With the recent hoopla surrounding the latest rap “battle” (I use that term very lightly because a tried and tested MC like Common battling an R&B artist with an overtly chivalrous nature like Drake is like holding a candle to the Sun), I wanted to first, highlight one of my favorite battles ever, and two, get the dopeboyz and girlz’s favorite battles. Now let me make a disclaimer before the pro-Drake assault begins: I am a huge fan of Drake’s MC capabilities, as he showcased on Comeback Season, I just simply cannot get down with the singing. Sure, that was a little trite. Whatever.
Moving along here, besides the legendary Boogie Down Productions vs. Juice Crew conflict that went down in the late 80s, another favorite war-of-words between two highly proficient and competent MCs was LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee. The Treacherous Three MC claimed LL bit his rhyme style and took a shot at LL on the cover of How Ya Like Me Now, which showed LL’s trademark Kangol cap being crushed by a Jeep (unlike LL who was fond of pink cookies in a plastic bag being crushed by buildings…) As hard as both artists went, in my personal opinion, I had to hand over the win to Kool Moe Dee just off the album cover and the scathing Let’s Go. So dopeboyz and girlz, what’s your favorite battle on wax, old or new?
Kool Moe Dee – How You Like Me Now
Look, listen and observe. It ain’t hard to tell who those subliminal shots were targeted at in the above video.
LL Cool J – Jack the Ripper
“How Ya Like Me Now?” I’m getting busier I’m double platinum, I’m watching you get dizzier….” “Yo Bob, show that old school sucker punk what real hip hop is boy…”
Kool Moe Dee – Let’s Go
“The boy’s phony as a three-dollar bill and this time I shoot to kill // Just like a sucker you took the bait now you’re like a dead fish on my dish, too late // So party people kick your feet up, I’m about to heat up // You’re hungry for a battle, now it’s time to eat up // Boy, I’m gonna chew you, cos I knew you was // Talkin’ that junk, punk, now Imma do you // The way you should be done, call you my son // Make you say ‘Daddy, I don’t want none’”
“Tryna be me, now LL stands for Lower Level, Lack Lustre // Last Least, Limp Lover // Lousy Lame, Latent Lethargic // Lazy Lemon, Little Logic // Lucky Leech, Liver Lipped //Laborious Louse on a Loser’s Lips // Live in Limbo, Lyrical Lapse // Low Life with the loud raps, boy // You can’t win, huh, I don’t bend // Look what you got yourself in // Just usin’ your name I took those L’s // Hung ‘em on your head and rocked your bells”
LL Cool J – To Da Break of Dawn
“Wouldn’t bite because your rhymes are puppy chow // Made another million, so competators bow // Homeboy, hold on, my rhymes are so strong // Nothing could go wrong, so why do you prolong // Songs that ain’t strong, brother, you’re dead wrong // And got the nerve to have them Star Trek shades on // Ha, you can’t handle the whole weight // Skin needs lotion, teeth need Colgate // Wise up, you little burnt up french fry // I’m that type of guy…”
LL Cool J – Murdergram
Kool Moe Dee – Death Blow
Little to young to have experienced the whole LL Kool Moe battle, but my favorite has to be eminem and about everyone he destroyed. specifically speaking, nail in the coffin was the hardest shit i ever heard.
The never ending battle between J.E.S and good grammar. Seriously, I don’t know what you have against it.
Everyone loves to take shots at Drake. Smh. Jay-Z vs Nas. I dont even think thats debatable.
Nice to see when time and thought goes into posts like this…well executed Justice.
favorite Rap Battle for me besides the obvious Jay-z vs Nas has to be Joe Budden Vs any of the dudes he’s been up against like Saigon, Game, Ransom, Jay-z, ect ect..
OF vs 2DBZ
One of Raekwons friends punches vs Joe Buddens eye.
I remember Kool Moe Dee talking about how no rapper could touch him in a battle in “There’s A God On the Mic”. Good book, legendary rapper.
