A Recap Of Who Won In Round 1 Of The Greatest Rap Crew Of All-Time 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 Greatest Rap Crew of All Time launched with 32 collectives. After an exciting Round 1, the competition is down to 16 crews.
The East Coast Battles
The East Coast bracket kicked off the tournament. Wu-Tang defeated Dreamville, while the Juice Crew won against the Native Tongues. In both of these cases, the senior crew prevailed. With collaborative histories and reports that Wu lyricist GZA was once offered a spot in the Juice Crew, there is context to this Round 2 matchup. The other Round 2 East Coast bout is G-Unit versus the Ruff Ryders. During Round 1, the Double-R crew beat the Bad Boy Family, removing Biggie Smalls, Diddy, Ma$e, and others from the tournament. Similarly, G-Unit knocked Roc-A-Fella out of the bracket. While 50 Cent and JAY-Z had a real-life rivalry during the 2000s (amid collaborations), this outcome removes Jay, Kanye West, Dipset, and State Property from the tournament after the first round. The East Coast winners and losers are a testament to stiff competition.
The Midwest Battles
That excitement existed in the Midwest too. The Memphis matchup of Hypnotize Minds and Yo Gotti’s CMG landed with Three 6 Mafia’s crew advancing. The Soulquarians bested Griselda. Soulquarians and Hypnotize, two collectives featuring Oscar gold on both sides, now face off. G.O.O.D. Music defeated St. Lunatics while Shady took out Bone Thugs in one of the tightest margins of any Round 1 matchup. Now, Kanye West’s crew squares up against Eminem’s squad amid a history of collaborations, especially surrounding Big Sean, Em, and Royce 5’9”.
The West Coast Battles
In the West, two eras of Dr. Dre will clash in Round 2. N.W.A. & The Posse triumphed over Soul Assassins as the Death Row Family defeated the Hieroglyphics crew. Following Dre’s exit from N.W.A. and Ruthless, these two crews had a high-profile beef during the early 1990s, before artists from both sides began working and doing business together years later. The other West Coast matchup finds E-40’s Sick Wid It crew facing off against TDE. 40 Water was the victor against fellow Bay Area pioneer Too Short and the Dangerous Crew, while TDE were the top dawgs against their Odd Future homies.
The Dirty South Battles
The last Round 1 outcomes were in the Dirty South. The Dungeon Family was victorious against Maybach Music Group in another tight race in the first round. Now, DF takes on fellow Atlanta crew So So Def, who moved past Quality Control. In both of these outcomes, the veteran crews prevailed. No Limit soldiered on against Rap-A-Lot. In one of the most anticipated Round 2 matchups, Master P’s squad meets YMCMB—a symbolic competition for longtime New Orleans rivals. The Young Money Cash Money Billionaires defeated Grand Hustle to advance.
Round 2 promises more excitement, engagement, and energetic debate across social media.
In this celebration of Hip-Hop and all of its talented crews, your vote decides the winner, so go vote now for your all-time favorite.
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 Midwest 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.