great list I still feel like the RK battle at blaze battle should be number one though. the way he was mocking eye with that little dance and he came with that backup dancer line in like 2 seconds was insane
He came up with the bit about the backup dancer SO fast, I can't help but wonder whether it was prearranged. Not that there's any reason they would do that in a competition, but it was just THAT good.
+Dan Krol naw, he is just that good. I thought it must be staged too, but I think he is just that quick with it. Fastest thinking off the top I've ever heard.
+Dan Krol rk starts dancing just as Eyedea says: when I grap the mic... He had less than a sec to think of a word which fit in that line but also set himself up for the back up dancer punchline... And the word was enhancer.. Rhyme in peace Mikey! Return.If.Possible
Eyedea, I first saw you in Blaze Battle 00. Straight ridiculous, man. You were one of the best. Fuck man, it's 21 years later and I'm looking you up! RIP homie.
Eyedea was a good friend of mine and the the things he would say in a battle could make people cry...."I'll buy you a new outfit but I won't go to Target!!!" He was amazing....
busa89 Eyedea obviously went easy on him. They we're both on the same label, so Eyedea was just having fun with his friend, or else he would have murdered him
On #6 I noticed something. It's the same beat the Shady 2.0 cypher did at B.E.T...and Eyedea mentions Beastie Boys, just like Em does just over 10 years later, similar flow too. "You gon' need a priest, at least three swords/A license to ill from the Beastie Boys, three Ouija boards" coincidence?
...and 2 guys killed it!!! I'm not sure how long after he passed away but their set was crazy!!! You can rent or buy it on iTunes. It's definitely worth it to buy it...but that's just my humble opinion! I do know that the first RTB was the last time ODB ever played live with The WU TANG CLAN! A few months after the RTB Fest. he passed away! A Def. Must See!!!
^ and 1min is a pretty long time assuming you're making everything up in the moment while meeting the " 'diss them hard and make sure it rhymes (or sounds like it does)" stipulation
To everyone coming here from epiclloyd, as amazing of a freestyle artist eyedea is he shows his true genius when he actually sits down and writes. Go check out the dive, even shadows have shadows or pretty much any track of his.
He seems to think that the GrindTimeNow / King of the Dot model of a capella writtens has replaced freestyle battling. They're two different scenes, both alive and well.
Also Eminem as a new comer held his own against legends like Juice and Rhymfest. His style was a combination of already thought out punch lines and metaphors with some off the top rhymes
If you're a fan of Hip Hop & you know what "Rock The Bells" is & who puts it on... This should easily know the answer to that! (Guerilla Union is the answer, by the way.) This year is the 10 year Anniversary of "Rock the Bells" so it's gonna be EPIC!!! Anyway, the reason I left a comment in the first place was to let BIG fans of Eyedea know that he & Abilities played the first ever "Rock the Bells." They made a documentary of the first year
Hey at 2:10 there's a beat by a Kid Cudi song. Someone remember the name of that song? Wait nvm, it's from that one song with Asher Roth haha, I'ma post this if other people were wondering the same. :)
I like quite a few songs by Eminem, but I don't think I've ever heard a song by him quite like Eyedea's "Shadows Have Shadows". If you're just into technical ability, check out "Now".
yeah same here but i would like to see the 1994-1997 hungry eminem who was desperate for a deal go against eyedea it would be the battle of the century
A lot of off the top freestylers will have segue lines like that, gives them a chance to switch topics, connect stuff and yeah a little moment to think
Eyedea just missed Eminem @ scribble jam. EM did it in 97 and Eyedea came in 98. Most of his rap battle footage is from 98-2001. Would have been one of the best battles of all time if they met up
Flow, structure, lyrics, and versatility are all subjective. I'm talking about overall technical proficiency, no one holds a candle to Em (complex syllable rhymes, speed, wordplay, rhyme scheme, enunciation). However, I think Eyedea comes very close
That backup dancer line kills me every time. That might be one of the most impressive freestyles I've ever seen.
"I grab the mic a straight be a rap enhancer,
this cat wants to be my fucking back up dancer"
hahahahaha I just lost it
great list I still feel like the RK battle at blaze battle should be number one though. the way he was mocking eye with that little dance and he came with that backup dancer line in like 2 seconds was insane
What you said man saved me from typing my comment gaha
yo he KILLED homie with the red pants and that was obviously off the top
He came up with the bit about the backup dancer SO fast, I can't help but wonder whether it was prearranged. Not that there's any reason they would do that in a competition, but it was just THAT good.
