With a majority of battlers working as hard on their own music as they do in the ring, all too often the music itself is glossed over. This past week saw more news regarding the crossover of industry rap with battle rap, with Lush One's partnership with FilmOn, speculation of a battle between Drake and Murda Mook, and the confirmation of a match-up between Dizaster and Cassidy.
Meanwhile, battle rappers stayed on their in-the-booth grind throughout. Below are some highlights from the past week in battle rapper music. We've included songs from battle emcees like Ty Law, Real Deal, Tsu Surf, Bigg K, and more.
Serius Jones - “None Of My Business”
Teaming up with Kermit the Frog for his latest video, Serius Jones offers up an anthem for the ills of relationships in the social media age. While he spends most of the track dropping comical relationship tropes and an autotuned vocal hook, the rapper’s resounding truth is: “That’s none of my business though.”
Nocando - “Osaka”
Named after the Japanese city in which he wrote the song, Nocando’s latest track “Osaka” is a world traveller’s ode to his home-city. “I been all around the world so I know it’s no place like home,” he raps on the song’s hook. Despite the loosie, Nocando is still promoting his "Jimmy the Burnout" release from March.
Here's the latest. https://t.co/710J6oMScz
— ALLxCITYxJIMMY (@MCNocando) August 23, 2014
Real Deal - “Ya Boy Rd Da Chef”
Real Deal’s new track arrives over a chopped-up soul sample. In the second verse the Pittsburgh-based emcee compares himself to a couple of other white artists (but not Mac Miller). “Maybe a sprinkle of Bob Dylan / Maybe a bit of Em,” he raps, “Maybe some Mac Lethal instead of the fisherman / And that ain’t a diss to him.”
Tsu Surf - “Lawd”
Released on Saturday (August 23), Tsu Surf’s latest HumBeats produced track “Lawd” is a brooding banger that doubles as a conversation with the man upstairs. “These winters be Nova Scotia / I hold it closer,” he says on the song, “What you drink? I’ll take some Henny and a cold mimosa / Few questions, and I’m guessin’ you where I come for closure / Better we had this talk now, ‘cause I’m a little older.”
Bigg K - “Hot N***a Freestyle”
Joining dozens of other rappers by rapping over Bobby Shmurda’s “Hot Nigga,” Bigg K co-opted the beat for his own purposes. Nodding to the original artist in his verse, K raps: “And now these rappers wearing blouses with the funny pants / I should knock you the fuck out and do the Shmoney Dance.”
Ty Law - “Believe Me (The Purge)” feat. Goldie The Natural
Repping the DMV throughout, battler Ty Law teamed up with Goldie The Natural for a not-so-subtle track titled “Believe Me (The Purge).” Namedropping one of the capital city's most infamous gangsters, the song’s most memorable line may come in its refrain: “DMV killing everything, Wayne Perry.”
Check out more battler music in last week's collection.
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