BLOG: Greatest Battle Rap Casualties Of All Time…

By the looks of things some of you think Rick Ross is headed for a tomb next to Ja Rule in hip-hop's cemetary. I think he still has a shot to survive if he shuts up and keeps putting out fire. There's been some classic diss records over the years. Common severely beat Ice Cube back in the day, but he lived to tell. Nas ethered Jay, but it wasn't enough to sideline the God MC permanently. Some weren't as fortunate though. In some cases, diss records or its complimentary campaigns can literally end careers. Let's take a look shall we. -Jackpot

G-Unit: Hate him or love him, you have to credit Game for damaging the G-Unit brand. While 50 Cent is still standing, Game's relentless jabs proved deadly for soldiers like Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and former member Young Buck. Chuck Taylor became his own artist, putting out one platinum (The Doctor's Advocate) and one gold album (L.A.X.) since he began warring with the unit. Meanwhile, Banks and Buck's last projects  bricked and Yayo has yet to release a sophomore effort. Assassin: The Game Scene Of The Crime: Countless mixtapes.

Kool Mo Dee: Listen up, kids. Uncle L wasn't always this chip and dale-esque, lip-licking over-the-hill rapper. James Todd Smith, though principally known as the game's premiere ladies man, will go down as arguably the illest battle MC in history. Kool Moe Dee was just one of his many victims. Assassin: LL Cool J Scene Of The Crime: "Jack The Ripper"

Canibus: Let's not get it twisted, Bis Second Round knocked out LL. If Can-I-Bus turned out to be a classic, Bis wouldn't be largely perceived to have caught an L, pun intended. In the end, he never recovered once dropped from Universal Records. He did it to himself.  Assassin: Canibus Accomplice: LL Cool J Scene Of The Crime: Can-I-Bus, 2000 B.C.

LIl Flip: Isn't Flip giving out his number on youtube and charging $25 for guest verses nowadays? Game over indeed. Though Tip took to the mixtape circuit to trade bars with Flip, his ascencion into superstardom did more to hurt the leprechaun than his diss records.  Assassin: T.I. Scene Of The Crime: Unknown

MC Shan: Legend has it that Shan didn't think much of his Juice Crew brethren prior to his legendary battle with KRS-One. It turns out he's arguably the least legendary MC in a crew stacked with Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie and Kool G. Rap among other rap Gods. Assassin: KRS-One Scene Of The Crime: "The Bridge Is Over"

Prodigy: Never has an MC been so damaged in battle. In this case, P's sales didn't immediately suffer as evidenced by Mobb Deep's gold-selling Infamy and subsequent plaques for Amerikaz Nightmare and Blood Money. Still, P seemingly lost it overnight. Once the Mobb's lead lyricist, P completely fumbled his sense of rhythm and has been quasi-incapable of making two consecutive lines rhyme post-"Takeover." Assassin: Jay-Z Scene Of The Crime: "The Takeover"

Ja Rule: Not that Rule's street cred was rock solid to begin with, but Fif perfectly picked on Ja's corn factor. Ja Rule is now a verb, nuff said. transitive verb. To ja rule, to absolutely obliterate someone's career. Assassin: 50 Cent Accomplices: G-Unit, Busta Rhymes, Eminem  Scene Of The Crime: 50 Cent Is The Future mixtape, "Backdown," "Hail Mary" RMX, New York's Hot 97's 2003 Summerjam,  etc, etc.

Who did I forget?