Competition in Hip-Hop

It Ain’t What it Used to Be…But That’s Not All Bad

A different kind of competition exists in hip-hop in 2010.  The days of historic rap battles on wax (or mp3) could possibly be gone forever.  Even fearless artists like Eminem and Game, known for their lack of restraint when it comes to on-the-record shots fired, claim they have put to rest this part of their rap personas.  After the unfortunate deaths of 2Pac and Biggie, the taste of hip-hop beef in the mouth of public opinion was nasty, as people began to feel like extra measures needed to be taken to ensure that MC wars were resolved peacefully.  Several other high-profile battles have taken place since the east coast/west coast quarrel (Jay-Z vs. Nas, 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule, 50 Cent vs. Game), but when the heat from behind the mic became too hot to handle and violence loomed on the horizon, outside parties jumped in to temper the hostility.  In today’s industry, rappers still have beef, but the recipe for destroying an MC’s career is more likely to include vlogs and other internet video productions intended to assassinate character, and subliminal lines rather than outright bar-for-bar disses. 

However, the spirit of competition is not dead.  We still debate about who is the best, and it’s obvious that the top rappers in the game still strive to claim the crown.  When Nas delivered the crushing blow to Jigga in “Ether” where he said “Eminem murdered you on your own shit,” everybody knew he was right, and from then on we began to pay closer attention to who was best in song when artists collaborate.  This level of competition is more akin to a dunk contest rather than a one-on-one game, but it still offers an opportunity to compete that both artists and fans respect.   

Another reason industry figures have become friendlier and are working together more is because the business side of hip-hop has become so globalized, and there is more profit in merging than there is in making enemies.  Assembling a strong crew with a clever marketing strategy or uniting several major artists under one label can substantially multiply profits when it’s time to promote singles and go on tour.  Don’t fool yourself into believing that Jay-Z and Nas’ decision to let bygones be bygones after their classic feud was because they squashed the beef for the right reasons – forget that; it was strictly a smart business decision that led to them eventually become amicable with one another. 

The face of rap is changing as well.  The culture has progressed and expanded, and now it’s perfectly acceptable to be cool-headed and carefree.  Hip-hop’s gradual gravitation into other perspectives of the urban experience, or the suburban experience, or the rural, helps display a wider scope of content, so the music is not always angry, not solely focused on competition and struggle.  Making hip-hop music about being in college, having a regular job and a family, hell, even being in love, is now totally acceptable.

Hip-hop heads, there is no need to fear – competition is not dead, and truthfully, I don’t know if I’m convinced that rap battles are completely out of the door either, but hip-hop culture has evolved.  Purists will still long for the days where two great MCs would go head-to-head and pull no punches, and at the end of the day there was a victor, with no gunshots, stab wounds or crew melees.  We won’t see that as much moving forward, but there will always be a place for it – after all, battling is rooted in the foundation of the culture.