Humanity has always compared itself since the start of time. From the Roman fighting pits to playing sports, we have always put a measure on who is better than the other. Freestyle rap battles were no different.
During the earlier simpler times, freestyling was a way to enhance your rap vocabulary and rehearse your lines. Sometimes maybe just to test the water, other times to explore one’s creativity.
Although the freestyling genre has evolved much since then, now it is less testing the waters and more testing your skill on sort of a battlefield. Such iconic rap battles throughout mankind’s history are recorded and listed below.
Contents
The History Of Freestyle Rap Battles
As previously mentioned, the original freestyling rap battles were to have fun inside a community and test your skills amongst yourselves. It has now evolved into a sort of “dis game”.
Both the hip-hop and the rap communities always cherished a bit of drama and controversy. Freestyle rap battle was thought be to the perfect medium for friendly or fiery drama, hence the name “dis game”.
The “dis game” was the perfect genre for intersecting between fanbases. Rappers are always not friends, but rather the opposite! Hence, a freestyle rap on a foreign terrain would gain a lot of attention, especially if the lyrics were a bit personal.
Hip-Hop: The Birth Of Rap
The hip-hop style of music was first introduced in the late 80’s by Sugarhill Gang, later vastly popularized by a solo artist, DJ Kool Herc. We shall talk about such great contributors to rap a little later.
Firstly, we shall explain the different segments of hip-hop and its contribution to rap music.
Hip-hop basically has 4 parts to it:
- MCing (also known as rapping)
- Djing (partying with disco at a gathering or club)
- Graffiti (composition of a rap or song’s lyrics)
- Encompasses (another name for it is breakdancing)
You are welcome to visit one of our earlier articles where we have explained hip-hop slang and discussed the following terms,
As you can see, rapping was derived from the ‘MCing’ or lyric composition segment of hip-hop. The vast outburst of the popularity of hip-hop is what started the chain of rap music!
Sugarhill Gang
An honorable mention to Sugarhill Gang, who was the first band to introduce hip-hop to the world of music. With their world-renowned hit “Rapper’s Delight”, they received not only glory but rather respect through their unique and distinct approach to music.
Hence, in 1979, began the genre of hip-hop that gave birth to a culture and a loving community!
DJ Kool Herc
Another honorable mention in our list! DJ Kool Herc is considered to be the father of Hip-hop music. He was a talented artist, a sort of a prodigy! At just 18 years of age, he took over the streets of the USA with his native music, Jamaican Jazz.
Jamaican Jazz music was somewhat very similar to Hip-hop. Hence when hip-hop was on the radar, Dk Kool Herc, otherwise known as Clive Campbell, jumped on the “Hype Train” and elevated the hip-hop music to another level.
To a level that is mainly hypothesized to be unreachable without his contributions. Additionally, that is what gave birth to the long chain of rappers and musicians in the hip-hop culture all around the world.
Top 10 Freestyle Rap Battles of All Time
Now that history is out of the way, we shall dig deep into some of the spiciest, personal, and elevated freestyle rap battles in recent memory:
Eazy-E vs. Dr. Dre
Eazy-E and Dr. Dre were once teammates at a rap group named N.W.A. However, the situation got worse when Dr. Dre dropped off the band with the accusation that Easy-E, the co-founder of the organization, was not compensating him enough.
Dr. Dre broke off and joined Suge Knight’s Death Row Records. Setting off his highly successful solo career henceforth.
Dre didn’t quite leave silently; he went after Eazy-E with a “dis track” named “Dre’s Day”. When everyone thought Dre had the last laugh, Eazy-E fought back with “Real Muthaphuck**n Gs”.
Calling out Dre as he had a comparatively easier life yet was portrayed as a goon when he would not last in the hood. He also dissed Dre as previously before joining the N.W.A., Dre was a member of an electro-pop band named “World Class Wrecking Cru”, where he was seen dressed in pumps and mascara.
Eminem vs Benzino
Eminem career’s took a sharp turn for the better as his rap and fame were featured in “The Source” magazine. Although, weirdly enough the co-founder of “The Source” magazine, Raymond Scott, also known as “Benzino”, started dissing Eminem. Let it be for any unknown personal reasons or traction in the media.
On the other hand, Eminem did not even bat an eye, until dissing him later with his standouts “Nail In The Coffin” and “The Sauce” records.
Dissing would be a tamer word, as anyone who ever dissed Eminem, Benzino too got absolutely smoked by the “White Prodigy”.
Benzino’s career started taking a dive afterward while Eminem thrived in the scene.
Boogie Down Productions vs Juice Crew
A piece of animosity that was created by bragging rights. It started when KRS-One from Boogie Down started beef with MC Shan From Juice Crew.
The start of the beef was when KRS-One pointed out that MC Shan has been crediting Queensbridge in one of his songs “The Juice” as the origin of hip-hop when it should have been South Bronx. A futile argument, however, stretched to great lengths for audience reach.
Boogie Down then released an unfiltered dis “South Bronx” to get back at Shan. And Shan responded with “Kill That Noise”, setting up perfectly in the hands of KRS-One!
KRS-One then dropped “The Bridge Is Over”, to put a pin to the coffin for both Shan and his career!
