KevinNottingham.com » Freestyle Friday

Freestyle Friday: Reef the Lost Cauze vs. Vinnie Paz

Kevin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:35:30 +0000

Two of the hottest underground hip hop albums dropped this month: Reef the Lost Cauze‘s Fight Music and Vinnie Paz‘s Season of the Assassin. Both members of the Army of Pharoahs, it was only right to put these two underground heavyweights up against one another for today’s Freestyle Friday.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Reef the Lost Cauze or Vinnie Paz. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Reef the Lost Cauze, then Vinnie Paz, then Reef, etc. If you want to drop an Vinnie Paz verse, wait until someone has dropped a Reef one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start of with Reef:

“The equivalent of wickedness, sid viciousness, ridiculous
You die slow while I live for this
Find my arch nemesis quiverin’ while I’m in the premises
It’s my movie, here’s what the premise is
I don’t do nothing if I don’t really benefit
I cut people off, I don’t mean finish sentences
You won’t get that until I’m long gone
You gay dancing in Sean John thongs to Sean Paul
Oh lord… here goes that guy again
With the spectacular spit stealing my shine again
You should not try and win, be happy to lose
Lil’ BDI dudes looking at my confused… man…
I’ll murder your spirit before I consider your flesh
Fucked you up with that right? Now give it a rest
Give up the checks, it’s time to pay the piper
Cauze is Johnny Cash going down a reign of fire”

-Reef the Lost Cauze, “I Ain’t No Rapper”

Freestyle Friday: Black Thought vs. Eminem

Kevin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:00:39 +0000

With this Tuesday’s releases of The Roots’ How I Got Over and Eminem’s Recovery, I decided to put these two emcees up for the challenge of our Freestyle Friday. Both have been victims in this series before, but never against each other. Could be interesting…

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Black Thought or Eminem. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Black Thought, then Eminem, then Black Thought, etc. If you want to drop an Eminem verse, wait until someone has dropped a Black Thought one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’m gonna go with Black Thought on this one, so I’ll start a verse off with him:

“I put a rapper in a hole where the dust will sit
for spitting played out patterns that once was hitting
I got news for you all, let me show you how to ball
See the legendary fall? I ain’t heard of that
Y’all niggas is off the wall like Aresnio Hall
I’ma put you right back where the dirt is at
450 Fahrenheit on the thermostat
Somebody starving like a white girl ?? that
But she not a earner yet, she couldn’t put in no work,
not earning that, the black microphone murder vet
I’m in a class of my own,
If I got beef with you, you the last one to know
I arrive on time, I’m never fashionable
You late, I’m already international-able
I done toured to Berlin, banged in Beijing
You never seen nothing can’t say the same thing
Tell somebody Black Thought, yeah you know the name ring
So give him the game ring for bringing what them niggas can’t bring
My hustle is long, my muscle is strong
My man put the paper in the duffle I’m gone
Y’all still a light year from the level I’m on
Just a pawn stepping right into the head of the storm
You been warned, I will blow y’all niggas and disintegrate
I’m a rebel, renegade must stay paid”

-Black Thought, “75 Bars”

Freestyle Friday: Slick Rick vs. Big Daddy Kane

Kevin — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:00:53 +0000

For today’s Freestyle Friday I wanted to take it back to the old school and highlight two of my favorite emcees from back in my day: Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Slick Rick or Big Daddy Kane. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Slick Rick, then Big Daddy Kane, then Slick Rick, etc. If you want to drop a BDK verse, wait until someone has dropped a Slick Rick one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

Since Big Daddy Kane is on my list of Top 5 greatest emcees, I’ll start this thread off with a verse from BDK:

“Here I am . . . R-A-W
terrorist, here to bring trouble to
phony emcees, I move on and seize
I just conquer, and stomp another rapper with ease
Cause I’m at my apex and others are be-low
nothing but a milliliter, I’m a kilo
Second to none, making emcees run
Also don’t try to step to me, cause I ain’t the one
I relieve rappers just like Tylenol
and they know it, so I don’t see why you all
try to front, perpetrating a stunt
when you know that I’ll smoke you up like a blunt
I’m genuine like Gucci, raw like sushi
The Sage of Rage is what rap did to me
To make me want to create chaos and mayhem
cold rock a party, until the A.M.
I’ll make a muscle, grab the mike and hustle
while you stand dazed and amazed, I’ll bust a little rhyme
with authority, superiority
and captivate the whole crowd’s majority
The rhymes I use definitely amuse
better than Dynasty or Hill Street Blues
I’m sure to score, endure for more without a flaw
Cause I get RAW!”

