NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Battle rap

Battle raps are raps written about the idea of freestyle battles. They often incorporate self-glorification, insulting language, and violent metaphors as if a real freestyle battle was afoot. Battles can be directed toward specific individuals or anonymous targets. The purpose of writing these raps (which for some groups are very popular) is to romantise real freestyle battles, express machismo and/or disgust with other rappers (sometimes referred to as wack MCs), or to just have fun and exercise lyrical skill. Battle raps differ from freestyle rhyming in that they are written beforehand, allowing the rapper to create much more complex, wittier verses then he or she would be able to in a freestyle battle. Some of the greatest Hip hop rivalries have been the result of the battle rap. Freestyle battles are usually contests (though they can occur spontaneously) where rappers compete or battle each other in the form of freestyle rap or cypher. ... In language, a metaphor (from the Greek: metapherin) is a rhetorical trope defined as a direct comparison between two seemingly unrelated subjects. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... A wack MC or a wack rapper is a rapper who lacks talent, integrity, or is in some other way disrespectable as an MC. To be labeled a wack MC is considered very insulting. ... Lyrics are the written words in a song. ... This article is about the poetic technique. ... Verse is a writing that uses meter as its primary organisational mode, as opposed to prose, which uses grammatical and discoursal units like sentences and paragraphs. ... Feuds and rivalries have existed since the dawn of hip hop music, which originated in the 1970s in New York City, United States. ...

Battle raps are closer to the original form of MCing than concept raps, which are more essayic or narrative in form. This is because they feature 'shout outs' and insulting language, which are actually an evolved form of the roasting that was part of the original MC's craft (or toasting as it was called in Jamaica by Ragga and other dub artists). A Master of Ceremonies or MC is the host of a staged event or other performance. ... Concept raps are raps which tend to tell a story, rather than, battle and diss (show disrespect) directly on the opponent or opposing crew. ... Essay, a short work that treats of a topic from an authors personal point of view, often taking into account subjective experiences and personal reflections upon them. ... In non-technical terms, no matter what the context (whether scientific, philosophical, legal, etc) a narrative is a story, an interpretation of some aspect of the world that is historically and culturally grounded and shaped by human personality (per Walter Fisher). ... For other meanings see Toast (disambiguation) Toasting, chatting, or DJing is the act of talking or chanting over a rhythm or beat. ... Dub can refer to: dub music, a sub-genre of reggae music a mostly-instrumental remix, usually without lyrics but still with chorus The IATA airport code for Dublin Airport, Dublin, Republic of Ireland dubbing, the process of recording or replacing voices for a motion picture dubbing, also the process... An artist is someone who employs creative talent to produce works of art. ...

Traditionally, a battle usually takes place before live audiences. Recently, however, the Internet has been used as a forum to hold online battles. Proponents of this developing artform that some call text or script say that the Internet provides a safe environment for artists to practice their skills. Without being hindered by beats, an online writer may use the full range of his or her imagination and vocabulary in a battle. The boundary is stressed even more so as many MCs or groups may record a "Diss Track" to spread and send throughout an audience or directly to another MC or group via the internet, CDs, or radio. Critics however, argue that true battles can only held before a live audience. Scrypt (also known as script but mostly referred to as text) is a style of (or, the study or discussion of the style of) contemporary poetry popular on several hip-hop-oriented Internet message boards. ... Scrypt (also known as script but mostly referred to as text) is a style of (or, the study or discussion of the style of) contemporary poetry popular on several hip-hop-oriented Internet message boards. ...

The live audience involved in a battle rap is critical. In a battle rap the MC is downgrading his opponent and all of his words are aimed to his opponent, but he is really playing to the crowd. The crowd can serve as a way to breakdown the opponent by making him look inferior in front of his peers. The crowd's response is what drives the two battling rappers. And in most cases, it is the crowd that determines the winner of the battle.

See also

Freestyle battles are usually contests (though they can occur spontaneously) where rappers compete or battle each other in the form of freestyle rap or cypher. ... Freestyle rap is, strictly speaking, rapping that is done in the moment at pure free flow, with no previously composed lyrics, and reflecting a direct mapping of the mental state and performing situation of the artist. ...

