freestyle Archives

MCs Say They’re Freestyling…But They Ain’t Been Rhyming Like Common Sense (Audio)

Over the years, the definition of the term "freestyle" has blurred. The word initially referred to a rhyme, written or spontaneous, that was not about a particular topic but, instead, was "free of style." In the 90s, it came to mean a rhyme that was impromptu, or "off the top... Read more

January 14, 2016 Audio

In Y2K, DMX Freestyles Went Down Like Mike Tyson Victims. Here’s One. (Audio)

The barks, the growls, the yelling...DMX brought a totally different kind of anger to Rap music than peers like ONYX, M.O.P., or Tupac Shakur. The Ruff Ryders flagship MC was "rage in the cage," when he stepped in many studio booths. Tim Westwood was one DJ/Hip-Hop personality on the map... Read more

January 7, 2016 Throwback

Ever Hear When Ghostface Killah, Jeru The Damaja & Cappadonna Blazed Freestyles Together? (Audio)

Wu-Tang Clan and Gang Starr Foundation appeared to run in different circles in the late 1990s. While RZA and DJ Premier reportedly go back to the Prince Rakeem days, Gang Starr only worked with Inspectah Deck by Y2K (care of "Above The Clouds"). That does not mean, however, that two... Read more

January 2, 2016 Throwback

Pusha T Interviews With Sway & Spits A Verse For MCs Who Act Like They Don’t Know (Video)

Last Thursday (December 17), Pusha T was a guest on Sway In The Morning. There, just hours before King Push: Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, the Clipse co-founder got really deep about his 2015 headspace. Before leaving, and after 40 minutes of nuggets, Push' spit a freestyle that was very... Read more

December 21, 2015 Video

Pharoahe Monch’s Pharmacy Freestyle Shows Why He’s One Of Dr. Dre’s Favorite MCs (Audio)

Pharoahe Monch and Dr. Dre have never released music together. The Organized Konfusion MC and the N.W.A. producer nearly aligned when Monch was reportedly courted by Eminem and Shady Records, which would have placed the Rawkus hit-maker in the Shady-Aftermath-G-Unit umbrella. That did not happen. But like Dre, the Queens,... Read more

December 14, 2015 Audio

Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch & Last Emperor Freestyle In A Found 2001 Moment (Audio)

In 2001, things were taking off for Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch. As part of the Rawkus Records movement, these 1990s alums were paving the way for solo careers following extensive group success with the likes of Organized Konfusion, Black Star, and Reflection Eternal. Presumably doing the Hip Hop For... Read more

December 10, 2015 Throwback

Your Old Droog Is A Freestyle Fanatic, One Of The Best Around… (Video)

Less than two days after his crazy freestyle caught on VHS tape, Your Old Droog laces Statik Selektah's ShowOff Radio show. There, Y.O.D. gives the artist he's worked on albums with an animated freestyle over a vintage Busta Rhymes beat. Droog weaves in clever slang, commentary on wack industry events,... Read more

December 10, 2015 Video

Remy Ma & Papoose Kick A Rugged Freestyle Over Red & Meth’s “How High” (Video)

Remy Ma and Papoose are the latest addition to the cast of Love & Hip-Hop: New York. They stopped by Hot 97 in promotion of the series, and it would not be a Remy and Pap show without those bars. Peter Rosenberg selected the "How High" beat that Erick Sermon... Read more

December 9, 2015 Video

Your Old Droog Is A Throwback. It’s Only Right He Freestyles On Camcorder. (Video)

Your Old Droog is a brilliant time machine back to a place in Hip-Hop and New York City associated with the 1990s. The Brooklyn, New Yorker uses a slang, conjures images, and favors beats that very much align with a mid-1990s movement heard in Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and Gang Starr... Read more

December 7, 2015 Video

Chris Rivers & Whispers Brutalize The Beat In An Outta Control Freestyle (Video)

Chris Rivers will leave 2015 at an entirely different level than where he began the year. The Bronx, New York native has risen the old fashioned way, through songs, freestyles, and making the most of every moment. For Heads paying attention, the MC formerly known as Baby Pun brought the... Read more

