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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. The intention is for each rapper to insult their opponents more cleverly than he or she insults the others. Winners are often judged by simple audience response, though more structured battles can involve appointed judges.

In freestyle battles, it is often considered an act of dishonor to recite (or "spit") any written raps, because it shows that the rapper who does so is incapable of spitting spur-of-the-moment lyrics.

Freestyle battling is expressed in many forms in rap culture, such as the popular movie 8 Mile, where actor Eminem uses freestyle battling to win money and respect.

Contents 1 Venue 2 Battle raps 3 Battle rappers 4 See also 5 External links

Venue

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 scrypt 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 be held before a live audience.

The live audience involved in a freestyle battle 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.

Battle raps

Battle raps are raps written about freestyle battles. They often incorporate the same self-glorification, insulting language, and violent metaphors as a real freestyle battle, but 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. These raps romanticize real freestyle battles, express machismo and/or disgust with other rappers (sometimes referred to as wack MCs), or are sometimes created just as a fun exercise of lyrical skill. Some of the most significant Hip hop rivalries have been the result of the battle rap.

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).

Battle rappers

Some of the best-known battle rappers are:

Big L
Hieroglyphics (hip hop)
Chester P (British)
Eminem
Eyedea
Jin
Juice
Rhymefest
Sirius Jones
Supernatural
Papoose

See also

• Freestyle rap

External links

• Rap Battles The largest Rap Battle Community on the net
• HipHop-Battles.com An Internet platform for audio MC battle raps
• Rapagenda An online rap community that contains audio battle raps and text battle raps
• Letsbeef.com Audio Battle online for free in real time
• Hiphop Forums An online forum for emcee battle raps

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