External links

Categories: Cleanup from February 2006 | Rapping Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... See also: List of rappers This is a list of DJs, producers, and groups that create, record, and/or perform hip hop music. ... This is a list of rappers in hip-hop. ... This is a list of DJs and producers in hip hop. ... This is a list of groups that make hip hop music. ... Beatboxing is the vocal percussion of hip hop culture and music. ... Breakdancing, also known as breaking and b-boying by its practitioners and followers, is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement in the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Breakdancer in Ljubljana. ... For other meanings of DJ, see DJ (disambiguation). ... Turntablism is a subgenre of hip hop, emphasising manipulation of a vinyl record on a disc record. ... Hip hop fashion is, according to KRS One, one of the nine extended elements of hip hop culture. ... Feuds and rivalries have existed since the dawn of hip hop music, which originated in the 1970s in New York City, United States. ... For other uses, see Graffiti (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes, is one of the central elements of hip hop culture and music. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Hip hop music can be subdivided into subgenres, fusions with other genres and regional hip hop scenes. ... Hip hop music has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread American influence. ... In the early 1990s, two styles of hip hop were popular. ... In the 1980s, hip hop music began to break into the mainstream of the United States. ... Southern rap (or Dirty South hip-hop) is a type of hip hop music that emerged in the late-1980s as a popular force from cities such as Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Memphis and New Orleans. ... Midwest rap is a style of hip hop that originated in the midwestern United States, in areas including Cleveland, Ohio, St. ... Abstract hip hop is a genre that differs from other hip hop music largely in the content of the lyrics. ... Alternative hip hop or Underground rap is a style of hip hop music distinguished by beats, samples, and lyrics that differ from the general template of popular commercial hip hop. ... Chopped and screwed or screwed and chopped or just plainly screw is a term that refers to a certain technique of remixing hip-hop music by slowing the tempo and applying various DJ techniques such as skipping beats, record scratching, stop-time, and sending portions of the music through stand... Christian hip hop, originally Gospel rap, but also known as Holy hip hop, or Christian rap is a form of hip hop music that uses Christian-themed lyrics to express the songwriters faith. ... Country-rap is the fusion of country music with hip hop music. ... Crunk music (a portmanteau, or combination of the words â€œcrazyâ€ and â€œdrunkâ€ â€”also spelled Krunk Muzik) is a specific type of hip hop music, based out of the southern United States, particularly on the eastern side of Atlanta, Georgia, and Memphis, Tennessee. ... Electro hop is a form of dance music mixed with hip hop which arose in Southern California in the early 1980s. ... Freestyle or Latin freestyle, also called Latin hip-hop in its early years, is a form of electronic music that is heavily influenced by Hispanic and African-American culture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... G-funk, an abbreviation of Gangsta-funk, is a type of hip hop music that emerged from West Coast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. ... Ghettotech is a form of electronic dance music based in Detroit that combines Chicagos ghetto house, electro, hip-hop, techno, and grafts the perceived raunch of Miami Bass. ... The golden age of hip hop, derivative of old school hip hop, began with Run-DMCs album Raising Hell in 1986 and ended with the popularity of Dr. Dres album The Chronic in late 1992. ... Hardcore hip hop is a form of hip hop music that has confrontational, often violent lyrics, and generally sparse, gritty urban beats. ... Hip-hop soul is a subgenre of contemporary R&B. The term generally describes a style of music that blends R&B singing and hip hop production. ... Hip house, also known as house rap, is a mixture of house music and hip-hop which arose during the 1980s in New York. ... Killa C album cover Horrorcore (also known as Death Rap, Murder Rap, Acid Rap and Wicked Shit) is a sub-genre of hip hop music that evolved from pioneers such as Kool Keith, Insane Poetry, Ganxsta NIP, Esham, The Flatlinerz, KGP, Brotha Lynch Hung and The Gravediggaz. ... Instrumental hip hop is hip hop music without vocals. ... Jazz rap is a fusion of alternative hip hop music and jazz, developed in the very late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Latin rap is not a homogeneous musical style but rather a term that covers all hip-hop music recorded by Latinos, as in Chicano Rap, Hip Hop Latino, and Hip Hop en espanol. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Neo soul (also known as nu soul) is a musical genre that fuses contemporary R&B, 1970s style soul, and hip hop. ... Nerdcore hip hop, or geeksta rap, is a subgenre of hip hop music that is performed by nerds, and is characterized by themes and subject matter considered to be of general interest to nerds. ... New jack swing is a hybrid style of rhythm and blues (R&B) combined with hip hop, popular from the late 1980s to early/mid-1990s. ... Old school hip hop is the very first hip hop music to come out of the block parties of New York City in the 1970s and early 1980s. ... Pop-rap is a variety of hip-hop that has pop,R&B, and dance influences. ... Rapcore is a music genre that fuses vocal elements of hip hop music with the instrumentation of hardcore punk and/or heavy metal. ... Raggamuffin music (usually abbreviated as ragga) is a subgenre of dancehall reggae in which the instrumentation primarily consists of electronic music; sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music as well. ... Reggaeton is a form of dance music which became popular with Latin American youth during the late 1990s and spread to North American and European audiences during the first few years of the 21st century. ... Urban Pasifika is a sub-genre of hip-hop which combines American style hip-hop or R&B rhyming and beats with Pacific Island or Maori instrumentation (such as ukelele samples) and Pacific Island or Maori language singing/rapping. ...