Not Like Us

Item sets: The Sphex Club Papers; Jones Memorial Library Manuscripts Collection

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Identifier: JML.MS1133.Kershner.2025
Barcode: JML.MS1133.Kershner.2025
Title: Not Like Us
Description: Text of a lecture delivered to the Sphex Club of Lynchburg, Va. On March 6, 2025, Geoffrey Kershner examined the evolution of rap battles within hip-hop culture, from 1970s Bronx block parties to modern lyrical rivalries like Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake. Highlighting authenticity, competition, and regional pride, Kershner contextualized key battles such as The Bridge Wars and Tupac vs. Biggie. His talk explored how braggadocio, confrontation, and storytelling remain vital to hip-hop's cultural and artistic identity.
Date: 9 September 0025
Creator: Kershner, Geoffrey
Subject: talk; lecture; SPHEX Club; Geoffrey Kershner; Kershner; 03/06/2025; rap battles; hip-hop history; lyrical authenticity; Kendrick Lamar; MCing; Bronx block parties; competitive lyricism; The Bridge Wars; East Coast West Coast; cultural legitimacy; musical rivalry; diss tracks; Tupac Shakur; Notorious B.I.G.; hip-hop culture
Location: Lynchburg, Va.
Digital Format: pdf
Language: English
Publisher: George M. Jones Library Association
Repository: George M. Jones Library Association
Rights: Kershner, Geoffrey; George M. Jones Library Association
Rights Holder: Kershner, Geoffrey; George M. Jones Library Association