![Best Diss Track Prior to Hip-Hop [Think Tank]](https://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/think-tank-rap-carousel.jpg)
Celebrity Judge
You’ve seen the nominations. Now, here to lend his authoritative verdict is none other than the King of Poor Judgment in Rap Feuds, Canibus!
Mr. Bus, which of these do you think is the best diss track?
Yo, you better give me the respect that I deserve or I’mma take it by force
Blast you with a 45 Colt, make you somersault
Shock you with a couple hundred thousand volt thunderbolts
Before you wanted a war, now you wanna talk
It’s about who strikes the hardest not who strikes first
That’s why I laugh when I hear that whack-ass verse
That shit was the worst rhyme I ever heard in my life
Cause the greatest rapper of all time died on March 9th
God bless his soul, rest in peace kid
It’s because of him now at least I know what beef is
It’s not what I would call this, see this is somet–
BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM
Whoa! Holy … you see that? Who’s that guy? That guy in the hoodie?
Damn … I didn’t see anything! I’m outta here!
Time to vote, Junior Overthinkers. Pick your favorite in the poll – or nominate your own in the Comments!
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What, no Lynyrd Skynyrd dissing Neil Young? Or was that one too obvious?
This isn’t pre-hip-hop, but Elliott Smith had a track dissing Trent Reznor. No lie.
@Stokes – In the note on that page you linked to, it says:
“Raimon’s and Truc’s sirventes (which suggest that the lady was clean enough, and that Bernat should have gone for it) are preserved as well, and they will be available on this site someday.”
I really want to find these on the site, but it’s really tricky to figure our where they are. Anyone speak medieval French?
@El Acordeonachi: I considered it, but it didn’t quite make the cut. Neil Young had a long and successful career even after that epic diss.
Love the picture of Arnaut on Wikipedia… He’s wearing a hoodie and making somewhat appropriate hand gestures.
Also, that Skynrd diss originated in Skynrd supporting segregation, and Neil Young opposing it. They kind of came out on the wrong side of that one. It actually kind of amazes me that “Sweet Home Alabama” can be listened to in polite company these days.
@bittersweet:It’s not that simple of a breakdown. “Sweet Home Alabama” is really more about defending the South against the stereotype that everyone’s a segregationist hillbillies. I listen to this song all the time, and I humbly consider myself to be polite company.
The story behind this song and Skynyrd’s relationship with Neil Young is actually quite complicated. This article is worth the read:
http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm
It’s not the greatest diss track in history, but Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence deserves mention. More than half of the tract can be paraphrased thus:
The King is a bitch.
He is a bitch.
He is a tyrant, a bitch, and a douchebag.
We tried to warn you.
He is a bitch.
And was followed up by with the 1776 equivalent of the modern drive-by: shooting redcoats from behind second-story windows.
Also, that Skynrd diss originated in Skynrd supporting segregation, and Neil Young opposing it. They kind of came out on the wrong side of that one. It actually kind of amazes me that “Sweet Home Alabama” can be listened to in polite company these days.
Mark’s link is an interesting one. I guess the line, “In Birmingham they love the governor,” seems like indirect support of George Wallace’s policies. But Skynyrd has claimed that the song was meant to be sort of ironic, pointing to the vocal part that goes “BOO BOO BOO” right after the governor line. I kind of think the song is ambiguous in its meaning – and maybe the band didn’t put too much thought into the lyrics.