Jay-Z and Nas is the obvious one. I’ll also throw out the classic Nelly vs. Chingy battle thing.
GZA’s “Paper Plate” vs. 50 Cent. Best diss track I’ve ever heard. With not a single profane lyric.
Canibus and LL?
i swear marty mcfly has no life outside commenting blogs.. see that dudes name everytime i check out comments… anywho id have to say Jadakiss Vs. 50 cent
when i was like 5 canibus and LL was going at it, and me and my older brother used to think that the 4,3,2,1 remix vid was the best. it wasnt till ’06 when my brother explained to me that they was going at. LL made canibus write the verse over cuz he was getting at him. LL did his verse based on the 1st one ‘bis wrote. But bis still killed that nigga on that track. it still makes my mind go crazy that niggas is getting at each other on the same track, a remix at that. ‘bis said:
I’m the illest nigga alive, watch me prove it
I snatch your crown witcha head still attatched to it
Canibus is the type who’ll fight for mics
Beatin niggaz to death and beatin dead niggaz to life
When you look at me long enough, I start to read your thoughts
if the signal was strong enough, and then I’ll call your bluff
like, “Yo, how many rhymes you got?” I think I’ll go on
for more Milleniums than Mazda’s got on the car lot
And there’s nowhere to run ta, when I confront ya
Nigga, I call your bluff like you had a phone number
Who wanna see Canibus get wild, who wanna act fly and
get shot down with a surface-to-air missile
I take em on in all shapes sizes and forms and spit on
anybody who ain’t close enough to shit on
Zero to sixty? I’m already doin a hundred
when I’m blunted and I give it to any nigga that want it
obviously this was canibus’s prime. i still got that niggas 90′s freestyle. i still dont know how he faded into mediocrity lol. i dont care what no one say he killed that nigga LL lol
Actually, that Rick Ross/Young Jeezy beef is pretty interesting, imho
dudes who write essays for their comments… i skip… nobody gives a fuck about it… favorite battle is Shady Records Vs Murder Inc
I still listen to Ether and it still gets me pumped
all recent beefs are pussy, no one is willing to go back and forth on songs like they used to, everyone is too worried about selling units and desperately hanging onto their fame.
I really wanna see Jay vs Wayne, because I wanna see Jay officially end Wayne’s career. Dude has been lame for too many years, someone needs to put him down.
Jadakiss vs. 50 Cent was dope. Jada KILLED 50 on Checkmate, and had some other sick tracks with Styles & Sheek like Ms. Jackson.
AZ’s Royal Salute & Nas’ MC Burial were incredibly overlooked amongst the many 50 Cent beefs. AZ had my favorite single line at 50, simply stating “It’s only fair that I make this clear, you could never fuck with me, so don’t ever fuck with me”
mine is joe budden’s dope ass diss to method man. and fuck marty mcfly’s ignorance
Shady Aftermath G-unit Vs Murder Inc. and the Source.
Because it spawned so many diss records from everyone.
Of course Jay and Nas and East West Coast was great and had some of the best diss records, but this battle spawned so many pretty good disses. Even Dr. Dre had to hop in twice.
@Stinkmeaner, Jay couldn’t end Wayne’s career. Wayne has way too much money at this point, not too mention Baby’s money.
As far as off the wax beefs, 50 Cent vs. Rick Ross was the most entertaining. 50 was straight clowning that dude, and I can’t believe that didn’t get more exposure. 50 taking Ross’ baby mama shopping, the Pimpin Curly series, and of course the sex tape with Ross’ other baby mama narrated by Pimpin Curly. 50 is cold blooded
BDP vs. Shan & Marley Marl
South Bronx vs. The Bridge vs. The Bridge is Over
Some LA Barber vs. Suge Knight
ANDDD SUPANASTY TAKES THE CROWN LOL
I’d have to say very low-key battle because records were not made (at least I don’t think so) but very high-profiled Was MC Juice Vs. Supernatural
I still bump “Ether” and “Takeover” on regular basis. Click my name!!!
