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Will Smith: The Battle Rapper?


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I heard a few rumours when I was growing up listening to Will's music that he used to take part in live battle raps. Apparently, he took on Big Daddy Kane in the final of one of them, and matched him all the way. Can someone clarify this? I searched the web numerous times but am yet to find nothing. I'm intrigued.

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That would be something if he did hang toe to toe with Big Daddy Kane. I've never heard anything about it. As far as battling, it's been said by I think Jeff that they would drive to around philly looking for cyphers and Will would just join and kill people. I believe most notable is Schooly D in which I think Jeff or someone said Will killed him so bad that Schooly D was ready to get in an actual fight with Will. One thing about JJFP is that they are alot more intelligent than most in the game. Rakim gets a lot of love for his lyrics, but Will was highly educated and you can tell on his battle tracks.

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I don't think i've ever heard of him going up against anyone famous. Only other up and comers that never got much of a break. Battling was a big part of him coming. On every album he's done he's addressed critics...but there was never much of a reason 2 really go at anyone. He's on his own level. I know there are interviews where he's talked about coming up battling.

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That would be something if he did hang toe to toe with Big Daddy Kane. I've never heard anything about it. As far as battling, it's been said by I think Jeff that they would drive to around philly looking for cyphers and Will would just join and kill people. I believe most notable is Schooly D in which I think Jeff or someone said Will killed him so bad that Schooly D was ready to get in an actual fight with Will. One thing about JJFP is that they are alot more intelligent than most in the game. Rakim gets a lot of love for his lyrics, but Will was highly educated and you can tell on his battle tracks.

I heard that thing with Schooly D, too. Questlove from the Roots mentioned in some magazine. It was a few days after JJ+FP won the first ever rap grammy. He was talking **** about them on radio that they are soft and that it ain't real hip hop, bla bla bla...JJ+FP went to the studio and Will battled him. He got a joke for every punchline from Schooly D and killed him so bad that it was ready to get physical. Jeff mentioned that they had to call the cops so that everyone would calm down. For those who don't know, Schooly D was the first ever gangsta rapper in hip hop (not NWA or Ice-T).

To Quote Black Thought:

Yeah, Illadel! Home of the original gun clappers

Out on the wrong corner your ****'ll get spun backwards

The Roots - Don't Say Nothin

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Also I found something about Steady B and Will battling!

With an appealing blend of battle raps (most notably against LL Cool J, and local Philadelphia rap rivals Three Times Dope and the Fresh Prince) and freestyle lyrics, Steady B's style reflected the post-Run-D.M.C./pre-Public Enemy era of hip-hop. At his best, Steady mixed well-written metaphors and wordplay with sparse, yet catchy, drum tracks. Steady B released five albums over the course of his career, with mixed success.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steady_B

?uestlove maintained, for the record, that Will Smith’s infamous radio battle with Steady B means he’ll “always respect him,” meaning no matter how many preachy family flicks he makes (besides, Ice Cube got away with “Are We There Yet?”) Musictoob will too; if only for his taste in flooring

http://www.musictoob.com/former-fresh-prin...ndage-home-4434

Edited by Jin
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  • 3 weeks later...

Yes, somebody answer to one of my videos on Youtube on told me that :

cats laugh at will smith but he'a a REAL hip-hopper. he battled stedy b live on wdas radio in philly. it was in 88 and this single had just dropped so will had a lot to lose but he still battled. he bust steady ass. will came up battlin cats. don't let all that mainstream **** he did fool you. he's a REAL mc.

Now, the only thing is to find it :D :D :D

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