10 Career Defining Rap Battles

K. Dot and Meek Mill can learn from these epic rivalries.

10 Career Defining Rap Battles - Before Kendrick Lamar and Meek Mill get into epic combat mode, we've got something they should look at. Its a little something that'll show them the pros and cons of lyrical warfare in hip hop. Given that this is the first high-profile confrontation for the two young stars we wanted to point out some past rap battles that had a profound impact on the careers of the combatants. Click on for a look at the make or break outcomes of some of the genres biggest rivalries.  (Photos: dpa /Landov; Ron Smits/London Ent/Splash News; Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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10 Career Defining Rap Battles - Before Kendrick Lamar and Meek Mill get into epic combat mode, we've got something they should look at. Its a little something that'll show them the pros and cons of lyrical warfare in hip hop. Given that this is the first high-profile confrontation for the two young stars we wanted to point out some past rap battles that had a profound impact on the careers of the combatants. Click on for a look at the make or break outcomes of some of the genres biggest rivalries.  (Photos: dpa /Landov; Ron Smits/London Ent/Splash News; Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

Ready For War - Every battle tested legend has to start somewhere, right. For LL Cool J he earned the respect of his peers and fans alike during his epic clash with Kool Moe Dee. This throw down started like most do, with an allegation of swagger jacking. Moe Dee, playing the accuser, went on the attack by dropping the classic single "How You Like Me Now." Little did he know the then teenage MC was ready for war. In the back and forth LL dropped some of hip hop greatest diss songs with "To Da Breakadawn" and "Jack the Ripper." He also gave us this classic line from his guest verse on EPMD's hit single "Rampage," "Here's your chance to advance get in your stance/I shot the holster off your cowboy pants." A lyrical shot at Moe Dee who dressed as a cowboy in his overly commercial single, "Wild Wild West."(Photos: Michael Buc...

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Ready For War - Every battle tested legend has to start somewhere, right. For LL Cool J he earned the respect of his peers and fans alike during his epic clash with Kool Moe Dee. This throw down started like most do, with an allegation of swagger jacking. Moe Dee, playing the accuser, went on the attack by dropping the classic single "How You Like Me Now." Little did he know the then teenage MC was ready for war. In the back and forth LL dropped some of hip hop greatest diss songs with "To Da Breakadawn" and "Jack the Ripper." He also gave us this classic line from his guest verse on EPMD's hit single "Rampage," "Here's your chance to advance get in your stance/I shot the holster off your cowboy pants." A lyrical shot at Moe Dee who dressed as a cowboy in his overly commercial single, "Wild Wild West."(Photos: Michael Buc...

LL Cool J and Canibus - LL Cool J and Canibus ended their near 20-year feud in December at the Barclays Center during Hot 97’s Christmas in Brooklyn concert. Uncle L took the offense, bringing Canibus out during his set and saying, “I had a lot of beefs in my life but sometimes we gotta be bigger than that, sometimes you got to take things to the next level, sometimes we gotta flip the script." He then hit the crowd with the 1997 posse cut “4,3,2,1.” (Photos from left: Peter Kramer/Getty Images, Hayley Madden/Redferns/Getty IMages)

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Canibus Ko's A Legend - What goes around comes around, some might say. By 1998 LL Cool J was a heavyweight when it came to rap battles, so it made sense that he would overlook a lightweight newcomer in Canibus. The lack of respect for his opponent proved costly for Uncle L. Most of us remember how this one started. LL made the questionable decision to remove a Canibus line ("let me borrow that mic on your arm") from the single "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" after he felt disrespected by the young MC. On top of emitting the line, Uncle L attacked the upstart spitta on the song. Hardly one to back down, Canibus, the underdog, made a name for himself when he unleashed "Second Round KO" a scathing diss record aimed at LL, which still stands as the greatest accomplishment in Can's career.  (Photos: Peter Kramer/Getty Images; Hayley Madden/Redferns/Getty Images)

Rick Ross, 50 Cent

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Rick Ross Pulls a Buster Douglas - Of all the rappers on his fight list, 50 Cent met his match in Rick Ross. Fif retaliated against "Officer Ricky" by ripping on his former corrections gig in a beef that allegedly started over a salty look at the BET Awards. Diss records were dropped, and 50 took a few shots at Rozay's home life, but "The Bawse" ended up prevailing over the rap giant. The drama helped promote his Deeper Than Rap release to a No. 1 debut. (Photos: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Beats by Dre; Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Murder Was the Case - Ok. Ja Rule vs. 50 Cent is the epitome of what this list is about. The epic tussle was way personal and it heavily impacted the careers of both parties. After coming at Ja at every opportunity he got, 50 was able to literally destroy and replace everything that Ja stood for. While Fif used his victory from this war to go on to greatness, Ja has yet to recover from the onslaught. (Photos: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Murder Was the Case - Ok. Ja Rule vs. 50 Cent is the epitome of what this list is about. The epic tussle was way personal and it heavily impacted the careers of both parties. After coming at Ja at every opportunity he got, 50 was able to literally destroy and replace everything that Ja stood for. While Fif used his victory from this war to go on to greatness, Ja has yet to recover from the onslaught. (Photos: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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The City Is Mine - Mad at Juice Crew member Magic for rejecting one of his demo tapes, Bronx MC KRS-One jumped at the chance to misinterpret Marley Marl and MC Shan's "The Bridge," flipping a story about the Crew's beginnings into a turf war. The battle escalated between KRS's Boogie Down Productions and other members of the Crew (like Roxanne Shanté) with "The Bridge Is Over." Although it was all eventually resolved, KRS's words turned out to be somewhat prophetic; Shan hasn't had as major of a hit since.(Photos: Larry Busacca/Getty Images; Gregorio Binuya/Getty Images)

