BATTLE OF THE OUTLAWS!! BLACKBEARD VS AL CAPONE | Epic Rap Battles Of History (First Reaction)

[@KnoxHill]

Happy New Year everyone!! What else should we react to? 🤔 Comment below! Also if you like the song in the intro support the channel directly & grab my new album ‘Blacklist’ now 🖤 www.knoxhillmusic.com

[@jtherealmccoy5309]

Finally got to it Thank you

[@marshyplaysgames]

Knox "This is a family channel." *10-15 seconds later* "...bitch!"

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Einstein vs Hawking.

[@1990neill]

Mic Righteous - Suicycle Album Happy new year knox

[@marcelcash6488]

Happy new year to U too. Can U pleased react to Harry MackS new ep Soulilloquies? Thx, stay safe

[@sg_bun]

Great breakdown. Only 1 thing: the reason pirates carried a bunch of pistols is also cuz they'd take forever to reload. So instead of taking the time to reload you just draw another pistol

[@eroraf8637]

Oh, like Dream in the 4 hunters finale! Crossbow rocket spam.

[@tlkfanrwbyfan8716]

Game Tip: Switching weapons may be faster than reloading.

[@jm329]

@@eroraf8637 The guy who cheated?

[@eroraf8637]

@@jm329 _le sigh_ Yes, that Dream. Do you know any other Minecraft players with that name?

[@jm329]

@@eroraf8637 You didn’t mention anything about Minecraft.

[@dougpouncey]

A bar that goes over a lot of people is “no rings in my ear.” Pirates used the rings in their ears to pay for their funeral if they died, so Blackbeard’s essentially saying “I’m not going to lose this one.”

[@nathaniellange9526]

Holy shit I love coming the comments of erb’s and seeing these new facts, thanks Doug

[@OtakuJuanma2]

One tiny miss here: Hard Core wood is the type of wood used for the most durable parts of ships during Blackbeard's era. He's saying that Al Capone isn't Hardcore, but also wordplay that he's not high-quality enough.

[@mcmogg_incmogg2080]

Nice call. Did not know that.

[@Bobal27]

There’s one bar I never see anyone really catch and process. “Bilge rat pricks” is a better bar than it’s given credit for. First, you’re mentioning bilge rats, or rats that live below the bottom deck, in the pointed area of the inside of the hull, which if you have any damage is the first place that fills up with water. Bilges are disgusting, slimy, swampy, and often ignored. Rats tend to live there (until they desert it if it’s sinking, like rats deserting a sinking ship). “Rat pricks” is referring to people who “squeal” on the mafia, or informers. Back in prohibition era, Capone was used to eliminating rat pricks, so he’s implying that Teach has very filthy turncoats on board, or bilge rat pricks. Capone was a bit of a fop, so it’s no wonder he kept bashing the hygiene of Teach and his crew. He was also from New York, and moved to Chicago in 1919. That’s why his accent is what it is.

[@PhyrexianGrace]

@domovoi butler ahh, so its nerdy to be interested in actual interesting historical facts? Damn, im the biggest nerd there is

[@jessekwb5035]

@@PhyrexianGrace Yes, exactly.

[@CallMeKylePlz]

I appreciate this tidbit of information. I've learned a thing today.

[@user-ii1im5ko3i]

"Bilge rat pricks" could also be playing off the previous line saying that Blackbeard is "a huge dick", as 'prick' can also mean 'penis' - essentially saying "you're a dick, and the rest of your crew are also dicks". Playing off this further, "bilge rat pricks" can also relate to the mention of syphilis, as syphilis causes ulcers on the penis (or "prick") of those that contract it, thereby creating a "bilge rat (disgusting) prick".

[@automattic3199]

I learn so much through your breakdowns I always appreciate your personal insight on hip hop as a whole. For your next erb reaction I would highly recommend Freddie Mercury vs Frank Sinatra, it is vicious

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Hell to the yeah!

[@DavidSmith-su4wl]

He hasn’t done that one yet??! Gotta be next!!

