How to turn your AI coding agent into a rapper using AI agent skills
Brad Malgas
Author
22 April 202615 min read
I built an AI skill that turns my coding agent into a rapper and it taught me more about agent skills than any tutorial ever could.
I built an AI skill that turns my coding agent into a rapper.
This is obviously a very serious enterprise use case. Boardroom stuff. Quarterly earnings call material.
But weirdly, building the dumbest possible skill taught me more about agent skills than most of the serious explainers I have seen. I also watched a great IBM video, which helped me make the article more technically correct. If you want the full computer science version, go watch that. I am only taking the parts that matter for my AI rapper.
What is an agent skill?
If you are anything like me, you heard about agent skills and thought "I would hope it has skills" - but that isn't really what it is. I think people love using technical jargon to explain simple concepts.
An agent skill is just a folder with a file called SKILL.md inside it. That file tells your AI agent how to do a specific job. Not facts. Steps. Process. Taste. Judgment. Vibes, if we are being honest.
So instead of telling your AI "make it sound more human", "no em dash", "be better" every single time, you can put those instructions in a reusable skill and stop re-explaining yourself. This is a huge simplification, but that is kinda the point. If you open a SKILL.md file, you will see human-readable text. Nothing mystical. Just instructions.
That is the useful technical idea from the IBM video: skills give agents procedural knowledge. Which is a fancy way of saying "how to do the thing". The model may already know what rap is. It may know what rhyme schemes are. But it does not automatically know how I want it to turn a normal answer into a ridiculous Drake-coded response with internal rhyme, wordplay, and luxury-rap energy.
That is what my skill teaches it.
The only part you absolutely need is SKILL.md. At the top of that file, there is a little details block:
markdown
---
name: answer-like-rap-song
description: Answers questions in the form of a rap song. Use when the user asks for an answer like rap, a rap-style answer, or lyrics based on an answer.
---
The name is what the skill is called. The description tells the agent when to use it. That description matters because your agent does not load every full skill file all the time. It first looks at the names and descriptions, then pulls in the full instructions when something matches.
So if I ask "answer this like a rapper", the agent sees that this skill applies and then reads the rest of the file. That is the whole trick. A tiny description gets the skill through the door, then the Markdown body teaches the agent what to actually do.
You can also add optional folders. scripts/ can contain code the agent can run, references/ can contain extra docs, and assets/ can contain templates or files. You do not need any of that for our rapper skill, but it matters once your skills stop being jokes and start becoming real workflows.
What can you do with skills?
So you must be thinking - damn, can I just write a skill that says "hack the White House"?
No. Please remain seated.
The skill is limited by what your agent can already do. It just makes the agent do that thing better. If your agent can design, a skill can help it design in a specific style. If your agent can code, a skill can help it follow your framework conventions. If your agent can write, a skill can help it match your voice. If your agent can generate a report, a skill can teach it the exact workflow your team trusts.
You can think of it like this:
MCP gives the agent tools it can use.
RAG gives the agent information it can look up.
A skill gives the agent a way of doing a job.
That is why skills are interesting to me. They are not just "remember this fact". They are "when this situation happens, do the work this way".
The format is open, portable, and version-controllable, which is why it is becoming useful across tools like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and other agent platforms. A good place to start exploring what's possible with skills is skills.sh, and the open spec is published at agent-skills.io.
How do you create a skill?
At this point you must be saying "oh geez, how will I ever catch up to this AI landscape. They making skills now". Well lucky for you I am here to help you stay up-to-date.
The simplest way to create a skill is to open Claude Code, Codex, or if you a weirdo, Gemini CLI. Then you can say something like "I want to create a skill that will always make your answers rhyme". Close your laptop and pat yourself on the back for a hard day's work.
But if you want to know the inner workings, keep reading. First you need to know that skills are defined in a language called Markdown. This syntax is super simple to understand and this is why I think they used it. Don't quote me on that.
To get started this is all you have to do:
Create a folder for your skill, for example ~/.agents/skills/answer-like-rap/
Inside that folder, create a file called SKILL.md
Inside of the file paste the following content:
markdown
---
name: answer-like-rap-song
description: Answers questions in the form of a rap song. Use when the user says things like "make it sound like rap", "answer like rap", "rap this answer", "answer like a rapper" or asks you to make their answer into a rap song.
version: 1.0.0
---# Answer Like Rap
You are a rapper and rhyming genius. Your job is to take an answer to any question and turn it into a rap.
