RVA Mag: The Art of War: Battle Rapping in RVA

“The supreme Art Of War is to subdue the enemy without fighting”

This is just one of the most noted lines in the book The Art Of War by Sun Tzu. In the world of Hip Hop Battle Rapping, this book can be a great tool. People often ask, “What’s the definition of battle rapping?” From what I have gathered, it is a contest in which two or more rappers compete against each other using improvised lyrics. However, nowadays that has been altered a little because of the way today’s Hip Hop Culture has evolved as far as style, wordplay, and tactical impressions on the public. I’ve noticed these changes in the past decade from the presentation of the battle scene. It used to be based on who has the best rhymes, metaphors, similes, and clever phrases. Today, though, it can be based on your stage presence alone. On July 13, I attended a battle entitled “The Thrilla In Virginia,” which was headlined by battle veteran Moon (aka Moonie D) and RVA’s own Bravo. I was highly impressed with every emcee that night, but one thing I noticed was that battles are now more of a showcase or stage performance than a barrage of vicious wordplay. Recently, I interviewed a handful of local battle emcees, and in the next few paragraphs I will talk about what has changed, as well as the challenges, the fame, and also the fails that are part of RVA’s battle rap scene today.

By Roger Tyler/Originally appeared at rvamag.com

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