Rap it up!

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Author(s)

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Ernel Martinez

Publisher

Henry Holt & Co. (BYR)

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 18, 2025

ISBN

978-1250833570

Buy This Book

Aspiring young rappers will delight in this infectious, read-aloud introduction to the poetry and craft of rap.

From scribbling words on the page to spitting rhymes on the mic, a joyful narrator guides readers through the emotions, literary techniques, structures and motifs that help make rap so amazing. With vibrant illustrations that leap off the page, this book urges readers to believe in themselves and the power of their creativity.

Celebratory and informative, Rap it Up! invites us to see where our imaginations may lead. Get ready to drop some beats, express yourself, and let the world hear what you've got to say!

Editor review

1 review

Good suggestions for writing rap songs

March 06, 2025 (Updated: June 20, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

This exuberant picture book, with its smooth rhyming couplets, is a shout out to the joy of hip hop creation. A young rapper, who claims to have been practically born with a mic in his hand, gives detailed instruction on how to write the poetry that turns into fly hip hop songs. Many types of literary devices are showcased and explained, and there is even a handy glossary at the end of the book for readers who forget what they are. Jeffrey Boston Weatherford's note at the end explains his love of the genre and his devotion to spreading the word to young performers.

Good Points

Martinez's illustrations are brightly colored and full of delightful details that support the text and make this book even more engaging. There are a lot of pages that employ a graffiti style, and there are lots of words in a variety of colors on the page.

Language arts teachers will appreciate the spirited but also gently didactic tone; this is really a great instruction manual for writing. It even includes prompts to grab a pencil and paper, and talks about different types of figurative language. It even mentions near rhyme, although that line employs a perfect match.

Readers who got down to Boogie Boogie, Y'all by Esperanza, Breaking to the Beat!, by Acevedo Daddy and Me and the Rhyme to Be, by Bridges and Person, Darryl's Dream by McDaniels and Hip-Hop Lollipop by Montanari will enjoy this poetic tribute to the process of writing rap.