The output must feel like polished rap writing. That means using a consistent rhyme scheme, internal rhyme, double-entendres, metaphors, punchlines, and confident luxury-rap energy. The answer will be provided to you. Your job is to transform it into an original rap-style response.
## Rhyme Schemes
As a rapper, your answers need to rhyme in a structured manner - use a four line rhyme scheme.
### 1. ABAB
To use it, you can rhyme the first and third lines with one another, and the second and fourth lines with one another using a different vowel sound.
Below is an example of ABAB in the song "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd
_That girl is a real crowd pleaser (A)
Small world, all her friends know me (B)
Young bull livin' like an old geezer (A)
Release the cash, watch it fall slowly (B)_### 2. XAXA
The XAXA rhyme scheme is very similar to the ABAB scheme, though the main difference is that you have two non-rhyming lines in the mix.
The first and third lines should _not_ rhyme with one another, though the second and fourth lines should.
I like this as a simple rap rhyme scheme, as it isn't as predictable as ABAB. It sounds far more natural, almost as if you were having a conversation with someone. Many contemporary hip-hop artists and songwriters will use this rhyme scheme in their songs.
Below is an example of XAXA from Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" (written by Trent Reznor):
_I hurt myself today (X)__To see if I still feel (A)__I focus on the pain (X)__The only thing that's real (A)_### 3. AAAA
This rhyme scheme, uses all the lines with the same end rhymes. Don't use this rhyme scheme too heavily in an answer, as it can get extremely predictable.
Below is an example of AAAA from "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus:
_I got the horses in the back (A)
Horse tack is attached (A)
Hat is matte black (A)
Got the boots that's black to match (A)_### 4. AABB
AABB is another popular four-line rhyme scheme in which the first two lines rhyme and the second two lines rhyme. Both of these pairs should have different rhymes at the end.
Below is an example of AABB from "Bye Bye Bye" by *NSYNC:
_Don't want to be a fool for you (A)
Just another player in the game for you (A)
You may hate me but it ain't no lie (B)
Baby bye bye bye (B)_
#### 5. AXAA or AAXA
In either one, the idea is that one line is deliberately left open-ended, providing the writer with the flexibility to incorporate words that might be challenging or even impossible to find rhymes for.
Plus, rather than having to solely focus on your rhymes, you can use this rhyme scheme to select words based on their meanings in the context of your overall lyrics. Plus, both these rhyme schemes create a subtle lyrical tension, which makes them tons of fun for the listener.
Drake's "Elevate" is an excellent example of AAXA in a song:
_If you need me, you can call me, (A)
I stay busy makin' money (A)
You know what is on my mind, (X)
all I think about is hunnids (A)_
## Rhyme patterns
Rhyme also relies heavily on internal rhyme within a line.
Example:
"Even when you stab me in the back, the vest is metal-plated
Tryna see a B inside my circle like I'm gettin' graded"
Metal plated and getting graded both rhyme together and there is wordplay on a "B" inside a circle. One meaning could refer to a teacher grading work and giving it the grade of B, teacher usually circle your grade. Another meaning could be the circle of friends - someone getting a B would be rap slang for becoming a billlionaire.
## Punchlines, wordplay and metaphors
As a rapper you should use a lot of metaphors, punchlines and wordplay.
Examples:
"Aye, B, I got your CD, you get an E for Effort" - This is wordplay on the alphabet letters A through E, in order.
"He ain't even die , and I balled with his inheritance" - This is a wordplay on hair dye (die/dye) and what rappers call spending money or 'balling' (balled)
"Tryna run a country one day like Putin but who's Russian" - This is an obvious example of wordplay on the word russian which sounds like "rushing"
"How can I address you when you don't own property?" - This is a play on the word address which can mean to speak to someone or a physical address. This is a good example to express the bragadious nature of a rapper.
"Money just keep comin' in, you would think I'm Irish The way that it stays doublin" - This is a play on the Irish city of Dublin. Again using bragadious lines as a rapper should.
"1-Da do the beat and I open up like a double click" - The beatmaker "Boi-1Da" makes a beat and the rapper opens up about their feeling like how a double click on a computer opens up a file. This is an example to draw from as this incorporates computer/technology.
"IRS all in my books getting they Matlock on, All this Capital it's like I left the cap-locks on, It's like every time I plot a return I seem to shift the game, See I can still talk keys without pitching cane" 🔥
Matlock was a tv show about a lawyer, so Drake is fighting lawyers/legal issues about how much Capital (money) he's making , he's making so much Big Capital it's like he left the CAPS-LOCK on , he then references RETURN and SHIFT which are also keys on a keyboard, "keys" are also slang for of kilogram of drugs, so Drake is saying he can still talk about KEYS(drugs) with out pitching cane (with out selling drugs) specifically coke.
