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50-709: The Ultimate Rap League (commonly referred to as SMACK/URL ) is a battle rap league based out of New York City owned by acclaimed hip hop promoter Troy "Smack White" Mitchell, Eric Beasley, and Jean "Cheeko" French from Queens , New York City, United States . Rappers, music executives, DJs and athletes such as Sean Combs , Busta Rhymes , Drake , Q-Tip , Joe Budden , Cassidy , King Los , Beanie Sigel , Jay-Z , Funkmaster Flex , Kid Capri , Bow Wow , Jadakiss , Lupe Fiasco , Adrien Broner , Kevin Durant , Nick Cannon , Lloyd Banks , French Montana , D.C. Young Fly , Mos Def , and Method Man have shown support towards

100-415: A crowd-pleasing comedian with a slick tongue; he was a commentator and a storyteller" thus, rendering Busy's archaic format of rap obsolete, in favor of a newer style which KRS-One credits as creating a shift in rapping in the documentary Beef . In the 1980s, battle raps were a popular form of rapping – Big Daddy Kane in the book How to Rap says, "as an MC from the '80s, really your mentality

150-466: A decline in unique regional scenes across many musical genres, including East Coast rap. In addition, rivalries between different cities and regions have declined significantly and artists across different regions and genres are much more willing to collaborate than in the past. Despite this, the distinctive East Coast sound is still notable in today's music, often mixed with modern trap sounds. Lil Uzi Vert , from Philadelphia, began their career representing

200-425: A format which is now the predominant form of battle rap, where two emcees battle against each other without a beat, trading prewritten verses in three-round battles. The impromptu aspect of battling still exists in the form of rebuttals, which are short rhymes (usually at the beginning of a verse) where an emcee either comments on something about their opponent that was thought up on the spot (for instance, making fun of

250-509: A freestyle battle before the studio audience and three celebrity judges (the DJ sometimes acts as the 3rd judge). Each competitor alternates freestyling for 30 seconds in each of the two rounds (originally only 1 round when the segment first began). The rappers are not allowed to use profanities or sexually suggestive lyrics, punishable by disqualification. After the battle, the judges decide the winner, per majority vote. Eventually, battle rap moved to

300-600: A hip-hop sensation — the first major star the East Coast had produced since the rise of Dr. Dre's West Coast G-funk". Many saw his dominating presence as a catalyzing factor in the East Coast/West Coast hip hop rivalry that polarized much of the hip hop community, stirring the issue enough to result in the Brooklyn rapper's 1997 death, as well as his West Coast counterpart, Tupac Shakur , months prior. By

350-415: A name for himself in this field as well as a more popularized version of competitive rapping on a television platform. While he takes a more humorous approach to his opposition, he still performs with the intention of winning a contest. A cipher is any collection or gathering of rappers, beatboxers, or breakers forming in a circle in order to perform together – the term has also in recent years come to mean

400-465: A student and a teacher, the narrative was enough to give the league a huge boost in exposure. In 2014, former Don't Flop performers and staff broke away to form King of the Ronalds as a reaction to Don't Flop's move towards a more sanitized version of the product and sponsorship from the likes of Foot Locker . King of the Ronalds presents a more raw ethos, with a philosophy that has much in common with

450-492: A way for messages about hip hop styles and knowledge to be spread, through word-of-mouth and encouraging trends in other battles. Leagues such as King of the Dot ( Canada ), and Don't Flop ( U.K. ), which all started in 2008, with Ultimate Rap League ( N.Y. ) in 2009, furthered the popularity of battle rap via video hosting website YouTube , brand marketing, and creating divisions across their home nations and beyond. King of

500-595: A wide variety of rapping styles and a wide range of MCs as personal inspirations is recommended. Various MCs have started out writing mostly battle raps and battling other MCs before releasing commercial records. Battle rap is believed to have started in the East Coast hip-hop scene in the late 1980s. One of the earliest battles occurred in December 1981, when Kool Moe Dee challenged Busy Bee Starski – Busy Bee Starski 's defeat meant that "no longer an MC just