Ice cube vs nwa, ice cube vs cypress hill, eazy e vs nwa and death row, nas vs jay z, shady vs murder inc (more specifically 50 cent vs ja rule), game vs g unit, eminem vs insane clown posse, eminem vs everlast, nas vs mobb deep, common vs ice cube.
Ayo dope boy,
You know your immediately preceeding post was about an r&b singer, one who exclusivley sings, right? Ya down with it or not? Or does an artist need to be one or the other? We’re cool with whatever. Fine line between news and and an editorial, and you cross it like a fuckin’ GOP hopeful. Disclaimers do not qualify as exememptins. How do you really feel?
*exemptions. Hop on that.
The Nas Vs Jay Z beef was the best but the EPMD shit was crazy.
@Justice, 50 never responded, & probably never will either, he knew he was wrong in that situation. As for me, Gotta go with Canibus & LL, that’s just tops for me.
justice, so what he sings? his flow was 10x nicer than commons on that stay schemin beat, so that simile you used is truly irrelevant.
commons so hard, just look at his IMDB page
happy feet 2, just wright, new years eve, sesame street
Ice Cube and Common. Can’t wait for more Drake destruction.
^ LMAO Take Commons Balls Out You Mouth! It’s Called Having Something To Fall Back On Instead Of Just Sticking 2 Rap.
@kbergrayn
U named everything 50 did but put out a quality dis track…LOL.
That 50 vs Rick Ross battle was a joke because how r u dissin a man by bringin out a bitch he aint fuckin no more?
Since that battle, where has 50 gone and where has Ross gone?
u know who won
Beach Boys vs the Beatles…started it all
JES, you are the biggest fucking herb in the world, all you do is post old shit and expect people to get excited about it. Drake is a goofball but Common is as bitch made as they come and your goofy ass description makes you look even less reputable, if that’s possible. Give the fuck up. Meka, Shake, if you’re reading this, kick this dude off the block, he’s about to start writing blog posts about how Cosby’s sweater is way better than Drakes. Go make another post trying to give away Premier beats on a vinyl that nobody would wipe their ass with, JES. You’re crying right now too. Faggot.
2pac vs Biggie or Ice Cube vs NWA two classic rap battles…drake vs common is the lamest rap beef in the history of hip hop
EAZY E VS DRE AN SNOOP
EAZY-DUZ-IT
@Nikle Dimes
yes, that nigga Brian Wilson went crazy after it
Ghostface’s diss to 50 Cent on “Saturday Nite”…that track rips it.
Jay Vs. Nas not because of who I feel won, but by how these two changed hip hop….again.
@IslandKid
Take another listen to the track, he used the same flow Drake does and made a mockery of him within just a few lines.
Drake isn’t nor can he win a battle against Common on any given day.
“Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?” – That line will forever stand strong when it comes to talking about music.
wow, just read some of the comments left on drake’s “comeback season”. Just goes to show that 99% of the people who leave their opinions should..well..not.
2Pac vs Prodigy!! btw this common vs drake shit is so fuckin funny
It really hasn’t gotten big enough for us to really talk about it here. But I suppose we’ve been without a battle from people who have the ability to make hot tracks for so long that this is getting getting more attention than needed.
Juice vs Marshall… LEGENDARY
@biff
You’re right JES is a herb
dude said “i just can’t get down with the singing” then i guess he just can’t get down with the bitches for the matter
a post about two irrelevant mcs
my favorite is LL & Moe Dee also. I am 38, so this battle was right at my time. But I give the win to LL. Jack the Ripper has to be my fav dis record of all time. He killed it. (next up is Hit Em Up by 2pac) he wrecked Biggie with that song. I also like No Vasaline by Ice Cube (or his shot at the end of Jackin 4 Beats) Eazy had a good battle with Dre. (Dre Day vs Real MF G’s) or Eminem against everyone.
