Your favorite artists are out for blood. Using vulgar, low blows and personal attacks, it seems like there’s a new word limbo competition every week. Rap beef: Love it or hate it, going for the jugular is part of the game.
Many fans and stans live for the drama. They butt heads and create discourse around their feuding faves, arguing “who was better?” and “who is ‘softer’?”. There is rarely a clear cut winner, and usually a new album isn’t too far behind.
Rap as an art-form followed the Black Arts Movement of the 1960’s and 70s. It can be traced back to its New York roots in street battles. These battles were between inner city deejays, breakdancers, and rappers (See: DJ Cool Herc). There were displays of braggadocio, showmanship and talent. In this way, swagger and competition have always been in the blood of hip hop.
Rap competitions naturally showcased opposition between rap groups, but also sometimes spotlighted gang rivalries when group members from different neighborhoods and gang affiliations competed. These rivalries were, and still are, affectionately referred to as beef.
Rap later evolved into the mainstream in the mid 1980’s, beginning to touching on social topics like crime, drugs, poverty, violence, police brutality, racism ect. It transformed from this alternative, fun thing into a multifaceted outlet for social change and self-expression. It gave America a peek into the lives of black youth and the hardships they faced in their socioeconomic positions.
As hip-hop evolved through the decades, it has changed and diverged in sound, but it has stayed true to its roots in many ways.
In 2024, rap has progressed as can be expected, but in many ways it’s still the same. Alongside their current beef, rappers like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar still use their platforms to illustrate social issues, and the align with the same pillars that rap has always followed.
So, don’t let a boomer bully you into thinking that “back in their day” that everything was sweet, and all groups rapped about were their Adidas. Rap beef is more like an aged wagyu. It’s robust. It’s nuanced and everchanging with the social climate and views of political correctness. And it’s here to stay.
Nice. NPR did a story about the beef between K. Lamar and J. Cole last week. I found it very interesting. Your piece is a nice continuation of it. I look forward to more…adding a prong about the women rappers would give the subject some flavor, as well. 😊. Keep it coming!