Head-to-Head Musical Conflict

Competition has always been central to hip hop culture's four primary elements of rapping, dancing, DJing, and graffiti writing. This thesis focuses on the competitive practices associated with hip hop's musical elements: rap, dance, and DJ battles. In a battle, two opponents face-off directly and take turns attacking one another while presenting their own skills. I break down how these battles are conducted in each different type of performance, what is valued in those battles, and what is discouraged. In order to understand these battles, I look at how they were conducted in three distinct organized competitions which include the World Series of Hip Hop rap battles, the All Targets Leveled b-boy/b-girl competition, and the Battle for World Supremacy event in the Disco Mix Club's World DJ Championships. Looking at these three events also allows me to explain the role of organized competitions in hip hop culture. Besides promoting and preserving these sometimes marginalized modes of performance, musical competitions also encourage performers to develop their skills while giving them opportunities to build their reputations and achieve financial success.