Ray J vs. Fab…now that is a battle ha
Jadakiss vs. Beanie Sigel. Too many punchlines to name.
Game vs 50cent & Gunit
Def Em versus everyone. Jay and Nas beef was pretty great.
LOL @ Marty Mcfly. Get a bitch, nigga
Ice Cube vs. NWA
no vaseline best diss song
@Pauly D, Eat a dick Cracker
biff & SB you are both drake dick ryding quire ass losers. JES is right & you are straight loser as haters . biff & SB you are the herbs not JES Biff all the old shit JES post means more then any thing done today & your loser ass life . common is not a bitch made at all like you or drake , biff biff ,any beat made by Premier is better then any beat made by any new school producer but you too much of stupid closeminded ignorant new school loser.
JES knows more about hip hop then both you losers . JES is reputable but not you 2 losers, biff & SB.
common vs ice cube and nelly vs krs one
Beanie Sigel and Young Gunz vs. Jadakiss and Style P
I don’t consider this an actual battle, but I still play Fuck Nas & Nature on a regular basis.
Also, Masta Ace – Acknowledge has one of the best diss lines I’ve ever heard.
LL always has the last laugh, Where is canibus and Mo Dee now. He’s been knocked a few times but homeboy is still in the game and standing strong. The Juice Crew vs BDP was ill, Nas vs Jay-Z made some noise, Gza on 50, well, lets just say there is no coming back to that, Tim Dog vs the West Coast was funny, Common vs Ice Cube was ill, Cypress Hill dissing Ice Cube was crazy, Roxanne Shate diss all female rappers on “Big Mama”, Ludacric and Common should do a track together called Drake Day. Lol!
Jay & Nas was the best battle. But Eminem killed everybody and anybody that got in his way, his diss tracks are the hardest, period.
Any battle wit Cam’ron.
Cam is undefeated.
n he battled the best. Jay-Z Nas n 50Cent
Niggas couldnt do nothin to Killa
U have to give it to 50. He came in with power off the dollar album and the song was
Hot to rob. Since then he had beef with pun,fat joe, ja rule
And many more more then a decade off beefs and diss records.. Not just one guy. Comon he got dissed by jay then he did tracks with him. He did tracks with nas then he beefed with him. He fell off now but honestly during his prime he was the best better then jay nas and everyone else but he fell the fuck off he sucks now but he made history.
Didn’t even see the most feared rapper ever when it came to beefs:
2pac on don killuminati when he murked pretty much everyone against him. Nas, jay z, biggie, mobb deep, puffy. He made don killuminati in one fucking week and shot hit em up 24 hours before he died. Nigga was dedicated and no one responded cuz everyone knew PAC .
“This Lil Nigga nas think he live like me, talking bout how he left the hospital and took 5 like me”
Anyone who mentions a battle that Eminem had is stupid, and if think he won most of them is even more stupid.
After To da Break of Dawn where LL kills 3 rappers in one song(IceT, Hammer, and KMD) then ends it with Mama said Knock You Out.. end of story.
@Word? Yeah Em did win all his disputes and even placed high in competitions like the Rap Olympics. Just because your not a fan don’t mean it didn’t happen. Nas beat Jay. 50 killed Ja. Pacs disses were my faves though.
um. biggie-pac. done.
“the Notorious P.I.G, Mobb Sleep, & Jay-Z of Hawaiian Sophie fame”
ETHER!
but besides that 50 vs Ja Rule. seriously 50 ruined that dudes life. he went from a decent career with steady play to no where at all.
DJ Quik vs. MC Eiht – Quik said “Givin your set a bad name wit your misspelled name E-I-H-T, now should I continue. Yeah you left out the G cause the G ain’t in you”
My list in order:
Ice Cube vs. NWA (No Vaseline)
2Pac vs. Biggy
Jay-Z vs. Nas
Shady/G-Unit vs. Murder Inc.
