Techniques in Hip-Hop Forms of Wordplay

Alliteration: using words in a row that share consonants in a rhythm. Sometimes this makes the words half-rhyme.
Though I need a holiday like lady who sung blue
Go back whatever you did, you undo
Heavy is heaven the devil on me two tons too
Superstar Lupe Fiasco

Allusion: an implied or indirect reference especially in literature.
But the troubles that you have today you just cant laugh away
Stay optimistic, thinking change is gonna come like Donny Hathaway
You have to pray, on top of that, act today
Cause opportunity shrivel away like Tom Hanks in Cast Away
Beautiful Struggle Talib Kweli

Anthropomorphism: an interpretation of something that is not human having human characteristics.
Mirror on the wall, here we are again.
Through my rise and fall youve been my only friend.
Mirrors Lil Wayne f/ Bruno Mars

Assonance: using words in a row that share vowels in a rhythm. Sometimes this makes the words half-rhyme.
So the soap opera is told and unfolds I suppose its old partner
Lose Yourself Eminem

Hyperbole: the use of exaggeration to make a strong impression. Not to be taken literally.
And you better wear your shades
The spotlights here can burn holes through the stage
Superstar Lupe Fiasco

Onomatopoeia: the use of words whose sound suggests the sense.
Hes choking how, everybodys joking now
The clocks run out, times up, over, BLOAH!
Lose Yourself Eminem

Irony: the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning.
The struggle is beautiful, Im too strong for your slavery.
Beautiful Struggle Talib Kweli

Metaphor: using a word or phrase to show an object or idea in place of another to suggest a likeness between them.
I been chewed up, and spit out, and booed off stage.
Lose Yourself Eminem

Pun: suggesting two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words
Couldnt afford a car so she named her daughter Alexus.
All Falls Down Kanye West

Simile: a figure of speech that directly compares two different things, usually by employing the words "like" or "as".
Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars
I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now
Airplanes B.O.B.