The Rap Game - General Discussion

[luckyroll3]

6 minutes ago, cherbitrary said:

I do like all these kids and managers though. Ricci has really grown on me. And I like seeing the managers help and support the other kids. They all seem like nice, caring people.

I agree.  This is the first time I've liked all the adults in the house.  And I don't find any of the kids obnoxious.  I also think we've seen the most growth professionally with the kids from this group.  Other groups definitely had more polished performers/rappers, but none of the weaker kids on any of the other seasons showed as much growth in the same amount of time.  

[luckyroll3]

I was finally able to watch the finale!

The first 3 final perfomances were great.  Bri was fire, Street Bud had a super high energy performance that the crowd loved, and Jordan had a killer hook that I was singing for 2 whole days ("I'm so so fresh, I'm so so fly, I'm So So Def. Yes.")  I did not like Ricci's song or performance, and I was suprised at how much I also didn't enjoy Rapunzel's.  All 5 of them did a great job though.

I thought for sure it would come to down to Bri and Street Bud, with a Street Bud win.  So I was suprised Rapunzel was in the top 2, even though based on the first few episodes, I thought she would be the winner.  

For a season and group that started out pretty lackluster, I really enjoyed this season.  And thank god for a group of adults who know how to act like adults, but also have still have fun.  

Edited March 5, 2018 by luckyroll3

[topanga]

On 2/28/2018 at 6:12 PM, luckyroll3 said:

I was finally able to watch the finale!

The first 3 final perfomances were great.  Bri was fire, Street Bud had a super high energy performance that the crowd loved, and Jordan had a killer hook that I was singing for 2 whole days ("I'm so so fresh, I'm so so fly, I'm So So De. Yes.")  I did not like Ricci's song or performance, and I was suprised at how much I also didn't enjoy Rapunzel's.  All 5 of them did a great job though.

I thought for sure it would come to down to Bri and Street Bud, with a Street Bud win.  So I was suprised Rapunzel was in the top 2, even though based on the first few episodes, I thought she would be the winner.  

For a season and group that started out pretty lackluster, I really enjoyed this season.  And thank god for a group of adults who know how to act like adults, but also have still have fun.  

I was surprised that Street Bud won, but my kids weren't. They agreed with me that his lyrics aren't the greatest, but they liked his live performance the best, and they said he has that Superstar 'It' factor that the other kids lacked.  I liked all of the kids, and I wish Street Bud the best. 

[holly4755]

street bud was a surprise only because he seemed so young, his mother showed how important management is, she was definitely the best manager.  and she tried to help the others. 

[luckyroll3]

On 3/3/2018 at 2:44 PM, holly4755 said:

street bud was a surprise only because he seemed so young, his mother showed how important management is, she was definitely the best manager.  and she tried to help the others. 

She really was the best manager, followed by Bri's manager.  It would be great for JD to take some of the great managers from all the seasons and give them brand new, up and coming talent to try to break out.  Like Nova's cousin, Iggy's (can't remember her actual name, lol!) sister, Lil Nico's mom, Lil Key's mom, etc.

[topanga]

It's back! I knew the new season was coming up soon but didn't know exactly when. So seeing this show on my DVR last night was a pleasant surprise. 

I like some of the changes: the new house and the more intense challenges, for example. I didn't like that one of the kids had to be eliminated right away. The one who was sent home had a fashionable and memorable look, but he seemed very shy. And I wasn't convinced he wanted to be there in the first place. His parents are record executives? Producers? They have a record label, anyway. So why was the kid on the show other than for publicity? 

Sire definitely has the charisma and the writing talent to be a rapper. But he and his mom are annoying as f*** Worse than Miss Mullatto's dad. Sure, he's made the top of the hit list twice. Which is great, don't get me wrong. But as Will.I.Am said, one of the surest ways to fail in the music industry is to believe you don't have anything to learn. And Sire certainly has a lot to learn.

Oh, and the other thing: why is his mom putting so much pressure on him to save his family from a life of poverty? No one chooses to be poor, of course. But she keeps going on and on about having 8 kids living in a trailer. Is there no birth control in Michigan? And Sire isn't forcing you and your man to have sex!  I really felt for Sire when Brandi was going into her rant about him "saving the family." His young face looked so sad and stressed. That's a lot of pressure for a 14 year old--who's trying to break into a heavily saturated market. 

I like the kids so far but don't have a strong favorite. Eli -- sorry, but he's going to be "the white boy" all season -- seems nice, and he's pretty talented. I didn't think I'd like Taeylor, but she's groing on me. I like Nya, and I wish Amayah would get over her nervousness. Question: why does everyone except Sire feel the need to rap super fast?? It makes it hard to understand the vocals, and the kids don't have enough stamina or voice control to pull it off. I wish JD or one of the other producers would tell these kids that. 

