I brought myself into this discussion and then got quoted up in it so now I am going to ramble for a second. Obviously I'm no expert in any of this.
For me MGK wins this battle on the 2 or 3 levels that "count." but mostly because most of us had no idea who he was until Em responded. I didn't. and good on Em if that was the ultimate goal per BA, "prop up a lyricist rapper over mumble rap?" If that was the intent? Cool. Self-preservation at its finest.
Related: (As an aside, I always loved the disco era of the rolling stones the best...not because the music was necessarily better...but it was "more fun" and a couple of their best songs came out of that era occurred because they embraced the change in music to the more danceable disco sound...now i know the (likely fake) story that the stones put out: that "Miss you" was a tongue in cheek dig at disco...just to show the world that they could do that genre too...and the people loved it...so much that it spawned another great stone experiment..."emotional rescue" and other with a slight disco edge). I dont buy it. I think the stones wanted to take a stab at the genre and leave their mark on it and show they could evolve but were either too insecure or afraid to disappoint a fan base that wanted something else. Either way? they still did it. Not unlike the beattles evolving from "8 days a week" to come together(a more manly progression that could be accomplished full throated). they embraced the heavy handed lead guitar of what was to come in the 70's. Kinda led it because once "they" did it everyone was licensed to do it, even the church kids.
I'm not saying Em should become a mumble rapper. I'm just saying...the best "dis" is to put out a mumble rap #1 hit and record it in an hour...like the stone did with "miss you." They literally laid that track in an hour and it evolved on stage in a live jam session.
As a dancer. I personally dont mind mumble rap (if the music is good). The beatles and stones made some of the best music ever. Their lyrics mostly sucked...even though we all know the words and even like the words...they are saying nothing 90% of the time. Where Led Zep had great lyrics. With good messages. But the message was always kinda dark and the music was dark. <--which is cool if thats the trip you want to take.
So as BA claims, perhaps Artistically and technically as a lyricist MKG may or may not be as sophisticated as Em? I'm not so convinced. Does Em put words together in ways to make is sound good? Yes. Is there a great meaning? No. He's just another Tennyson. Nothing wrong with that BTW. I love that. I dont need meaning. But lets not pretend Em is delivering a message here. He's nothing more than a dis rapper. And of the comedy order. Like a missy elliot. Again, nothing wrong with that. And most rapper(and musicians in general) almost never get above that level anyway. So lets not pretend that Em is some high level priest of lyrics. He's a words smith. not a messenger. A comic, who kinda has trouble laughing at himself. MGK has a better message to EM and overall: "Dont live in the past!"
I personally dont feel or follow much of Em's lyrics because i was never an EM "stan." Personally, like i said, I'm a dancer. I phucks. Dancers like to interpret the music with their body and dont care too much about how the artists intereprets their own song both lyrically and in the delivery of those lyrics. It's a show and I prefer to steal it in my own way. All good dancers do. That's what gets my rocks off. So the music itself matters to me waaaaaaaay more than the lyrics. Many people strictly listen to music for the music, not the lyrics. To move. To lift their spirits. To completely be taken me away in a dance or even a day dream of a dance. Lyrics dont (usually) do that for me...mostly only sounds and rhythm do that for me. Every now and then great music meets great lyrics and you have an all time (cheesy) great like "feels like the first time" where performing the song becomes and remains part of the dance and listening experience. or a slightly less cheesy delivery in "all right now" or "slow ride." Artist who go "all in" on the character development of their sound in general and any given song can bring you in. Em doesn't reel me in here like he did on, say, "lose yourself". So MGK wins on that level too.
So for me MGK's music and musical flow of the delivery of his rap, the all in nature of the delivery, is just better than Em's. Em's dis is barelyawake and his lyrical flow is not only significantly inferior, its the same old song and dance we heard from Em in the 90's. It was corny then and is cornier today. But the words still sound good. Sure. Just corny.
What's interesting is that Em mentions his "stans" often. And makes many references to his old music. Which is pretty much the definition of living in the past. But to Em (anyone who really liked his music is a "stan" or some type of weird fanatic. It screams to Em's insecurity with his own fame and his inabilty to appreciate others make him feel inferior. Not all stans feel bad about being a stan. In fact realgm is loaded with stans. (No im not one of them). I like styles. And I like teams. I cheer for the name on the fornt of jerseys. But i have no problem with stans so long as stans understand they are biased by their standom. But the "stan" label Em puts on his fans and others is weird. he clearly struggles with his super stardom and wealth, perhaps he feels guilty and doesn't feel he or anyone deserves it (but like most in his shoes, he aint giving it away).... As if its some kind of weird thing for average income earners to want to hang out and be around the rich and/or famous guy. Not sure why he struggled with that so much. And clearly still does. The weird thing though is that it is only Em's "stans" (like barely) that would even get the references to his old music. Only Em's stans would know his music and lyrics that well. Which would be kinda cool if Em was in on the joke with his stans. But he isn't. He is still laughing at his own fans, including MGK in that group. So what exactly is the profound message here by Em?? Not seeing it. And he doesn't seem to have come to accept that is it normal for poor people or those who live mundane day to day lives to want to hang around with rich people or famous people and experience the spot light. To me? Em is still just a sophomore. And in that regard MKG's piece is better again. MGK gets it. He's an entertainer. At the moment, he accepts his seat at the table and is enjoying it.
Stylistically, on the delivery? no new ground here by Em. Same ol' style. Whereas I feel i'm listening to something kinda new here by MKG. kinda like it felt new when the real slim shady first stood up.
But let's the people decide