-Big Daddy Kane, “Raw Lyrics”

Freestyle Friday: Nas vs. Talib Kweli

Kevin — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:00:08 +0000

Two of arguably the dopest emcees in the game are set to drop new albums this coming Tuesday: Nas - Distant Relatives (with Damian Marley) and Talib Kweli – Revolutions Per Minute (with Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal). Let’s see how these two stack up against each other in today’s Freestyle Friday.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Nas or Talib Kweli. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Nas, then Talib Kweli, then Nas, etc. If you want to drop a Kweli verse, wait until someone has dropped a Nas one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

Since I’m a huge Kweli fan and don’t really care for Nas (blast me now), I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Talib Kweli:

“I call these rappers baby seals, cause they club you to death
I could call ‘em Navy SEALs, cause they government feds
What become of the vets? They drugged up, they fucked up, they in debt
There ain’t no love and no respect, it’s like a gang it’s like a club or a set
Hip-Hop’s the new WWF
What do you rap or do you wrestle? Niggaz love to forget
We got til it’s gone, you think you on, you still hustlin backwards
Your topical norm a tropical storm, it’s a fuckin disaster
Back to the topic we on, it all started at Rawkus
They couldn’t find the words to describe me so they resort to the shortcuts
Is he a backpacker? Is he a mad rapper?
An entertainer or the author of the last chapter
We living in these times of love and cholera
Synonymous with the apocalypse, look up the clouds is ominous
We got maybe ten years left say meteorologists, shit
We still waitin for the Congress to acknowledge this!”

-Talib Kweli, “Hostile Gospel Part 1 (Deliver Us)”

Freestyle Friday: Phonte vs. Rapper Big Pooh

Kevin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:30:41 +0000

Little Brother just released their final album last week, so I thought it’d be fun to put the two emcees up against one another for Freestyle Friday.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Rapper Big Pooh or Phonte. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Big Pooh, then Phonte, then Big Pooh, etc. If you want to drop a Phonte verse, wait until someone has dropped a Pooh one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Rapper Big Pooh:

“Yo, I flow liquid, Poobie been gifted
Wrote it in my manual watch how I shift it
No breaks, two takes at the max
Heavy on facts got me cruisin at a slow speed
Haters watch from afar and catch nose bleeds
Or do some Big Syke shit like have your car keys
A bad seed tryin to do good
N****s can’t cause they too hood, I’m too nice!
I’m steady rollin like two dice
You now starrin at a fresh slice, for my old man
Rapper tryin to touch old grams
Put a couple on the stand keep my people out of prison
They praise me faithfully no religion
I thank God everyday what’s He’s givin
I’m livin, no glamourous life
Ain’t nobody sayin, “Yeah Rapper, you do that light! ”
I do this right! You lookin at the sun
Or you lookin at the one and the rest is flash lights
Somebody tell these p***y n****s good night
I’m like a pair of stretch jeans homey – extra tight!
Get it right or get it right where you stand
I say I’m on the mission my n***a I’m not playin!”

-Rapper Big Pooh, “Plastic Cups”

Freestyle Friday: Guru vs. The Gang Starr Foundation

Kevin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:00:17 +0000

It’s only right that we pay our respects to Guru on this Freestyle Friday, but who do we put him up against? How about the whole Gang Starr Foundation! That’s right, battle Guru with your favorite verse from your favorite Gang Starr Foundation emcee (Afu-Ra, Freddie Foxxx, Jeru the Damaja, Krumbsnatcha, Group Home, Big Shug, etc).