[luckyroll3]

2 hours ago, topanga said:

It's back! I knew the new season was coming up soon but didn't know exactly when. So seeing this show on my DVR last night was a pleasant surprise. 

I like some of the changes: the new house and the more intense challenges, for example. I didn't like that one of the kids had to be eliminated right away. The one who was sent home had a fashionable and memorable look, but he seemed very shy. And I wasn't convinced he wanted to be there in the first place. His parents are record executives? Producers? They have a record label, anyway. So why was the kid on the show other than for publicity? 

Sire definitely has the charisma and the writing talent to be a rapper. But he and his mom are annoying as f*** Worse than Miss Mullatto's dad. Sure, he's made the top of the hit list twice. Which is great, don't get me wrong. But as Will.I.Am said, one of the surest ways to fail in the music industry is to believe you don't have anything to learn. And Sire certainly has a lot to learn.

Oh, and the other thing: why is his mom putting so much pressure on him to save his family from a life of poverty? No one chooses to be poor, of course. But she keeps going on and on about having 8 kids living in a trailer. Is there no birth control in Michigan? And Sire isn't forcing you and your man to have sex!  I really felt for Sire when Brandi was going into her rant about him "saving the family." His young face looked so sad and stressed. That's a lot of pressure for a 14 year old--who's trying to break into a heavily saturated market. 

I like the kids so far but don't have a strong favorite. Eli -- sorry, but he's going to be "the white boy" all season -- seems nice, and he's pretty talented. I didn't think I'd like Taeylor, but she's groing on me. I like Nya, and I wish Amayah would get over her nervousness. Question: why does everyone except Sire feel the need to rap super fast?? It makes it hard to understand the vocals, and the kids don't have enough stamina or voice control to pull it off. I wish JD or one of the other producers would tell these kids that. 

I did not know this was back.  Guess I know what I'll be doing when I get home from work today.  

[timeywimey]

14 hours ago, topanga said:

 Question: why does everyone except Sire feel the need to rap super fast?? It makes it hard to understand the vocals, and the kids don't have enough stamina or voice control to pull it off. I wish JD or one of the other producers would tell these kids that. 

That is why I watch everything with closed captioning on. I'd never know what most of their bars are about otherwise!

[After7Only]

Liked that the kids are all a little older this year.  They also all appear to write their own rhymes.   I like the battle raps in concept, But I don’t like that they are encouraged to be vicious towards each other.  There does not appear to be a bar too low.  

[luckyroll3]

Sire definitely did not deserve the first spot in the premier episode.  His performance was awful and his battle rap was meh.  

The mom of the girl who placed 5th was doing the most yelling and screaming throughout the house.  Why didn't she have the same energy when JD was there?

[Lyinfait]

Quote

luckyroll3 YEST. 04:47 PM

Sire definitely did not deserve the first spot in the premier episode.  His performance was awful and his battle rap was meh.  

The mom of the girl who placed 5th was doing the most yelling and screaming throughout the house.  Why didn't she have the same energy when JD was there?

On 3/6/2017 at 8:47 AM, sunsheyen said:

I will say that this season, I am so pleased with the way the adults are getting along and they way they all seem to encourage the kids. I was sick of the pettiness of the last two seasons and the managers being more childish than the kids. Intimidation, arguing, sabotage...that was disgusting and stupid and would make any real professional watching them have second thoughts about signing their little amateur artists...none of them are superstars enough to put up with that bs. 

I was enjoying the start of this season, then the end happened. A few of the adults were embarrassing and more poorly behaved than their kids. 

 

I agree luckyroll3, Sire didn't deserve top call out, not sure how that worked out. It's soon to say because no one stood out above the others for me yet. Those I hoped would impress were just ok. I do think this group has some talent so I can't wait to see some of them grow into it. 

An earlier post mentioned the mom who put everything on her son's shoulders. I didn't realize there was a second episode. Wow yes that is far too much responsibility to place on a child. She can feel validated all she wants, that is not fair to him. These parents keep doing it too. She isn't the first and certainly won't be the last. The turnt up snatching her own weave mom talked about getting her car repossessed for this. I just don't understand how that happens. 

Edited January 15, 2019 by Lyinfait
Left out some things

[topanga]

On 1/13/2019 at 9:39 PM, Lyinfait said:

An earlier post mentioned the mom who put everything on her son's shoulders. I didn't realize there was a second episode. Wow yes that is far too much responsibility to place on a child. She can feel validated all she wants, that is not fair to him. These parents keep doing it too. She isn't the first and certainly won't be the last. The turnt up snatching her own weave mom talked about getting her car repossessed for this. I just don't understand how that happens. 

