Rivalries in hip-hop never hurt anybody…right?
In 1983, Mr. Magic became host of the Rap Attack program on WBLS-FM. The Rap Attack was the first program on the radio that was dedicated strictly towards playing hip-hop music.
Nicki Minaj & Funkmaster Flex Go Pound For Pound Over Summer Jam Cancellation
Mr. Magic compared to no one. That was until Kool DJ Red Alert came on to the scene to work for WRKS-FM later that year.
Throughout the 80s, the two DJs participated in a rivalry to figure out who was the dominant force in New York radio. Though the rivalry was fierce things never got too heated.
DETAILS: Nicki Minaj Is NEVER Going Back To Summer Jam!
Years later, after Mr. Magic would die due to a heart attack, Kool DJ Red Alert would compare the rivalry to what “Larry Bird and Magic Johnson” had.
Well if that beef felt like that then this current situation between Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex, Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds and Power 105’s Breakfast Club crew — Charlamagne, DJ Envy and Angela Yee — feels like the Malice in the Palace brawl.
Here’s a quick recap: There has been tension between power 105 and Hot 97 for years now — most notably between 105’s DJ Clue and Hot 97’s Funk Flex — but things really have started to boil over the last couple of weeks.
It started with the whole Peter Rosenberg, Nicki Minaj debacle. After Rosenberg criticized Nicki’s song “Starships” and the rapper refused to close Hot 97’s Summer Jam concert, the Breakfast Club publicly took Nicki’s side in the situation, naming Hot 97 the Donkey of the Day and even having the rapper appear on their program.
Of course Flex found out about this and he did that thing he does where he’s mad and he yells and drops bombs.
Things are now at its ugliest point, with Flex calling out DJ Envy for getting robbed, for being the son of a police officer and for being a snitch. While DJ Envy shot back by bringing up Flex’s past domestic abuse issues and a situation where Flex got his truck firebombed.
So here’s the question to anybody that has been paying close attention: are you enjoying this?
Because I’m not.
The only thing worse than lame rap beef is lame-ass radio beef between radio DJs.
I have no problem with two forces competing for the top spot. I get it. I know the cliche: If you can’t make it in New York, you can’t make it anywhere.
What bothers me is the tone this whole conflict has taken. All the insults being slung around are so sharp, hateful and personal.
Everyone involved seems to be speaking in this tough guy, heavy-bass-in-their-voice talk, like they’re from the streets, when they’re not. For the most part, these are all educated guys, so I find it lame that they are calling each other out for being a “snitch” or for getting “robbed.”
At least when rappers play this tough guy role we get some quality music out of it. When the DJs do it, all that happens is the music gets interrupted.
Please, Flex, Charlamagne, Envy and everyone involved — kill all of this noise.