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Guru or a Gang Starr Foundation emcee. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Guru, then Gang Starr Foundation, then Guru, etc. If you want to drop a GS Foundation verse, wait until someone has dropped a Guru one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with my favorite verse from Guru:

“I suggest you take a breath for the words I manifest
They will scold you and mold you, while I impress upon
You the fact that, I use my tact at
Rhymin for climbin, and chill while I attract that
Girl you’re with, I got a sincere quality
I give her all of me, cause you’re too small to be
Tryin to riff, so let me uplift and shift my gift
Let’s go to the fullest capacity
I got tenacity, because I have to be
The brother who must live and give with much insight
Foresight to ignite, excite and delight
And you might gain from it, or feel pain from it
Because I’m ultimate, and I’m about to let off
Knowledge is wisdom, understanding
Truth’s the proof, so won’t you throw a hand
In the air, put up a peace sign and be fine
If so we’re feeling good we should we could we would
Stop, think for a moment ok?
And then sway while I convey that we must do away
With all the stress and the strife, so God bless your life
Use kindness, and never blindness
And you will find that this perspective is best, check it out
These are the words that I manifest, I manifest”

-Guru, “Manifest”

Freestyle Friday: Too Short vs. Murs

Kevin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:00:50 +0000

Two of West Coast’s finest emcees have released new albums this month. First there was Oakland’s Too Short with his album Still Blowin’ and more recently was the new album from Murs & 9th Wonder, Fornever. It’s been a hot minutes since we’ve featured a Freestyle Friday, so let’s battle it out!

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Too Short or Murs. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Too Short, then Murs, then Too Short, etc. If you want to drop a Murs verse, wait until someone has dropped a Too Short one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

Since I’m a huge Murs fan, I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Murs:

“My name is M-U-R-S
Hailing from the far west
Killafornia, California, L.A. Ahhh Yes
You may have heard of us
We all ain’t murderers
Drive by shootings
You can kick it on the curb with us
We got blue skies
We got palm trees
We got boulevards
Beaches with a calm breeze
As far as MCs
I’m the best of em
Only five nine
Its above all the rest of em
I mean we got dodged and we got queued
Everybody with this blue and the red feud
Man these dudes always trying to kill something
I’m putting words together hoping that you feel something
Trying to put that pride back into the black music
You can clap to it in your Lac or your Buick
I had to do it cause nobody else can
Couldn’t beat anybody other than myself man”

-Murs, “Better Than The Best”

Freestyle Friday: Biggie vs. Biggie

Kevin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:38 +0000

This past Tuesday was the anniversary of the death of the Notorious B.I.G. For most, this is one of hip hop’s biggest memorial days. If you were on Twitter, you would have seen tons of people tweeting some of Biggie’s best one liners. This sparked an idea for this week’s Freestyle Friday… and when Jigsaw hit me up and suggested we do one with Biggie’s one liners, it was set. Though, who could you really put Biggie up against? So instead of putting another emcee up as the underdog, I thought we’d dedicate today’s Freestyle Friday strictly to the Notorious B.I.G.

So the rules are simple: drop your favorite Biggie one liners in the comments. Not full verses, but one liners. I’ll start things off:

“You can be the shit, flash the fattest five, have the biggest dick, but when your shell get hit, you ain’t worth spit, just a memory.”

Biggie – “You’re Nobody Till Someone Kills You”

Freestyle Friday: Ludacris vs. T.I.

Kevin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:30:30 +0000

Ludacris‘ new album, Battle of the Sexes, drops this Tuesday and now that T.I. is out of jail it’s time to see who really is the King of the South.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Ludacris or T.I. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Ludacris, then T.I., then Ludacris, etc. If you want to drop a T.I. verse, wait until someone has dropped a Luda one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Luda:

“OH NO! The FIGHT’S OUT
I’ma bout to punch yo lights out
Get the fuck back, guard ya grill
There’s somethin’ wrong, we can’t stay still
I’ve been drankin’ and bustin’ too
And I been thinking of bustin’ you
Upside ya motherfuckin’ forehead
And if your friends jump in, “Ohhh gurrlll”, they’ll be mo’ dead
Causin’ confusion, Disturbin’ Tha Peace
Not an illusion, we runnin’ the streets
So bye-bye to all you groupies and gold diggers
Is there a bumper on your ass? NO N****!
I’m doin’ a hundred on the highway
So if you do the speed limit, get the fuck outta my way
I’m D.U.I., hardly ever caught sober
And you about to get ran the FUCK over”