That’s right. In other seasons, parents have reminded the kids that they quit their jobs to manage their careers, so the child’s success would determine the family’s success. Not fair at all m

[Lyinfait]

It's not fair at all. These kids are not responsible for their parents and their decisions. Seems like the start of a lifelong dysfunctional relationship: "we gave up everything for you! You owe us!" Maybe extreme but that's where my mind goes. 

[sleepyjean]

Yeah, I didn't like that at all. People who achieve the most success are driven from within, not by their mama nagging them.

 

When you have eight kids, you live in poverty, and you've decided it's not your responsibility, but rather your 14 year old's to remedy the situation, you need to examine your life choices. I hear Brandi going on and on about what Sire is going to do for the family, but I don't hear any of that coming out of Sire's mouth. When he can get a word in edgewise, he's talking about how amazing he is, not about being the breadwinner for a family of ten.

 

It's unlikely that Sire will reach the heights he aspires to. And even if he did, his money won't go far with ten people to feed, clothe, and shelter. But whether he makes it or not, I predict he will get the hell out of that house. I think he will rebel. Brandi will find herself with one son who avoids her, and seven other kids who resent her for prioritizing Sire's dreams over everyone else's basic needs. This isn't going to turn out the way she wants it to.

 

Maybe Brandi would do better to take some courses, get a good job, and role model for her kids that the way to lift your own self out of poverty is to focus on what you can work hard on, rather than harping on someone else to succeed so you can enjoy the fruits of his labor.

 

Meanwhile, I thought Will.I.Am was great. I not into celebrities in general, but he seems like someone who is smart, talented, and has a good head on his shoulders and real heart.

[Lyinfait]

16 hours ago, sleepyjean said:

Yeah, I didn't like that at all. People who achieve the most success are driven from within, not by their mama nagging them.

 

When you have eight kids, you live in poverty, and you've decided it's not your responsibility, but rather your 14 year old's to remedy the situation, you need to examine your life choices. I hear Brandi going on and on about what Sire is going to do for the family, but I don't hear any of that coming out of Sire's mouth. When he can get a word in edgewise, he's talking about how amazing he is, not about being the breadwinner for a family of ten.

 

It's unlikely that Sire will reach the heights he aspires to. And even if he did, his money won't go far with ten people to feed, clothe, and shelter. But whether he makes it or not, I predict he will get the hell out of that house. I think he will rebel. Brandi will find herself with one son who avoids her, and seven other kids who resent her for prioritizing Sire's dreams over everyone else's basic needs. This isn't going to turn out the way she wants it to.

 

Maybe Brandi would do better to take some courses, get a good job, and role model for her kids that the way to lift your own self out of poverty is to focus on what you can work hard on, rather than harping on someone else to succeed so you can enjoy the fruits of his labor.

 

Meanwhile, I thought Will.I.Am was great. I not into celebrities in general, but he seems like someone who is smart, talented, and has a good head on his shoulders and real heart.

Very well said. 

[Lyinfait]

No interest in this season? 

Nya was verging on deluded this hit list. She froze. That is not moving up energy.  And I know it's editing but her talking heads about how someone else better not forget their lines and then the cut to her missing lines in rehearsal and then back to her talking about how others need to step it up? Okay.

All the freezing on stage made me so uncomfortable. Poor kids. Ouch. But congratulations to Tyeler on that earned top spot. She not only knew her lines, she knew her teammates' lines too. 

[sleepyjean]

On 1/26/2019 at 5:27 PM, Lyinfait said:

No interest in this season? 

Nya was verging on deluded this hit list. She froze. That is not moving up energy.  And I know it's editing but her talking heads about how someone else better not forget their lines and then the cut to her missing lines in rehearsal and then back to her talking about how others need to step it up? Okay.

All the freezing on stage made me so uncomfortable. Poor kids. Ouch. But congratulations to Tyeler on that earned top spot. She not only knew her lines, she knew her teammates' lines too. 

I'm interested! But I can never remember when it's on, so I'm always late.

Nya's messup...girl, have a seat. She and Sire both have this attitude like they are so amazing, their mistakes don't matter, and they should be at the top regardless of how they actually performed. It's interesting that they have such a high opinion of their talent, given JD's comments in this interview where he said he seriously considered sending them all home, because the talent was not there.

Having said that though, Amayah bless her, has choked so many times, I can't understand why she's still there. She's not ready to be a pro.

[Lyinfait]

Thank you for that article, sleepyjean. I love that JD said you can't tell til they get to Atlanta...and by then, it's too late. I bet that is disappointingly true. You get an impression from a few meetings, some videos and then it turns out they don't know their lines without reading them, they need weeks to learn a rap, they don't have any stage presence in a front of a real audience, and so on. And then these kids think they are already celebrities just for being chosen. 