+Dan Krol naw, he is just that good. I thought it must be staged too, but I think he is just that quick with it. Fastest thinking off the top I've ever heard.
+Dan Krol rk starts dancing just as Eyedea says: when I grap the mic... He had less than a sec to think of a word which fit in that line but also set himself up for the back up dancer punchline... And the word was enhancer.. Rhyme in peace Mikey! Return.If.Possible
The backup dancer line might be the best ever...
Lo U that's our hometown boy. Yeah, he was that good.
1:32 will forever be my favorite battle verse opening line. Sounded so smooth.
A legend gone too soon...You will never be forgotten and remember to SMILE....
R.EYE.P , one of the greatest battle rappers of all time and made some of the most beautiful introspective music hip hop has ever seen
Eyedea, I first saw you in Blaze Battle 00. Straight ridiculous, man. You were one of the best. Fuck man, it's 21 years later and I'm looking you up! RIP homie.
Eyedea was a good friend of mine and the the things he would say in a battle could make people cry...."I'll buy you a new outfit but I won't go to Target!!!" He was amazing....
I was there!! For a grip of these!
+CRASH DDZ I envy you
i felt defeated just from hearing any of eyedea's verses
R.I.P.
What a legend!
R.eye.p eye love you Mikey!!! Never forgotten.
Hey there!!! How are you???
What does he say against otherwise at the end? " I'll eat you, defeat you..........if I look straight I couldn't see you"
R.Eye.P
Mike was one of the greatest to ever do it; battle-rappin and MC'n...a unique specimen--cheers kid, RIP
DAAAMN!! And I had thought Eminem was the best. Doesn't even come close to this guy.
+DaBiSt5 Eydea was attempted to be signed by multiple famous records, but he said no.
+DaBiSt5 Eminem is actually the best in writing songs on life...but i admit it that eyedea got much more freestyle and rap battle skills! ;)
+Saurabh Singh i think slug is the better writer compared to eminem
Chuck Norris Dude not that good in spitting rap though
Saurabh Singh i guess
"this cat wants to be my fuckin backup dancer" HAHA
EM was good when he was in the battle circuit but could have been one of the greatest of all time in that category if he stayed longer. Like MC Juice
i always wanted an Eyedea vs Supernatural battle
One of the best freestylers who ever lived. How this video has 6 dislikes is beyond me. R.I.P. homie.
FACT: all 6 people who disliked this vid got their shit destroyed in a battle with eyedea.
it's used in the song Sage Francis - I'm Not A Hater ... i also know another oldschool song with this beat but i just can't remember its name
Brother Ali killed him on that battle though lol
Wuh? No ... he "won" the battle, but c'mon. Eyedea buried him with the first two lines.
Word.
Both were mad but Eyedea just clinched it
busa89 Eyedea obviously went easy on him. They we're both on the same label, so Eyedea was just having fun with his friend, or else he would have murdered him
It was pretty close to me
On #6 I noticed something. It's the same beat the Shady 2.0 cypher did at B.E.T...and Eyedea mentions Beastie Boys, just like Em does just over 10 years later, similar flow too. "You gon' need a priest, at least three swords/A license to ill from the Beastie Boys, three Ouija boards" coincidence?
i like his flow against otherwize......dope
...and 2 guys killed it!!! I'm not sure how long after he passed away but their set was crazy!!! You can rent or buy it on iTunes. It's definitely worth it to buy it...but that's just my humble opinion! I do know that the first RTB was the last time ODB ever played live with The WU TANG CLAN! A few months after the RTB Fest. he passed away! A Def. Must See!!!
^ and 1min is a pretty long time assuming you're making everything up in the moment while meeting the " 'diss them hard and make sure it rhymes (or sounds like it does)" stipulation
the entire scribble jam battle vs prime should be in here and the street battle vs mic T
this is that true battle shit!!!...all freestyles!!!R.I.P. Eydea!!
Song at 2:10 is 'hear them.'
glad I got to see eyedea before he passed
Wow. Why don't I hear of this genius
Awesome. Eyedea is king. One question though, what's the last beat he rips on? Shit was tight and I can't really place it in my head.
number 3 oh man. fave battle verse of all time
was that doseone sitting down to the right and behind eyedea in the last clip?
there's no audio on my end.
"your pants used to be white until your period spilled" - Eyedea is a genious R.I.P
Name of song at 5:00?
To everyone coming here from epiclloyd, as amazing of a freestyle artist eyedea is he shows his true genius when he actually sits down and writes. Go check out the dive, even shadows have shadows or pretty much any track of his.