[@Sandman3984]

Well done. And yes the Edward Kenway line was a direct reference to Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag in which the main character was Capt Edward Kenway. And he did associate with among other well known pirates, one Edward Thatch/Teach a.k.a Blackbeard. Blackbeard's main tactic of instilling fear was the act of threading fuses through his hair and having them hang down on his face and then lighting them to scare the crews of ships he was boarding. He uses that tactic to scare in lieu of killing but over time the syphilis he contracted would begin to drive him further into madness and his methods would in turn become more erratic and violent.

[@Neion8]

Just additional info on that 'take your little sloop John B' line - while it was covered by the Beach boys, Sloop John B is actually a traditional folk song (first published in 1916) from Nassau - Nassau being the port town where a young lad called Edward Teach started his career as a pirate in 1716 and transformed into the legendary figure Blackbeard.

[@jacksoulier13]

I was wondering when you were going to notice what was going on in the background, you can see Capone's men boxing up alcohol and Blackbeard's men stealing it. Black Flag is one of the best Assassin's Creed games they made. The story is so good!

[@xheralt]

And more than that, they arrive with it in Blackbeard's background right as he drops the line "steal your rum and sell it back at a profit.".

[@WarriorRed101]

So glad someone else (besides me) noticed this and pointed it out.

[@loudlikeamouse]

Buccaneer comes from buccan, a type of dried beef taken by pirates on long voyages. (Buccaneer essentially means "jerky boy"). The line "real swashbucking buccaneer / beef with me please" is a tiny nod to that!

[@Tyndaal604]

A buccan or the Mediterranean-French "boucan" is the apparatus used to hold the meat a height to smoke it not the meat itself, this is true though! Pirates invented BBQ 😁

[@TheErickDH]

so for specific numbers on Blackbeards wounds in his last battle, he was shot 5 times and cut/stabbed 20, with the last wound being a deep cut to the neck. as the story goes, his head was cut off and mounted on the ship, while his body was tossed overboard, where legend has it the headless body swam around the ship before sinking.

[@BullsMahunny]

Also, for any gun owners out there, the St. Valentines Day Massacre was also the primary driving factor for the gun control act which made suppressors, short barrels, and other things extremely hard to get.

[@mopar1969ful]

Seriously Knox, there have been so many ERB reactors in the past and there are a lot of new ones doing it today, but yours are by far the best. You go so in-depth and detailed with both the history/ references/facts side, but also the lyrics/rhymes/beat/battle rap side. Most importantly you're not afraid to make the vids long to get as much detail as you can in. Much love man, everyone who loves rap reacts should come to your channel

[@doomedhero9579]

Add the fact that he's more knowledgeable on damn near every subject than most other reactors. I've seen "history teachers" get historical facts wrong more than Knox which is kinda crazy.

[@mopar1969ful]

@@doomedhero9579 absolutely man. So many of those reactors or nerds or history teachers just sit there and go, "Yep. Mhmm. That's true. Facts." And don't go into any depth or details about it. Knox actually engages in the content and explains as much as he can to the audience that doesn't know/understand HOW it's accurate or WHAT the facts are

[@mopar1969ful]

@@doomedhero9579 nearly every time I find an ERB react video they all show that they're 5-15 minutes long and I'm like, "Damn, this is gonna be boring and simple." Then I see Knox's vids at 20-45 minutes long and I think, "Hell yeah, now this is gonna be a BREAKDOWN breakdown"

[@doomedhero9579]

@@mopar1969ful So true. I love seeing his reactions pop up because I know he's going to give us quality content. Such a great entertainer.

[@gludington2002]

Excellent breakdown as usual my guy. Only thing I'd add is the "head on a rope" /"prohibition on soap" lines are a callback to the first verse where he mentions dropping the soap. Soap on a rope prevents that.

[@ghost_curse]

The funny thing about Edward Kenway killing Blackbeard's men is that in the actual game they're friends/allies

[@HorridCross571]

Bilge is a part of the ship where the dirty water passes through. Usually located on the lower bowels of the ship. Happy New Years Knox!

[@yourlocalheathen8419]

Man I love your evaluations and breakdowns. Capone may have been based in Chicago later on, but he's from New York and that's where Lloyd's accent for Capone comes from. Capone was sent to Chicago by Lucky Luciano.