1 hour ago, sleepyjean said:

She and Sire both have this attitude like they are so amazing, their mistakes don't matter, and they should be at the top regardless of how they actually performed. It's interesting that they have such a high opinion of their talent, given JD's comments in this interview where he said he seriously considered sending them all home, because the talent was not there.

Sire is another one. He was very impressed by that 500 person audience at the prom. Very high stakes indeed. His perception is not mine, on many levels. He always thinks he performed amazingly well. I just know he jumps around a lot, how is his flow though? When is the focus group episode for a wake up call?

 

Poor Amayah. I agree with you, she's just not ready. Up until the last segment, I thought off the hitlist = going home and that would have been the right choice for her. She can go home and hone her craft. 

[Lyinfait]

To have but a tenth of Nya or Sire's confidence. It is beginning to take away from whatever talent they possess. 

What does a rapper look like? 

 

Nya and Eli were in true battle mode. Nya won that one. I will say I think attacking race first thing was dirty but not all that unexpected given her earlier complaints/comments about Eli. Which takes me back to Brandi (? I don't know parent names) who stated that Eli's sad story shouldn't have earned him points because that was just life for everyone else. I had some thoughts then, namely these are kids and losing a parent or dysfunctional family life is significant for them and what many of them write about. Why was it a sob story unfairly earning him points coming from Eli? I've never heard anyone else's sad childhood be put down like that under this "who hasn't suffered?" attitude. Flau'jae mentioned dad every verse and so did many others. Now did he slide by being in the bottom last week purely because he was a cute young boy performing for a bunch of teen girls and knew to work his audience? Absolutely! As did Nova and a few others. 

Where was I? Yes, some topics should be off limits. Race will be an easy road for some but I know full well it won't be an option for at least one person. I prefer sharp wordplay and commentary to mean spirited barbs so maybe I'm not the right audience for a battle anyway.

Edited February 2, 2019 by Lyinfait
Continuing my conversation with myself

[After7Only]

22 hours ago, Lyinfait said:

 

Nya and Eli were in true battle mode. Nya won that one. I will say I think attacking race first thing was dirty but not all that unexpected given her earlier complaints/comments about Eli. Which takes me back to Brandi (? I don't know parent names) who stated that Eli's sad story shouldn't have earned him points because that was just life for everyone else. I had some thoughts then, namely these are kids and losing a parent or dysfunctional family life is significant for them and what many of them write about. Why was it a sob story unfairly earning him points coming from Eli? I've never heard anyone else's sad childhood be put down like that under this "who hasn't suffered?" attitude. Flau'jae mentioned dad every verse and so did many others. Now did he slide by being in the bottom last week purely because he was a cute young boy performing for a bunch of teen girls and knew to work his audience? Absolutely! As did Nova and a few others. 

 

Thought it was interesting Sire’s mother of all people had the problem with the battle rap after The way Sire attacked Amaya during their battle.   He didn’t go as low as Nya, but it was still uncomfortable to hear a him repeatedly go after her for her weight.   Real battle rappers are grown and they choose that style of rap.  I don’t want to see kids who just want to be tv/rap stars be encouraged to be vicious and disrespectful towards each other. 

[Lyinfait]

22 minutes ago, After7Only said:

Thought it was interesting Sire’s mother of all people had the problem with the battle rap after The way Sire attacked Amaya during their battle.   He didn’t go as low as Nya, but it was still uncomfortable to hear a him repeatedly go after her for her weight.   Real battle rappers are grown and they choose that style of rap.  I don’t want to see kids who just want to be tv/rap stars be encouraged to be vicious and disrespectful towards each other. 

I was surprised too to hear that Sire's mom thought that the battle went too far. I would have expected her response to be switched with Eli's dad's. 

Also agree, I don't want to encourage the viciousness in kids.  

 

Forgot to comment on the makeovers. I liked Amayah's hair. And Tyeler's too. I didn't see much change otherwise. I thought more would be made of their photo choices but this isn't America's Next Top Model I guess. 

[Nowhere]

Sire’s mother was laughing when Nya was ripping Eli “a whole new butthole.” But then she wants to say it was too far and then threaten everyone who dares to come for Sire. This bitch is just bitter and nasty. And I’m not sure why JD wants these children to battle like this. It makes the show less enjoyable to see kids hurt each other. It’s not okay. 

[topanga]

On 2/1/2019 at 11:37 PM, After7Only said:

Thought it was interesting Sire’s mother of all people had the problem with the battle rap after The way Sire attacked Amaya during their battle.   He didn’t go as low as Nya, but it was still uncomfortable to hear a him repeatedly go after her for her weight.   Real battle rappers are grown and they choose that style of rap.  I don’t want to see kids who just want to be tv/rap stars be encouraged to be vicious and disrespectful towards each other. 

