Joey Crack kicked off the battle with a classic. The 93 summer banger Flow Joe…old school boom bap and audacious rap. Ja-Rule’s answer? Murda. Fierce lyrics and bombastic in place of boom-bap classic. Round 1 to Ja but the energy is set.
Ja-Rule looking for the early knockout, bringing the energy with Can I Get a What What and the audience complies, whoo-whoo echoing through the Garden. Ja’s ability to sound exactly like the song is matched by so few rappers, namely the late great DMX. Not sure that Fat Joe can answer this one, and then the beat drops…its the remix to Who Shot Ya. Lyrical fury and it this points I’m just vibing because this! is! Hip-hop!!!
Ja finishes his second track the audience seems uninspired and Joey Crack shows stage presence by paying homage to Jeb Bush with a “y’all show some love to Ja Rule”. Crack round III without even spitting a verse…
Joe is putting on a show…
Ja has hits tho, Holla Holla and the crowd again is in on the chorus with Ja. Commercial hits versus Street Bangers is the theme.
Stagecraft is Joe’s ammunition and Crack goes to the classic MOP Ante Up and brings out Remy Ma! Remy Ma stays on stage and does the duet with Fat Joe rapping the late great Big Pun’s verse; two on one…its a 187 on Ja.
Ja Rule answers with another hit, Between Me and You, hit after hit.
Crack asks the question, Ja where have you been the last 15 years..and drop All the Way Up.
Joe does more stagecraft, discussing his incredible reach in the industry, name-checking the various artist he discovered, put on, or otherwise helped to succeed, Remy, DJ Khaled and Big Pun, I’m not a player drops, the audience does a call and response Boriqua Morena…
Joey crack makes the point to Ja Rule, “you’re playing your biggest song and the crowd not responding” Ja Rule answers with Lil Mo Put It On Me, and the crowd goes in on the chorus. Great response to Joe’s diatribe…this battle just got started.
Vita makes an appearance and her verses shred the mic like her six-pack…the young lady got bars and fitness for days.
Ja rule follows with a Bobby Brown song…I gotta admit I’ve never heard it..something about missing my thuggin..the crowd is silent but in all fairness, social media is eating this song up.
Joe responds with the anthem…All I Do Is Win Win Win and the silence ends, the crowd erupts.
Intermission
Waiting to be inspired but it appears the Versus battle ended and an R&B sing-off has began.
Ja Rule with an honest assessment, “that aint ringing Crack”. It isn’t the wheels fell off of this battle..Ashanti..R&B and stuff. LOL. I’ll let the R&B heads take it from here. Social media goes crazy when Nelly hugs Ashanti (did I mention Nelly showed up for the second half, I think I was yawning but he did his thing).
And with a Hail Mary at the end Jadakiss shows up and saves the show. Can we just have 2 more hours of Jada….