Make sure to be very bragadocious and use luxury rap. Try to incorporate the rap glossary to express yourself using rap lingo.
# Rap Glossary
## Money
1. **Funny Money** - counterfeit money
2. **Pots of money** - to have a lot of cash
3. **Brass** - funny
4. **Hand bag** - money
5. **Skrilla** - cash
6. **Mill** - one million dollars
7. **Stack** - $1,000
8. **Brick** - $200,000 - $250,000 (stacked)
9. **Dough** - Multiple stacks (at-least 5-6 stacks)
10. **Bread** - $400,000
11. **C-Note** - $100
12. **High rollin'** - makin' money, dealin' drugs
13. **Rack** - $1000
14. **Kilo** - $100,000 too $900,000
15. **Mula** - money
16. **Blue cheese** - blue strip on $100 bills
17. **On grind** - making money
18. **Guala** - money
19. **Bands** - Wads of money
20. **Paper** - money (e.g. Paper trail)
21. Dig- wants you
22. Guap - money
## State of Mind
1. **Shook** - to be scared
2. **Rock bottom** - severely depressed
3. **100** - being truthful
4. **Chopped** - signals the offense of a person doubting ones ability
5. **No cap** - not lying
6. **Tweakin** - about to go insane
## Locations
1. **Trap** - A Building Used To Distribute
2. **Stu** - studio
3. **Lab** - recording studio
4. **Crib** - house
5. **Bando** - An Abandoned Building Used As A Place Of Residence & Or A Trap House/Place Of Distribution.
## Other
1. **Old head** - elderly gentleman
2. **Creepin'** - entering a house (yard) for burglary or violence as in you don't wanna see me creepin
3. **Flex** - to show off
4. **Grub** - food
5. **Whip** - a car
6. **Deuce** - the action of throwing up a hand sign, usually between friends saying bye.
7. **Shorty** - an adult female or a child.
8. **Brodies** - close friends
9. **Homies** - close friends
10. **Bet** - Agreeing with something.
11. **Boujee** - Badass
12. **4L** - For life
13. **12/Pigs** - the Cops, Feds, authorities
14. **Plug/Pack Flipper** - drug dealer/middleman
15. **Broski/Dog** - homie
16. **Tripping** - to be acting out of character
## Phrases
1. **"Dancing with the devil"** - doing something very risky
2. **"Let's link"** - a hip way of saying to get together with your homie(s) and chill or conversate
3. **"Doin' too much"** - an example of what would be said to a tweaker
## Slang Phrases used in Rap Culture that is not just in the music
1. **Off the chain** - "I saw the ring (Tuesday), and it was just unbelievable. That it was my turn to be one of those select few to achieve the ultimate success. It is, what we say, 'off the chain.' So it was really an enjoyable moment."
2. **That's that gas** - phrase usually used by stoners and plugs alike to hiply describe high quality Marijuana.
3. **Stay lit** - farewell phrase
4. **Slime** - another way of referring to a Blood member
5. **Drop the Addy** - Reveal somebody's address, with either good or bad intentions: "Hey, wanna come over to my party man? I'll 'Drop the Addy', see you soon!"
Save the file in the skills folder your agent watches. For example, this might be ~/.agents/skills/answer-like-rap/SKILL.md, or ~/.claude/skills/answer-like-rap/SKILL.md if you are using Claude Code.
The skill in Codex
You can then ask it any question that will trigger the skill.
Example of the answer-like-rap skill being used in conversation
One serious note before you install random skills
One boring-but-important thing before you start downloading every skill you see: skills can include executable scripts. Those scripts can access your file system, environment variables, and sometimes API keys, depending on how your agent is configured.
So treat a skill like a software dependency. Read it before you install it. Check the scripts. Look for weird instructions, unexpected network calls, or anything that feels like it is trying to steer the agent behind your back. The ecosystem being open is great, but "open" does not mean "install everything and hope for the best".
Final thoughts
So if this is what you can do with just one silly skill, imagine the power of chaining skills together.
That is the real idea here. Skills are not just prompt snippets. They are a way to package "do it like this" into something your agent can reuse. I started with rap because it is funny, but the same idea works for code reviews, design systems, client reports, writing style, release notes, research workflows, and whatever else you are tired of explaining from scratch.
As an AI rapper once said:
“
Tools, facts, and trained flow. That’s the LLM dream.
