A rapper is a musician who performs rap, a style of music where words are spoken rhythmically and rapidly over a beat rather than sung with melody. Rapping requires impressive skills: rappers must match their words to complex rhythms, fit many syllables into tight musical spaces, and create clever rhymes that express ideas or tell stories.

Good rappers develop their own distinctive flow, which is their personal rhythm and style of delivering words. Some rappers speak smoothly and steadily, while others vary their speed dramatically, sometimes racing through words so quickly it seems impossible, then suddenly slowing down for emphasis. Many rappers write their own lyrics, crafting rhymes that can be funny, serious, or poetic.

Rap emerged in New York City in the 1970s and has since become one of the most popular forms of music worldwide.

Becoming a skilled rapper takes serious practice. Rappers must master breath control (to deliver long, rapid verses without running out of air), develop a strong vocabulary, and train their ear to recognize and match complex rhythms. Many successful rappers spend years developing their craft before recording professionally.