Snoop/Dre vs. Eazy-E/Luke/Tim Dog
Honorable Mention: Twista vs. Bone Thugs & LL Cool J vs. Canibus
50 and Em are undefeated in beefs imo. Jeezy vs Gucci was humorous. 24, 23 is sick nasty. Bow Wow vs Soulja Boy was funny too. the best beef has to be the world vs Yung Berg tho
Chamillionaire VS Mike Jones.
Cham absolutely embarrassed Jones on Mixtape Messiah 1.
@HipHopDoc: The Game won the beef between him & 50 & killed the whole G-Unit buzz at the same time. Then Rick Ross beat 50 by barely responding to him & letting his music speak for itself.
Am I the only one who read the @Graham post? That’s either Drake or a dick rider, and I’m down with some of Drake’s music but if that’s Drake, like, really? Get over yourself and stop taking subliminal shots at Common. That’s the type of shit white girls do on Twitter.
i hate that nowadays big name rappers see it as a bad thing to start beef.. that’s what hip hop is about and i’m glad common is taking someone like drake in the pit because people don’t know about battles anymore..
with that being said FUCK JAY Z HE BEEN ON MA DICK
BDP vs Juice Crew
MC Lyte vs. Roxanne Shante
Roxanne Shonta vs. UTFO
The Game vs. G-Unit – Games 300 Bars was dope as fuck
Killa Cam vs 50
honeslty why are people putting eminem who has he battled worth mentioning? fred durst? nsync?nick cannon? rick ross? benzino? who has he battled? when 50 was going at jarule,rick ross, em jumped in a dissed to where was eminem at when 50 was goin at jadakiss ,nas and camron? emienm pick on pop stars and females come on really nick cannon? back street boys?
ima have to say jay-z vs nas becuas that battle brung us sub battles between beanie sigel and jadakiss
JES you a old ass nigga yo. Go listen to Smiley the ghetto child and big daddy kane. Fuck outta here you close minded old nigga.
jadakiss vs. beanie sigel before everyone else got involved that sigel freestyle w/ the three verses was the hardest diss i ever heard EVER!!! & I was around for LL and all that but nothing really compared to that….
Except common came wack so fuck the tried and true tested theory. Everyone is touchable.
Rakim and Kane… they were constantly taking shots at each other on record…
YESSSIIRRRR @Dev and @Bullets Thats the exact battle I was gone put classic!
Cuz u know who…did u know what…to u know you…let’s keep that between me and u nigga.
LL / Kool Mo
Canibus / LL
Common / Ice Cube
Jay-z / Nas
for me those are the most important in the Hip Hop History, in terms of MCing !
Anyone with an ounce of sense VS Murder Inc. It was entertaining as hell, and Eminem was always 10000% pissed.
crazy how far our generation has come. had this been thrown up ten years ago only two woulda been talked about really. nas v jay-z. but only like two niggas up here talkin about tupac v biggie
Passwurdz vs Hollow Da Don
The Saurus vs Illmaculate
Hollohan vs Pat Stay
The Saurus vs Justice
Supernatural vs Juice
Dizaster vs Nocando
Just to name a few.
i thought Tru-Life vs Jenny Jones and the dipsets was hilarious!!! lol
Trey Songz Vs. R. kelly! Jk. em vs. benzino. “nail in the coffin” & “the sauce” were dope as fuck! plus they did that mixtape with greenlantern & shady’s camp shit on every1 & em even took a small jab at royce on the first track. royce’s diss to em & d12 was slick, & his diss to mistah fab “who got bodied?” was bananasandwich!
Three 6 Mafia vs BTNH
El-P vs. Sole. MURDERED SOLE. making a scratch hook out of a phone conversation of Sole coppin a plea = genius
Supernatural Vs. Craig G
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_COTeqVOKI