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The City Is Mine - Mad at Juice Crew member Magic for rejecting one of his demo tapes, Bronx MC KRS-One jumped at the chance to misinterpret Marley Marl and MC Shan's "The Bridge," flipping a story about the Crew's beginnings into a turf war. The battle escalated between KRS's Boogie Down Productions and other members of the Crew (like Roxanne Shanté) with "The Bridge Is Over." Although it was all eventually resolved, KRS's words turned out to be somewhat prophetic; Shan hasn't had as major of a hit since.(Photos: Larry Busacca/Getty Images; Gregorio Binuya/Getty Images)

No Winners Here - Biggie and 'Pac's infamous East Coast/West Coast beef is the lone example of how a rift on wax can end fatally. Hip hop in the late '90s was ruled by the two MCs, both ironically from New York, despite waging a bi-costal war against each other. They traded verbal jabs on the likes of "Who Shot Ya?" and "Hit 'Em Up," but by 1997 the one-time-comrades-turned-lyrical-opponents were both six feet under. Their murders remain unsolved to this day, and stand as two of the most tragic examples of unhealthy showmanship. (Photos: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Chi Modu/diverseimages/Getty Images)

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No Winners Here - Biggie and 'Pac's infamous East Coast/West Coast beef is the lone example of how a rift on wax can end fatally. Hip hop in the late '90s was ruled by the two MCs, both ironically from New York, despite waging a bi-costal war against each other. They traded verbal jabs on the likes of "Who Shot Ya?" and "Hit 'Em Up," but by 1997 the one-time-comrades-turned-lyrical-opponents were both six feet under. Their murders remain unsolved to this day, and stand as two of the most tragic examples of unhealthy showmanship. (Photos: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Chi Modu/diverseimages/Getty Images)

Common Fights for H.E.R. - After the release of his ode to hip hop, "I Used to Love H.E.R.," Common found himself in a fight for his lyrical life. Westside Connection took offense to the way the Left was portrayed in Com's recounting of his relationship with the genre, and unleashed "Westside Slaughterhouse." Common rolled with the punches and tapped Pete Rock for a blow with "The B-tch in Yoo."(Photos: Paul Abell/PictureGroup; Lench Mob Records)

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Common Fights for H.E.R. - After the release of his ode to hip hop, "I Used to Love H.E.R.," Common found himself in a fight for his lyrical life. Westside Connection took offense to the way the Left was portrayed in Com's recounting of his relationship with the genre, and unleashed "Westside Slaughterhouse." Common rolled with the punches and tapped Pete Rock for a blow with "The B-tch in Yoo."(Photos: Paul Abell/PictureGroup; Lench Mob Records)

Ruthless Revenge - Like Cube, Dr. Dre eventually got into battle over paperwork with Eazy-E, and it led to the dissolution of N.W.A. By 1992, Dre left Ruthless, signed with Death Row Records and released "F--- wit Dre Day (And Eveybody Celebratin')" featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg and a video featuring the fictional character Sleazy-E. E hit back with "Real Muthaph--kin' G's," calling Dre a "she thang" and flashing a pic of Dre in makeup and sequined jumpsuit.(Photos: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images; Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Ruthless Revenge - Like Cube, Dr. Dre eventually got into battle over paperwork with Eazy-E, and it led to the dissolution of N.W.A. By 1992, Dre left Ruthless, signed with Death Row Records and released "F--- wit Dre Day (And Eveybody Celebratin')" featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg and a video featuring the fictional character Sleazy-E. E hit back with "Real Muthaph--kin' G's," calling Dre a "she thang" and flashing a pic of Dre in makeup and sequined jumpsuit.(Photos: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images; Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

Jay Z and Nas - Jay Z and Nas engaged in arguably the most storied beef in hip hop history, which made their make-up all the more notable. After years of disses on record and in the media, Hov and Esco eventually squashed their issues, with Nas even signing to Def Jam when Jay was president. The two eventually collaborated multiple times, including on "Black Republican" and "Success."(Photos from Left: Ethan Miller/Landov, Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Clash of the Titans - Brooklyn stepped to Queens in this bout of hip hop heavyweights lasting a good four years before it finally dissipated. The beef between Jigga  and Esco is among the most high profile conflicts in the game. In 2005 Jay and Nas called a truce, but respective diss tracks --  "Takeover" and "Ether" -- remain rap battle classics. (Photos: REUTERS/Ethan Miller; Scott Gries/Getty Images)