FIRST TIME REACTING TO | LIL DICKY SWAY 2015 FREESTYLE

[@stevedahlberg8680]

In his other Sway in the Morning freestyle, they actually surprised him with a beat and he has to adjust. He's really good at it.

[@CaddyJim]

We don't know that was a surprise beat. Unless you seen video the whole show from the time Little D gets there until they start to be. Because the official clip just says drop a beat but they may have discussed them prior or maybe not I haven't seen earlier vid

[@CaddyJim]

Also if you notice she uses a thumbnail from the other freestyle

[@jacksmith-vs4ct]

Well dicky has admitted he is not the best at thinking of things on the spot but I think these days he is probably a lot better at it.

[@jamesparker7016]

@@CaddyJimMost of these rappers are good enough at understanding the different types of beats Its still a pretty impressive talent, being able to access the right memorized verse, with the right cadence and being able to adjust in the fly when you don’t what know what kind of beat you’re gonna get That’s one of the things I like about the Five Fingers of Death “freestyles” is Premier will throw them impossible changes in vibe and tempo to see if they actually have skills lol

[@baileyj92]

Everything Dicky does is very thought out beforehand. Doesn’t make him any less talented! Love your reactions so much!

[@jasonlebeau1288]

the term 'Freestyle' has come to have 2 very different meanings. People on the streets think it's exclusively off the top (which is for sure freestyle) but the industry doesn't define freestyle that way. Industry considers freestyle the ability to spit over any beat (which is again 100% freestyle). They're both freestyling different things, one the ability to come up with lyrics and the other the ability to flow over any beat. The difference between industry freestyle and a mix tape is simply on a mix tape the artist and his producers have all the time they need to find the exact beats they want and can tweak things and make everything just the way they want it before clicking save and putting it out there but an industry freestyle they are doing a live performance over a beat they have little to no control over. In this case, Sway's team has multiple beats to choose from and most likely gave LD multiple choices during a commercial break or song before they actually started broadcasting and recording. LD has come out and said in an interview and in song lyrics that he doesn't really do off the top of his head lyrics very well. It's kind of his brand to have double, triple, quadruple entendres and be able to switch his flow whenever he wants and have deep cut references that aren't caught by everyone.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

That's an absolutely perfect summarization of all of that stuff. Right on.

[@billbradley4878]

lol, the ability to flow over any beat...you mean have basic rhythm. I am an old school head and the only true free style is off the top, this whack second definition came about because people wanted in on the cypher but were not clever enough to come off the top. it is the cope of the dimwitted. Flow over any beat is something anyone with any rhythm at all can do, doing that while coming off the top is an actual art that takes actual talent. The B-boys of old can only shake our heads at this modern second definition.

[@dustinduvall5699]

Excellent post. It's gotten to the point they should just decide n different terms

[@jackwright7313]

Yeah, that's what makes it a grift. 100% of rap is bass on 1, snare on 2 & 4 at 80-120BPM. Acting like it matters AT ALL "what beat is selected" is literally just contributing to the grift on people who don't know anything about music. You can take ANY RAP VERSE EVER MADE and rap it over EVERY OTHER BEAT EVER MADE. It would be utterly trivial to do so as long as you can keep time.

[@jeezuschryst]

​@@jackwright7313🤡

[@XRPeakyBlindAR]

It’s his song “BRUH” that he spit over sways beats. I reccomend listening to the his original “BRUH” it’s a vibe.

[@MoyeBoy420]

So this is actually a couple of verses from his song "Bruh". His other Sway freestyle is much more of an actual freestyle. Also if your looking for serious LD his songs "Russel Westbrook On a Farm" and "The Antagonist" are a much more serious side of Dicky.

[@lavachebeadsman]

He says in the other one "I write this." I'm pretty sure he always writes his stuff, but the flow with whatever beat he's given is still crazy good.

[@CaddyJim]

*Little Dicky (the 90's)* you would enjoy

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Lil Dicky is known for cobbling together bits and pieces of stuff that he's written but he's pretty good at being flexible with it and you should see his other freestyle on Sway in the Morning - there's a really hilarious moment and he just totally owns Sway and the studio staff. The thing is, he is just so damn good. You really should check out his other two freestyles that are easily findable on KZbin but also, you absolutely have to check out what most people consider to be his most profound and ambitious work, and it's got humor in it, but mostly it's dead serious and honest. It's also a fantastic use of an extended metaphor, Russell Westbrook On a Farm. His flow is just insane and the switch ups he can do and make it seem natural, and his bars are just absolutely loaded with double entendre and sometimes three or four of them at once.

