It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. In A Tale of Two Cities, the duality of changing times was poignantly highlighted and almost the same thing is true in Hip-Hop Rivalries: East Coast Versus West Coast. As music in the general arts and people in general society have changed over the decades, politics has reflected these changes, sometimes for the best but often for the worst. Hip-hop was fulgurant with promise, a machine steadily gaining influence worldwide, a newly birthed political powerhouse. With its aggrandisement also came the inflation of egos until suddenly, everyone wanted to be the King of Hip-Hop, the King of Rap, or the King of New York - all of which were interchangeable terms. Those of us who grew up in times when lyrical witticisms had to be cultrate in order to be truly appreciated were galvanised back into life by the rivalry between Kendrick Lamar and Drake - which served as proof that hip-hop had graduated from simply rhyming rapping into a multiverse of praiseworthy diction, the stunning displays of lyrical thespians who amaze us with ever-evolving presentations full of entertainment, and battle rappers who boast a mighty grasp of nuanced literary contraptions. There is evidence of this growth in the haymaker equivokes tacitly enunciated in their performances, and never more so than during "beef": those times of dissent, discontent, or malcontent among classic rap groups, or between individuals. From Nas and Jay-Z to Drake and Pusha T, we will delve into the origins of hip-hop, its past and current artists, and the methods they employed in their rivalries that brought excitement and appreciation of this genre of music to followers worldwide. Join us on this informative, amusing, and nostalgic tour as we explore the greatest moments in hip-hop and battle rap that helped to put certain superstars on pedestals and thrones, while others were humiliated and became objects of scorn, clownery, or abject ridicule to this very day. AUTHOR: Njasang Nji has written and edited many different works and, over the years, he has been awarded severally for his poetry and prose. Coming to America as a preteen, he immediately fell in love with hip-hop and the culture associated with it. An experienced Gen X'er, Mr. Nji vividly remembers life in New York from when Nas, NWA, Das Efx, EPMD, Redman, and other pioneers ruled the airwaves in what could honestly be considered the Golden Age of Rap and Hip-Hop. And the world was paying attention. Clubs like the Tunnel, Palladium, Limelight, and Skate Key in the Bronx popularized R&B, hip-hop, and rap music and gave Black (and other underprivileged) people a major key to unlocking the shackles of poverty. This is what Mr. Nji admired about African-American hip-hop culture, and he discusses it at length and in great detail, technically and otherwise, while admiring all those artists who made life such an exciting time to be alive. 32 colour illustrations
