JHB Hiphop battles and ciphers

[Dpleezy]

the other alternative is to digitze cyphers via downloads, podcasts & Vodcasts!!

That doesn't work for me at all. Part of a battle is the physical intimidation of being face to face, having a crowd booing or cheering, thinking on your feet, the smell of fear in the air!

I guess none of this applies to swagger rappers because they aren't lyricists, they are entertainers. I don't mean this as a diss,,, it's just a different discipline.

[the panic!]

i think we just need to have more hip hop events. at a regular pace. or just establish a joint where it goes down weekly - like at a hip hop outlet.

with that said, i think even more important than battles more cats need to get their shit recorded. too many rappers with no product out there. it doesnt necessarily have to be about the money either. whats wrong with dropping an online ep - or even burning a few copies and handing them out? if youre dope the demand will increase and youll get your buzz.

[oints]

i think we just need to have more hip hop events. at a regular pace. or just establish a joint where it goes down weekly - like at a hip hop outlet.

with that said, i think even more important than battles more cats need to get their shit recorded. too many rappers with no product out there. it doesnt necessarily have to be about the money either. whats wrong with dropping an online ep - or even burning a few copies and handing them out? if youre dope the demand will increase and youll get your buzz.

i heard that!

[jy buddy]

"Part of a battle is the physical intimidation of being face to face, having a crowd booing or cheering, thinking on your feet, the smell of fear in the air! "


I agree with this view because i also understand rap as a perfomance, whether street or stage, you are talking to a number of people around you and they respond to what u saying according to how they feel. Digitizing this meduim takes away a lot of elements that constitute that atmosphere. i can't imagine a cypher without the ahhs and just cats laughing in the background. digitizing cyphers is like broadcasting soccer on tv, it's totally different from watching it in the staduim, so how will this aid the now dying state of cyphers, i think it will do a whole lot more distortion than aid the cypher culture. p.e.a.c.e.

[MOFF G]

"Part of a battle is the physical intimidation of being face to face, having a crowd booing or cheering, thinking on your feet, the smell of fear in the air! "

this culture is built from crowd pleasing/ if we as cats are gonna be scared to spit spontaneous rhymes to live audience, how on earth do we think we gonna elevate and craft this art?

cats need to face up to those fears, as u might know, every ciphering cat was killed once or twice, even tho no one wants to be killed(humiliated), it is part of the game, it is part of the culture .... if we think that street ciphering is played out then we aught to think again as we need that put back into this ish....hip hop is ciphering whenever, wherever with whoever!!

[illmas]

Will mos def not expect a cypher in 2009. Cats will battle in Autotune....lol

[Koli qha]

"Part of a battle is the physical intimidation of being face to face, having a crowd booing or cheering, thinking on your feet, the smell of fear in the air! "


I agree with this view because i also understand rap as a perfomance, whether street or stage, you are talking to a number of people around you and they respond to what u saying according to how they feel. Digitizing this meduim takes away a lot of elements that constitute that atmosphere. i can't imagine a cypher without the ahhs and just cats laughing in the background. digitizing cyphers is like broadcasting soccer on tv, it's totally different from watching it in the staduim, so how will this aid the now dying state of cyphers, i think it will do a whole lot more distortion than aid the cypher culture. p.e.a.c.e.

no it won't! if anything it mite add to the appeal. i think wat Verb meant was to record a cipher with the necessary atmosphere.. that electric as hell atmosphere(shut up and imagine)... put it up on ag for instance! if that cipher went down at campus square, all who see it and claim to love that cipher experience, gon want to be there!

also, there's the 'swagger' follower!! when they see how live a good cipher can be, thats the new 'swagger'! we know how impressionable the 'swagger' squad is! if we're talking REVIVAL, i don't see how Verb's suggestion aint proper!

[Koli qha]

i for one wudn't waste time looking for battles and ciphers coz i bump into cats in melville and 99% of the time its worthless coz cats aint proper! but if i saw sum dope a** muffaca'z i knew nothin about on tape spittin sum shit.. i mite wanna check it out wen i'm in that area.. or better yet, go to that area with the sole intention of reppin..

[MOFF G]

tru dat KOLI: digital media like AG nd them adas help put a man across, u get to know that in a certain area there is a cat whom i wud like to cum face to face with....at least u be goin der with intent that u will basically find a good psyfa.

these mall brats sumtymes are too keen on impressing and them lose the plot and basically just cum across as whack.... i ain't sayin they shudn't have this shit 'cracked'......lol

[Tarstar]

so basically yall is saying there aint no ciphers at JHB, thats too bad

[sunchild]

I agree with you all,Ciphers is a dying activity and if there is a cipher, Mc's will be freeing outside,so i'll state that it is the self centeredness of Mc's that is killing the cipher. Without battling hiphop is dead.Bboying is at the top of it's game,why? BATTLES! cause competing sparks creativity