 

On 2/3/2019 at 9:19 PM, Nowhere said:

And I’m not sure why JD wants these children to battle like this. It makes the show less enjoyable to see kids hurt each other. It’s not okay. 

Yeah, the Rap Battles aren't my favorite. I think they are JD's way of trying to generate excitement for the season. Sure, the battles show how creative the kids try to be when hurling lyrical insults at one another, but IMO, they aren't a good indication of how good a rap artist really is. Not all hip hop stars are good at rap beefs the way Remy Ma or Ice Cube might be, but that isn't everything. Yeah, Nicki Minaj got clowned for a while when it took her a long time to come back with a mediocre response to Remy Ma's dis track (which was iconic), but that hasn't hurt Nicki's career overall.

I prefer seeing the kids write and perform.

I thought Nya's rap battle was going to put her at #2 because she was so mean. The stuff abou Eli’s mom was mean but acceptable--Eli uses his mom in his raps, so he's made her fair game. But the diabetic little brother?   IMO, he should've been off limits.

 

On 2/3/2019 at 9:19 PM, Nowhere said:

Sire’s mother was laughing when Nya was ripping Eli “a whole new butthole.” But then she wants to say it was too far and then threaten everyone who dares to come for Sire. This bitch is just bitter and nasty.

Agreed. Brandi continues to grate my nerves, but I'm sure the producers encourage her antics because she creates conflict and drama in the house.

 

On 2/2/2019 at 12:10 AM, Lyinfait said:

Forgot to comment on the makeovers. I liked Amayah's hair. And Tyeler's too. I didn't see much change otherwise.

I thought everyone's photos were beautiful. Tayleur's mom should encourage her not to do seductive poses like squatting with her legs wide open. That certainly makes her look older than 16.

[luckyroll3]

On 1/26/2019 at 5:27 PM, Lyinfait said:

All the freezing on stage made me so uncomfortable.

On 1/28/2019 at 8:24 PM, Lyinfait said:

You get an impression from a few meetings, some videos and then it turns out they don't know their lines without reading them, they need weeks to learn a rap, they don't have any stage presence in a front of a real audience, and so on. And then these kids think they are already celebrities just for being chosen. 

This is the issue with finding kids (or any performers really) online.  They all post videos and claim that's performance experience, but have never actually been in front of a crowd of any size performing live.  And it shows.  This was the same problem on The Pop Game (is that show coming back?!?!). 

I was happy for Amaya topping the list this week and was hoping she would also do great in the battle.  I do believe that she wrote a new rap because I think she's been riding high on her confidence boost from her make over.  But she fumbled again.

The rap battles every week are just not working for me.  I liked when they were a one time challenge thing, but not every time.

Also, Lil Bud looked so grown!  I didn't even recognize him. 

[Lyinfait]

17 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

This is the issue with finding kids (or any performers really) online.  They all post videos and claim that's performance experience, but have never actually been in front of a crowd of any size performing live.  And it shows.  This was the same problem on The Pop Game (is that show coming back?!?!). 

I was happy for Amaya topping the list this week and was hoping she would also do great in the battle.  I do believe that she wrote a new rap because I think she's been riding high on her confidence boost from her make over.  But she fumbled again.

The rap battles every week are just not working for me.  I liked when they were a one time challenge thing, but not every time.

Also, Lil Bud looked so grown!  I didn't even recognize him. 

It does show. They are so very confident until they actually need to perform in front of an audience. That skill is one that comes by doing. Even filming a live streaming performance isn't the same as a truly live performance if there is not an audience to interact with. 

I think Tyeler is my front runner because she has confidence and performance ability as well as a working ethic. I know some kids of past seasons thought hard work wasn't necessary so I appreciate her talking about her years of experience working for this. All her teen years indeed! 

I am rooting for Amayah but it is possible she is not a performer. That is ok. She can ghostwrite and release albums to her heart's content. Freezing up is not working. JD will not choose someone who is not a reliable performer. It's embarrassing. 

I dozed off and missed the drama about her prewriting her rhyme or not. I will have to rewatch. 

[TwopLurker]

On 2/3/2019 at 9:19 PM, Nowhere said:

re’s mother was laughing when Nya was ripping Eli “a whole new butthole.” But then she wants to say it was too far and then threaten everyone who dares to come for Sire. This bitch is just bitter and nasty. And I’m not sure why JD wants these children to battle like this. It makes the show less enjoyable to see kids hurt each other. It’s not okay. 

It’s low of me but I really think Brandi doesn’t want the kids going below the belt because her inability to properly use birth control will become fair game.

London can switch from warm and mature to totally nuts, I go from liking her to rolling my eyes every episode.

I think the girls will all have successful careers in music production. 

[sleepyjean]

On 1/31/2019 at 10:24 PM, Lyinfait said:

To have but a tenth of Nya or Sire's confidence. It is beginning to take away from whatever talent they possess.

