Skepta excels when he embraces the unconventional and challenges the status quo. This is evidenced by his discography, collaborations, and live performances.
It comes as no surprise that Skepta commanded the Other Stage at Glastonbury with just four hours' notice. This is his forte; it’s the kind of moment he has trained for throughout his life. Additionally, it shouldn’t be unexpected that Skepta has called out the US rap scene to settle the ongoing debate about US versus UK rappers.
Recently, following a Twitter exchange, Skepta expressed his desire to clash with an American rapper to resolve “the UK/US rap debate.” He tweeted, “I think me vs Rocky would be a (2 x fire emoji) clash. No violence, just bars, punchlines and counteractions.”
His spontaneous announcements quickly gained traction online, including his assertion that “the average American rapper doesn’t even listen to UK rappers, but we’ve been listening to them for years, which is exactly why the UK can’t lose.”
Doubts about Skepta's claims surfaced immediately. DJ Akademiks stated in a post that “Kendrick will dun all you UK n***** combined.” Grime pioneer Wiley also chimed in, questioning why the discussion was centered on UK versus USA, stating it was irrelevant to their actual purpose. He further remarked that given hip-hop’s 50-year history, there are American street rappers, some even struggling with addiction, who surpass certain UK rappers. Meanwhile, the comment sections on related posts became very active.
Eighteen months and four rounds later, the Kendrick vs. Drake battle stands as the most significant lyrical confrontation we have ever witnessed. Politicians, sports stars, and rappers have been collateral in the feud. Ye attempted to involve himself, while J. Cole joined in but quickly withdrew and deleted his involvement. Fans remain deeply divided, loyally supporting their respective rap icons. One could argue this rivalry has been brewing for 12 years since Kendrick released his ‘Control’ verse, and it seems their battle is far from over.
However, it is improbable we will witness anything like the Kendrick and Drake feud for a considerable time. Prominent US rappers are protective of their brands, and most are reluctant to engage in rivalries. The number of new artists who can match the caliber of Kendrick and J. Cole is slim.
Sadly, this generation has lost three major rappers: XXXtentacion, Juice Wrld, and Pop Smoke—remarkably talented artists who were shaping the genre and influencing future artists during their lifetimes. Their absence has left a significant void in their respective scenes.
Before the showdown between Kendrick and Drake, the most notable rap battle was between Jay-Z and Nas. Prior to that, we can trace the history of rap battles back to the 90s and 80s, the foundational years of hip-hop.
It seems many have misinterpreted Skepta’s intentions as they conflate a clash with a rap battle. While they share similarities, they are indeed different confrontations. Recently, Skepta stated on Twitter, “Clashing/battling as we know it today originates from dancehall culture, where people tell each other to suck their mother’s and nobody gets hurt.” He further elaborated that a potential clash with A$AP Rocky would not be personal, saying, “It’s not beef, Rocky is my family. Rap is a sport, similar to how we have dissing matches on the block, we can do it on record.”
Emerging rapper JayaHadADream describes a rap battle as “a true competition between MCs who craft diss tracks or freestyle, specifically targeting one another,” as witnessed recently between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
Joyner Lucas was the first US rapper to take up Skepta’s challenge, declaring in a post, “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for…” Skepta responded in an Instagram story by referring to him as ‘Jonah’ and stating he would only give ‘Jonah’ two bars before allowing one of his young Gs to “rub him off.” This could be interpreted as a diplomatic approach to initiating a competitive clash, or seen as a disrespectful affront. Regardless, any notable rapper who claims to have been “waiting for this moment” should respond with bars to clarify the situation. Instead, Joyner Lucas replied with a now-deleted tweet, mentioning that his UK manager advised him against responding, claiming Skepta “was not built for it.”
This response is disappointing. It contradicts the cultural roots of hip-hop and the spirit of clashing. Joyner Lucas is a formidable rapper, but to concede that his UK manager swayed him away from a potential clash that could expand his audience and enhance his credibility is unfortunate. The suggestion that a UK manager would counsel his US rapper client that Skepta is “not built for it” is absurd. This back-and-forth post-and-delete exchange exemplifies precisely what
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Skepta succeeds when he embraces the unconventional and challenges the norm. His body of work, partnerships, and live performances reflect this. There should be no