[@doingitwrong3723]

The more recent appearance he did on Sway is far more fire than this.

[@gagereed486]

Freestyle has never only been off the head. There are just two different ways to freestyle. If they aren’t coming off the top, it’s usually a mix of written and off the top over a random beat

[@JoelMayol]

It’s definitely not off-top

[@codysconspiracies777]

No shit ay

[@TheMrDwillison]

Yeah he exposes this on his own show Dave (a must watch if you’re a Dicky fan). Still 🔥 though

[@JoelMayol]

@@TheMrDwillison I don’t listen to LD all the time, but I do think he’s a very uniquely talented rapper

[@papaizzo]

So the original meaning of freestyle in rap was to rap to a beat "free of style" meaning they needed to find a way to make their words work with the beat and see how playful they can get. This can be both written and improvised. What Harry does is called an improvised freestyle.

[@ShortyComps]

Dicky is known for being very precise with his raps. Definitely not off top. But your sentiments are shared amongst us hiphoppers

[@alexisthinking]

This is an interesting situation where there are multiple legitimate definitions for the same word. So one definition relates to things like swimming and dancing where you can use any style you like, no real rules you have to follow, so you’re free to use your creativity in creating the end result. Applied to rap, it breaks you from needing to have a typical song structure where you have verses and hooks. Basically, the artists is free to have as many rhyming schemes they want, any instrumental, basically just staying within the general style of “rap” but none of the unofficial rules applied. Then you have the more traditional in the rap community definition where the artist is rapping completely unprepared until they hear the beat. This is the off the dome we generally associate with freestyle. Then you have, what Black Thought has described where you have little pockets of your freestyle that you can pull in that you may have been writing or mulling over, but pulling them in isn’t necessarily planned, it’s just basically tools you have in your box that you can mix and match. This is where an artist can maybe workshop something they’re working on (like a comedian does with comedy clubs before putting together a final set for a tour). Basically you can mix a bunch of things, some pre written, some general ideas that you later take and polish up for an album, some true off the dome. I do think it’s important to find a way to specify off the dome versus not, as that’s a very special skill set.

[@runthemeows1197]

its become pretty safe to assume its pre written unless specified tbh. Not that I mind. Im never suprised negatively looking at it that way lol

[@nabateisles7550]

This is a verse on Lil Dicky's Professional Rapper album, the song is called Bruh....

[@luistorres9331]

His other freestyle you would not question. It’s flames.

[@JakobBerry]

It's from his first album. Track called Bruh...

[@JoelMayol]

Been rocking with u since u were at 7k subs 🎉🎉congrats🎉🎉🎉

[@benny7451]

couldnt click on this fast enough..... so excited to watch u react to this

[@stefanc4520]

Finally someone who listens to the OG Dicky on Sway rather then his newer one!

[@CaddyJim]

This memorization of so-called freestyle is still talent not just the flow it smoothes unlike many of the BET ciphers nowadays are they forget where they're at in their rehearsed rhyme

[@primus86]

This is on one of his albums, the song is called 'Bruh'. I like it over this beat more but the flow is the same.

[@Noneedillsayit]

This is actually a part of his song called “bruh” he just used it, so he could showcase his skills for sway, im guessing.

[@nateekis3982]

You gotta do Russell Westbrook on a Farm!!!

[@curtisholsinger6023]

100% agree. Russell Westbrook on a Farm made me dive into Dicky's catalogue. That song is the top cut filet mignon of his oeuvre. There's still plenty of T-bone and New York Strip, but that's the song that'll make you sit up straight and say "Wow."

[@kaye596]

No Harry Mack today? I’m callin the cops. LOL! So glad you did this “freestyle”! I definitely think it was pre written too, but he delivers it with ease and really smooth so it’s easy to understand and a fun listen. 7:28 - 98 Degrees was my first concert ever!!! Waaaayyyy out in the nosebleeds but it was still a great experience and an awesome first concert! Having so much fun with these reactions, and “it’s all (it’s all) it’s all because of you!” Had to lol 😂

[@trose4837]

Just found your channel and hoping to be blessed with reacting to Lil Dicky's new stuff 🙏 Great reacts!!!

[@TisBoiGoTSkiLLz]

Lil Dicky - Jail 😂

[@avantgardenovelist]

agree completely with b about the definition of freestyle.