Totally agree. I know you have to have swagger in this industry, but you have to back it up with talent, skill, work ethic, and professionalism. These kids all have some talent (to varying degrees), but when the other three elements are missing, the swagger sounds like a lot of hot air. I'm less and less impressed with Nya and Sire each week. Tyelor seems solid and I'm liking her more each week. I think all three of them are on the same level in terms of talent, and the difference in my reaction to the three comes down to their attitude. Self assurance and strength vs arrogance and bravado. (Although I do not love the whole Reign Gang thing. I know in this age of followers and subs, everyone wants to brag on their fanbase, however small. I  know it's ubiquitous, but it turns me off. Imagine if Beyonce had run around wearing "Beyhive" merch in her early days. These days people have to do so little to get a little bit of shine. It makes them think they've accomplished more than they have...)

On 1/31/2019 at 10:24 PM, Lyinfait said:

What does a rapper look like?

According to Brandi and April the stylist, Sire is what rappers look like. But Brandi took that as a positive, and something to brag about, while April saw it as a negative. April basically said Sire's look was a dime a dozen, with not one iota of originality. I chuckled when Brandi complained about Eli copying Sire, when Sire's look was Textbook Basic Rapper.

On 2/1/2019 at 8:37 PM, After7Only said:

Real battle rappers are grown and they choose that style of rap.  I don’t want to see kids who just want to be tv/rap stars be encouraged to be vicious and disrespectful towards each other. 

Allllll of this. I don't enjoy the battles. They seem to be telling the kids what they lack in skill/talent/polish, they can make up in viciousness and disrespect. And it's even worse to me that they aren't just directing it at each other, but at each other's family members, who have nothing to do with any of this.

Is there a lot of battle rap in the market for kid/teen rappers?

17 hours ago, TwopLurker said:

It’s low of me but I really think Brandi doesn’t want the kids going below the belt because her inability to properly use birth control will become fair game.

YEP. She's a hypocrite. A classic case of "she can dish it but she can't take it."  She never stops running her mouth about her kid's  perceived domination of the competition (despite his actual rank each week). She's constantly tearing other kids down, and in her mind, that's ok because her comments and criticism are legit because her kid is the best, whereas those same remarks from one of the other parents could only be jealousy/sour grapes. She knows if anyone goes after Sire the way Nya went after Eli, neither she nor Sire will be spared. She's got thin skin and she's made some life choices that sound like crap when said out loud by someone who has no interest in or pity for your "struggle." Yes, her kid is one of the front-runners in this competition, but she's been incredibly ungracious about it, she knows it, and is uneasy about those chickens coming home to roost.

[topanga]

I’m getting really, really tired of the rap battles. On a certain level, I get it. It shows that a rapper can perform under pressure. But it really only shows how well a rapper can hurl insults at another rapper under pressure. 

I feel bad for Amayah. She worked hard to able to perform on stage without messing up. Her rap was good, and she earned that #1 spot. Whether it was pre-written, I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t write the entire verse that week, but she still delivered. 

Yes, she did get nervous and mess up during the rap battle. That’s all on her. But maybe JD could change it up and have some free style battles and not another ‘insult’ battle.  Still make it a face-to-face confrontation, but make a rapper write a verse about why he or she is the best in the house. And it has to say something specific about the house or the Rap Game that lets JD know they didn’t pull a verse from their archives.

Next week they’re switching managers—always my favorite challenge.

[Lyinfait]

The manager switch up is my favorite challenge too. I was disappointed in the passivity of some though. Dustin, in particular, just stood by and said everything is great. Good work! He didn't seem to put forth any effort. I mean, just because it's not something you usually do, does not mean you are incapable of doing it. Nya was almost begging him for some input. I felt sorry for her until her smirk in front of everyone at making him fix her hair. Then I thought, maybe she deserved a silent partner. 

I was impressed by Sire (Syre?) when he was away from his mother. I don't think his manager offered much insight either but his more laid back approach worked for Sire. And the opposite was true for Amayah. She grew in confidence with Brandie's input. I was happy to hear Brandie admit that Amayah did have the ability to write a rap quickly. It was nice closure to last week's drama. 

[Nowhere]

Riiiight...battle each other until someone hangs themselves in the closet, but don’t toss a book on the ground. I guess now we’re super Christians? Cause this is the bleepidy bleeeeep bleeepidy bleep bleepin rap game! Give me a fucking break, Dupri. 

[topanga]

On 2/18/2019 at 12:19 AM, Nowhere said:

Riiiight...battle each other until someone hangs themselves in the closet, but don’t toss a book on the ground. I guess now we’re super Christians? Cause this is the bleepidy bleeeeep bleeepidy bleep bleepin rap game! Give me a fucking break, Dupri. 

