The Battle Era of Hip-hop (part 1)

The last five years have been the battle era of hip-hop. Of course beef has always beef has historically been a watermark of our music, but the last half decade has seen it go to new heights (or lows, depending on your frame of reference).

But I'm not telling you anything you don't know. You've read the articles, seen the documentary, listened to the mixtapes, watched the movie, and seen the parade of televised contests. Battling is big, boy- that ain't hard to tell.

There's two things about the trend that has gotten lost in the conversation. Has anyone noticed that the beef mentality has overflowed into everything hip-hop related. It's now fine for any hip-hop entity to publically feud. Peep these non-rapper examples:

1. Hip-hop magazines XXL and the Source continue to take shots at each other. Even SOHH got involved. Most recently the Source printed an "expose" on hip-hop journalists, meant to discredit the Elliot Wilson (E.I.C. of XXL) and Mimi Valdez (E.I.C. of Vibe).

2. Hip-hop record stores Sandbox Automatic and Hiphopsite got into friction over the highly anticipated release of the first Sage Francis album. Each site tried one upping each other by claiming earlier release dates, unit finally Hiphopsite settled on a later date but posted fake pictures of the Sandbox staff humping a box of Sage Francis cd's.

3. Hip-hop Radio DJ's Steph Lova and Funkmaster Flex traded put downs over the air until things turned violent.

4. Hip-hop bloggers have not been shy to beef with each other. There's been Jay Smooth vs Tiny Lucky Genuis, Byron Crawford vs Oliver Wang, and many others lately.

Competitors in any medium are known to feud, sometimes even publically. What makes hip-hop different I think is that the fans don't denounce battles as silly like others would. We love all that "bickerin beef." In hip-hop, a battle creates credibility where anywhere else it would diminish it.

I'll write part 2 later.

Comments

[Bol]

Is Hashim trying to start some shit with me?

[Hashim]

By linking to your beef??

[Bol]

Obviously you're trying to make me look like the kind of person who starts dumbass beefs with people for no reason. Fag.

[Will]

Damn. I was in the process of posting a reply, but my ish was apparently too long-winded (exceeded the word limit).

Needless to say, this is an intriguing post. I may just have to make my own entry addressing my thoughts on it.

Peace.

[kieru_makyu]

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please check my blog!!

[Trust]

I think beef is very unnecessary and stupid. That's why we can't get no where as a people. Can't we all just get along?

[Trust]

I think Bol and Hashim should both get a life. Fuck both of you. You just aren't talking bout the topic under review.

[Bol]

>I think beef is very unnecessary and stupid.

I think fags like Trust are very unnecessary and stupid.

[Trust]

Bol, I'm just saying we should not use this as a platform to dis each other. Let's just get along and express our opinions on the topic. Peace and Love.Let's just get along alrite.

[Bol]

How fun is that? Asshole!

[QRock639]

wow

[Jay Smooth]

lol, Trust is totally playing the pro wrestling audience to Bol's Andy Kaufman..

Or wait, is Trust the Andy Kaufman and I'm the pro wrestling audience??

[Bol]

Funny, that's not what your mom said.