December 6, 2015 Video

Raekwon Politics On Classic Breakbeats In This 1995 Tim Westwood Freestyle (Audio)

Tim Westwood keeps his newly-established tradition of weekly freestyles going strong. Just over one month after sharing his 1995 Method Man freestyle (that would later become elements of some compilation work), the London DJ moves over to another 20 year-old freestyle from Chef Raekwon. Here, Rae' hops on Marley Marl's... Read more

December 3, 2015 Audio, Throwback

AZ Gets Gets Outta Control In A New Freestyle (Audio)

In Hip-Hop, few artists can blend in any environment as well as AZ. The Brooklyn, New York MC has had radio singles of multiple varieties, numerous Top 40 albums, and success both as a major label flagship artist and independent ventures. As part of his ongoing series, DJ Absolut shares... Read more

December 2, 2015 Audio

King Los Is A Fugitive With The Flow On This P.E. #1 Freestyle (Audio)

King Los is one of this generation's most revered freestyle MCs. Joining the man who first gave him a major contract, Puff Daddy, the Baltimore, Maryland MC takes on the "P.E. 2000" instrumental. With Diddy talkin' slick on the intro, Los gets to work on the pepped-up Public Enemy basis... Read more

November 28, 2015 Audio

Nick Grant Kicks One of The Best Verses Of The Year…Excluding NOBODY (Video)

Ever heard of Nick Grant? He recently went on the Sway In The Morning show and delivered one of the best verses of the year, hands down, with no qualifications. The South Carolina MC earned a 35+ minute interview with the OG Hip-Hop personality, after he smashed a cypher, that... Read more

November 24, 2015 Video

Redman Breaks Down “Bars” From His BET Cypher Verse (Video)

Last month, Redman became a trending term after his 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher verse. The Newark, New Jersey veteran MC appeared alongside his Def Squad cohorts Erick Sermon and Keith Murray, where he spit a verse that had Heads replaying the video just to keep up. Related: So... Read more

November 23, 2015 Video

Def Diggin’ It. Redman & Lord Finesse Kick A Freestyle Together (Audio)

Following last month's BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher, so many people are talking about Redman's freestyle skills. Tech N9ne told AFH this past week that Reggie Noble "murdered everything" in regards to the Beanie Sigel instrumental track, alongside Def Squad comrades Erick Sermon and Keith Murray, as well as DJ... Read more

November 22, 2015 Audio

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s Vintage Freestyle Is An MC & DJ Hallmark (Audio)

Sometime in the late 1980s, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince hit the London, England studio of Tim Westwood. In the same city where they recorded extensively as a duo at the time. Unlike MCs or DJs appearing on Westwood's show, this tandem could improvise vocally, and musically—and please... Read more

November 19, 2015 Throwback

Method Man Ripped This 1995 Freestyle. Tim Westwood Considers It His Best Ever (Audio)

In 1995, Method Man was out marketing Tical. The Wu-Tang Clan MC had become one of the biggest new artists in Hip-Hop over the prior two years. However, the Staten Island, New York lyricist with the liquid flow was never so big that he was above dropping a freestyle. While... Read more

October 30, 2015 Throwback

Ever Hear This 1996 Nas & Cormega Cypher? (Audio)

Nas and Cormega have been linked for more than 20 years, ever since Nasir shouted out Mega on Illmatic's "One Love" in 1994. Although the two would go on to have a rift that was eventually resolved, their microphone alchemy was always undeniable. This was, perhaps, never more apparent than... Read more

October 24, 2015 Throwback

CyHi The Prynce’s Latest Jaw-Dropping Freestyle Mixes Punchlines & Substance (Video)

CyHi The Prynce is revered as one of the best freestyle MCs of the current class. The Atlanta, Georgia faction of G.O.O.D. Music swung through Sway's Universe in his hometown during A3C week. There, the MC who has previously been a star guest on Sway's platforms did it again. In... Read more

October 15, 2015 Video

The Best Overall Cypher Was Live & Shows Battle Rap Reigns Supreme (Video)

