“It Was Like a Shootout”: Mike Tyson Reminisces About Rap Battle Scene in Biggie and DMX’s Era

In the latest episode of Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, Tyson interacted with Rapper and Producer Swizz Beatz. Tyson talked to Swizz Beatz about the difference between rap battles now and then among other topics. Speaking of which, ‘Kid Dynamite’ alluded to the time of DMX and Biggie. According to Tyson, rap battles were equivalent to a shootout at the time of DMX and Biggie. In addition, ‘Kid Dynamite’ referred to one incident involving the rapper DMX who rapped with an injury. Despite the injury DMX “got the deal”.

While an artist could now battle on platforms such as Zoom and YouTube, back then they would actually “meet and start rapping and battling”. Reminiscing about that time, Tyson attempted a comparative study. According to ‘Iron’ Mike, artists nowadays miss the live interaction of the rap scene.

Mike Tyson recounts rap battles around the time of DMX and Biggie

“It was like we [would] meet and start rapping and battling. It was like a shootout,” declared Tyson on HotBoxin‘. In addition, he pitied the current modes and conditions of rap battling. “You could battle a guy on YouTube. You see how we do the calls that everybody’s doing? Zoom! You could battle somebody on Zoom now. Nobody could hit you or touch you,” added the former heavyweight champion of the world by saying. He reiterated that artists actually met in person to test one another’s skills stood out for Tyson on Hotboxin’.

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LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 26: Former boxer Mike Tyson attends the super welterweight boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor on August 26, 2017, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Contrary to old times, artists are nowadays battling each other on their computers or mobile screens. To take aid from co-host DJ Whoo Kid, one could now even “battle an emoji”. Tyson immediately recalled an incident involving DMX who once rapped with a broken jaw and yet got the deal. The former world champion looked at his co-host DJ Whoo Kid and said the following:

“Listen [to Whoo Kid], you remember ’cause you were around with Biggie and those guys. Leo Kong told me when he went to watch homeboy DMX rap, you know, he had a broken jaw. [And] he still got the deal!” Swizz Beatz was surprised by Tyson’s narratives. While Swizz Beats listened carefully, there was a sense of pride in Tyson who also imitated Matthew McConaughey’s iconic chant From ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’.

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