Stephen McNulty posted on August 18, 2007 05:05
For those of you 'down with the kids', this will be old news. 50 Cent and Kanye West are releasing their new albums (Curtis and Graduation respectively) on on the same day in the US - September 11th. A rather entertaining war of words has now escalated to the following sensible conclusion: they'll be debating who has the best album live on television. As you do.
Fiddy's somewhat baffling response to West's TV debate request closed with "Just don't be asking me if I am a conscious rapper. I know exactly what I am saying - so I am conscious". I read this imagining Fiddy in baby oil placing his finger on his chin and pursing his lips a la Dr Evil.
Kanye's somewhat more reasonable reply ("What am I going to debate about?") has led to even more drama! Fiddy has declared that he will never make another 50 Cent album should West outsell him. This is an empty threat as Cent is regularly amongst the highest selling artists in the world. Still, we can but hope.
At least this level of juvenile engagement probably won't result in multiple gun-related rapper casualties.
Still, this is all rather reminiscent of other music battles. I thought I'd start a list of my own personal favourites, NOT in the order of their cultural significance of course!
- The Stones vs The Beatles
Still a healthy debate a full 35 years plus since the bands were at their peak, this argument will probably never be definitely settled. For me, Beggar's Banquet to Goat Heads Soup wins the day.
- Oasis 'Roll With It' vs Blur 'Country House'
Conventional wisdom ran that Blur won the battle (Country House debuted at no 1, beating Roll With It to top spot) but that Oasis won the war. Morning Glory went on the sell squillions and the Gallagher brothers became OK and Hello fodder. But... Blur scored bigger hits in the US (Song 2?) and have arguably released better and more challenging albums than their Mancunian foes. For me, Blur by a street.
- One True Voice vs Girls Aloud
Heh! 2 "bands" created on 2002's Popstars - The Rivals. One managed by Pete Waterhouse, the other by Louis Walsh. "Sound of the Underground" announced the arrival of a sassy young group that wiped the floor with their male rivals. One True Voice fell apart after just two singles and Pete Waterman has never been heard of since. Yey!
- The Music Industry vs Downloaders
Still raging. And dealt with elsewhere on the CLUAS blogs.
- The Dark Wars - Norwegian Death Metal vs Finnish Black Metal 1992 - 1994
It's not just the rap genre where musical conflict has escalated to murder. Varg Vicenne of Barzum stabbed Øystein Aarseth of Mayhem 23 times and is currently serving a 21 year jail sentence for his trouble.
- The Killers vs The Bravery
The Killers currently ahead on points in the Lightweight Dead-eyed Careerist Championship of the World.
Any others I've missed?
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