In my last blog I called it to the letter. I told you what you will get from KRS 1 and Big Daddy Kane, "A display of skills, lyrical dexterity and classic songs" and boy did they deliver. I also told you that their disses would be classy and not trashy and I was right about that as well. Whether you chose KRS-1 or Big Daddy Kane as the winner there is something we all can agree on and that is that whoever won did not win decisively. Whoever lost did not lose decisively. That means it was a hell of a fight that stayed tight throughout the night as they went tit for tat, rap for rap and it was all that . To make a long story short what we got from them was HIP HOP and thats who won that epic showdown. Any youngun from today's pant sagging generation that tuned in got an education. The Teacher and The Prince of Darkness taught by example what hip-hop looks, sounds and feels like. I hope the young ones took note because this might be the last time you get to see EMCEES. Or MCs, Masters of the Ceremony, Moving crowds, Mic controllers. Today we don't have emcees we just have rappers, mumblers or something not pertaining to crowd motivation and participation but more like something that will lead to termination or incarceration. Rap music of today is the exact opposite of Hip Hop. Hip Hop is motivational and life promoting while Rap is depressing and is concerned with death. In fact today a rapper is judged by how much negativity or how much death he has brought to his opposition. In one of KRS 1s raps he asks "How does murder make you hip?" Murder should not make you hip but today that is exactly where we are in terms of how a rapper is judged. It does not matter how nice with the device they are. It's more about whether or not he or she has street credibility and that credibility is based on whether or not one is a real gangster or Thug or if their gun has really been busting. Talent is not a requirement. You need to put in some time behind the wall or have a real criminal record if you want to be taken seriously. Your credentials are Platinum plated if you have murdered someone or have been shot. This coincides with the fact that a rapper seems to get murdered every week. It is in this atmosphere of dysfunction, total chaos and genocide that we get some relief in the form of KRS-1 verses Big Daddy Kane. They are both from Hip Hops true Golden Age. During that age we were still dancing, busting moves, busting rhymes and provoking thought at the same time so during This Verzuz three elements of Hip-Hop were on display, emceein breakdancing and Dee Jayin. It wasn't about who kills but who got the skills. The guest appearances which included Roxanne Shante, Crazy Legs, Buckshot Shorty, Mad Lion, Das FX, Craig G, Scoop Lover, DJ Red Alert, Channel Live made the dopeness even Doper.
Again, I hope the Younguns were taking note of how the fierceness of the battle did not prevent the display of mutual respect and comradery between the two icons.
Big Daddy Kane broke out and did something that I myself as an MC like to do from time to time. He started rapping in the rapid Cadence of the drill rappers of today displaying the lyrical dexterity and breath control to do it live with no filter. Why do we do this and why is it significant? To show that there is nothing new Under the Sun. There is no style that we haven't already done and the Golden Age of Hip-Hop is still number one.
Peace, Unity, Love ang Havin Fun ! Yeah. I gets it in even during my journalism.
So you can go ahead and call this one a classic and verzuz will have a hard time topping this one. I really do hope that the rappers of today were checking this out and I would like for this to set a standard or better yet I would like to put forth a challenge to the youngsters and that challenge is to see if they can reproduce this scene. Can two Crews of today battle each other without any trashy insults or death threats. No mumblin. Rappers must speak clear and coherent. I know it seems impossible but thats why its a challenge. Now its time to Raise The Bar. KRS One and Big Daddy Kane went at it. They brought out the heavy artillery and pulled no punches and the winner is Hip Hop.
By Ba'Ron Foxworth (Khamisi Fox)