Hip-Hop’s controversial measuring stick

Since its inception, Hip-Hop has always embraced the element of competition, stemming from its original origins of DJ Club Battles, with Emcees acting as the mouthpieces and crowd movers for the disk jockey. However, the first highly publicized Emcee battle occurred in 1981 between Busy Bee and Kool Moe Dee, as the latter first publicly challenged the highly respected prior’s authority and self-proclamation as the best MC at the time. This simple act of defiance sparked a now decades-old tradition of battles for lyrical supremacy and establishing who is the reigning ruler of the Hip-Hop landscape.

Fast forward to the mid-90s, when Hip-Hop rose from a niche genre confined mostly to urban environments to become a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. A heated personal beef between two former friends and now de facto stars in the music world, Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, would lead to an all-out war involving other artists, record labels, and even coasts. Unlike prior beefs, which were largely confined to wax, this war of words spilled into the streets and eventually led to the deaths of both young rising stars, robbing Hip-Hop and the world of their influential presence. Needless to say, this highly publicized and scrutinized beef changed how many viewed conflicts in Hip-Hop until this very day.

In the decades following the tragic deaths of Tupac and Biggie, many beefs have occurred, both mainstream and underground, with some confined to lyrical jabs (e.g., Jay-Z vs. Nas), others leading to violence spilling into the streets (50 Cent vs. Ja Rule), and even outright hits (the alleged actions of Yella Beezy vs. MO3). These acts of violence have led many to call for an end to the historical battle for rap supremacy via beefs, as pundits argue that jabs on wax can lead to real-life violence and permanent consequences, given the historical relationship between street culture and Hip-Hop.

Most recently, the beef between current cultural icons Kendrick Lamar and Drake captivated the public over the past year, leading to some unforgettable moments and even Grammy nods. While this battle has had a few skirmishes (the Rick Ross brawl), nothing on the level we’ve seen in some more heated disputes has occurred. However, given the potential for escalation and some “Stan” behavior from supporters of both rappers, chatter about the relevance of beef is rising again.

Recently, Beast Coast rhyme spitter Joey BadA$$ reignited the East vs. West rivalry with his skirmish with TDE’s Ray Vaughn, leading to multiple tracks and input from affiliates of both camps. While this beef has been all about lyrics, given the mudslinging and vitriol contained in the Kendrick vs. Drake beef, many have not appreciated the more subtle nature of this battle, with some even referring to it as “boring.” This split of opinion regarding appreciation for lyrically confined beefs has revealed a divide in the culture between those who recognize the cultural significance of battles and those who simply want to see drama and controversy.

As Hip-Hop has now risen to the #1 genre in the U.S. (and become a global phenomenon), the question arises: does the genre need to do away with the old and adapt? Or is the inclusion of people who are not familiar with the cultural significance of battles—those who are simply in it for controversy and not bars—watering down the significance of competition via rap beefs? What do you think?