I know right? But they are in the Bible Belt south, so I guess people felt they had to give the impression that they're super-Christians who would gasp and clutch their pearls at the thought of someone dropping a Bible on the ground. Although, these kids are hip hop artists, and their demographic is not the usher board or the Elders of the church. So why to they care?

I'm not impressed by Sire's lyrics, but he does have personality and charm. He can be annoying as hell, but something about his humor makes me like him. And he carries with him an air of innocence and child-like wonder despite his arrogance. Maybe that's because he's only 14. Occasionally he acts older.

In contrast, I'm impressed by Amayah's lyrics, but she sorely lacks personality and charm. Or performance skills. In my house, the consensus is that she'll be the one sent home. We'll see.

[luckyroll3]

11 minutes ago, topanga said:

In contrast, I'm impressed by Amayah's lyrics, but she sorely lacks personality and charm. Or performance skills. In my house, the consensus is that she'll be the one sent home. We'll see.

I really like Amayah, but she needs to turn her focus to writing and producing.  You can still be successful in the music business without being a headliner.  When she gets comfortable, she's a pretty engaging performer.  But she has a lot of confidence building to do before she can take a stage regularly.  She can't be at concerts forgetting lyrics and shit every time.  But she should consider writing for other people and taking the time to craft her performance skills, that way, when she decided to in the future, she'll be ready.  

[After7Only]

Wasn’t surprised to see Amaya go, she has improved, but just doesn’t have the confidence of the other kids. Glad to see to her confidently battle Sire, but her calling him gay made me cringe just as much as Sire calling her fat.  Just don’t like these insult batttles.  

Hope London is going to be OK.  I feel for her.  

[timeywimey]

I'm shocked that JD picked Tyeler! She deserves it; I just hope that she'll buck the trend of other Rap Game winners and actually end up with a song on the radio.

Edited March 9, 2019 by timeywimey

[Lyinfait]

Super proud of Tyeler. I think JD made the best choice. I really appreciated his speech to Sire. I hope that Sire actually heard him though. Mom crying harder than him and the weight of carrying his whole family to greatness might keep him from truly understanding what he was being told. The talent is there but I absolutely was distracted by all the antics. 

I counted Nya as third place before they ever performed and her performance did nothing to change my mind. I didn't even hear a hook. I hope she watched this back and learned more about her limitations. The talent is there but the ego is overwhelming. 

I would love to stay and chat but I don't get paid for that. Whew! Until next season I suppose. 

[topanga]

Yay, Tyeler Reign! She showed the most growth this season and was my favorite, but I was worried that JD would pick Sire because Sire has that "It" factor--which he does. But Tyeler was the most talented, and I hope to see her in the future--unlike the previous winners, whom I only see on YouTube or IG.

Speaking of which, have you seen Miss Mulatto's YouTube video discussing why she didn't sign with So So Def? She said he didn't offer her enough money, which I do understand. Artists often get cheated on their first record deals. But couldn't she negotiate the contract? And where is she now???  She opened a clothing store? So she's not a rapper anymore and has no interest in the music business? I think Miss Mulatto is quite intelligent, but like her father, has a very inflated sense of self. She's delusional, IMO.

https://youtu.be/7mnYkhPIW8g

Team Supa Peach! LOL

[luckyroll3]

1 hour ago, topanga said:

Speaking of which, have you seen Miss Mulatto's YouTube video discussing why she didn't sign with So So Def? She said he didn't offer her enough money, which I do understand. Artists often get cheated on their first record deals. But couldn't she negotiate the contract? And where is she now???  She opened a clothing store? So she's not a rapper anymore and has no interest in the music business? I think Miss Mulatto is quite intelligent, but like her father, has a very inflated sense of self. She's delusional, IMO.

https://youtu.be/7mnYkhPIW8g

Team Supa Peach! LOL

She's looking a little...rough?  Maybe not rough, but harsh.  Her hair is way too dark and she can barely keep her eyes open with those lashes on.  

[topanga]

34 minutes ago, luckyroll3 said:

She's looking a little...rough?  Maybe not rough, but harsh.  Her hair is way too dark and she can barely keep her eyes open with those lashes on.  

True. And I couldn’t get over how she was talking. Was that country ‘hood girl act for the camera? Because she didn’t sound like that when she was on The Rap Game. 

[sleepyjean]

On 3/9/2019 at 2:00 AM, timeywimey said:

I'm shocked that JD picked Tyeler! She deserves it; I just hope that she'll buck the trend of other Rap Game winners and actually end up with a song on the radio.

Really?

