Who You Reppin?

"Who You Reppin?"

Going as far back as I can; where I started apreciating rap music would be the early 80's. Rap music was in full bloom and full boom. Boom boxes set the mood for block parties, house parties, down to beat boxing and battling on the mic. You repped your block, your city, and most of all your crew. The incorporation of the beat box into rap battles set the mood when the boom boxes were not present. In Late 1982, New York native Doug E. Fresh was the legendary human beat box that repped his crew; "The Get Fresh Crew", in "83" Harlem's own Biz Markie stepped up to rep "The Juice Crew", in "84" Bridgeport, Connecticut had its own human beat box; The Jock Box reppin' his crew "The Skinny Boys". On the spot a crew member could step to you and want to battle to see who's style, lyrics and beats were the freshest. Whether you were a a rapper or a beat boxer you better be prepared to represent.

It is now 2011, and the same method is used to see who had those 16 bars that put him in the top rank class. The avenue have strecthed to where one rapper could battle the next even if the lived clear across the country. The internet has allowed people to rep their crew, city even their country using social networks; Facebook and MySpace and the infamous YouTube. Beats are not necessarily needed but some still battle using beat boxing.

Rap Battle have even reached the underground where the fresh unsigned hypes dwell; some searching for a label and some just looking to be crowned for their skill best undergropund rapper. Spitting lyrics to tear down your opponent, strip street creds from their crews and reigh supreme holds recognition in the rap world outside of traditional king me status. Some of the greatest underground rap artists just do it for their hood.

Underground sensation Blind Fury claimed his fame on BET's 106 & Park; Freestyle Fridays. Blind Fury uprooted from South Carolina aqnd planted his roots in New York and was an unseen force not to be reckoned with. Smack URL (Ultimate Rap League) and World Star Hip Hop flood YouTubes with underground battle kings; Hollow, T-Rex, DNA and Real Deal to name a few.

The more creative you are lyrically without it being rehearsed the better your chances are at winning the battle. Media outlets have broadened the scope of hip-hop being around infinitely. Just visit websites; youtube.com and facebok.com to see just how much hip-hop has evolved into a multi-cultural.form of entertainment. You can rep your city, even if you live in the Hampton; just be prepared for the comebacks of your opponent. The development of the like button and hit counters expose the popularity of the battles uploaded to Facebook.com and youtbe.com. These separate the garbage rap battlers and amateurs from the skilled and gifted. Underground rappers like Murder Mook have branded themselves using these video outlets. He is claimed to be the best lyrical menaces and challenges anyone to a battle.. These type of ego bruising tactics brings rappers out to defend and rep their crew.