vision. The AI serves as a co-writer, providing you with multiple options and variations.
3. Iteration and Customization: Continue to tweak the AI-generated lyrics to align them more closely with your unique artistic voice. Use the AI iteratively to refine specific sections or generate additional verses and choruses.

poetic, introspective lyrics about wandering through a quiet city at night. The mood should be melancholic and reflective, with vivid imagery of urban landscapes, shadows, and solitude. Use metaphors and abstract language to evoke the mysterious atmosphere of the city after dark.

Your musical style is a blend of various elements, including genre, instrumentation, and vocal delivery. AI can help in defining and refining this style by analyzing your previous works or the works of artists you admire, and suggesting musical elements that resonate with your vision.

1. Analyze Existing Work: Either define your own style, by reflecting on your past work, or use AI to analyze your past productions or tracks by artists you admire. This analysis can reveal patterns in chord progressions, melodic structures, rhythm, and lyrical themes that define your style. Try to keep it simple, but focused on the main characteristics of the style, you wish the AI to adapt.
2. Generate Style Profiles: Based on this analysis, AI can generate a style profile, suggesting particular instruments, effects, and structures that are characteristic of your sound.
3. Incorporate Suggestions: Integrate these AI-generated suggestions into your production process. For instance, if the AI identifies a preference for certain harmonic structures or rhythmic patterns, you can consciously incorporate these elements into new projects.
4. Experimentation: Use the AI to explore variations within your defined style. This can include experimenting with different tempos, time signatures, or tonalities, all while staying true to your artistic identity.

Old-school Latvian hip-hop, 90-100 BPM, boom-bap beats,  gritty basslines, sampled Latvian folk elements, laid-back flow

“Nakts Pilsētas Noslēpums” & “City Whispers” are reflective tracks that blend modern chillhop with the gritty elements of old-school Latvian hip-hop, drawing influence from Latvian icons like Kurts & Krii, STA, and Nātre’s introspective lyricism. The songs capture the essence of 1990s hip-hop through their boom-bap beats and thoughtful lyrics, creating an atmosphere of urban solitude and nocturnal introspection. This fusion results in a unique soundscape that resonates with the quiet mysteries of the city at night.

The entire production process for both “Nakts Pilsētas Noslēpums” and “City Whispers” took less than five minutes to complete, not because of speed or quantity, but because of the creative freedom AI provides. The real value lies in the ability to experiment and streamline the more challenging aspects of production, which vary for each artist. For instance, while I enjoy writing poetry and prefer to craft my own verses, AI tools like LLMs and Suno offer a powerful augmentation, helping me generate catchy hooks or transform poetry into lyrics.

Similarly, while composing music is something I cherish, it can be time-consuming. Suno gives me a substantial head start by providing a near-complete musical idea that I can then refine, remix, and personalize to match my vision. This approach allows for more creative exploration and helps overcome the hurdles that often slow down the production process, making it easier to focus on the aspects of music creation that I am most passionate about.

Working with AI does requires a significant amount of experimentation, especially for artists who are new to a particular style of music. The AI’s suggestions often need to be iterated upon multiple times to align with the artist’s vision, making the process both challenging and rewarding. But for newcomers, AI offers a unique opportunity to explore genres and techniques that might otherwise be difficult to master without prior experience.

During the process of using AI for music generation, I realized the importance of understanding the distinctive features of the relatively small Latvian rap scene compared to the international market. Unlike in larger scenes, the unique styles and dialects used by Latvian artists are more easily identifiable, making it crucial to recognize these nuances when working with AI. For instance, the Sēlijas dialect, prominently spoken by artists like Edavārdi, features a narrow pronunciation of the letter “ē,” as opposed to the wider “ē” in standard Latvian. This subtle difference adds a specific cultural depth to the music, making it more authentic and resonant within the local context. While these nuances may not be the primary focus during the initial stages of AI-driven music creation, they become increasingly relevant as you refine and personalize your work, ensuring that the final product maintains its cultural and stylistic integrity.

Regarding the legality of using AI in music production, there are several factors to consider. AI-generated music can raise copyright concerns, particularly if it heavily borrows from existing works or mimics the style of well-known artists too closely. While AI can be a powerful tool for inspiration and creation, artists should ensure that the final product is sufficiently original to avoid copyright infringement. It’s advisable to consult legal experts or use platforms that offer clear guidelines on the use of AI-generated content to navigate these complexities safely.

Despite the challenges, this workflow offers invaluable opportunities for new artists. AI tools democratize music production by providing access to sophisticated techniques and styles that might otherwise be out of reach. This opens up the possibility for emerging artists to experiment with different genres, refine their sound, and develop their skills without needing extensive resources or experience. The process also encourages a collaborative approach to music creation, where AI acts as a co-creator rather than merely a tool, helping artists to explore new creative horizons.

AI is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance the music production process for artists and producers. By utilizing AI for lyric generation, style definition, pre- and post-production, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and focus more on the creative aspects of your music. As AI technology continues to evolve, it offers new possibilities for artists to innovate and expand their creative horizons while maintaining control over their artistic vision. Integrating AI into your workflow is not about replacing the human element but about augmenting it, allowing you to create more efficiently and effectively.