[@zeratul003]

Bilge Rat, Definition: A rat that lives in the worst place on the ship, namely, the bilge. The bilge is the lowest level of the ship and is loaded with ballast and often foul smelling water and muck. Thus, a bilge rat is a stinking, muck covered rat.

[@BuccWylde]

You missed the line about shoving his tongue up his poop deck...Capone said he'll pull his tongue out through his neck. That's a reference to a tactic often used in Latin based cartels. Slicing the throat then pulling the tongue thru the cut and leaving it to hang down the chest, known as a Columbian necktie. More of an homage to Tony Montana's Scarface from the original "Scarface" (Capone).

[@Tyiriel]

"I mean that rat nest beard's trapped so many crumbs this bum could get marooned and still eat lunch for a month" - Favorite line by far

[@yermomsboyfriend]

Absolutely deserves some love. It barely rhymes, but between the accent and the way hes pumping both pedals with the cadence it just rolls off smooth as melted butter.

[@KaiisKlips]

THANK YOU You are the only one to get the ''slap them bitch ass teaches'' line no one I've watched caught it, but some how I knew you would Knox. You got dat knowledge.

[@literallyjustisaac3521]

Fun fact: tax evasion was the thing that got Capone bc even if they got him on anything else, he technically couldve gotten off on the insanity plea but you cant use that for tax evasion

[@derekhandson351]

I'm too crazy to do my taxes judge

[@undertakernumberone1]

It's still rather amusing for me that the Rap Battle was meant to tie in with AC IV Black Flag... and so there is the Edward Kenway cameo in the video... yet hsi cameo is VS Blackbeard, when in the game, he and Blackbeard are buddies :D The name of the FRENCH Ship was La Concorde. When Blackbeard took it over she became known as "Queen Anne's Revenge".

[@aldshin]

a artist id love you to check out, despite him not being a Rapper, is "The Stupendium" more specifically the song "Room for Improvement"

[@johndunkelburg9495]

Edward Kenway was the main character in the game “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”, where one of the bosses was Blackbeard himself. Plus, Capone’s Gand hired Kenway in the background to slaughter Blackbeard’s crew.

[@T3kRazor]

Blackbeard wasn't an enemy in Assassin's Creed 4, Kenway and Blackbeard were friends in game. I even think one of the missions was to help capture the Man-of-War with Blackbeard which would later become Queen Anne's Revenge

[@edwardblair4096]

"High seas Caesar" is also "High seas seize-er" because he takes things, like other people's ships, that he finds on the High seas.

[@dingdong9884]

Blacklist is a testament to all your hard work Knox. Thanks for the reactions 💜

[@Mike_TNVol4Life]

You know, here in Knoxville, TN (right in the heart of Knox Co.) There's a famous place called *The Hill* & when I first discovered your channel, I thought that's where your name came from lol. *I appreciate your breakdowns!*

[@rossdollar7649]

fun fact at that time the most number of pistols one could carry was maybe 4 due to the weight and people size not being able to hold more without causing problems, but Blackbeard was over 7ft tall so he was one of the few people big enough to be able to carry 6.

[@BreakingTool]

I don’t really listen to rap much but a few weeks ago I watched one of your videos breaking down a song by Upchurch and then just watched video after video of you breaking down songs. You are like a scientist in a lab when it comes to rap. Hell I even watched you break down a song I don’t like and by the end of it I liked the song lol. I hear songs and lyrics different now and have new appreciation for what the artists put into their music. Thanks for giving me new ears to hear songs different.

[@larrydavis9851]

Al Capone actually died from Syphilis, not because he couldn't get the antibiotics he needed, but because he was so afraid of needles, he refused to get the shot of penicillin.

[@devon33801]

Came here for a rap battle breakdown and got pasta recommendations, not disappointed.

[@shaunyd3]

I see “I’m cappin this captain” as a reference to dead poets society’s “o Captain my captain” . As Williams character was teaching English and Blackbeards name teache. Not sure if anyone else caught that

[@elfieharper]

i am constantly astounded by your history knowledge

[@sparks418]

to be fair there wasn't ever really a "pirate ship" from the start, it was always a ship that was transformed into one

[@Marvelomarv]

This is the breakdown I've been waiting for!!!!

