When Illmaculate thinks about the greatest battle rappers who have ever been part of the culture, he often thinks about Eyedea.
"A while back, I got asked 'Who’s your like battle rap Mount Rushmore?' and I couldn’t really come up with an answer on the spot, but as I thought about it after the interview, I’m like, ‘Man, I definitely forgot Eyedea,’" Illmac says. "He was such a pillar."
Eyedea, who passed away Oct. 16, 2010, became a battle rap icon after winning several competitions, including Scribble Jam and HBO's Blaze Battle.
"I think he was a big part of [battling] in the early 2000s and shaping the landscape of battle rap in general. His whole style, man was crazy. He was super entertaining to watch."
Here's a compilation of some of Eyedea's best verses:
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