To many Hip-Hop Heads, names like T-Top, Rain, Charlie Clips, DNA, and K-Shine may not resonate. These are not artists with albums in stores or hit songs on social media. However, in the culture of Battle Rap, these are some of the most fiery MCs doing it. At last night's... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

So So Def…Redman Delivers One of The Best Cyphers in Years! (Video)

It has been almost five years since Redman released an album. However, that does not mean that the Funk Doc cannot steal the show on prime-time TV. Red' lit up the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards cyphers with a Def Squad appearance (flanked by his mentor Erick Sermon and longtime... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

Doug E. Fresh, Rahzel & Nicole Paris’ Beatbox Cypher Is Supernaturally Dope. (Video)

Based upon its recognition in the mainstream, beatboxing may seem passé. While Rap groups like the Fat Boys and Get Fresh Crew kept the booming sound effects closely in tow, the emergence of the Hip-Hop producer and improved technology have challenged the gifted breath control and malleable mouths of yesteryear.... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

Black Thought Pumps Cypher Adrenaline In This Dazzling Display (Video)

Black Thought and The Roots rock the spot on television five nights a week. However, that doesn't mean that they can't shut things down in one fell swoop. Tariq and Ahmir hit the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards with the kind of vocal precision that they made famous, when cyphers... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

This Pharcyde & Brand New Heavies 1992 Yo! MTV Raps Left The Mic With A Fat Lip (Video)

In November of 1992, The Pharcyde released their debut album, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. A would-be gold-certified album, the Delicious Vinyl Records effort brought the West Coast underground scene to the mainstream with accessible rhymes about unrequited love, puffin' indo', questionable race relations, and mom jokes. Without much mic... Read more

October 3, 2015 Throwback

Oddisee Shows Why He’s One of the Best Out Right Now With This Freestyle (Video)

Praised for his productions, Oddisee is nice with the gift of gab. While this year's The Good Fight standout may appear more about substance than style in places, the Diamond District keystone can easily flip to fast. Appearing in Tim Westwood's Cribs sessions, the Prince George County, Maryland multi-threat shows... Read more

September 16, 2015 Video

Jay Rock Refuses To Compromise. Even His Freestyles Are Hard-Body (Audio)

Throughout the weekend, many Hip-Hop Heads are making visits to the 90059 zip code, listening to Jay Rock's sophomore solo album. The breakthrough Top Dawg Entertainment artist for nearly a decade swings through L.A. Leakers. Not often recognized as much as onetime pupil Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul in the freestyle... Read more

September 13, 2015 Audio

Gang Starr Hit Yo! MTV Raps Amidst Their 1994 Mass Appeal, With A Freestyle (Video)

Throughout the history of Gang Starr, there were a host of important albums and movements. In the late 1990s, Guru and DJ Premier went gold (with a Top 10) in Moment Of Truth, gathering the award tour of a much-deserved greatest hits look follow-up, Full Clip. A decade prior, it... Read more

September 6, 2015 Throwback

J-Live Freestyles Heat While Scratching A Loop On The Turntables (Audio)

Throughout his 20-year career, J-Live has been a triple threat. The MC, DJ, and producer named his label (for a while in the 2000s, at least) after his vast gifts. In the live show, and at select times on albums, the Brooklyn, New Yorker stood behind the turntables and kicked... Read more

September 1, 2015 Audio

Warren G Freestyles Over K. Camp’s “Comfortable” And Has Fun With It (Video)

After an extended hiatus, Warren G has had a musical renaissance this Summer. Earlier this month, he released his Regulate...G Funk Era, Pt. II EP, which featured three songs with previously unreleased Nate Dogg vocals. As he makes the rounds in promotion of the EP, he stopped by DJ Booth... Read more

August 27, 2015 Video

Twista Chops Out A Nimble Freestyle With A Conscious Message (Audio)

