Battlefield Hip Hop

It is half past dusk and a caravan of cars are headed to a special location. This caravan of cars and trucks are filled with a bunch of young men and women who love Hip Hop. They are all on their way to watch a battle, a freestyle rap battle. In the first car leading the group was a rapper who went by the name “Slice”. While Slice was in the first car with his friends, a rapper who went by the name “One Shot” was in the car behind him with his friends. One Shot and Slice were preparing to battle each other in a freestyle battle. In the eight cars behind the first two were friends and admirers of Slice and One Shot who were coming to watch them battle.

The ten cars arrive at their destination which is revealed to be a community center. Everyone got out of their cars talking amongst themselves very excitedly. They were ready for the battle that was about to ensue. Slice steps out of his car sporting a red t-shirt with the words “Def Jam” across the center in white letters. One Shot steps out of his car sporting a white t-shirt with a blue jacket with the name “Enyce” on the back of the jacket in white letters. The two spot each other and have a quick stare down. The both nod at each other with slanted smiles. “You ready” One Shot asked. “Are you?” Slice rebuttaled. “Then let’s do this.” One Shot concluded. Both of the emcees made their way into the community center with what looked like an entourage of 100 people behind them. In the distance more cars started arriving as the event was getting underway.

As the big group passed the entrance they made their way into the community center’s auditorium. One Shot and Slice made their way to the stage along with their crews who surrounded them. The stage was now surrounded by an audience who came to watch their battle. As Slice and One Shot stood across from each other they were joined on stage by a DJ dressed in a black sweat suit wearing a kangol hat named “Master Mix”. “Welcome to the showdown.” Mix called out to the audience who cheered in response. “We gon’ flip a coin.” Mix began. “Y’all call it when it lands.” “Heads!” said Slice. “Tails!” said One Shot. The coin landed on tails. “It’s on you Shot. You get to pick who goes first.” “I’ll go first.” said One Shot. The crowd was silenced as One Shot began.

“Yo, so they called me for a battle like “it’s time to hit Slice up. I jumped right up and now Slice gettin’ diced up. One poke from the blade and he gon’ say that he hurtin’. Y’all call him competition, but I say that he worthless. He ain’t cut for this life, but my blade will be workin’ cuz this battle knives out, no Jamie Lee Curtis.”

The crowd started cheering and oooing in excitement as One Shot’s first round of lyrical bars began.

“Slice don’t want no trouble. One hit from the fist, he seein’ double, his crew huddled while he lay in a puddle. You got a blade, but my gun can do more. You threw more, but I can shoot more that’ll leave Slice on tha cuttin’ room floor.”

The crowd continued to cheer.

“Ain’t nothin’ worth sayin’ I won’t say to ya face. No matter how you try to slice it I’ma cut to the chase. Stick to puffin’ the base or get a punch to tha face. You might’ve carved a good path, but you ain’t cut for this race.”

The crowd continued with ooo’s and awe’s as One Shot prepared his final blows.

“So Slice it’s all over, now what could you do? Nothin while you lay in pieces from this battle where I just butchered you. In this battle it ain’t no fame. You thought it was game, but you loss so go ahead and take the walk of shame.”

One Shot ended his round with the crowd behind him cheering with excitement. Slice stood firm and anxious, ready to start his round and deliver his rebuttal to One Shot. “Ight everybody!” Mix Master began as he returned to the stage to stand in between the two emcees. “Ight Slice, it’s on you. Do your thing.” As the crowd quieted down, Slice began his round:

“So I’m battlin’ One Shot. The irony is fun. His name is “Shot”, but he never laid eyes on a gun. He couldn’t do damage with a bomb, or even shootin from tanks. No bullets in his chamber, he was shootin’ wit blanks.

The crowd erupted once again with reaction, but this time their ooo’s and awe’s were louder than before as Slice continued.

“Let me tell y’all a lil story about One Shot. He like to jump in battles guns hot, but’ll run away from real gunshots. At the site of the real world all go gunners, One Shot’ll speed away faster than the road runner.

The crowd once one erupted into awe mixed with laughter as Slice picked up momentum.

“Dear One Shot, how’s it feel knowin this battle is one stop on a quest of lies you made up at the bus stop? You claimed to bust your guns in the heat of the night. Only thing busted was your butt when you couldn’t beat the street light.”

The crowd continued as Slice prepared his final bars.

“Moral of the story: don’t lie about the bullets. Stop talkin’ bout a trigger if you know you can’t pull it. Like ‘Coolio said gangsta’s paradise ain’t nothin’ nice. So quick snake-eyesing the dice or get cut up by Slice.”

The crowd went crazy as Slice’s round concluded. Slice and One Shot both eyed each other from their respective corners and gave slight nods of approval and satisfaction for their competitors edge. As everyone cheered, Mix returned to the center of the stage to get the crowd vote. “Ight y’all, let me hear y’all give it up for One Shot if you think he won.” The crowd cheered loudly for One Shot with several audience members whistling in support. “Ight that was pretty lit, but how many of y’all think Slice won this battle?” The crowd once again erupted in applause, only this time it was much louder and vibrational than it was for One Shot. It was a clear consensus who the crowd chose as the winner. “Slice-” Mix began. “You are the winner.”

As the crowd continued cheering for Slice, One Shot approached him in the middle of the stage and a smile slowly spreaded across his face. “You did ya thing, Slice.” One Shot said. “You did ya thing too.” Slice replied. They both laughed and shook hands as both of their crews celebrated in the middle of the stage. With the audience filling the auditorium with cheers, they were grateful for this battle of Hip Hop.

~~Dedicated to Hip Hop. Happy 50th Birthday Hip Hop.