HTF Grime Weekly: Grime Beef

Confrontation (aka ‘Beef’) has always been a big part of rap. The competitive nature of ‘repping’ where you’re from, as well as ‘sending’ or ‘calling out’ for other MCs leads to all sorts of confrontation. A prime example of this: the infamous feud between Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac. In UK grime, the same rules apply. Below are two parts to a ‘Grime Beef‘ video, the first of which depicts the conflict between Bashy and Ghetts (formerly Ghetto), and Bashy and Wiley, whilst the second is focused on Crazy Titch and Dizzee Rascal.  Above both parts are videos relating to the beef they’re discussing.

 After a battle is suggested by Crazy Titch at a video shoot, Bashy and Ghetts proceed to clash. As two of the most talented MCs at the time (the clash was filmed in 2006), the content and quality of the battle is absolute fire. Both sides are equally as destructive as the other, and with completely opposing styles, the battle (below) makes for a very entertaining watch. It comes to a point where Bashy slips in a couple bars claiming he’s heard Ghetts being made a bitch of in prison, which sparks the beef.

 

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Crazy Titch is notorious in grime for being a lairy character, and his conviction (which he’s still doing time for) has only added to that. Besides his aggressive nature, he is known as one of grime’s greats, a true originator who is not afraid to step up and clash any artist who says his name. There has been an ongoing conflict between Crazy Titch and UK rap giant Dizzee Rascal, two East London MCs with big reputations. A rivialry (possibly due to rapping ability) between the two in the early days of grime turned sour as Crazy Titch called Dizzee up on how he got famous and left the area he’s from (Bow, E3) on this mainstream route to stardom, without helping the growth of the grime scene in the his area. He labelled him ‘not real’/’not hood’, to which Dizzee retalliated to on Radio 1Xtra – further aggravating matters.

Above is original footage from a rap battle filmed at the top of a towerblock in East London, for the pirate radio station Deja Vu FM. The star-studded freestyle session is brought to a abrupt end when an imminent scrap between Crazy Titch and Dizzee Rascal causes everyone to flock outside in an attempt to settle things. It kicks off after Crazy Titch goes to hand the mic to Dizzee and turns away as he goes to grab it, in an attempt to ‘mug him off’. Dizzee reacts by pushing him and repeatedly states he’s not a ‘mook’, the grime term for ‘idiot’ or ‘fool’.

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