Metrolingua

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12.12.2006

Like swords

Bruce (who can speak Cantonese) sent me a link to this rapoff (freesyling battle) between two rappers. Definitely check it out--Jin (a Chinese-American guy who also speaks Cantonese) totally blows the other guy away. Impressive.

As I was watching it and reading about these types of battles, I was wondering why people do it. It seems dumb. But then I realized that it's really the lastest incarnation of an old activity: sword fights. They're just using words as weapons.

2 Comments:

At 1:33 AM, Blogger mrigmaiden said...

12 13 06

Yeah MJ:
That is a really poetic and practical way of looking at it. Well in my old neighborhood we used to call it "Battlin'", so your metaphor is totally consistent!!!

OH MY GOD! That clip was insane! That Chinese guy straight up clowned that other guy! My goodness! I really like the way hip hop has permeated all boundaries. Jin kicks ass!

 
At 9:47 PM, Anonymous mj said...

Yes--he does--I'm tempted to get his cd!

 

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