Teacore or chap-hop? Mr. B, the Gentleman Rhymer or Professor Elemental? Yup, that’s right, it’s a genuine rap battle in the nerdcore world. The battle has officially begun with Professor Elemental’s recent release of the video for his Mr. B diss, “Fighting Trousers.” I’ll pit them against each other in a battle royale of six different categories and then decide on a winner (all due respect must go to Jack Mangan for his Duel of the Fates podcast. Without that, this column would not exist. And my “battle” is meant to be taken no more seriously than his). It’s on like Donkey Kong (Nintendo hasn’t trademarked that yet, have they?)!
Who Came First?
I first became aware of this subgenre of nerdcore a couple of years ago when Elemental’s “Cup of Brown Joy” was released (Mar. 17, 2008). At the time, I wasn’t into nerdcore so I didn’t really pay attention except to laugh and move on. Last year, I discovered Mr. B via his songs “Straight Outta Surrey” (July 18, 2008) and “Chap Hop History” (Oct. 21, 2009). The dates would seem to favor Elemental, but according to Wikipedia, Mr. B has been rapping since late 2007. Elemental has no Wikipedia page, so I’ll have to rely on the date of the posting of his video.
Winner: Mr. B
Who has more views? (as of Nov. 20, 2010)
Elemental
“Cup of Brown Joy”: 796,961
“Fighting Trousers”: 163,752
Mr. B
“Straight Outta Surrey”: 176,575
“Chap Hop History”: 320,132
Winner: Elemental
Who has the better look?
Ahh, a touchy subject, this. Pith helmet or bowler (or fedora or ivy cap)? Moustache or no? Calabash pipe or Peterson? Safari gear or three-piece suit? Steampunk or high society gentleman? I suppose it all boils down to a preference, of course, but as someone who appreciates the finer dress style of the Victorians and Edwardians, I’m going to have to award this one to Mr. B.
Winner: Mr. B
Who is the better gentleman?
Another touchy one. Although his more popular songs are about gentlemanly pursuits, many of Elemental’s other songs from his album Rebel Without Applause are not. In fact, some of them are downright lower class. How beastly! Mr. B, however, is more in keeping with the spirit of a high society rhymer, with his songs about cricket, sherry, and smoking pipes.
Winner: Mr. B
Who is the better rapper?
That’s a tough one. On the one hand, there’s something endearing about the RP rhymes of Mr. B. On the other, Elemental sounds more like traditional hip-hop. That, plus the fact that Mr. B calls himself a rhymer, not a rapper, edges Elemental out over his posh rival.
Winner: Elemental
Who would win in a fight?
Professor Elemental owns fighting trousers. Although Mr. B wields a cricket bat, he doesn’t seem the type who knows how to wield it in a fight. Regardless, anyone who wears a pith helmet has to be pretty tough.
Winner: Elemental
Tie-Breaker
Well, it’s come down to a tie-breaker. I’m a teacher, so I’ll just add in some extra credit. Mr. B has a Wikipedia page and has appeared on MC Frontalot’s album, Zero Day. He also plays the banjolele. I’m going to have to award some points for all that.
Winner: Mr. B
So, Mr. B wins the first geek music debate, breaking the tie with some last-minute extra credit. Elemental may have fired the first salvo, but I don’t think we can count out the Gentleman Rhymer just yet. I have a feeling we may hear a response on his upcoming release, I Say.
Bear in mind that the good Professor paid Youtube to have “Cup of Brown Joy” placed prominently as a featured video. In fact, you can still find it listed as such when you view any of Mr. B’s videos, in the upper-right corner. So that might be not quite such a fair measure…
Now just you all see here! Seems to me this ‘Professor’ (who’s credentials I have reason to believe were obtained in Rangoon for a small fee…)lays down the first dis in order to associate himself, albeit in a hostile fashion, with my own heir apparent, Mr B, so that he might glean some of Mr B’s justified glamour and fame. Seeking to ‘ride the shirt tails’ of a greater gentleman as anyone with a hint of wit can see.
I’ll tell you this for nothing, Elemental is nothing but an absolute shower and moreover, succinctly and to the point, he ain’t bloomin funny neither! This public calling out was highly vulgar and extremely common. Pith helmet perhaps, but no pith…
Toodlepip!
Not that it’s a scientific measure, but I’d not heard of Mr B at all until Elemental released his diss song.
Still, it’s all in good fun, eh? Wouldn’t put it past those two to be in cahoots.
Being an observer from afar regarding both gentlemen, I’d have to give advantage to the Professor at this point. His videos are a wee bit more entertaining and his method of delivery a little more punchy.
the ‘upper-class rapping’ idea isn’t particularly original – Richard Myrie Buckley (“Lord Buckley”) was doing spoken word stuff in the 50s, and a US radio DJ John Bandy (“Lord Fauntleroy”) was rapping over records in the 60s, and I dare say others have done it over the years. there’s also various novelty records like the ‘Wikka Rap’ from ’81, which is done with an a Alan Whicker impression.
that said, both Mr B and Professor Elemental have done some fun tracks – i saw Mr B at the start of 2008, and thought he was excellent. his beats could use some improvement, but the banjolele adds a nice touch, and he has the better image (Elemental needs a shave for starters!). Also possibly the more inventive songs – the Timothy Westwood one is superb…
Is there an easy way to buy Mr. B’s albums? I’ve been searching around the obvious sources, but I’m coming up dry. His myspace doesn’t often appear updated. I do like the fact that Elemental’s up on itunes with the Indifference Engine, but getting tracks for Mr. B and supporting him? Coming up dry.