JD said it twice - Sire has talent, but he acts a fool, so what people remember is him acting a fool, and not how talented he his. He said it twice, and I don't think Sire absorbed it either time. Sire can take direction when it comes to some things, like in the video shoot, but when it comes to rapping and performing, he is one of those people who does not  understand that being yourself and learning from others - particularly those with some wisdom to share - aren't mutually exclusive. Sire's mother has been so busy blowing him up his whole life, he sees no deficits in himself. He needed a dose of humility, but I don't think he got one. Neither did Nya. If they didn't win, it's not because they didn't have what JD was looking for, it must be because JD was looking for the wrong things. He - with all of his experience and knowledge in this field - must be the one who is wrong.

I'm shaking my head over the whole thing. And I'll be real - I hope Brandi felt terrible after that. Not because her son lost, but because she placed the burden of the entire family on her 14 year old, and he failed. Who does that do to their kid?

On 3/14/2019 at 6:34 AM, topanga said:

Yay, Tyeler Reign! She showed the most growth this season and was my favorite, but I was worried that JD would pick Sire because Sire has that "It" factor--which he does. But Tyeler was the most talented, and I hope to see her in the future--unlike the previous winners, whom I only see on YouTube or IG.

Speaking of which, have you seen Miss Mulatto's YouTube video discussing why she didn't sign with So So Def? She said he didn't offer her enough money, which I do understand. Artists often get cheated on their first record deals. But couldn't she negotiate the contract? And where is she now???  She opened a clothing store? So she's not a rapper anymore and has no interest in the music business? I think Miss Mulatto is quite intelligent, but like her father, has a very inflated sense of self. She's delusional, IMO.

https://youtu.be/7mnYkhPIW8g

Team Supa Peach! LOL

Tyeler seemed like the obvious choice to me. She was the most polished and professional, she took direction, she worked hard, she'd be easy to work with, and even though London could be over the top, she was extra in the way that makes you snicker and roll your eyes, not in the way that makes you intensely dislike her. I hope that she is doing well.

A few random thoughts:

Dustin's talking head about how much he had sacrificed to be on the show was incredibly aggravating to me. He is a single dad with a seriously ill child. He took time away from his job and his kid go on a tv show and be the most useless manager ever to his other son - who had never performed, never done an interview, had no moves, no swag, and probably no real intention of ever pursuing rap as a career. If Dustin had looked into the show at all, he would have known that the token white kid has to be amazing to have any chance of winning this competition. I just don't understand the mental calculus he had to have done to make going on this show a good idea.

I hate hate hate the battles. I started FF-ing through them about halfway through the season. I hope we've seen the last of those.

I also didn't like the makeover episode. I didn't like it the season they went to goodwill either. Just bring the kids some cool clothes, coach them on achieving their best look, and make them look fantastic.

They really need to focus on continuity next season. It was so distracting every time they cut away to a talking head where the speaker looked completely different than they did in the scene just shown. Amayah, Tyeler, and Nya's mom's hair changed color every time. It pulled me out of the show every time because I'd start wondering when they got their hair done. So many bad weaves in that group.

And I have to say it - that chain - and the guy who makes them - are so freaking tacky, it's comical.

[Fruitypebbles]

I'm happy that Tyeler won.  I can't remember which one said it at the end, but when Jermaine met with his group to help him decide the winner, they all agreed that Tyeler was the best rapper. Since the show is literally "The Rap Game", that should be the most important thing, not style etc.

I also appreciated Tyeler's work ethic.  I don't recall her creating a lot of drama or irritating me with excessive boasting. Sire's bravado was over the top.  His main accomplishment was making it on the show. Bragging that he was best of the best was premature.  Nya was overconfident as well.  Strong performances mixed with a humble attitude are so much more attractive.

I liked that London was willing to help take care of Eli in an emergency.  I hope she will be okay.

I agree with all of you about the rap battles.  I hated them!  Sure it's a competition but I get no pleasure from watching kids be forced to rip into each other and be as ruthless as possible.  I enjoyed the show so much more when they were all worried for London and offering strength and support to one another.

[After7Only]

Those that remember Miss Mulatto, she is all grown up now.  Here’s her single with Saweetie and Trina 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8mAyKX9muE

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by After7Only

[topanga]

On 5/17/2020 at 1:25 PM, After7Only said:

Those that remember Miss Mulatto, she is all grown up now.  Here’s her single with Saweetie and Trina 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8mAyKX9muE

 

I'll have to watch it when I get home from work. I wonder what she's like as a person. She got pretty nasty after The Rap Game, and she put out several YouTube videos slamming JD. And SupaPeach too, but that's another story. I totally understand her frustration if the recording contract offered by So So Def wasn't good, but she made it sound like she didn't need JD at all.  Sis, JD gave you national exposure, and he allowed you to keep making YouTube videos for new songs, even though that technically violated the agreement you signed when you agreed to go on the show. 

[topanga]

Does anyone know if this is coming back?