[@LCsaint22]

Most, if not all, of this is pre-written but not necessarily is the order he delivered it in this video. I feel like Lil Dicky writes his material for "freesytles" the way a comedian writes a standup set, in chunks that have a predetermined setup and punchline, that he can string together in different orders based on the flow at the time. So he can react and maybe throw something in there off-top, but he can easily get back on track with his "routine" whenever.

[@alexthegemini666]

As a "rapper" myself theres an art to freestyling by having a lot of punch lines and metaphors remembered so if you do end up freestyling you can slip in an out of written and off the dome just incase you lose the direction or topic or just wanna take it somewhere else with the wordplay its always good to have reserves especially if youre mind goes blank or you stutter then you can save it, freestyling is all about feeling but you gotta be prepared if youre trying to be a top tier lyricist.

[@lavachebeadsman]

In his other Sway freestyle, he admits to writing it in the lyrics lol... still crazy how he adjusts to wahtever beat he's given.

[@srryisuk5204]

His most serious, and best song, is “Russell Westbrook on a Farm” you need to check that one out

[@JoelMayol]

Another word for this freestyle is called pre-freestyle

[@JoelMayol]

I just made that up but what I do is full freestyle off-top

[@icommentonreactions1619]

I always said Mack and Dicky could make one of the greatest collab albums / videos ever

[@jimmybobsap8729]

I liked Lil Dicky, can't remember last time I heard him sadly

[@kelliepastellie8619]

6:36 Please react to Lil Dicky - "RUSSELL WESTBROOK ON A FARM" This is what you've been looking for 👍

[@loganconnmusic7314]

Its a mix of some of his other songs.

[@JoelMayol]

He said “best writtens”

[@petermoore9913]

They should call this a showcase!

[@matthewdooley7855]

Lil Dicky puts layers on layers of meaning into this freestyle rap. I feel like you could do a whole semester in college breaking down any of his freestyles on Sway. He did another one that's got all sorts of hoops references in it, and some cancer jokes, and raps the SportsCenter sound. In this one, I love "you a player, I"m Naismith" the GUY WHO INVENTED THE GAME.

[@worgen112]

This is freestyle what you want is off the dome

[@toddholscher7930]

The song is actually from his first album. It's longer on the album.

[@-AzRenT-]

Let’s be real. Even back when hip hop was “old” unless you were throwing words at them to spit, that “freestyle” that was so unique… was pre-written. 😂😂😂

[@brandontruby6366]

he has bars already written, he adjusts to the beat and links them together. he still has to pull together the flow for the beat hes given and of course i know i know 98*

[@wendycall4483]

Yeah it’s his song “Bruh” over the Sway beat! The original song “Bruh” on it’s original beat is absolute fire though!

[@lastnote]

Very few rappers can truly improvise. I don't think freestyle really means "off the top" anymore, although people like Harry Mack are trying to bring that back of course. However, these are still great showcases.

[@DavidGowers]

@@fyreundubh everything changes. Freestyle changed in that it grew and evolved.

[@DavidGowers]

@@fyreundubh says who?

[@DavidGowers]

@@fyreundubh more specifically, I guess, who says off top freestyle didn't grow and evolve to include this?

[@DavidGowers]

@@fyreundubh so the word "style" had no bearing on it whatsoever?

[@curto201]

It never meant "off the top" to begin with my guy lmao

[@Montweezy]

Yeah I'm in total agreement with you... I'm 46 and these youngbucks have no idea what a real cypher is....

[@puertoricanguy8570]

Yes he has a song called bruh which has the same lyrics

[@showbizz7539]

He's definitely a hreat freestyle artist....but i agree. You pointed out the fact asked for a soecific beat, and that he possible already writ this flow, too that specific track. Great observation!

[@CaddyJim]

This isn't the freestyle you or I were brought up on or like *Harry Macy* does but you should check out *Lil D"s* other *(Sway Freestyle)*

[@markoes28]

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ If you did Lil Dicky on Sway, you can't let the H👽Mack one pass 😏

[@guymon82ify]

Agreed on the point of what is freestyling.

[@57kwest]

The problem is ego. Back in the day.. You can "mess up" and just keep going and if the crowd heard enough dope BARZ over the bad ones.. They effed w you. Battle Rap!