[@sababezhashvili598]

At 1:04, you can see Capone goons checking some bottles, and leaving them at 1:10, happening in Capone's background. Then at 1:13, there are some wild thugs sneaking off to somewhere, from Blackbeard's background. At 1:22, those thugs are sneaking into Capone warehouse and stealing said bottles. Capone background. At 1:26, when Blackbeard says "I'll pilfer all your rum", those thugs are coming back to BB background with a heavy chest, filled with pilfered rum. At 1:34, Capone goons are 'sicking' assassin on the people who stole rum. Capone background. At 1:39, said assassin is sneaking in on the BB background. At 1:44, just as Capone is about to start his "I'm an MC assassin" verse, assassin jumps out and murders all the thugs who pilfered that rum.

[@robertlinke2666]

okay so 1, pirates usually flew under false flags to not arouse suspicion, until the right moment, and the pirate flag revealed, the merchant vessel now had the choice: fight, maybe keep your loot, likely die. or surrender, give up some loot, but live. guess what most merchants chose.. and 2. pistols back then also just had 1 shot, and given they were front loading flintlock pistols, it took ages to load them so having more then one pre loaded so you can just draw another one and quickly get a couple shots of is quite useful 3. i looked this up myself since i didnt know either but the Bilge is apparently the lowest part of the ship, and the keel connects them. so if you have rats there, you are in trouble, since that means your ship is at risk of falling in twain, quite literally

[@nihtgengalastnamegoeshere7526]

Pretty much ALL ships had rats in the bilge back then, so it wasn't really a danger to the ship- just gross.

[@GutsandGore69]

I’m exact opposite. I’ve never dressed up as a pirate for Halloween, but dressed up as Al Capone for Halloween ones

[@mikemath9508]

if Al Capone was a pasta he'd be Penne while my favorite is Rigatoni (Tony Soprano), Penne is a fine substitute. and yes, you're right, always boil pasta (WITH SALT, NO OIL) for 5 minutes and then test it. It will get a little softer about a minute even after it's drained. It will cook even more if you add a hot sauce to it. Not literal hot sauce like Crystal or Tabasco, I mean, a hot alfredo or tomato or joetato.

[@NadeTheFun]

Happy New Year from the Philippines Knox!

[@catpoteudetare]

Child in the background is what made me like this vid. To hell with, perfection, and bless you man and your family. Have a better year

[@spiderfingers86]

On this episode from ERB is the battle between the gangster and a pirate. Al Capone is played by Epiclloyd and Black Beard is NicePeter

[@lucytipler7878]

Thank you Knox! And happy new year everyone 😊

[@JetEyeMonkey]

I really enjoyed the skrillex one and the Albert Einstein battle

[@Maltymalt2025]

Ha this was a good one. I like Mario brothers vs Wright brothers, not sure if you’ve already done it as still going through content! Happy New Years to all 💜 Are you still doing BTS once a week in the new year too? Looking forward to more BU especially 😊

[@aeonise]

Great to see a solid breakdown of one of my favorite ERBs overall. It's just got a great combination of the backing track, biting disses on both sides, and some great flows for both.

[@Jmaters83]

Never understood the "Al Dente" bar till now. That's why I enjoy your reactions and break downs. And I'll remember that cooking tip.

[@juiceboxx3260]

YEESSSSS!! THIS IS MY SECOND FAVORITE ERB

[@financematters15]

It's gonna be new year in India in about an hour so hope you all have a great year!!❤️

[@Youneverlearn85]

You all too!!!

[@dingdong9884]

Thank you! You too 😊

[@lildjxfactor]

If you haven't I definitely recommend you playing Assassin's Creed I: Black Flag. The reason why I would consider it as my favorite in the Assassin's Creed series is because I enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean, and the aspect of being a Pirate which was mostly they didn't desire or like their countries Government and decided to live out on the sea/islands eventually needing to pilfer to get some source of income without being part of a government. Along with other Assassin's Creed games the events that occur in the game are some what historically accurate. In Example I remembered that one mission you playing as Kenway which is the Assassin Pirate lol. you had to search the town since Black Beard was interested in stealing medical supplies since his crew was getting sick. Eventually what ended up happening is what you mention. they pretty much held the town hostage and wanted med supplies in return.