Twista's catalog is deep. Although the Chicago, Illinois Hip-Hop pioneer is frequently thought of for his "Slow Jamz" and dazzling lyrical displays, the Speedknot Mobsta'-turned-GMG leader has also never shied from strong substance in his sprawling archives of music. Fresh off his tandem Withdrawal EP with Do Or Die, Twista... Read more

August 25, 2015 Audio

Andy Mineo Defeats the 5 Fingers of Death With a Biblical Freestyle (Video)

Andy Mineo returned to the Sway in the Morning show in promotion of his new album, Uncomfortable, which will be released on September 18. For many, Andy's profile grew exponentially, after his standout freestyle on Sway's RapFix Live in December of 2013. Mineo is a Reach Records artist and, like... Read more

August 21, 2015 Video

How Does AZ Rock a Down South Beat? Impeccably…(Audio)

It's been quite some time since AZ blessed fans with new material. Save for some loosies and guest verses here and there, the esteemed Brooklyn MC has not released an album since 2009's Legendary, and his rumored Doe or Die 2 has yet to surface. While there still may not... Read more

August 19, 2015 Audio

D12 Is Still Dirty, With Dozens & Dozens Of Punchlines In A New Freestyle (Video)

In early 2014, it was reported that D12 was back in the lab with Eminem for the first time in a decade. Later in the year, on Shady XV, the Dirty Dozen was back on "Bane," less Marshall Mathers (and Fuzz Scoota). Regardless of Em's involvement, and with the massive vacancy... Read more

August 19, 2015 Video

Styles P’s Energy Freestyle Comes To Living Color (Video)

Back in late March, Styles P was amidst a rampage of weekly freestyles, sometimes releasing in bursts. One of those snatched Drake's "Energy" instrumental (produced by Boi-1da), and waxed two minutes of warning shots against all suitors. In high Summer, S.P. The Ghost gets his rooftop on and his bucket-hat... Read more

August 18, 2015 Video

Ma$e Rallies For Hardcore NYC Hip-Hop On Tupac & Dr. Dre’s Track (Audio)

With reports lingering that the 1990s Puff Daddy & The Family/Bad Boy Records team may be reuniting for a tour following the BET Awards performance, Ma$e cracks the mic once more. The former multi-platinum, #1 album-maker aims to return to his roots with "When NY Was NY." A freestyle over... Read more

August 11, 2015 Audio

Chris Rivers & Sheek Louch Have Got It Made With Their Throwback Freestyles (Audio)

For the last several weeks, Chris Rivers and Sheek Louch have released rugged verses over throwback beats. Rivers has covered everyone from Black Moon to his father, Big Pun, and even tackled a LOX standout. Sheek has gone a bit more contemporary, with verses over Jay Rock, The Clipse and... Read more

August 7, 2015 Audio

Ever See This Big Pun & Terror Squad Cypher in the Back of a Limo? (Video)

Here's a look back at a behind the scenes moment with Big Pun, Prospect and Cuban Link from Terror Squad, and Charlie Hustle. In an experience that was much like a true to life segment from Wu-Tang Clan's Enter the Wu-Tang Clan: 36 Chambers, the crew was in the back... Read more

August 1, 2015 Throwback

Jay Z Blessed Stretch & Bobbito’s Show With 3 Different Freestyles In 1995 (Audio)

Earlier this week, AFH shared a 1996 three-hour radio show of DJ Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito The Barber's show (thanks to DJ Eclipse, who spun then and digitized it now). Big L was among the show's guests, bringing with him Ma$e, Bloodshed, and Killa Cam'ron (as Children Of The Corn).... Read more

July 18, 2015 Throwback

Chris Rivers Diagnoses Mind Playing Tricks On Me With A Vibrant Concept Flip (Audio)

The same week Scarface reveals that he's putting Geto Boys album-reunion plans on ice, Chris Rivers approaches his weekly throwback freestyle, veering to Rap-A-Lot Records' biggest hit. Taking "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," the early twenty-something New Yorker flips the concept of the chorus to make the song about mental... Read more

July 17, 2015 Audio

Sheek Louch Heads to Virginia to Borrow a Red Hot Clipse Beat (Audio)