[@JRJimmyRecard]

He said on a podcast that his freestyles aren't improvised off the top of his head, he's really just adjusting his flow for a beat he hasn't heard before, which I guess makes his written stuff.. Free of style?

[@thadcastle661]

I can say with 100% certainty this is not off the top. He's using a verse from his song 'Bruh'. Check it out, it's one of the 2 songs from him ( the other being Russel Westbrook on a Farm) that made me realize he could legit rap, and wasn't just a comedian.

[@dustinmosley5965]

This is 1000000% written. We need Harry Mack on Overtime(sways new show), it's insanely good.

[@xliv2sk8x90]

If you want some great serious songs by Lil Dicky, check out the antagonist, Russell Westbrook on a farm, and how do you sleep

[@rasmusmansson]

Yes, this is a freestyle rap if you use the old-shool definition. I'ts definitly not a off the top freestyle like Harry Mack or improvisational jazz (Harry Mack?). Freestyle Definitions in rap: 1. 80's freestyle rap: A rhyme that you wrote/memorized that was free of style. Random, braggy, non-conseptual, all over the place. (Like Lil Dicky, Coast Contra and so on) What you call a real freestyle was just called "off the dome"/"off the top" back then. 2. ~90's freestyle rap: What used to be called "off the top". Improv instead of memorized bars. (Like Harry Mack) 3. 2023: 1 or 2. Harry Mack even tells us what kind of freestyle he does to make it clear. He uses the old-school terms "off the dome/off the top" together with the word freestyle constantly.

[@mr.guillotine1312]

Honestly, I used to be more of a purist when it comes to freestyles, but seeing as so many rappers don't even write their own lyrics anymore, I'm just happy that some do.

[@NaquadahEOD]

As a freestyle purist, what would you say is the pure form of freestyle? I'm seeing a lot of people say that the lyrics cannot be rehearsed, and instead need to be improvised. Most of the information I find on the subject suggests the opposite.

[@curto201]

@@NaquadahEOD Free of style. Off the dome isnt freestyling.

[@Jacobmelrose26]

You're 100% right. This isn't freestyle, but thats not to say it isn't talent. A good example of real freestyle would be Eyedea and Slug on the wake up show.

[@ronnieindigorowe]

ITS A FREESTYLE!!!!!

[@1UnderPar]

This is a freestyle, the definition being some or all preplanned bars with an unexpected or random beat. You're referring to a cypher which is coming up with bars on the spot - if you want to see someone who is insane at it check out blind fury.

[@408mile408]

They’re raps he’s made, but his flow is improvised.

[@zanestrothers8977]

You should do the newer freeystyle on sway in the morning, that was is one of the best freestyles of all time

[@XViTNg]

Other than guys like Harry Mack, Justina Valentine, and king los and a select few others - everyone who goes on sway and kills it is definitely doing written raps. But I agree we need a new term. Cause I feel like a lot of people think black thought and others actually free styled off the top on their sway/flex appearances. Which doesn’t make it any less impressive. But guys like Harry Mack who have mastered off the top freestyles get overlooked cause people think every other “freestyle” is off the top.

[@jasonlebeau1288]

Please don't take this as any kind of hate because I'm a huge fan of LD and all his work. That being said, this is easily his worst freestyle because it's recycled bars. Half of this is from 'Who Knew' and the other half is from 'Bruh...'. Both songs are on his 2015 album 'Professional Rapper'. He has other freestyles with unique bars (even another sway one) that are MUCH MUCH better. Dave (LD) is a smart dude I'm sure he learned not to use album bars on his freestyles after this. Aside from the 2nd sway freestyle I also recommend his Tim Westwood freestyle as well as his 106 & Park backroom freestyle. His FX show 'Dave' is on season 3 now and is very good too (not child appropriate though lol).

[@jonthomas3065]

This is on his album.

[@arrialscott9426]

Unfortunately most “free styles” on Sway or other radio shows aren’t freestyle. It’s a great display of pen game but no freestyle. Battle Rap is probably what you’re looking for but 😬 even some of that is pre-rehearsed to. Little Dicky did a more recent one Sway I think about year ago you could react to that one. There’s also a Royce Da 5’9” “free style” he did about 3 years ago on LA Leakers, one of the best freestyle I’ve ever heard.

[@Dryltd]

Anyone who believes people were just making up raps in the moment forget how many bad bars were between the good ones in the Cypher. They were preparing them while others were rapping or at home where you can't see them. It has always been an illusion.

