YMCMB vs. No Limit Soldiers: 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 began with eight crews from the Dirty South, which were selected with your feedback. Now, that bracket is down to four.
YMCMB VS. NO LIMIT SOLDIERS
In the late 1990s, Hip-Hop fans nationwide began paying close attention to the New Orleans sound. The two biggest crews out of the city were the No Limit Soldiers and Cash Money. Both had stacked rosters of talent that captured the struggle and glory of the city, recorded to brooding beats that sometimes celebrated the region’s bounce music sound. From the very beginning, fans compared the two crews and measured their depth and talent. To complicate matters, Mystikal had dissed Cash Money before formally joining No Limit, prompting some real-life run-ins and responses from B.G. and others. There was cross-pollination between the crews, as well. Curren$y, a former member of the 504 Boyz, broke out as Lil Wayne’s protege at Young Money, while Mystikal eventually landed at YMCMB. As Weezy contemplated a life outside Cash Money, Master P publicly offered to work with his former crosstown rival-turned-collaborator. A quarter-century after those initial 1998 comparisons, this tournament has led fans to size up the No Limit Soldiers against the YMCM Billionaires once again—even as both entities contain superstars from far beyond New Orleans. P’s crew defeated Rap-A-Lot to advance, while YMCMB bested Grand Hustle to reach Round 2. Only one of these crews can move forth to Round 3.
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.