The Rap Game UK: What is a cypher?

Collaboration is at the heart of some of the best music, and rap cyphers have long been a way for artists to exchange ideas. On episode 4 of The Rap Game UK, the artists have to do just that. Krept, Konan and Shaybo talk about the art of the cypher.

On episode 4 of The Rap Game UK, the artists all took part in a cypher, where they were expected to rap about their personal style, with a big prize in store for the rapper that stood out, but there was a twist. “You’ll all be taking part in a cypher in just one hour’s time,” said The Rap Game UK co-host Konan.

The pressure was on. “Learning a whole set of bars in 60 minutes would be hard for any rapper so this is going to be tough,” co-host DJ Target said. “But we want to see if these guys will cope if we give them this amount of pressure.

“If they’re going to make it in this business, they’ve got to deal with pressure and the stakes.”

A cypher is a gathering of rappers who come together to make music together and freestyle lyrics over music. It’s a chance for them to feed off each other’s energy and showcase their creativity and there can be a sense of competition too.

Cyphers have been an important part of rap culture since the beginning of hip-hop, and often encapsulate a specific era within music.

There’s no limit on the number of artists in a cypher. The Black Entertainment Television channel (BET) popularised cyphers through a segment during their Hip Hop Awards where artists would take part in a freestyle cypher. Big names like Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples all took part.

“You have to come out with different flows and different energies. That’s what is going to make you stand out in a cypher,” said The Rap Game UK artist Mayo. “Cyphers, there is no excuse you can make. What you don’t do, your neighbour is going to do,” he added.

Shaybo, guest mentor on episode 4, said one of her favourite cyphers was the 2016 American Hip Hop magazine XXL's Freshman cypher featuring Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty and Denzel Curry. The video has 205 million views on YouTube today.

And in the UK, Shaybo cites a cypher which included many UK female artists and she says it was "amazing to see". “She had all the female rappers do a sidebar and they were all rapping on the same beat. I think that was sick to see.”

The cypher included female rappers: rising star Cristale, recent feature on Dave’s WAITT album Sha Simone, Croydon sensation Jords, Leicester’s Trillary Banks and Birmingham’s Miss La Familia, along with Croydon rapper Adz, Tiktok sensation Arz, Peckham star BackRoad Gee and Knucks. Critics argued the women stole the show, and highlighted the talented female rappers in the UK.

And then there are the cyphers that established their importance in UK music history, says Krept. For him, that was the 2014 BBC Radio 1 Charlie Sloth Fire in the Booth cypher between Ghetts and Stormzy.

“Stormzy really shined,” he says. “I feel like that was a really big moment for him, and proved that he can keep up with all the rest of these guys - if not even more.”

Krept says cyphers have long been a way for new rappers to build a name for themselves by joining more established artists and using the opportunity to impress audiences.

And this, he continues, is "the essence" of a rap cypher.

“It’s just to show your skill,” says Konan. “I feel like it’s something people want to see because it’s entertainment.”

He compares it to clashing - when artists go head to head in front of a live audience. “It’s like a form of clashing without getting at one another. Cyphers are a friendlier version but still competitive and you still get to judge who was best.”

It’s a good chance to see who can step up, he explains. “There’s always some sort of gems that come up with a cypher and someone who shines that no one expected."

“Clashes, cyphers freestyles… they’re a part of the rap scene and I feel like you have to go through it if you’re part of it.”

“I think [cyphers are] a very good thing,” says rapper and guest mentor Shaybo, also dubbed Queen of the South. “It's just about getting so many different people, so many different styles of rapping, and so many different ways of expressing themselves on one beat.”

Cyphers are “just about everybody doing their own thing and riding the beat the way they want to ride it,” she adds.

“It's just about the energies and embracing everybody's different type of vibe.”

You can watch The Rap Game UK on BBC iPlayer and BBC Three.