550-532: A written format created through months of preparation mixed with improvised lines as means to attacking his opponent or creating an image of himself as greater than his adversary. This is presented in his battle against Tay Roc in the main event of the Ultimate Rap League's "Summer Madness 6," a battle that the general consensus believes that Hollow Da Don walked away from in victory Summer Madness 6 main event. Fellow battle rap peer Conceited has made

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600-407: Is a contest in which two or more rappers compete or battle each other using improvised lyrics. Each competitor's goal is to " diss " their opponent through clever lyrics. As hip-hop evolved in the early 1980s, MCs gained their fame through live battles with other MCs. Freestyle battles can take place anywhere: on street corners, on stage at a concert, in school, or even online. The live audience

650-579: Is battle format... your focus was to have a hot rhyme in case you gotta battle someone... not really making a rhyme for a song". Battle rapping is still sometimes closely associated with old school hip-hop – talking about battle rapping, Esoteric says, "a lot of my stuff stems from old school hip-hop , braggadocio ethic". The New Music Seminar (NMS) is a Music Conference and Festival held annually each June in New York City . The New Music Seminar originally ran from 1980 to 1995. It quickly spawned

700-470: Is critical to a battle as each emcee (MC; Master of Ceremonies) must use skill and lyrical ability not only to 'break down' their opponent, but to convince the audience that they are the better rapper. Appointed judges have been used in formal contests, but even when no winner is announced, the rapper who receives the best audience response is viewed as the victor. Currently, talents such as Hollow Da Don use various elements of battle rap that include reciting

750-484: Is like verbal warfare, where competitors trade insults, wordplay, and clever rhymes in a competitive setting. It's all about lyricism, delivery, and sometimes even performance. It's a blend of poetry, wit, and bravado, often performed in front of an audience or judged panel. Battle rap was loosely described by 40 Cal , previously a member of American hip hop collective The Diplomats , in the book How to Rap (2009) as an "extracurricular" display of skill, comparing it to

800-589: The Jungle Brothers also earned recognition for their musical eclecticism. This period from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s has been called the " golden age " of hip hop. Although East Coast hip hop was more popular throughout the late 1980s, N.W.A 's Straight Outta Compton (released in the summer of 1988) presented the toughened sound of West Coast hip hop , which was accompanied by gritty, street-level subject matter. Later in 1992, Dr. Dre 's G-funk record The Chronic would introduce West Coast hip hop to

850-517: The dunk contest in the NBA . Battle rap has been developed into highly organized league events drawing in significant revenue and attention. Mainstream artists such as Diddy , Busta Rhymes , Eminem , Machine Gun Kelly , Drake , Kendrick Lamar , Joe Budden and Cassidy have attended or participated in battles to help increase their popularity. Rap battles are often written and performed to impress crowds with technically inventive rapping, and knowing

900-618: The 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in The Bronx , New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip hop music prioritizes complex lyrics for attentive listening rather than beats for dancing. The term "East Coast hip hop" more specifically denotes hip hop originating from the Northeastern United States. Southeastern states such as Georgia or Florida instead produce Southern hip hop rather than East Coast hip hop, although

950-703: The DVDs—a cutting edge technological and artistic hustle at the time. Fight Klub is one of the earliest battle rap leagues and was the only league that aired on TV. It aired on MTV2 sometime in 2006. It is hosted by international P. A lot of the original rappers on there are now legendary in the battle rap game such as Arsonal, Jin and Hollow da don . Jump Off TV's World Rap Championships premiered in London 2006, featuring American and British rappers. In Cuba, freestyle battles often follow organized concerts and juxtapose composed songs with ‘flowing’ lyrics that are relevant to

1000-519: The District of Columbia , Virginia , and Maryland produce East Coast hip hop. In contrast to the more simplistic rhyme pattern and scheme used in older hip hop , hip hop in the late ‘80s developed a stronger emphasis on lyrical dexterity. It also became characterized by multi-syllabic rhymes, complex wordplay, a continuous free-flowing delivery and intricate metaphors. Although East Coast hip hop can vary in sound and style, "aggressive" beats and

