Native Tongues vs. The Juice Crew: The Greatest Rap Crew Competition
In recognition of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, BET Digital, in partnership with Ambrosia For Heads, is celebrating the culture by hosting a bracket-style competition that allows you to determine Hip-Hop’s greatest crew.
Rather than having “experts” tell you who is the greatest of all-time, this is your opportunity to collectively make that decision. After giving the opportunity to any and all fans to provide feedback on which crews should be included, 32 collectives from different regions, styles, and generations have been selected—all vying for that #1 spot. When the final battle is over and the last vote is cast, you will have determined who is your Greatest Rap Crew of All Time. The voting starts with eight crews from the East Coast, which were selected with your feedback.
One of the four East Coast battles is Native Tongues vs. The Juice Crew.
NATIVE TONGUES VS. THE JUICE CREW
Two of New York City’s most talented and colorful collectives are The Native Tongues and The Juice Crew. The two crews were fueled, in part, by a competitive rivalry between legendary NYC radio personalities. The Juice Crew were close associates of WBLS-FM radio mainstays Mr. Magic and Marley Marl. Magic and Marley’s rival at KISS-FM, DJ Red Alert, was a mentor to The Jungle Brothers, who helped ignite the Native Tongues.
Despite a radio rivalry, these two crews coexisted with respect. Biz Markie would collaborate and tour with De La Soul, while Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes would appear together on a Big Daddy Kane single. Both crews promoted Black pride, self-love, and excellence at one’s craft. However, after this exciting East Coast Region Round 1 matchup, only one legendary crew can remain.
Go to BET.com to vote on which of these crews you believe should advance to the next round, and to learn of the other East Coast crews that are battling in this round. You can also vote on Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #BETGreatestRapCrew and a hashtag with your favorite crew.