[@adityapathak5761]

Finally, my favorite ERB! Sick flows, intricate rhyme schemes, clever wordplay, hilarious impersonations. Also because ERB themselves have hearted and replied to my comment!

[@snack_bar2474]

The “free _” bits at the beginning of these videos just keep getting funnier, every damn time💀

[@Soliprem]

if it wasn't clear, at 10:05 Knox reminded us all that he is, indeed, a dad

[@hsfrdk1634]

Happy New Year!! (SEA Time Zone) Thank you for a great video.

[@trajectoryunown]

Also, referring to Blackbeard's full-blown ship as a "sailboat" is a diss in itself. While not a distinction the average person would be aware and the terminology varies by culture, a sailboat is a significantly smaller vessel that isn't really designed for the kind of conditions that can be withstood by a larger seafaring ship. A few associations could be drawn from there.

[@TheCripPlays935]

I’ve been waiting for this one 😩

[@luissantiago5163]

Ayy throwback. Happy New Year!

[@JeremeDavis]

another trick to great pasta to make sure it doesn't over cook is to basically blanch it. when it is done cooking immediately rinse it with cold or ice cold water to stop it from cooking further. If it is going to be used in a cold dish like spaghetti salad anyhow it won't matter if the pasta is cold and if it is in anything with a hot sauce the sauce will warm the pasta back up anyhow

[@xheralt]

Also "sloop" is not pronounced like "slope" (aka slant), it normally rhymes with "troop", except for Lloyd's accent here.

[@zfrenchtoast]

FINALLYYYYYYYY!!!!! HE HAS FINALLY DONE IT!!!!! YESSSSSSS!!!! THANK YOU KNOX!!! THIS IS LITERALLY MY FAVORITE BATTLE AND UR DOIN IT!!!’

[@albyjustme]

Hey Knox, I would love to see your reactions/thoughts on Avatar: The Last Airbender music. I am a really big fan of the show and when they make the music they really take into account the story of it and keep it vague enough to make a good song out of context so please check it out.

[@vimantheroninboy]

Have a nice last day of 2021 and a happy new Year 🙏🏻🙏🏻🎆🎉🎉

[@Rosethornwitch20]

I have been waiting for this one for so long

[@timmwilliams7616]

I didn't know you did a cipher with Nerd Out! Gotta go check that out next! Keep going in 2022!

[@jaywerner8415]

"ill slap those face scars of yours" I recall Al Capone was also called Scar Face.

[@justadan5320]

I've been waiting for this one!

[@thetalantonx]

Since he's talking about bilge rats, it's the inside bilge(s) that they're referencing, the lowest compartment(s) of the ship where water (and everything else) not washed over the sides or out the scuppers collects.

[@oddbird5825]

Nice job. This is an overlooked good one. If you want another one that’s overlooked, do Doc Brown vs. Doctor Who.

[@majinsole8554]

This an underrated one, IMO. Great breakdown my dude. ~_~

[@dwightk.schrute5559]

I’ve watched this original ERB video numerous times since it came out and I haven’t picked up nearly as many references as you have in your first watch. I need to crack a book

[@jessekwb5035]

I'd REALLY like to see you react to Freshly Kanal. Not sure what you should breakdown first but "Minecraft vs Little Big Planet" is one I'd love to see.

[@Marvelomarv]

When blackbeard says "I'll pilfer all ur rum and sell it back at a profit", it's a rebuttal to Capone's "burn ur sailboat down and collect the insurance money", to show that he knows how to be corrupt as well

[@shadowededge]

Finally!!! I recommend this one months ago!!

