Oh, snap! These are the 5 most savage beefs in rap history

Santiago Cembrano September 13, 2018

54 4 minutes read

The rappers Cardi B and Nicki Minaj had an altercation in New York. Here we present you other historical rap beefs

After screaming and trying to step over a safety circuit, Cardi B took off her shoe and threw it to Nicki Minaj. It was at the party of Harper's Bazaar, another event in which the rappers from New York shared a social space despite the rumors of the rivalry between them. Until then, it had only been gossip about envy and insecurities, nothing concrete.

Leer en español: Estas son las 5 peleas musicales más salvajes entre raperos

They themselves had tried to deny the gossip but at the Harper's Bazaar party the tension erupted. This incident could confirm that some lines of both could be directed to the other: "Lil 'bitch I heard these labels try to make another me / Everything you get little hoe is cause of me," Minaj said in No Flag.

While in No Limit, Cardi responded to the person who sent her hints that "You can pull up, you can get it".

Thus, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B are involved in a dispute known in the world of hip hop as 'beef', a dynamic in which bad blood between artists is expressed through diss bars in songs and that in lamentable cases has had fatal consequences. Here we review some of the most important beefs of this genre.

Notorious BIG vs 2Pac (1995)

Probably the most famous beef in history between two of the best rappers in history. At first they were friends. Then, when 2Pac was shot and his jewelry was stolen outside of Biggie's studio, they began to drift away. In the following months, Who Shot Ya from Notorious came out. 2Pac felt that it was a mockery and published Hit 'Em Up, claiming to have had sex with Biggie's wife, threatening him and calling him fat.

After he got out of jail for rape, 2Pac joined Death Row, a Californian label, which turned the dispute IGNORE INTO a regional issue: New York against Los Angeles, the East Coast against the West Coast. Both were killed in less than a year due to uncertain causes. Many say it was as a result of their overflowing rivalry.

In a song that was published days after his death, Biggie left a definition of what a beef was: What's beef.

Jay-Z vs Nas (2001)

Two titans of rap clashed at the beginning of this century. First everything was subliminal until Jay-Z, on Takeover, told Nas that he had never seen a real gun until he showed him one, and that if he had used his voice for a song it was because Nas did not knew how to use it, since most of his work was garbage. Finally, he declared himself the king of New York.

Nas responded brutally in Ether and told Jay that he was just his fan, that his identity as a drug dealer was false, that he was going to hit him and give him classes.

Although it seemed that the beef would have no end, it finally ended when Gloria Carter, the mother of Jay-Z, controlled his son after he insulted Nas' daughter on the radio. Jay-Z apologized and little by little they reconciled.

Pusha T vs Drake (2018)

In May of 2018, Drake and Pusha T were on opposite shores of rap. Drake, with worldwide recognition although not always with the respect of his peers; Pusha T, with the respect that the veteran gave him but with little commercial success beyond his niche. Pusha T had spent several years throwing subtle but sharp taunts at Drake and the group he used to work with, Cash Money.

Drake took the bait in Two Birds One Stone, casting doubt on the truth of Pusha's cocaine trafficking stories.

Pusha T responded on Infrared, from his album Daytona, mocking that Drake did not always write his lyrics, a cardinal sin in rap. 24 hours later, Drake published Duppy and rapped that Pusha's career was declining and that his GOOD Music label had succeeded thanks to what Drake had done.

Then came the knockout from Pusha with The Story of Adidon. From the outset, the cover of the song showed Drake with his face painted black, a racist tradition. Then, the lyrics analyzed him almost psychologically and told, between various family and private topics, that Drake had a child he was hiding. After this, Drake had nothing to say and on his record he admitted that he had a son.

Resident vs Tempo (2017)

In Latin America there have also been beefs, which are often called 'tiraeras'. In 2017, when Resident commented in a forum that contemporary music played on the radio was lazy and easy, many reggaeton musicians criticized him. But only one did it in a song: Tempo, one of the reggaeton pioneers in Puerto Rico, presented Calle Sin Salida and called Residente a hypocrite, threatening to slap him.

Less than 24 hours later, René responded with Mis Disculpas, which ended with Tempo to include changes in rhythm and infinity of lyrics in the song over eight minutes. He accused Tempo of not being real and only becoming the hit man, while flexing his lyrical muscles and exposing all his skill in the song. Almost unanimously the winner was the former member of Calle 13.

This showed that, although the reggaeton is usually light to be able to sound at parties, its artists usually have hidden an ability for verbal combats, to destroy an opponent almost for sport and to defend the honor. Whether in the United States or in our region, words do not kill, but they can humiliate you deeply. If not, ask all the losers of these battles.