Difference between punchlines and wordplay?

#1
Bit of a stupid question I know, just always been a little confused by the terms. Would be much appreciated if someone can post some definitions and examples.

Speaking of wordplay, I've heard a fair few people give Jay-Z props for his. What examples could you give from his rhymes?
 
#2
I can't really explain in words, but I can post some lyrics of mine, then you might see the difference.

Punchline
"It's a storm in here, you see the clouds is comin'/
You'd think niggaz' lips were sprinters the way their mouths are runnin'/"
---Confucius87

Wordplay
"Crack music is what I speak in these damn mics/
Flip it and these fiends use their speakers as glass pipes; I'm so addictive/"
---Confucius87

Wordplay
"The whole area clear out when the .5th smoke/
Guns from France; that's french toast/"
---Confucius87
 
#3
What technique would each of these be classed as?

"play fake a rappers like a campus
Le Tigre, son you're too eager" (Le Tigre being a play incase you didn't know)
Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle

"I rock hoes, y'all rock fellas" (Dissing Jay & Rocafella)
Nas - Ether

"Makin all that racket, I got the +U.S. Open+"
The Game - Put You On The Game

"On a bad day, I smoke two packs(Tupac's) like Suge Knight"
Suffa

"I'll run your brain around the block to jog your fucking memory"
-Eminem

"I showered the slang, simple as A,B,C's
Skip over the D's and rock the microphone with E's/ease"
-Eminem

"You could date a stick of dynamite and wouldn't go out with a bang"
-Eminem

"I'll put a dot on ya head like it's part of your religion"
-Lloyd Banks

"Keep three shooters like the Mavericks"
-Beanie Sigel

"Short to the point like Nash is" (Nash = Steve Nash, point guard in the NBA)
-Beanie Sigel
 

Diaz

New Member
#4
I think wordplay is more like when someone says something that doesn't make sense, but you basically get what they're talking about. Like this for example: "You couldnt make the fans throw up they hands if they swallowed they fingers" - Eminem.

And punchlines usually have the word "like" in it. Example: "I'll leave 12 shells in your mouth like a carton of eggs" - Lloyd Banks.
 
#5
examples of wordplay

"im not a business man , im a business..... MAN"
Jay Z

"All these women claiming there independant, when i come by i see them starting at the diamonds in da pendant"
Chamillionaire

"I aint into dinosoraus or jurassic park but my rims sure look jurrasic when i park"
Paul Wall
 
#6
stardust said:
What technique would each of these be classed as?

"play fake a rappers like a campus
Le Tigre, son you're too eager" (Le Tigre being a play incase you didn't know)
Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle

"I rock hoes, y'all rock fellas" (Dissing Jay & Rocafella)
Nas - Ether

"Makin all that racket, I got the +U.S. Open+"
The Game - Put You On The Game

"On a bad day, I smoke two packs(Tupac's) like Suge Knight"
Suffa

"I'll run your brain around the block to jog your fucking memory"
-Eminem

"I showered the slang, simple as A,B,C's
Skip over the D's and rock the microphone with E's/ease"
-Eminem

"You could date a stick of dynamite and wouldn't go out with a bang"
-Eminem

"I'll put a dot on ya head like it's part of your religion"
-Lloyd Banks

"Keep three shooters like the Mavericks"
-Beanie Sigel

"Short to the point like Nash is" (Nash = Steve Nash, point guard in the NBA)
-Beanie Sigel
wordplay ^^

also 'imma get bucks like milwaukee cos like sam i-ca-sell' is wordplay.

wordplay is basically when u say somethin but the listener doesnt really take it in till like a few seconds later where theyre like 'ohhhhhhhh now i get it' im sure uve had that situation.
 
#7
Diaz said:
And punchlines usually have the word "like" in it.
That's a simile(sp), not a punchline.

Similes - making a comparison using 'like' or 'as'
Metaphor/Punchline - making a comparison without using 'like' or 'as'
 

PELLA

New Member
#8
Confucius87 said:
I can't really explain in words, but I can post some lyrics of mine, then you might see the difference.

Punchline
"It's a storm in here, you see the clouds is comin'/
You'd think niggaz' lips were sprinters the way their mouths are runnin'/"
---Confucius87


Wordplay
"Crack music is what I speak in these damn mics/
Flip it and these fiends use their speakers as glass pipes; I'm so addictive/"
---Confucius87

Wordplay
"The whole area clear out when the .5th smoke/
Guns from France; that's french toast/"
---Confucius87



nice nice
 

ARon

Well-Known Member
#9
Wow.
Word play is when you have a play on words. Like for example the word bear can mean multiple things. So this Jay-Z line "Like short sleeves I bear arms" That is some word play, he plays on the word bear, and arms, two different meaning for it right there. Its simple. Also a weaker metaphor but whatever.
Metaphor is pretty much self explanatory.
 

Flipmo

VIP Member
Staff member
#10
Think of it this way...

Wordplay is mostly witty lines. While Punchlinea are verbal attacka on a person. The wittier also, the better.

When there's is 'like' that more of a comparaison, but it can be used for a punchline (which are usually weaker) or Wordplay (also a weaker form of wordplay)
 
#13
stardust said:
What category does this Jigga quote below fall into?

"Flyer than a piece of paper bearing my name"
flyer ? as in concert advertisement ?

its wordplay cos he used to in 2 meanings flyer as in cooler and flyer as in poster.
 

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