- Ludacris, “Move Bitch”

Freestyle Friday: Buckshot vs. Sean Price

Kevin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:30:44 +0000

For Freestyle Friday today, I felt like puttin you all onto some Boot Camp Clik. I thought about which members to put up and then it became clear… Buck and Ruck! Buckshot, the emcee best known as a member of Black Moon and his collaborations with 9th Wonder goes head to head with Sean Price, one half of Heltah Skeltah and who has also collaborated with 9th Wonder.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Buckshot or Sean Price. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Buckshot, then Sean Price, then Buckshot, etc. If you want to drop a Sean Price verse, wait until someone has dropped a Buckshot one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Sean Price:

“You can say what you want, just spell my
First name Sean, last name Price
N****z I’m David Ruffin in the flesh
Fucked up in the game, but never the less, I’m the best, yo
N****z be rhymin’ bout nothing
I rhyme about nothing, and sound like something
I used to sell crack and listen to Redman
Now I smoke black, while I’m gettin’ some head, damn
Sean Price, almost broker than most
That’s why the gunsmoke chokin’ ya throat, stick ‘em up
Put ya hands where my eyes can see
Yo, this ain’t Busta Rhymes, bong, bust a nine
Bong, roughest and toughest, so don’t fuck with mine
I will, snuff ‘em and cut ‘em, before he fuck with mine, yo”

-Sean Price, “Boom Bye Yeah”

Freestyle Friday: Freeway vs. Chaundon

Kevin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:00:27 +0000

This week for Freestyle Friday, we’re putting Philadelphia Freeway and the Justus League’s Chaundon up head to head. Both artists dropped new albums this past week (The Stimulus Package & Baby Makin Music) and both spit fire darts, so let’s see how they match up!

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Freeway or Chaundon. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Freeway, then Chaundon, then Freeway, etc. If you want to drop a Chaundon verse, wait until someone has dropped a Freeway one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Chaundon:

“See, Tyson told me hit ‘em with the flames first
Challenge the world, bet I drop more names than a Game verse
These rap n****s is plastic
I’m terrorizing ciphers, they can’t blame Osama for that shit
Left the seven-one-eight for the nine-nineteen
I’m still home, slid the Y between the N and the C
Hunts Point I did it y’all, look at me shining
Came a long way rhyming, part time and nine-to-fivin’
The game is full of pussies, I can hear it in they rhymes
Got balls for saying that, who dick is bigger than mine?
Pause, walking tall, biggest n**** on campus
Putting shame to all ‘em so-called n****s who ran this
I’ve been nice since the early eighties
When I strike your wrist your lady will swallow my million dollar babies
You don’t wanna battle me right?
I guarantee you’ll see more L’s than Puerto Ricans on the lower eastside
Hunts Point, I did it again
I’ve been broke so long the rich will now feel the wrath of my pen
You can tell I got now by the words on this page
I got too big for the corner so I brought it to the stage”

-Chaundon, “Boondock Saints” by Little Brother

Freestyle Friday: J Dilla vs. Madlib

Kevin — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:00:23 +0000

To wrap up our week long Dilla Week, we wanted to throw Dilla in the mix for Freestyle Friday. For those that didn’t know, yes Dilla rapped too. We thought, what better person to put him up against was his Jaylib producer/emcee partner Madlib. This should be fun!

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Dilla or Madlib. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Dilla, then Madlib, then Dilla, etc. If you want to drop a Madlib verse, wait until someone has dropped a Dilla one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Madlib:

“I make beats everyday of the week
I used to listen to the “Sound of the Zeekers”
Rock and Roll
Now I’m over here on smashing your speakers
Boss 303
MP 1200
MPC 4000
Do my loop dumping
Numbing
You know how it goes
Really, really y’all know how it goes
Music taking over your body
Beat taking over your soul
I be passing up parties, quit parties
But never passing a bowl
Pass me that weed
Psychedelic record covers
Jazz standards
Funk soul
That’s a choir
Eletronic patterns
It’s the raw addict
My A is tape comfort over ill record static
Oh, oh, oh addict
Ya’ll better scram like I’m Broadway Sam
Well I say”

-Madlib, “The Clown”

Freestyle Friday: Brand Nubian vs. Souls of Mischief

Kevin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:00:27 +0000

I know we haven’t been consistent with Freestyle Fridays, but hopefully this week will get some people hot. Props to Jigsaw for recommending this match up yesterday!