[@otiswashington1563]

This isnt written on the show they do the 5 fingers of death and its a bunch of beats in a row and it's all of the top his style is like that he does the funny rap as he say

[@grant8653]

I think he comes to a situation with bullet points. and freestyles those bullet points together. even if it is pre written he has to make it fit within the flow of the beats that he does not choose.

[@caseycollinson1429]

You should react to his frestyle "Russell Westbrook on a Farm" His best work in my opinion

[@HyperMiner20007]

You should check his 2019 freestyle, you will see its a freestyle

[@jonathanbouthillette753]

Freestyle also means free of style

[@thekid6467]

really scared is also one of his more serious songs

[@lukeg3983]

Freestyle means the style is freeform. Basically no one does improvised freestyles except guys like Harry M(they make it clear if they are off-top). Pre-writtens are just better to put out for the artists and the station playing them. I would also guess many freestyles from the past you might think were off the top were actually prewritten you/we just didn't realize.

[@abducteeofearth1703]

Cyhi The Prynce - La Leakers 2022 freestyle. Please of course. (He was a ghostwriter for Kanye and Travis Scott plus a couple other people)

[@jamesparker7016]

“they were called mixtapes” 💀💀 Britt just cooked all these rappers

[@jakevega8122]

I would call it like an "open verse"

[@ChrisFrom515]

Hate to break it to u but this is how freestyles r done now. U don’t see many artists rapping off the top of their head anymore. Also freestyle means rappin about any topic not rappin off top.

[@JVVLOG]

Brit please react to the OTHER freestyle please

[@johncanby8109]

Talented as hell. Don’t know if it was a freestyle or not. It didn’t appear on his album that could’ve been after when he knew he had gold. I’m with you, though, I get hung up on the word freestyle.

[@chrisalbrecht4217]

Everyone who raps, writes.... Except maybe JayZ. There's only a handful a handful of cats that literally spit off the top, n make it into a song. Eminem, Crooked I, KRS 1.... Everybody writes. Whether they're reading from a page, or a phone, most of it was pre-thought. The ones that can bring it out, without paper, n do 1 take, are the rapper's rapper's. Peep Black Thought on Sway

[@jnellynel9280]

Can’t wait for ya to get to Harry Mack on sway

[@JacobG093]

Dicky says staight up that he can't freestyle. All writtens like you thought

[@Slgjgnz]

As real freestyles go, you should react to Eminem - Kick Off. An actual acapella freestyle he did just a few years ago.

[@Dryltd]

I think they are freestyle because the rhymes have no consistent theme. Unfortunately many created rap songs for sale have no consistent theme. This includes all eras of rap.

[@rolanddeshain8983]

Yeah it's pre written but he even picks on himself in Professional Rapper w/ Dogg about how he's "not good at coming up w things on the spot" 😂

[@tuckernevel]

youre correct this isnt a freestyle in the traditional sense. lil dicky has more of a funny rap style, sorta similar to bo burnham. his video “professional rapper” with snoop dogg is pretty good if you wanted to check out more from him. hes not the greatest hip hop talent ever, but hes good in the lane he is in

[@dwaynediamond6431]

The comments can say there are different definitions of freestyle but thats bull crap in my opinion. I agree 100% with Brit on this. This aint a freestyle but lil Dicky is still the shit.

[@nickhaas9185]

Lil Dicky - Russel Westbrook on a Farm

[@dylonalvarez5111]

U gotta react to some Juice Wrld freestyles...it's off the dome

[@justjesse4204]

You gotta do pillow talking by lil dicky Edit nvm I think you've seen it already

[@Audix-19]

How about "Prestyle"

[@curto201]

The real definition of free style is spitting over a beat you have never heard. It doesnt have to be off the dome... it got spun around in the early 2000's and people have stuck with "freestyle means off the dome" lol. When thats not true.

[@yanevekarni1]

have you ever seen the black thought freestyle? best freestyle of all time

[@yanevekarni1]

and its actually of the top

[@tydillon8430]

You wanna hear serious react to russell westbrook on a farm by him

[@drewfusaurusrexhash3970]

a freestyle is NOT off the top...thats an entirely different thing

[@tonymartinez1884]

This is a free verse, vs a freestyle.

[@C-BASTIAN]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@josh58025]

1. You are insanely beautiful and sweet. 2. This is Def not off the top but Lil Dick is a beast for sure. 3. Hope you and everyone reading this has a great day 🙏❤️💕