1050-587: The Dot , setting a new standard for modern day battle rap. Today, the URL averages up to millions of views on many of their rap battles. They strongly protect their history in the battle rap culture through their slogan, "You Can't Copy Respect", advising battle fans to "follow the innovators, not the imitators". The league has helped provide a platform for many aspiring artists. Rappers such as Charlie Clips, Conceited , Hitman Holla, Chilla Jones , Tsu Surf, Hollow da Don , Aye Verb, Goodz, Calicoe and Big T were all part of

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1100-461: The Dot's Travis Fleetwood, a.k.a. Organik , built a reputation as one of Canada's elite battle emcees with 4 wins at the Toronto -based freestyle competition Proud 2B Eh Battle MC , where he met a local producer/DJ by the name of RyanPVP. They teamed up to put together the first event which was initially intended to be a flash-mob -style event at Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto. However,

1150-405: The Dot's rise. Smack and Ultimate Rap League (URL) are New York-based battle leagues. Rappers included Aye Verb (StreetStatus), Conceited (LionsDen), DNA (GrindTimeNow) Hitman Holla (StreetStatus), Tay Roc (LionsDen), Hollow Da Don (GrindTimeNow) and many more. Don't Flop is a popular UK battle rap league founded in 2008, following a controversial judging decision in which co-founder, Eurgh,

1200-591: The East Coast style, but moved to Atlanta to join others such as Lil Yachty and Playboi Carti , all of whom gained popularity by using online social media. In addition, New York City's drill movement, heavily influenced by UK drill (and often using the same London producers), has injected new energy into the New York hip hop scene, attracting critical acclaim, media controversy and a significant following, despite departing from standard hip hop song structures. The movement started in Brooklyn, led by artists such as

1250-451: The MC and DJ Battles for World Supremacy – a fertile showcase for rappers and DJs to make a name for themselves. Participants include a wide variety of very influential rappers such as Busy Bee , Melle Mel , MF Grimm , and Kool G Rap with judges such as Afrika Bambaataa , P Diddy , and many other influential rappers. Some of the most prominent battles that took place on record are listed in

1300-608: The Sugarhill Gang , Kurtis Blow , Jam Master Jay and Run-DMC , pioneered East Coast hip hop during hip hop's earlier years in the 1970s and 1980s. As the genre developed, lyrical themes evolved through the work of East Coast artists such as the Native Tongues , a collective of hip hop artists associated with generally positive, Afrocentric themes, and assembled by Afrika Bambaataa. New York–based groups such as De La Soul , Public Enemy , A Tribe Called Quest , and

1350-582: The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous (1995), Enta da Stage (1993), Bacdafucup (1993), Dah Shinin' (1995), Legal Drug Money (1996) and The Infamous (1995). The Notorious B.I.G. became the central figure in East Coast hip hop during most of the 1990s. Bad Boy Records comprised a team of producers known as the Hitmen Stevie J, Derrick "D Dot" Angelletie and Amen Ra directed by Sean Combs to move

1400-434: The battle that evening. The two would go on to meet on two other occasions during the 1990s, thereby establishing a place in battle rap as one of the earliest and most exciting sagas in the subculture. From the late 1990s to the end of the 2000s, freestyle rapping became very popular, with many artists getting attention for new styles, charisma, and witty punchlines in battles such as Scribble Jam and Rocksteady. Following

1450-561: The book, Ego Trip 's Book of Rap Lists , and include such battles as the Roxanne Wars (1984–1985), Juice Crew vs. Boogie Down Productions (1986–1988), Kool Moe Dee vs. LL Cool J (1987–1991), MC Serch vs. MC Hammer (1989–1994), Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg vs. Luke (1992–1993), Common vs. Ice Cube (1994–1996), MC Pervis & Brand New Habits and LL Cool J vs. Canibus (1997–1998) – all of which include memorable battle rap verses. As hip-hop asserted its presence across

1500-420: The combining of samples were common to the subgenre in the mid- to late 1980s. The aggressive and hard-hitting beats of the form were emphasized by such acts as EPMD , Beastie Boys and Public Enemy , while artists such as Eric B. & Rakim , Boogie Down Productions , LL Cool J , Big Daddy Kane , Nas , The Notorious B.I.G. , and Slick Rick were noted for their lyrical skill. Lyrical themes throughout