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Brand Nubian or Souls of Mischief. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Brand Nubian, then Souls of Mischief, thenBrand Nubian , etc. If you want to drop a Souls of Mischief verse, wait until someone has dropped a Brand Nubian one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Brand Nubian:

“Now as I blast off with my curricula, comin perpendicular
Watch me kill it when I spill it, top bill it, shine like acrylic
Actions manifest with the strategy of chess
Hit you with more retardedness than the seed born from incest
Since the scrotum I was that brother
Ripped a hole in my daddy’s rubber
Swan dived into my mother
Left behind a thousand others
Caught one cat sittin in the egg, tossed him out he slid down the leg
Born months later, I come ridin down the escalator
The doctor tried to smack me but I caught him with a two piece
My pops said, “Son you did it right, aww man my shorty tight”
Then he passed the brother a mic and ever since my flow been tight
Come on — you gotta be kidding me if you think Brand Nu’ lost a step
and if you do go get a late pass cause you cats done overslept
Over two thousand emcees attend school at Haji Prep
Brand Nubian brothers, A alike, B alike, plus we see/C alike
Cause ain’t nuthin but that blazeness when these brothers touch the mic”

-Grand Pupa, “Brand Nubian ’98”

Freestyle Friday: Guru vs. LL Cool J

Kevin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:00:29 +0000

We’ve missed Freestyle Friday the past couple of weeks and I really have no excuse. The homie Jigsaw sent over a bunch of ideas a couple of months ago and one of those was Guru vs. ANYBODY! So I decided to put him up against the subject of our latest remix contest, Uncle L.

The idea behind Freestyle Friday is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Guru or LL Cool j. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Guru, then LL Cool J, then Guru, etc. If you want to drop a LL verse, wait until someone has dropped a Guru one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from LL Cool J:

“Don’t call it a comeback
I been here for years
Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear
Makin the tears rain down like a MON-soon
Listen to the bass go BOOM
Explosion, overpowerin
Over the competition, I’m towerin
Wreckin shop, when I drop these lyrics that’ll make you call the cops
Don’t you dare stare, you betta move
Don’t ever compare
Me to the rest that’ll all get sliced and diced
Competition’s payin the price”

-LL Cool J, “Mama Said Knock You Out”

Freestyle Friday: Raekwon vs. Joell Ortiz

Kevin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:15:25 +0000

With all the year end lists going on, I almost forgot about Freestyle Friday! Why don’t we put up the two top emcees of 2009, according to Justin & Thomas: Raekwon vs. Joell Ortiz!

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Raekwon or Joell Ortiz. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Raekwon, then Joell Ortiz, then Raekwon, etc. If you want to drop a Joell verse, wait until someone has dropped a Raekwon one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Joell Ortiz:

“I got a raw flow, and I stay hungry more so
Guess that’s why I’m the torso
I pour sweat when I perform shows
What I record goes down as the best, but the vets won’t let that torch go
Y’all could keep it, they got flashlights now
And flamethrowers, and I got one on my back right now
Remain focused, that’s what I tell myself now and then
Don’t want to go back to that block like when Varejão defends
Uh-oh, my stomach growls again, I ain’t none of you cowards friends
Every human out of my sight before I count to ten
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight
I’m hungry like I never ate
Set a table up with knives, forks and spoons, I’m ’bout to get a plate
All these sweet dummies looking me like a pepper steak
Means we never seperate, we ain’t married
Jab it everytime I touch a pen, I sort of set a date
I’ll devestate your career, look I’ma demonstrate
Let me get a good breath take before I regulate
Okay, bye bye you guys, don’t try to rhyme
Cuz line for line
What I design is mine and mine
My joint’s divine, meaning right behind
And thank God it shines all the light in mine
So my eyes can find a nice dime to grind
Come here girl, toma, toma , take that, take that ”

- Joell Ortiz, “Sound Off” (from Slaughterhouse)

Freestyle Friday: De La Soul vs. Wu-Tang Clan

Kevin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:00:34 +0000

Last week’s Freestyle Friday was our biggest yet… I’m hoping this one will be bigger by teaming up two of hip hop’s favorite groups: De La Soul vs. Wu-Tang Clan. I know there are a ton of Wu heads here on the site, but since I’m a backpacker I’m gonna have to side with De La.