This has been a busy summer for Sheek Louch. In late June, the Brooklyn native and member of the Lox released the debut single from Silverback Gorilla 2, a sequel to its 2008 predecessor. Featuring Billy Danze, Trae tha Truth, and Joell Ortiz, "Hood Nigga" is an anthem for neighborhood... Read more

July 16, 2015 Audio

R. Kelly Is Not Afraid of 5 Fingers Of Death. Catch The Kellz Freestyle (Video)

R. Kelly is often said to improvise many of his hits. Sitting at the keyboard, the 25-year veteran freestyles those very melodies and choruses that have changed the sound of R&B, and presumably created a few lives too. Somebody who is not often in the media, Kellz swung through today's... Read more

July 16, 2015 Video

Here’s a Look Back at the Amazing Talents of Biz Markie in 1988 (Video)

Biz Markie may be one of Hip-Hop's most underrated talents. Perhaps because he was a perennial jokester, people sometimes overlook his prodigious abilities as both an MC and a human beat box. However, with witty punchlines, far out sonics and a willingness to take on any subject matter, Biz stands... Read more

July 15, 2015 Throwback

Ever See This 1999 Cypher With 50 Cent, Consequence, Punchline & N.O.R.E.? (Video)

Here's a look back at a behind the scenes, true Hip-Hop moment between N.O.R.E., Consequence, Punchline and 50 Cent. The four MCs were gathered in 1999 and launched into an impromptu cypher over a Trackmasters instrumental. This was notably before 50 Cent's 2000 shooting and showcases his delivery without the... Read more

July 11, 2015 Throwback

Dave East & Nas Aren’t Just Running Together, They Overlap In Narratives… (Audio)

Dave East is one of the newer artists to join Nas' Mass Appeal Records family. The Spanish Harlem, New York MC may have serious buzz right now, but that clearly is not the only reason he's running with Nasir Jones. The "NY State Of Mind Freestyle (East Mix)" takes Dave's... Read more

July 11, 2015 Audio

Chris Rivers Gets Zapped With a Catfish on a Computer Love Remake (Audio)

Chris Rivers is known for blisteringly fast and aggressive raps, akin to those of his father, Big Pun. Like father, like son, when it comes to smoothing it out on the R&B tip, Rivers is also more than capable. On "Catfish Love," the MC formerly known as Baby Pun hops... Read more

July 3, 2015 Audio

Meek Mill Pops A Wheelie & Rides Through His 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle (Video)

Meek Mill may be an acquired taste to some. However, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania veteran brings an impassioned delivery without failure, no matter what the track's vibe is. That's what makes the Maybach Music Group MC's appearance on Sway In The Morning so interesting. Meek Millie takes 5 Fingers Of Death... Read more

July 2, 2015 Video

Vic Mensa Is Breaking New Ground. But He Can Still Crush Old Ice Cube Beats (Video)

Vic Mensa fronted a Rock & Roll band. Vic Mensa made hits with House music. But can Vic Mensa obliterate some '90s and 2000s G-Funk? Most definitely. The Save Money MC hits "The Cruz Show" to munch on some "Breakfast Bars," better described as classic Ice Cube instrumentals. The Chicago,... Read more

June 25, 2015 Video

King Los Rips What May Be the Best Freestyle of the Year…Off the Top (Video)

King Los has been responsible for some of the best freestyle moments of the last several years. Just as Supernatural, J.U.I.C.E., Eminem, Crooked I, and Canibus helped certify The Wake Up Show in the 1990s, the Baltimore, Maryland MC legitimized Sway's latest platform with off-the-top bars that drove clicks, interest,... Read more

June 24, 2015 Video

Chris Rivers Releases a Video For His Scorching Big Pun & LOX Freestyle (Video)

Chris Rivers' "You Ain't Recognized" is one of his 2015 standout moments. The freestyle combines Rivers' dad's "You Ain't A Killer" with The LOX's DJ Premier-produced "Recognize" for a vicious showcase of bars. In the song, Christopher manages to deftly blend style and substance, in what—for many Rap peers—is a... Read more

June 19, 2015 Video