Hiero vs. Hobo Battle (KMEL, 1994)
First of all, great minds think alike. The folks at Cocaine Blunts had the same idea I had – spurred on by Casual’s recent comments to Okayplayer (see reprint here), they posted up the first 12 minutes of the infamous Hiero vs. Hobo battle, held on KMEL’s Wake-Up Show back in 1994.
Since they took care of the beginning of the battle, I’m filling in blanks from the latter half. Cocaine Blunts had it right: this battle descended into tedious rhymes and for all the energy that the MCs display, their actual rhymes are rather snoozy. I pulled out some of the more interesting moments (which doesn’t = good, just interesting).
We start with one of Saafir‘s best moments, who comes back and lays waste to Tajai. Of course, Tajai does himself in and on the next clip, we hear just how incredibly wack he was that evening. I mean, I really liked the Souls of Mischief back in that era, but his verses during this battle, with the possible exception of the first one, are embarassingly terrible.
The Hieros get back some lost honor when Opio jumps on for his only verse, but it’s a memorable one as he lays into Saafir. The last two clips comprise the final exchange between Saafir and Casual. It’s actually one of the better skirmishes they share, buried towards the end of the affair.
Here’s the Classic freestyle battle between Casual & Hieroglyphics and Saafir & Hobo Junction which aired live on The King Tech Wake Up Show in San Francisco on the main Hiphop/R&B commercial radio station 106.1 KMEL. Big ups to my boy Felix aka The Friendly Traveler for coming through with the last 15 minutes of the battle cuz back when I recorded this, I had left the house while it was recording to head out to the local import street races. Yes, I was one of those guys like in The Fast & Furious. haha Wicked Racing represent!!! But yeah, my tape ran out and I never had the last 15 mins of the battle til my boy hooked me up (notice how nicely I spliced the two tapes together… you can’t even tell). Enjoy…
The King Tech Wake Up Show
with Sway, King Tech, Kevvy Kev, Joe Quixx and Prince Ice
106.1 KMEL San Francisco Friday November 18, 1994 10pm-1am
-Intro with Sway & Kevvy Kev
The B.U.M.S. – It’s A Street Fight
Born Jamericans – Wake Up Show Promo
Souls Of Mischief – ’93 Til Infinity
Saafir – Battle Drill
Extra Prolific – Brown Sugar (Domino’s Player Remix)
Artifacts feat. Busta Rhymes – C’mon Wit Da Git Down (Remix)
-Talk Break with Sway
Nine – Whatcha Want
-Freestyle Battle: Casual & Hieroglyphics vs. Saafir & Hobo Junction
Souls Of Mischief – ’93 Til Infinity (Remix)
-Freestyle Battle continued…
-Talk Break with Sway, King Tech, Kevvy Kev & Evol
Time: 77:46
Size: 142 MB
Quality: 256
File: http://www.mediafire.com/?ue2zu2wm2wn