1550-407: The country, MC battles were growing in popularity. One of the early predecessors of the contemporary, more confrontational variation of battle rap was the 1994 face-off between Craig G and Supernatural . The battle happened organically, by virtue of Supernatural calling out Craig G while he was performing. As it so happened, Craig G was in the crowd, and the host invited him to the stage. Craig G won

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1600-420: The crowd which forms around the battles, consisting of spectators and onlookers. This group serves partly to encourage competition and partly to enhance the communal aspect of rap battles. The cipher is known for "making or breaking reputations in the hip hop community; if you are able to step into the cipher and tell your story, demonstrating your uniqueness, you might be more accepted". These groups also serve as

1650-540: The dawn of the hip-hop era, all rap was East Coast rap." Leading up to hip hop, there were spoken-word artists such as the Last Poets who released their debut album in 1970, and Gil Scott-Heron , who gained a wide audience with his 1971 track " The Revolution Will Not Be Televised ". These artists combined spoken word and music to create a kind of "proto-rap" vibe. Following this, early artists of hip hop such as DJ Kool Herc , Grandmaster Flash , Afrika Bambaataa ,

1700-537: The early punk rock movement. The league markets itself primarily using videos of tense physical confrontations between battlers, something other leagues are keen to distance themselves from. FlipTop Battle League is an example of a battle rap league in the Philippines . East Coast hip hop East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City during

1750-664: The early and mid-1990s, such as Nas , The Notorious B.I.G. and others. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show was the launch pad for many East Coast rappers during this era. Nas 's 1994 debut album Illmatic has also been noted as one of the creative high points of the East Coast hip hop scene, and featured production from such renowned New York–based producers as Large Professor , Pete Rock and DJ Premier . Meanwhile, The Wu-Tang Clan , Onyx , Black Moon , Smif-N-Wessun , Big L , Lost Boyz and Mobb Deep became pillars in New York's hardcore hip hop scene, achieving widespread critical acclaim for their landmark albums, Enter

1800-563: The first wave of battlers for the Ultimate Rap League. Many key figures including Smack himself have been featured on BET and XXL Magazine due to their parts in URL's success. Their battles are also commonly debated by battle rap bloggers and promoters, and featured on WorldStarHipHop.com . In May 2019, The URL launched the URLTV.TV App. The subscription based app allows subscribers to, view unreleased and pay-per-view battles along with other original programming. Battle rap Battle rap

1850-463: The focus on hip hop to New York with the Notorious B.I.G.'s Billboard topping hits. His success on the music charts and rise to the mainstream drew more attention to New York at the time of West Coast hip hop's dominance. According to AllMusic editor Steve Huey, the success of his 1994 debut album Ready to Die "reinvented East Coast rap for the gangsta age" and "turned the Notorious B.I.G. into

1900-406: The history of East Coast hip hop have ranged from lyrical consciousness by such artists as Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest to Mafioso rap themes by rappers such as Raekwon , MF Grimm and Kool G Rap . East Coast hip hop is occasionally referred to as New York rap due to its origins and development at block parties thrown in New York City during the 1970s. According to AllMusic , "At

1950-506: The late Pop Smoke , Fivio Foreign , Sheff G , and 22Gz . East Coast hip hop was the dominant form of rap music during the Golden Era of hip hop. Many knowledgeable hip hop fans and critics are particularly favorable towards East Coast hip hop of the early-mid 1990s, viewing it as a time of creative growth and influential recordings, and describing it as "The East Coast Renaissance". Music writer May Blaize of MVRemix Urban comments on

2000-512: The late 2000s and early 2010s, albeit without the same level of ubiquity as in the 1990s. Younger artists at this time used Internet resources such as social media, blogging, and music streaming to build a following among fans, blurring the lines between the underground and the mainstream. Rappers who emerged during this "blog era" include Joey Bada$ $ , Nicki Minaj , Wiz Khalifa , Meek Mill , Pusha T , Vast Aire , Wale , Logic , Azealia Banks , and Mac Miller . Various factors have led to

