Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Dame Dash and Wu-Tang Clan rapper Method Man recently spoke about the contemporary form of battling in an exclusive conversation with Hip Hop Motivation. During the interview, Dame Dash discussed how he sees a “new industry” coming through with battle rap, while Method Man addressed how battlers take pride in their lyrics and performances and aren’t simply in it for the money.
“The game's getting exciting, you know why? ‘Cause rap battling is starting to get profitable,” explains Dame Dash. "The rap battle part of it, and Snoop [Dogg] and all the OGs are embracing Murda Mook and LL Cool J ‘cause that’s the essence of hip-hop. And people are getting paid to battle, like a fight. I’m starting to see a new industry come through. It don’t matter how many records you sold, how much money you got — that’s just like boxing, when you in that ring, that’s all that count.”
“Them niggas take pride in that shit outside of the money — they want the money but they take pride in that shit, man,” says Method Man, who has previously co-hosted King Of The Dot battles in Los Angeles.
Later in the conversation, Dame Dash cites the battle rap movement as his source of excitement in hip-hop right now and subsequently asserts his respect for Drake after the YMCMB artist apparently challenged Murda Mook to a rap battle back in August.
“That’s what exciting for me about rap right now. I’m liking that. I fuck with Mook a lot, too … It’s a different approach on rap. That is the essence. That’s rap. But the thing that’s dope about it is [that it’s] becoming profitable,” Dame Dash says. “Beause before it was like, ‘Ah, you can’t sign a battle rapper because he can’t make records.’ [Now] he ain’t got to. It’s not about records it’s about how much people pay to see you. That’s all that counts … We should make it like boxing. Make a league and some dumb shit like that.”
“Drake challenged Mook. I respect that. I ain’t gon’ lie. I got a lot of respect for Drake for that ‘cause Mook is not a game,” Dame Dash continues. “I like that it brings that competitiveness out of any rapper. That shit is ill … You know what we should do? We should do a tournament for like $50 million … You could do it like this: 10 of the best rappers and each person that thinks they’re the best gotta put up a million. And the winner takes it [all].”
Check out the full conversation below:
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