The art of the Cypher has delivered some fantastic moments in recent memories, from Kendrick taking subtle jabs at Drake:
…To the piss-poor performance of the 2014 XXL freshman class (I’m looking at you, Vic Mensa).
It’s only right that some true legends of the genre take to the stage and deliver a performance that reminds us why the cypher is a mainstay of hip-hop.
As part of the annual BET awards, hip-hop collectives young and old are given their chance to bring their A-game. Who better than to showcase the old school style and swagger of the genre than hip-hop supergroup Def Squad, consisting of none other than Redman, Erick Sermon, and Keith Murray, who picked up the mic as part of the 2015 BET Awards.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that these rappers were in the prime of their careers; these bars are straight fire, and are delivered with an animosity that captures the reason that the cypher exists in the first place; one beat, a multitude of different artists bringing their own unique flair and style to the same track.
The standards are set extremely high for the next batch of aspiring cypher combatants in 2016. The cream of the crop has spoken.
Rahzel, Doug E Fresh and more showed off their beatboxing skills too:
While Black Thought led the cast of Hamilton in a cypher like it ain’t NO thing:
Here’s the full list of BET Cyphers 2015:
Vince Staples
Black Thought
Casey Veggies
Charles Hamilton
Albe Back
Doug E. Fresh
Erick Sermon
Renee Elise Goldsberry
Daveed Diggs
Tripz
Joyner Lucas
Jackie Spade
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Keith Murray
Muggsy Malone
Nicole Paris
Rahzel
Redman
J-Doe
King Mez
Raury
Tink
Black Thought
Casey Veggies
Charles Hamilton
Albe Back
Doug E. Fresh
Erick Sermon
Renee Elise Goldsberry
Daveed Diggs
Tripz
Joyner Lucas
Jackie Spade
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Keith Murray
Muggsy Malone
Nicole Paris
Rahzel
Redman
J-Doe
King Mez
Raury
Tink