COULD INDUSTRY ARTISTS SURVIVE IN THE BATTLE RING?

No need for intros this time around let’s gets right to it! This will be a 2 part blog …. LET’S GO!!

A long, long time ago in this game we call hip-hop  there was only one way to know how good you were, and that was to battle! No holds barred, round after round of straight spittiature. Now a day’s gimmicks,  fake criminal history (ROSS), and fake gang affiliation (WEEZY), with abc rhymes and punch lines ( 2 Chainz),  with  good beat gets you in, the need for substance and originality is dead and gone.
In this blog I need your opinions because we are going to match up today’s industry leaders against today’s top battlers. This may require you to Google or you tube a few of these dudes to really understand why I chose the match ups the way I did and how potent they are as “Real Spitters”. We are going to choose the top 5 from each category and after familiarizing yourself with their “BARS” and material you tell me who you think the better “RAPPER” is
First match up is

5.  Calicoe VS  2 Chainz

Calicoe: is a power house on the Hip-hop battle scene with wins against a who’s who of the battle world. Being from Detroit “The D” he has helped put the Motor City back on the Hip-Hop map (I mean let’s be honest unless were talking Em and d-12) name another 3 well known artists from Detroit.  This man has dismantled Math Hoffa @ Webster Hall; He destroyed K-Shine, ran through Arsonal the Rebel

and is coming off a Historic battle against a top 10 vet in Loaded Lux. If you are the type of person who feels income defines the artist … research reveals that Calicoe receives as much as 2 Chainz for a live performance.

2 Chainz: The former Playaz circle member and disturbing the peace artist has made quite the name for himself since leaving Ludacris’ label. It is kind of hard to listen to your local Hip-hop & R&B station for 10 songs straight without hearing the Coined “TWOOO CHAIIIINNNZ” before he drops his verse. He has taken the game by storm, while (in my opinion) his bars are abc garbage, he has placed a tight hold on the fans who love those dumb down bars and lyrics on top of a good beat (can’t knock the hustle though), he has padded his resume with collaboration with every (relevant) top hip-hop and R&B artist you can imagine.

In this Imaginary battle I can only envision the classic battle of Busy B vs. Kool Moe D.

Busy B was known in hip-hop as a party MC while Kool Moe D was one of the first real lyricist and when the crowd got passed  Busy B ‘s  Baw diggy baw da dang da dang diggy  and listened to what Moe D was really spitting they realize it was crazy! I feel Calicoe would do 2 Chainz the same way, Punch line after punch line would destroy all  those party rhymes.

 

 

Second Match up


4.  Tsunami – Surf vs.   Meek Millz

Tsu- Surf: Is one of Newark’s own toughest spitters to come out of Jersey since Joe Buddens and Ransom. The metaphors similes and punch lines that come from Tsunami are some of the craziest in the battle game. His word play has demolished X-factor 3-0, slaughtered K-shine 2-1

, and gave Yung Ill that Medicine in a 3-0 Body bag. His animation high energy and witty bars and style make Tsu- Surf (in my opinion) a great imaginary opponent for Meek Millz.

Meek Millz:  Killadelphia, Pistolvania native, Meek has mashed the mixed tape circuit for quite some time. The grind (trap) – hop that he spits is BEE-nanas. His energy and ability to tear down a beat as well as his unique Philadelphia style gained the attention of Rick Rozay and landed him a MMG deal.  While since signing with MMG you can hear the change in his style , he has dumb down his  once very potent and complex lyrics to this Rozay sipping, Boogati driving, black diamond wearing , stripper dancing , garbage , that is forced fed to us listeners on a daily bases.

However when it comes down to that raw ability I still think Meek has it, we all know that this is a business and he does have to sell records so the abc bars are to be expected, but in a clash with a battle titan such as Tsu-Surf I feel mix tape Meek will show up and they would create a classic.


Third match up

3.  T-Rex vs.  Rick Ross (Rozay)

First let me remind yall this is not about money or record sales this is about “BARS” and lyrics. I matched these to up because they both put forth that hustler get money persona (whether it’s real or an act who knows). Their subject matter does mirror each other with that flashy fresh hustler who’s made it.

T-Rex: Harlem’s Dot Mob member has been a terror in the battle world since his smack debut vs. Un-Kasa (dip set skull gang) .He has amassed wins across the country and has been one of the key features in helping SMACK URL become what it is today. T-Rex has destroyed such battlers as DNA, flew out west to the “Fresh Coast” for a Intra-league battle between Grind time & URL and Bodied Ockwerdz as well as knock the confess out of Conceited in a 3 Round massacre at Webster Hall.

 His content embodies that Hustler (trapper) and street dude reality rap, if you been a person in them spots late night trying to  move them 5×8’s and 12×12’s he spit some SHIT that you can feel.  So while he relates to those going through it, he also has punch lines and crazy metaphor for days.

Rick Ross (Rozay): William Leonard Roberts II, Out of Carol, City, Florida, debuted on the scene in ’02. The former correctional officer turned rapper did his time on the mix tape circuit and Made his name and title explode with the hit single “ Everyday I’m Hustling” since that time it seems  Ross has been a permanent fixture on the billboard charts.  With 5 Multiplatinum albums and one of the strongest rosters in hip-hop at this time, Rozay created his own lane and peeled off in it. While the current Rozay’s subject matter pertains to a lot of things I can no longer relate to, he and his MMG camp are on everything considered “hot” right now. He has moved away from that hustler talk to more flamboyant lavish living rap. He has done what (and don’t crucify me for this) what Biggie would have done had he had the time. We saw the transition to the lavish style of rap when BIG dropped “Ready to Die” and then “Life After Death” his subject matter changed drastically ( other than 10 Crack Commandments, and What’s Beef) .

If these 2 artist were to ever clash I give the upper hand to Rex , I feel Rozay is too far removed from the streets and the struggle to really offer the witty grimey punch lines that will sway a crowd . In my opinion the 90% of his audience can no longer relate to him. However if that Mix tape still hungry Ross showed up Rex may have some trouble on his hands.

That’s it for now, let me know your opinions on who you think would win and why or what artist should or should not be involved in this list. Part 2 of this blog will continue Friday until then I leave with you this….

“If your outcome is more than your income, your up keep will be your downfall! “

Peace

This entry was posted in Hip Hop, Music News and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments

  1. C-Lo Dubai says:

    with all due respect this blog is fuckin stupid…two different skill sets…there’s a reason some battle and some are heard throughout the country on a daily basis….of course the industry cats cant hang in that battle arena…and the battle cats cant make a radio smash either…interesting I suppose but the wtf!

    1. Old Phantom says:

      I thank you for your response and respect your views and opinions …. BUT ARE YOU SHITTIN ME?!! what do you mean to 2 different skill sets a lyrcist is a lyricist point blank period… Em started as a battle rapper and made hit songs, DMX, and Jay-z were both battle rappers and at one time Battled each other and both went on to make hit songs and sell multi-paltinum albums., and what constitute a radio smash ? These battle cats now a days refuse to dumb down their lyrics they’d rather spit something of substance and really face that challenge up stepping their bar game up. When it comes to the industry cats lets not forget not to long ago Ross was making diss tracks and “battling” in a sense with 50 Cent ..So your point is moot… this was meant to have you really analyze what these artist are saying and if they should be considered “hot” or a top artist …. if your in to that skinny jean abc radio-rap garbage then I can understand where your coming from. All I was getting at is line for line over a beat or acapella who is really the better MC….
      Old Phantom