Hip Hop was built on a solid foundation of emceeing, breaking, DJing and graffiti art beginning in the 1970s. After eventually making its way from the Bronx to every corner of the Earth, it’s now considered the biggest genre in the world.
The culture was fully represented on Sunday night (October 17) when rap pioneers Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One stepped into the Verzuz arena at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, bringing together two of Hip Hop’s most celebrated MCs.
With DJ Scratch backing Kane on the 1s and 2s and Kid Capri rocking the turntables for KRS, the main event got underway at 8 p.m. ET. From the moment the battle began, it was clear KRS-One didn’t come to play. When host Fat Joe called Big Daddy Kane’s name, there was delay with his entrance and it was blamed on “technical difficulties.”
But KRS-One replied, “There ain’t no fucking technical difficulties — he’s hiding in the dressing room.” With that, Kane finally sauntered onto the stage wearing a white and red suit, slick fedora and all-red shoes and exploded into 1988s’ Long Live The Kane cut, “Just Rhymin” featuring the late Biz Markie.
KRS-One returned fire with the 1988 Boogie Down Productions cut “I’m Still No. 1” and it was officially on. As they blazed through songs such as Kane’s “Smooth Operator,” the Blastmaster’s “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know” and BDK’s “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy,” hundreds of comments poured in on the Verzuz Instagram page.
Diddy, Russell Simmons, Funk Flex, Tyrese, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Lord Finesse, Common, Pusha T, DJ Khaled, J.J. Fad, Teddy Riley, The Alchemist, D-Nice, Killer Mike, Run-DMC’s Rev Run, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Royce Da 5’9, Lil Kim, Doug E. Fresh and Cypress Hill’s B-Real were among the many who popped up in the comment section.
But in person, Big Daddy Kane’s fellow Juice Crew members Roxanne Shanté, Masta Ace and Craig G, Das EFX, Mad Lion, Buckshot, Kool DJ Red Alert, original Rock Steady Crew b-boy Crazy Legs, Smooth B, Greg Nice, Mad Lion, DJ Cutmaster Cool V and Channel Live peppered the performance, leading to a nostalgia that effortlessly wafted through the air and beyond.
At one point, Big Daddy Kane brought up The Bridge Wars, a rivalry between Boogie Down Productions and The Juice Crew that stemmed from a dispute over Hip Hop’s true birthplace.
The feud officially kicked off with Marley Marl and MC Shan’s track “The Bridge” in late 1985. BDP retaliated with “South Bronx” in 1986 with lines such as, “Party people in the place to be, KRS-One attacks/Ya got dropped off MCA [Records] cause the rhymes you wrote was wack.”
As pointed out by Genius in the comment section, Fly Ty once asked Big Daddy Kane to get involved in The Bridge Wars to help squash the beef. Kane reminded KRS-One of this fact with, “I stayed out of you and Shan’s shit, you welcome.”
Big Daddy Kane Explains What Makes KRS-One Verzuz So Important For Hip Hop Culture
But overall, it was all love between the two Hip Hop titans. They both praised each other numerous times throughout the evening and proved MCs in their 50s are more than capable of commanding a crowd just like they did in their 20s — in fact, they’re even better.
I will have to say, this is THEE most authentic versus battle ever. If you know the history, this will bring nostalgia all the way. This is epic here!!! I was 10 years old listening to this, but when I was 10 (‘86), I didn’t know how deep this was, being a young boy from Mississippi listening to this. Salute to them both!! I think on the real though, KRS-1 looked like this was his wheelhouse (battling), and Kane was in his element the entire time as well. This is a true win for hip hop (the real culture), which some just might not understand.
Got damn! big d kane slaughtered that dough boy! wish he did rest in peace …
Todas rappers SUCK!!!
So true they cant rhyme for shit. The producers and djs making these half ass rappers hits. 2010 and beyond it got ugly quick
Kane is so smooth! Dude always calm and collective. He is the only dude that can pull off that major color hat with a warm up suit with red sneaker shoes. Folks come on, Kane won this on appearance along.
A red and white suite. Probably came with 12 seats and a buffet.
Kane always wore suits idiots. These guys are in their 50’s. We’re hoje xpecting them to wear skinnies or sweats like your broke ass homeless mom?
Kane won that joint. Catalog wise, KRS has a few more bangers, but KRS was relying on the crowd to finish the lyrics to often. Kane was clear and concise with his rhymes and delivery whether fast or slow. KRS was battle ready, but Kane was ready for everything and more polished and prepared to give the people a show (both the TV, streaming, and the in-person audience).
BDK won that won, but really we all did. Love KRS-One though, I can recite soooo much of his shit.
KRS ONE Killed Kane. F*** the bozos below me are talking about? Lmfao The entire arena was singing KRS One’s verses word for word. Kane is my guy be he got bodied last night. Must be a bunch of Brooklyn bozos commenting! LoL
Grew up in boogie down back in the 1980s and criminal minded is still timeless album.saw Krs one live at orchard beach concert in Bronx this summer at 57 still got bars. I was there in Barclays Center witnessed the onslaught Krs one did to Kane. Victory for blastmaster
I lived in the midwest growin up in the 80’s and my neighbor had a cousin who would come over and introduced me to everything from kurtis blow, Breakin movie, rappin duke, kwame (later), the Roxanne Shante battle, but most importantly the shan kris battle. That shit was so dope to me it changed my life. Ima Kane guy through and through. Thanks for sharing that memory you unlocked a few of mine peace
You see people, it is this type of revisionist history that we do not need. I honestly don’t understand why people choose to cling to lies in the face of obvious truths.
KRS1 won that versus. Kane is a legend, definitely in my Top 10 but going into this everyone who knows a thing or two about Hip Hop knew it would mostly be damage limitation for him.
I mean, the crowd vibed to KRS1 songs. From first to last.
Salute to the Gods of hip hop but no need to deny what we all saw with our very own eyes.
U sound like the kinda guy id hang out with. I could discuss the legends all day bro.