Kool Moe Dee vs Busy Bee
This was a rap battle of the old times, during the 1980s! It was less of a beef and more of a friendly banter. A much simpler time with simpler people and relationships!
A legendary duel, in a legendary 8 Mile-Style contest. A battle rap that went back and forth for both parties that honestly left everyone in question as to who won the feud.
If not any particular rapper, definitely the fanbase and the audience did!
Kool Moe Dee Vs LL Cool J
So far we have seen battle rappers battle different styles and rhythms. This is the one feud where Kool Moe objected that Cool J stole his style of music. Hence a showdown of similar style artists began.
Kool Moe Dee dissed him in one of his classics “How Ya Like Me Now”, and Cool J responded with “To Da Break of Dawn”.
Then started a barrage of offenses from Kool Moe Dee when he started dissing Cool J with his newer records, releasing one after the other like pin missiles!
Starting with “Let’s Go” to “Death Blow”, by the time he released his latest record, Cool J had already hung his hat as a rapper.
However, he went down with one last blow to Kool Moe Dee, with a banger record of “Jack the Ripper”. Where Kool Moe Dee lost some self-respect as the ridicule of his trademark Star Trek Glasses got to him.
Common Vs Westside Connection
Another of the classic rivalries, but this time it was a little more personal than professional. Common wanted to start a beef to rile up his music back to its former glory and picked Ice Cube from Westside Connection.
Dissed him on his “I Used To Love H.E.R” track very subtly. However, Ice Cube didn’t take it lightly and rained down with “Westside Slaughterhouse”, launching a vicious counterattack.
Common then went on and partnered with Pete Rock to hand down one of the best dis of all time with “The B*tch In Yoo” record.
Ice Cube Vs N.W.A
Easy-E and the entire N.W.A had controversial encounters with Ice Cube previously before dissing Ice Cube’s Band’s best lyricist relentlessly on their “100 Miles & Runin’” record.
Ice Cube took it quite personally and with his former allies composed “No Vaseline”, which obliterated Ice Cube and his band members. A feat of a single man single-handedly taking down an entire group has never ever been seen again.
Canibus vs LL Cool J
Canibus dropped a rhyme that still echoes to this day. Canibus in his prime was a beast, despite having odds stacking up on his back.
He with a vulgar shit-talking Mike Tyson took shots at LL Cool J with “Second Round KO”, a recovery that has never been made.
Additionally, this record has been a staple for what rappers are supposed to compose when dissing someone!
2Pac Vs Biggie
When 2 big names clash with each other, it is meant to define the generations.
The feud was solid, however, it wasn’t really anything super personal.
Surely 2Pac exchanged some nasty blows and called Biggie names and slurs that provoked him. However, it was mainly the fanbase and the gangs surrounding it that put deadly stress on the streets of the USA.
2Pac released “Hit Em Up” to provoke Biggie by bringing his wife into the conversation. Biggie didn’t respond much, however, the gangs all around the USA were provoked and active.
Resulting in many small and big disputes all around the country!
Jay Z vs Nas
Before the situation got tamed and both of them came to terms, they were possibly the biggest rivals in hip-hop history. The type of rivals to are out for blood, thirsty for drama, and willing to go to any length to punish any dispute.
Jay dissed Nas’ baby mother on “Is That Your Chick?”, and reached a corner a man shouldn’t have no matter what. This heated the situation and made it insanely personal as Nas’ baby was involved in it too.
They were just short of a rap duel on HBO, until settling the matters henceforth behind the scenes.
“Is That Your Chick” YouTube Video Link
The Future Of Rap Music & Rap Battles
The future of rap is in safe hands, no matter how u look into it. From accessible coverage to standing on the shoulders of legends, the new generation of rappers has it all for them.
In the early days, the only medium to promote your freestyle or your rap record was through magazines or stage performances.
Earlier Platform
Lets talk about the earlier platforms, some of the organizations built over the years surrounding hip-hop, rap, and freestyle.
- SMACK DVD: A series that captured the unfiltered world of the hip-hop world
- Rap Olympics: Even though not an official part of the World Olympics, rap Olympics was nothing to laugh about. It was the pinnacle of all rap competitions, and bred some of the hardest hitters in hip-hop, such as EMINEM!
- King Of The Dot (KOTD): It was more of a league than a competition. Much like the English Primer League, KOTD featured areas around Canada and the USA to promote hip-hop to a greater height.
Today’s Platform
Today the competition has evolved from less on stage to more on media (especially social media). Hence today’s platform mainly consists of:
- Spotify
- YouTube
- TikTok
Offline variants of such platforms include:
- DLTLLY
- High Tide
- Winter Warfare 2
Magazine
The magazine played a vital role as the only way of promotion back in the day. Being featured in a magazine meant you are gaining worldwide traction and attention through that blog.
Today’s magazine market might not be as volatile, however, they are strong nonetheless. Some of the authentic and honorable magazines are noted down below:
- The Source
- XXL
- Clash Magazine
Final Thought
We have extensively discussed the best freestyle rap battles of all time and given you guys some of the best feuds the modern and classic hip-hop culture has to offer.
From the rise of some of the hip-hop stars through freestyle, rap, and trash-talking to the absolute dismantling downfall, we have covered it all for you.
Let us know which battle was your favorite and which ones you want us to add to our next list of Rap Battles.