Battle Raps

[Funkmasterr]

So I wanted to maybe try and spark a discussion on the changes in "battles" in hip hop over the years.

This kind of thing started on the street corners in NY, and I guess you could argue that people "battling" each played it's part in making rap/hip hop what it is today. Some examples of earlier battles are LL Cool J & Kool Mo Dee, KRS One and MC Shan, etc. These guys all had careers before the battles, and the battles were generally started for a reason, but they were more of a side thing that stood on it's own, it did not become (or start) their career.

What you see happening in more modern rap is some people trying to use dissing or battles to come up in the industry (for example, The Game), and starting something for no reason at all. Also, it seems like battling is more and more common in rap music nowadays, some people have even said they think it's gotten out of control (Talib Kweli comments on it in the track "Lie A Lot" on his new cd), and while I somewhat agree with that, I'm curious what others think.

Has battling been reduced to people just talking shit on wax with no purpose or reason that has been a contributing factor to people dying senselessly (Biggie and Tupac), or is it still a healthy respectable expression of hip hop like it was when rap/hip hop was young?

Also, what was/is your favorite beef/battle to watch unfold in rap music?

[Fash]

I think it's just retarded cock-jousting. Neither of them is better, they're just different, and generating even more (what i consider) shitty music debating it is just silly (albeit profitable for the them and the record industry).