2050-556: The late 90s, East coast rap had returned to mainstream dominance. Biggie's commercial success helped pave the way for the success of other up-and-coming East Coast rappers such as Jay-Z , DMX , Busta Rhymes , 50 Cent , Ja Rule , the Lox , Fat Joe , and Big Pun . Many East Coast hip hop producers also rose to prominence during this period such as Timbaland , Pharrell , Just Blaze , Swizz Beatz , Irv Gotti , and 7 Aurelius . A mainstream revitalization of East Coast rap occurred in

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2100-578: The league. The league originally grew out of the popular series of street DVDs known as S.M.A.C.K. DVD (an acronym for Street Music, Arts, Culture & Knowledge) that ran between 2002 and 2008. The rap DVDs often feature in-depth interviews and details about up-and-coming rappers' lives. Many DVDs feature a rap battle which was often filmed right on the street, a cappella and without judges. These battles heavily influenced future rap battle leagues and competitions such as MTV's Monday Night Fight Klub, GrindTimeNow.net, Sho-time Battle Rap League, and King of

2150-515: The mainstream. Along with a combined ability to keep its primary function as party music, the West Coast form of hip hop became a dominant force during the early 1990s. Although G-Funk was the most popular variety of hip hop during the early 1990s, the East Coast hip hop scene remained an integral part of the music industry. During this period, several New York City rappers rising from the local underground scene, began releasing noteworthy albums in

2200-529: The nostalgia felt among hip hop fans for records released during this time: It was claimed as the East Coast Renaissance. Wu-Tang brought the ruckus with 36 Chambers . The world was ours when Nas released Illmatic . Big L , (The MVP) came out with Lifestylez ov da Poor and Dangerous . Temperatures rose in clubs when Mobb Deep came out with The Infamous and Brooklyn's finest Jay-Z released Reasonable Doubt . . . And who can forget

2250-430: The police presence and private security at the location forced the event to move down the road to an alley beside radio station Flow 93.5 . After a few events at that location, they were unable to accommodate the growing crowds, so Organik opted to relocate to Alexandra Park for the wide open space and gritty location. The crisp visuals and production value, as well as local celebrity guest judges, contributed to King of

2300-415: The powerful uplifting anthem that would brand New York's concrete "Bucktown" ( Smif-n-Wessun 's hit single )? . . .Ahh, it was a beautiful time in hip-hop history that many of us wish we could return to. David Drake of Stylus Magazine writes of hip hop during 1994 and its contributions, stating: "The beats were hot, the rhymes were hot – it really was an amazing time for hip-hop and music in general. This

2350-463: The present situation. Freestyling can allow audience members to integrate into the performance stage. This provides a forum for up-and-coming underground artists to engage in a musical discussion with already prominent underground Cuban rappers. Freestyle battles often turn political when artists incorporate perspectives on social disparities and issues plaguing the Cuban population. A freestyle battle

2400-428: The resurgence of freestyle battling in the 21st century, competitions began to move to TV shows shown on HBO , BET , and MTV . In addition, Eminem's 2002 movie 8 Mile introduced battle rap to mainstream audiences, generating a renewed interest and popularity in battling. Starting in the early 2000s, Freestyle Friday is a watered-down battle segment on BET's popular show 106 & Park . Two rappers compete in

2450-571: The shirt they're wearing), or responds to something their opponent said during their previous round. While not as prominent as it once was, the art of rebutting is still respected by many as difficult to do correctly, and a sign of a well-rounded emcee. While many creative minds were battling and organizing battles in the early 2000s, Troy "Smack" Mitchell of Queens New York gathered battle rappers of hood renown including Serius Jones of New Jersey and Loaded Lux, Murda Mook and Jae Millz of Harlem, Smack began recording battles, printing and hand-selling

2500-428: Was denied a place in the finals of a tournament run by the then-dominant battle league, JumpOff. Since then, notable appearances include Rizzle , Illmaculate , Mystro , and Harry Love. Don't Flop came to mainstream UK media attention in 2012 when one of their battles became a viral video , purportedly showing a teacher battling his student. Although the battlers in question, Mark Grist and Blizzard, were not actually

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