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of any member of De La Soul or any member of Wu-Tang Clan (solo joints included). Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. De La Soul, then Wu-Tang Clan, then De La Soul, etc. If you want to drop a Wu-Tang verse, wait until someone has dropped a De La one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

3. One new rule: no more battling yourself… lol. I’ve noticed some people like to come in and just drop a bunch of verses (which is cool), but not the intent. Wait til someone battles you to drop another verse.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Dove of De La Soul:

“Yep, yep big trucker man’s rollin’ in town
How ya do, how ya do
I got the joints to make ya…(jump!)
Because I’m headin’ eastbound
Tired of the merry go round and around
And everybody’s talkin’ bout you’re so funny
But they still tellin’ lies to me
I got the trees in my backyard
And it’s hard for them to tell a lie to me
And who’s the foot, I’m the foot but who’s steppin’
(ain’t no half steppin’)
You know where I’m steppin’
Skirts play wit it cause I’m slick like that
I’m the greatest mc in the world!!
You gots to gimme gimme mine cause I’m heavy when I weigh it
Watch the way I say it (ego trip)
Change my pitch up, smack my bitch up
I never did it
The flavor’s bein’ butt but brothers ain’t gettin’ it
Get it; or else you’re a goner
When I rolls over ya gonna have to wanna lamp
Cause it’s the chattanooga champ
Takin’ a train…takin’ a train…takin’ a train…takin’ a train…”

-Dove, “Ego Trippin”

Freestyle Friday: 80s vs. 90s

Kevin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:00:57 +0000

There has been much debate concerning the actual timeline of the Golden Age of Hip Hop. For some, the golden age was from 1986 to 1989, while other will say 1992 to 1996. Different sources actually list different years, but it’s pretty evident that hip hop heads 35 and older consider the 80s to be our Golden Age, where as the younger generation chose the 90s.

We’ll have an accompanying article to debate the subject later today, but right here we’d like to have a Freestyle Friday Free-for-all. This should be fun and allow a ton of people to get involved. Props to Jigsaw for coming up with this idea!

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. Today, the competitors are pretty much wide open, using artists from either of the two periods. To make things simpler, we’ll called 1986-1989 Gold Age #1 and 1992-1996 Golden Age #2. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using a verse from an emcee from Golden Age #1 or Golden Age #2. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Golden Age #1, then Golden Age #2, thenGolden Age #1, etc. If you want to drop a Golden Age #2 verse, wait until someone has dropped a Golden Age #1 one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Golden Age #1:

“I hold the microphone like a grudge
B’ll hold the record so the needle don’t budge
I hold a conversation cuz when I invent
I nominated my DJ the presdient
When I’m see I’ll, people freestyle, going steadily
So pucker up and whistle my melody
But whatever you do, don’t miss one
They’ll be another rough rhyme after this one
Before you know it, you’re following and fiending
Waiting for the punchline to get the meaning
Like before the middle of my story I’m telling
Nobody beats the R so stop yelling
Save it, put it in your pocket for later
Cuz I’m moving the crowd and be a record fader
No interruptions and the mic is broke
When I’m gone, then you can joke
Cuz everything is real on a serious tip
Keep playing and I varies quick
And take you for a walk through hell
Feed your dome then watch your eyeballs swell
Guide you out of triple stage darkness
When it get dark again then I’ma spark this
Microphone cuz the heat is on, you see smoke
And I’m finish when the beat is gone, I’m no joke”

-Rakim, “I Ain’t No Joke” (1987)

Freestyle Friday: Common vs. Big Boi

Kevin — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:00:50 +0000

For today’s Freestyle Friday, we decided to put two of the most consistent emcees in the game up against each other: Common and Outkast’s Big Boi. Props to Jigsaw for the idea (and a bunch of others that he sent over).

