Wordplay 101

Wordplay is a concept that a lot of people stretch and misuse. Hopefully by the time you finish reading this the uses as well as misuses will be distinctly more apparent. It’s hard to tell someone how to wordplay, as this has to be done on your own. But what I can tell you is how to properly use wordplay and how to keep from forcing it.

DOUBLE MEANING
Example: make ya O², like the oxygen ya wasted/ (0-2)
Example: titanic’s the sixth sense, icy dead people/ (I see)
Example: make ya shake in ya boots, like cowboys at baskin robins/

This is my most effective punchplay method. By use of double meanings you are connecting two homophones (your wordplay) into a punch. Notice that I said homophones. This does not include words that pretty much sound like another. To find out if your own creations are forced, go through syllable by syllable and if any one syllable doesn’t match it’s counterpart, it is indeed forced…

WORD FISSION
Example: what took you twenty? i in-ten-did/ (intended)
Example: all new? all blue? this kid’s walkin crip-tonight/ (kryptonite)
Example: wearin ya out, jus another casual-tee/ (casualty)

When splicing a word into two separates you must use a hyphen to show connection. These are the easiest wordplays to start with considering all you are essentially doing is dividing a word into syllables and connecting the different syllables in altered ways. Again, go syllable by syllable to find any forces. It isn’t required that any homophones be found in these wordplays to justify it as wordplay, but they do make it that much more inventive.

WORD FUSION
Example: like pregnant christians, ya never de-fetus kids/ (defeat us)
Example: must be on the budget phone service cause ya clique inactive/ (click in active)

When combining words you may or may not find it necessary to use hyphens, strictly up to the emcee. These can pack a powerful punch just as all wordplay can, but once again, be careful not to force. All that is required form this type of wordplay is that words be adjoined, though homophones within help periodically.

WHAT WORDPLAY ISN’T
Example: like night of the living dead, i’m layin off this coroner/
Example: forfeit? na, split ya up like divorces/
Example: watch my fist kiss ya jaw like holy matrimony/

These are punches, clever ones at that, but they aren’t wordplay. A punch is generally a comparison of some sort poking fun at someone or something, or making a clever statement of some sort. But a punch by definition is, DISSING YOUR OPPONENT!

Hope it helped… pzes…

written by Wizerd