Elemental is more Steampunk than Chap hop or others – Whereas Mr. B is more standalone, so I imagine Elemental has a larger audience from the start.
It’s worth mentioning that all of Elemental’s music is original, whereas Mr B’s is all derivative.
Yes Gus, exactly – Elemental writes his own stuff without relying on cheap laughs from just doing covers of famous songs with a (rather mumbled) faux-rp accent, which is contrarily what made Mr B known in the first place …
Also who’s the better person? Well, Elemental does both regular nights which draw a community and also workshops with kids. Gotta have a Professor to teach the younguns something eh!
Sir,
Professor Elemental has been on the “scene” a lot longer than Mr. B. For evidence, I proffer http://www.myspace.com/mcelemental/blog: The letters there date back to September 2005.
The “Who Came First” point is to be awarded to the good Professor, and thus he wins this round on points.
Regarding musical merits, it is hard to declare a clear winner. While Mr. B does play an instrument, and Professor Elemental does not, it is also true that the Professor offers up the “fresher” rhymes. Moreover, the Professor performs all original works, while Mr. B appears too often content to re-imagine classics of the “hip hop” genre. That is not to say Mr. B has no original content. One would wish for rather more of that, though, and not just yesterday’s warmed-up tea, as it were.
I stand corrected on the issue of who came first, then. I’m always willing to rethink my position based on new evidence.
As for original content,I may be wrong, but I do believe several of the tracks on Mr. B’s “Flattery Not Included” are originals (though it’s possible that I’m not familiar with the songs he is parodying). I will, however, concede that not all of them are.
In the end, of course, I am a fan of both, though I do admit to a slight bias towards Mr. B (which may have colored my judgment, a point for which I am dreadfully sorry).
I dig ’em both, but I do have 2 points to go in Professor E’s favor:
1. For those of us who dig SteamPunk, Mr. B’s look is a little past the sell-by date. ;) His wardrobe’s of a later time period, so the pith helmet and explorer’s garb tends to clash a little less w/the older “feel” of the genre (to me, anyway).
2. Prof. E seems to bring his own melodies and rhyme patterns to the table (again, ftmp), while Mr. B. often seems to take rap hits and just reword them. For creativity & originality, I so go for Prof. B. But as far as I know he started the whole antipathy between them, so that counts for something, too. Personally I’d be just fine if they both were successful in the genre. :) We need more unusual acts in music, no? :D
http://www.guerrillageek.com/2010/11/interview-professor-elemental/
Professor Elemental has been rapping since 2005, so pre-dates Mr. B. Also, I realize it’s an opinion not a fact, but I like Prof’s rhymes and rhythms and classic sounds better. Mr. B’s stuff sounds jagged, his rhymes are limited and mostly it’s just repeated choral lines filling up most of the piece. Professor’s singles are more individually worked out, along the lines of a Frank Zappa piece. I give the award to Professor Elemental and point out that your ‘tie’ is actually already broken by the correct of who pre-dated whom.
Wow, really? Mr. B? Really?
I come down squarely on the side of Elemental (who, incidentally, _does_ have a Wikipedia page now).
Mr. B is just doesn’t have the flow, and all his songs are remakes of better classics. Further Mr. B’s accent makes me cringe — he sounds like an American trying to do a bad impression of an upper-crust Brit. “What ho, old chap?” — seriously?
Elemental has the RP down like a mofo: it sounds subtle and natural, and his rhymes are A LOT better. You might say Elemental owns his own voice, while Mr. B is just renting.
Based solely on the ability to entertain, Elemental wins. The only thing nice I can say about Mr. B is that I dig the banjolele.
Gawd blimey, I can’t understand how anyone would prefer the vulgar Professor over the clearly, very literate Mr B.
Mr B’s words are cleaver, provocative and classy. Professor is relying on smut. Beats are beats, whether considered more up to date, but Mr B does has a signature sound in the Banjolele, thus proving his skill and unique, nuts on the line approach.
Professor? Dreary me… (sic)
As the good Professor points out in Fighting Trousers, Mr B is a parodist first and foremost – Jim Burke is one of the chaps from “Collapsed Lung”, who sold the track “Eat My Goal” to Coca-Cola back in Euro 96…
Does this detract from, or add to, his score? Personally, I believe that it rather destroys his credibility all round – it seems clear to me that he’s only taken up ‘rhyming’ in order to garner a new audience… His rhymes may be more “classy”, as Kieran attests above, but I think his behaviour is definitely vulgar.
Also, he’s admitted himself that the few comments he makes regarding cricket, in “Straight Outta Surrey”, are the full extent of his cricketing knowledge… This is my greatest problem with Mr B – he might rhyme like a chap, but he can’t back it up.
Sir,
I must protest; Mr B’s diversity within music is what set him apart from other chaps. Furthermore, I am fairly confident in suggesting that indeed Professor Elemental is somewhat of an ‘act’; as it is with anyone who takes to public address to entertain.
As I understand it, the whole point of Chap Hop is to raise the bar on the ‘Nouveau Riche’ attitudes and language of the common rapper and it is a platform that not only promotes Hip Hop but also promotes courtesy, decency and values which seem to have been neglected by almost all other rappers. By calling out Mr B in that brash and vulgar way Professor Elemental has not set himself apart from other rappers moreover has bowed down to the standard behaviour of every other rapper. In short the Professor has rather let himself down.
All that said and as I now believe it to be ‘on’ I look forward to the resulting battles. Whilst Professor Elemental has a good sound and I respect him as a worthy adversary, my camp shall remain firmly with Mr B.
All Hail The Chap…