[@goblue1321]

Happy New Year to you and your family you are one of the most amazing breakdown channels that I have ever seen I have now come to the conclusion a video of a breakdown of a song as not at least 20 minutes that you're not doing it right so for that I thank you I have. I have been here since basically the first hundred thousand subscribers and the only reason I don't have you I patreon is because I have nine kids and I can't afford it right now but if I could I would be on it either way thank you for being awesome I hope 2022 is your year and you are amazing person

[@mikecabral2420]

Capone was originally from New York that's why he had that accent. Fun fact: Capone was actually kicked out of New York by the five families because he was was considered so incompetent that they wanted nothing to do with him. After his incarceration, he was examined by various doctors, which is when they found out he had Syphilis, and they determined that he was so brain damaged from his life choices that he was barely capable of functioning in society to the point they have now idea how he was able to be in charge of his criminal syndicate. So the most famous Mafiosa was actually considered to be nothing but a idiot to the rest of the Mafia.

[@shade4835]

Patiently waiting for George Carlin vs Richard Pryor. Fantastic battle.

[@JeffOfTheMountains]

I picked Blackbeard as the winner of this battle... and unfortunately it comes with a bit of bias. Mr. Edward Teach (Blackbeard) LOVED to hang around the Outer Banks of North Carolina. His favorite haunt was a place called Ocracoke Island, a couple hours from where I grew up. He definitely was notorious enough to have that swagger in real life, too. Physical descriptions are rare, but he did have the black beard (duh), stood about 6'5'', and weighed in at about 225 pounds.

[@pumertonj2848]

You should react to Freddie Mercury vs Frank Sinatra

[@teepssenju3411]

So good with the breakdowns

[@likeaboss1059]

I think the last bar was about the Netflix series “outer banks” with John b being a character and living in South Carolina and the whole plot being about treasure and ship ect

[@danieljodrey8863]

Tertiary Syph Braino lol 😆 I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. Another great ERB breakdown Knox. You slay these. 😜 ✌💖🎼

[@Blackjackk777]

Lets go! Love you knox! Keep up the AMAZING WORK!

[@willcykajoker9515]

Happy New Year Knox Hill love your music at the beginning of these videos really thinking about purchasing an album keep it up man much love.

[@spectrickx1678]

That final "epic rap battle of history" thing is my favourite out of all of them.

[@artembentsionov]

Edward Kenway is the main character of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. He’s a pirate who also becomes an Assassin. He’s the grandfather of Connor Kenway (AKA Ratonhnhaké:ton), the protagonist of Assassin’s Creed III

[@daissmusic]

Happy New Year! Best wishes for new year 🙂👍

[@Youneverlearn85]

Let go knox !!! Much love from ky !!! Happy new year❤

[@BeautifulEarthJa]

The rant about al dente is *chef's kiss*

[@BiggusNickus]

Ha, "chef's kiss". Nice choice of words. Happy new year!

[@Clasteau]

Edward Kenway's Assassin's Creed story is great. Recommend watching video of the cut scenes if you don't have time to play through Black Flag.

[@lightfootjpauls]

The bilge is where nasty water tends to gather on naval vessels. Now days they have bilge tanks that hold bad boiler water, sewer water and other undesirable water.

[@MrPeter924]

Get go rap song. Happy Friday. Happy new year

[@vladimirbucur6265]

happy new year knox

[@pangtundure]

Knox *bro reading the comment lol ps : have a good year.

[@leej676]

Let’s go 🔥 Happy new year all!

[@zalera262]

Before being named the Queen Anne’s Revenge, it was indeed a french slave ship named La Concorde (the Concord)

[@biggestwanderer8827]

10:05 I feel like this line is overlooked, but I remember that like Capone did have a kid around the 1920s. Might be wrong, though.

[@andrewmixon5217]

For the bilge rat line - first it is face value for a rat that lives in the bilge (area below the walking grates in the lowest level) that has to be crawled into to access. A direct insult to a pirate to call them a bilge rat. Additionally just for what those words mean in today’s Navy - In the mechanical divisions of a boat or ship the mechanic must work their way up by starting in the pits and lower holes of the ship to service the lube oil and cooling systems. This is normally the dirtiest job on a ship. To call a sailor a bilge rat means they are disgusting and should go back into their hole. I served my time as the bilge rat and definitely earned the name while keeping the boat operational.

[@bigbangisback6044]

Happy new year!!!

[@Imperius_Rex_753]

"This is a family friendly channel if you can't tell by the screaming children in the background" might be the quote of 2022, and we're only on day one