Rap battles and freestyles

[ShiftyBagLady]

I've spent a couple of hours watching rap battles and freestyles (mainly freestyles) and I seen some amazing lyricism tonight and I want more. Hence, a thread to come and share this stuff.

So Childish Gambino (before the America video) did an incredible one here


And Chika, who is beyond incredible, did this one here and fucking killed it


And because I'm into British rap, and Ive been listening to her album lately, Nadia Rose

And

 

[Ted Striker]

Watching Don't Flop (basically watch 2 people take the miss out of each other. In verse. In the UK. Like "our" 8 Mile) is our standard post-rave source of entertainment. There's a fascinating style and subculture to it all. Constantly flips between slightly pathetic and brilliant.

One picked at random


There's a few decent Fire In The Booths from DnB/Grime rec MCs...Again, like all a lot of "Freestyles" they are just one mans extended MCing and bend the illusion of not being entirely pre-penned (tho at least Don't Flop very rarely repeats, and is very reactive, so does appear truer to the 'making it up as I go along' style).



And



Are my faves.

Probably only slightly what you were looking for, tho might be of interest!

 

[danski]

Old and I’ve posted it before but it’s good. Well, I like it.

 

[Supine]

Ultimate rap

 

[alsoknownas]

Back in the day, Biggie (aged 17) smashing so hard the other guy ends up trying to sneak away .

 

[alsoknownas]

I love this. Lady Chann kills it:

 

[rutabowa]

I love listening to these. This one is amazing because it is genuine freestyling, ie they are genuinely doing it off the top of their heads with nothing prewritten... so it is a bit rougher, but v impressive

 

[rutabowa]

Jdz media youtube channel has loads of uk mcs, with some gold amongst the not so good. This is a classic one

 

[rutabowa]

Sbtv also worth a subscribe:

 

[rutabowa]

... and this is just a funny brutal burial freestyle from pretty recent

 

[rutabowa]

love the silky flow in this:

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Some good raps here, I've been in a freestyle wormhole all day now!
Loved this one

 

[rutabowa]

Dizzee is an amazing mc. Here he is representing the uk on an american hiphop radio institution

 

[rutabowa]

Logan sama youtube channel also good for classic grime radio cyphers

 

[keybored]

 

[Maharani]

One of my favourites:

 

[blairsh]

 

[blairsh]

 

[rutabowa]

If you havent already heard this it is unmisseable for lyricism

 

[blairsh]

Thing is, most "freestyles" are built around heavily practiced/honed, writng/rhyming

 

[Supine]

If you havent already heard this it is unmisseable for lyricism

Mc acronym

 

[rutabowa]

Thing is, most "freestyles" are built around heavily practiced/honed, writng/rhyming

Yeah definitely most in this thread are...theres no way lowkey just came up with that on the spot!

 

[blairsh]

Yeah definitely most in this thread are...theres no way lowkey just came up with that on the spot!

Yeah, listen to his productions...

 

[rutabowa]

but I do reckon the Orphanage one i posted first is pretty much real unplanned freestyle.... where they might have the odd stock line or 2 that they know fit together, but it is mainly just totally off the top of their heads

 

[Ted Striker]

It's basically Mock the Week for rappers

But the first time you hear any of it...Jeeeeeeeeeeeeez

Great thread

 

[alsoknownas]

Thing is, most "freestyles" are built around heavily practiced/honed, writng/rhyming

The meaning of freestyle has changed/evolved. Back when hip-hop was still primarily very participatory, and it was common to experience rap performed in an informal, or messy, or party environment, the word really did mean completely improvised on the spot. Then as the whole thing became an industry, and output became more controlled and studio-based, freestyle just became synonymous with any kind of performance that was looser, less constrained, even if the rhymes are pre-planned. The idea is that the structure around the session itself is a little free and easy, with people jumping in and out, trying new things out, making mistakes, etc.

 

[rutabowa]

Im not usually into the 8 mile style battles where its set up like an official competition and they have to take turns etc. However this vid is an amazing example of true freestyle. Eyedea is only about 17 or something and he absolutely murders the other guy... he is mcing about stuff that happens on stage just a few seconds before too. One thing tho is rappers who are incredible at freestyling rarely translate into good/successful actual records.

 

[marshall]

At last!

Watching battle rap has been my guilty pleasure for the last ten years...on the question of whether it's off the head or not doesn't bother me anymore, in fact if someone's pen is fire I love well crafted rounds; lots of schemes, angles, personals and if there's a rebuttal or two in there it shows they can freestyle.

Recommended recent battles? B Dot v Emerson Kennedy (gun bars v consciousness bars with a 3rd round from B-Dot that goes in hard on the whole URL/SMACK booking system).

Iron Solomon v Rum Nitty. Absolute classic.

 

[krtek a houby]

If you havent already heard this it is unmisseable for lyricism

Fantastic! Even the annoying shouty bloke at the beginning and end couldn't ruin it.

 

[rutabowa]

Even my dad rates the lowkey one!