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of Common or Big Boi. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. Common, then Big Boi, then Common, etc. If you want to drop a Big Boi verse, wait until someone has dropped a Common one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from Common:

“The perseverence of a rebel I drop heavier levels
It’s unseen or heard, a king with words
Can’t knock the hustle, but I’ve seen street dreams deferred
Dark spots in my mind where the scene occured
Some say I’m too deep, I’m in too deep to sleep
Through me, Muhammed will forever speak
Greet brothers with handshakes in ghetto landscapes
Where a man is determined by how much a man make
Cop Cognacs and spit old raps with young cats
with cigarettes in their ear, niggerish they appear
Under the Fubu is a guru, that’s untapped
Want to be in the rap race but ain’t ran one lap
Ran so far from the streets that you can’t come back
You tripping with nowhere to unpack, forgot that”

-Common, “6th Sense”

Freestyle Friday: A.G. vs. O.C.

Kevin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:00:15 +0000

You knew it was coming. Veteran emcees O.C. and A.G. teamed up to release the album Oasis this past Tuesday. Now we’re gonna put the two rappers head to head. Before we get started with this week’s Freestyle Friday, I wanna give a big shout out to my homie Jigsaw, who originally came to me with the Freestyle Friday idea months ago… let’s get it!

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of A.G. or O.C. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. O.C., then A.G., then O.C., etc. If you want to drop an O.G. verse, wait until someone has dropped an A.G. one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from O.C:

“You lack the minerals and vitamins irons and the niacin
Fuck who that I offend rappers sit back I’m bout to begin
bout foul talk you sqwak never even walked the walk
More less destined to get tested never been arrested
My album will manifest many things that I saw did or heard about
or told first hand never word of mouth
What’s in the future for the fusion in the changer?
Rappers are in danger who will use wits to be a remainder
When the missile is aimed, to blow you out of the frame
Some will keep their limbs and, some will be maimed
The same suckers with the gab about, killer instincts
but turned bitch and knowin damn well they lack
In this division the conniseur, crackin your head with a 4 by 4
Realize sucka, I be the comin like Noah
Always sendin you down, perpetratin facadin what you consider
a image, to me this is, just a scrimmage
I’m feel I’m stone, not cause I bop or wear my cap cocked
The more emotion I put into it, the harder I rock
Those who pose lyrical but really ain’t true I feel”

-O.C., “Time’s Up”

Freestyle Friday: 50 Cent vs. Rakim

Kevin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:26 +0000

Yeah, I know some of you are saying, “is this a joke?” I know, no competition, right? Well, let’s just see about that. Who would have ever thought to have these two emcees battle each other, but since they both released new albums this week, I figured why not… Let’s have some fun with this!

The idea behind Freestyle Fridays is to battle one another with your favorite verse from either of the two competitors. You’re essentially battling other commenters in this thread by using the words of 50 Cent or Rakim. Hit the jump for a few rules and then jump in on the comments!

Before we start, let’s see if we can keep the thread in order today, by following a couple simple rules:

1. Please don’t drop the lyrics to a whole song. No more than one verse!

2. Please stay in order…. 50 Cent, then Rakim, then 50 Cent, etc. If you want to drop a Fiddy verse, wait until someone has dropped a Rakim one. The idea is to go back and forth. It’s possible that more than one person may be trying to drop a verse at one time… we’ll just keep moving on.

I’ll start this thread off with a verse from 50 Cent:

“Now these pussy niggaz putting money on my head
Go on and get your refund motherfucker, I ain’t dead
I’m the diamond in the dirt, that ain’t been found
I’m the underground king and I ain’t been crowned
When I rhyme, something special happen every time
I’m the greatest, something like Ali in his prime
I walk the block with the bundles
I’ve been knocked on the humble
Swing the ox when I rumble
Show your ass what my gun do
Got a temper nigga, go’head, lose your head
Turn your back on me, get clapped and lose your legs
I walk around gun on waist, chip on my shoulder
Till I bust a clip in your face, pussy, this beef ain’t over”

-50 Cent, “Many Men”