How to Make a House Rap Beat (Dutch Student House Style)

House rap is rap or singing over a house beat: a kick on every beat, a clap on two and four and a bass that keeps things moving. In the Netherlands you hear it everywhere, from bars to student parties. In this article you'll see how a beat like that is built and how to make one yourself.

What is house rap, and what is student house?

House rap combines the drums and tempo of house with rap or Dutch-language vocals. In the Netherlands, "studentenhouse" (student house) is the name often used for party house songs with sing-along Dutch lyrics, the kind of track you hear at a student party. Bass house is a heavier style, with a fat, often distorted bass in the lead role.

The tempo

House usually sits between 120 and 130 BPM, modern house often between 124 and 128. Read more on our house BPM page. Dutch house rap and student house often go a bit faster. Of my own beats in this style, "Noncha" is at 130 BPM, "Escaleren" at 134 BPM and "Donderdag" at 149 BPM.

Rapping at that tempo feels fast at first. Try two ways: rap as if every second kick is a beat, or go with every kick. What flows best depends on your flow.

Step 1: four on the floor

The kick lands on every beat, four per bar. In a 16-step sequencer that's steps 1, 5, 9 and 13. Pick a kick with a clear punch, because it has to keep pushing through the whole track.

Step 2: clap and hi-hats

  • Clap or snare on beats two and four, so steps 5 and 13.
  • Open hi-hat between the kicks, on the offbeat: steps 3, 7, 11 and 15. This gives house its typical drive.
  • Closed hi-hats or percussion to fill things in. Keep it tight so there's room for the voice.

Looking for house drums? The NAME The House Oneshot Pack Vol. 1 has kicks, claps, hi-hats, percussion and FX. The sounds are royalty-free.

Step 3: the bass

In classic house the bass often plays between the kicks, so kick and bass don't get in each other's way. For bass house, the bass can come much further forward: a heavy, distorted bass that helps drive the rhythm. Either way, make sure the kick and bass don't fill the low end at the same moment. Sidechaining the bass, so it ducks briefly when the kick hits, helps with that.

Step 4: a hook people can shout along to

A house rap song lives or dies by its hook. A simple synth lead, a vocal chop or a short melody you can sing after one listen works best. Keep it short and repeat it.

Step 5: build-up and drop

Build the song in blocks of 8 or 16 bars. A break where the kick drops out for a moment, followed by a build-up, makes the drop hit extra hard. Leave room for the rapper in the verses and save the full energy for the hook.

Key doesn't match the voice? With the free Beat Lab you can find the BPM and key and transpose the beat.

Beats to write on

Rather start writing right away? A few house rap beats from the shop:

Type beats are inspired by an artist's style. The artists themselves aren't involved. Find all beats under Beats.

Are you a DJ looking for remixes for a student party instead? Check out the Studentenhitjes Remix Pack.

FAQ

What BPM is house rap?

House usually sits between 120 and 130 BPM. Dutch house rap and student house often go higher, around 130 BPM or even faster.

What's the difference between house rap and bass house?

House rap is rap over a house beat. Bass house is a style within house with a heavy, often distorted bass. You can rap on bass house just fine, like on "Escaleren".

Can I make house rap in FL Studio?

Yes. You can set up four on the floor in the step sequencer in seconds. It works just as well in Logic Pro or Ableton.

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