R.eye.P greatest to ever touch the mic
what was the instrumental for #10? i love it
look up shady 2.0 instrumetal they're the same also do you know what's the first instrumental
R.I.P Eyedea
how does that make sense that that video is from 1999 and kid cudi was like 9 years old..
Brother Ali got served, I'm an Ali fan to. But Eyedea is just way to dope. R.I.P.
whats the line he starts saying at 2 16?! cant hear it.
"Tried by 12" by The East Flatbush Project
I just realized that he was 19-20 in these clips. Fucking prodigy. So it goes.
Whats the beat at 5:00? I hear it everywhere but can never find the name of it.
what is the instrumental for number 2?
that's how i felt hearing any dope rapper after eyedea "yo it's your turn but you got second place"
He seems to think that the GrindTimeNow / King of the Dot model of a capella writtens has replaced freestyle battling. They're two different scenes, both alive and well.
Also Eminem as a new comer held his own against legends like Juice and Rhymfest. His style was a combination of already thought out punch lines and metaphors with some off the top rhymes
does anyone know what samples were used in 7, 8, and 9?
why no sound
If you're a fan of Hip Hop & you know what "Rock The Bells" is & who puts it on... This should easily know the answer to that! (Guerilla Union is the answer, by the way.) This year is the 10 year Anniversary of "Rock the Bells" so it's gonna be EPIC!!! Anyway, the reason I left a comment in the first place was to let BIG fans of Eyedea know that he & Abilities played the first ever "Rock the Bells." They made a documentary of the first year
Rip Eyedea he was one of the best.
whats the instrumental for #5?
"You couldn't be the one if krs was your first name." Crazy shit.
Do you know that if it is rehearsed it can still be considered a freestyle right? As long as he wrote it as Lil Wayne does.
Straight legend.
What happens when I'm not thinking straight. When typing comments I normally don't type them how I speak. I think of points and put them in text form.
Hey at 2:10 there's a beat by a Kid Cudi song. Someone remember the name of that song? Wait nvm, it's from that one song with Asher Roth haha, I'ma post this if other people were wondering the same. :)
"...take ya ass back to L.AAAAAA..." shoulda been #1! i love that one!
i agree..like people sadly would boo at the brother ali vs.
"this guy wants to be my fuckin backup dancer" .... fuck
Great video man.Have you considered putting on some captions (when the crowd gets too loud).
I feel like his second round from his battle with Prime should be in here.
i don't either! shady 2.0 also uses it in their cypher so it has me pissed i don't know it
R.EYE.P a legend
What does he mean by rap enhancer lol
My favourite Eyedea battle
4:20 Legit ass freestyle. "This cat wants to be my back up dancer"
How did he die?
Pure Hip-hop at its finest!
5:38 the blonde hair guy had to see eyedea snap with his own eyes lol
Please tell me the name of that beat at
2:18 my boy Bryce hit it hard, he in tdc tho
I think the original beat is by The east flatbush project ft.Des - Tried by 12 but you can find better verses on that beat tho...
This dude lyrically dangerous
Number 4 is my fave, man you know he just thinks this shit up, no written shit.
I like quite a few songs by Eminem, but I don't think I've ever heard a song by him quite like Eyedea's "Shadows Have Shadows".
If you're just into technical ability, check out "Now".
Number 5 and up he just fucking over killed everyone... Eyedea is sick
yeah same here but i would like to see the 1994-1997 hungry eminem who was desperate for a deal go against eyedea it would be the battle of the century
This dude past away ? how
i would love to see a eyedea vs. benefit
anybody know the name of the beat at 2:30
fucking beast on the mic
I feel he uses "I grab the mic" to buy some time to think of something.
A lot of off the top freestylers will have segue lines like that, gives them a chance to switch topics, connect stuff and yeah a little moment to think
Eyedea just missed Eminem @ scribble jam. EM did it in 97 and Eyedea came in 98. Most of his rap battle footage is from 98-2001. Would have been one of the best battles of all time if they met up
beat at 1:17?
So basically what your saying is everybody uses writtens now.
This kat wants to be my fucken backup dancer!!!
I love him 😍
The East Flatbush Project "Tried By 12"
why compare eminem and eydea? is it cuz their names start with E? lol that was random
HAHA 4:20...RK hears "enhancer" and he knows he's fucked
#5 got ripped in half. damn
I couldn't have said this any better myself.
Flow, structure, lyrics, and versatility are all subjective. I'm talking about overall technical proficiency, no one holds a candle to Em (complex syllable rhymes, speed, wordplay, rhyme scheme, enunciation). However, I think Eyedea comes very close
yeah, NOW. SSLP and before that he was going off the top like a beast.