Often when it comes to Rap music, most people are familiar with what they normally hear on the radio. Tracks recorded and processed in a studio, done again and again until it becomes presentable. However there is a less known underground hip hop culture, freestyle rap battles.

Freestyle rap are rap performances with improvised rap lyrics with few or no previously composed lyrics. Of the top of one’s head, rap composition done on the spot.

Freestyle rap battles on the other hand, is a contest in which two or more rappers compete or battles each other using improvised lyrics. Their goal is to ‘diss’ their opponent through cleverly crafted lyrics. In other words, whoever is more creative in insulting their opponent wins. It’s like jousting with poetry.

Freestyle rap battles can take place anywhere, on the streets or on a stage. It is preferable to have live audience during the battles. Each rappers must use their skills to ‘break down’ his or her opponent, while at the same time entertain the audience, proving to them that they are the better rapper.

Although you may have appointed judges for a more formal contest, but I do think that live audience are better. The victor is the one with the best audience response.

You might have seen the scene from Eminem’s movie 8 Mile. Check out this awesome YouTube video of rapper Jin battling Verse.

Part 1: Verse starts out first, throwing weak lyrics at Jin, testing him maybe. Then again Jin starts hitting it hard.

Part 2: Verse starts to fight back, and things starts to heat up between Jin and Verse.

Part 3: Clearly Jin took this one home. Verse was good but Jin is actually funny in his lyrics.

You might also want to check this freestyle rap battles between Tom Green and Xzibit. Tom owns Xzibit in this one.