Rapper Reacts to Epic Rap Battles Of History!! | The Joker vs. Pennywise (SO MANY BARS!)

[@KnoxHill]

What else should we react to? 🤔 Comment below! Also if you like the song in the intro support the channel and download my new album ‘Chaos Theory’ now 🖤 www.knoxhillmusic.com

[@Ricci9170]

The intro song is amazing!! 🤯

[@heatherforsythe7587]

Tom Macdonalds new song!!!!!!!!! Love your reactions and music. Keep up the amazing work! Love you Knox

[@RoninKrossVT]

Miley Cyrus vs Joan of Arc I think it has some good punch lines and it's a great battle imo

[@heavendrips5740]

SHADYXV - Eminem

[@muggerhugger5101]

The Cesar Romero mustache line is because when he played joker he refused to shave it so they painted over it and it was still completely visible under the paint.

[@spaxxor]

fun fact, this ERB was mostly wrote by their patreon. They hold "writing room" style events for their patrons and they chose the absolute best lines to work with. The results speak for themselves. They still did a LOT of writing, as it's still an ERB, but they had a LOT more material to work with this time around.

[@maximusdecimusmeridius728]

I did not know that. That's amazing.

[@bryangetz3074]

They started doing that around season 2 or 3 because ppl commented or sent them good lines 99% of every single rap battle is by them you should watch erb behind the scenes

[@crafty1378]

666th like Let’s Go!!!

[@TheRealKSmith]

Mostly written by patreon? Pete and Lloyd acknowledge which ones they use in ERB2, and its not that many, its like one bar per battle. Them and Zach are still the majority writers, its after they're done with the draft that they consult with the community on if they should replace something.

[@hyrulianhero116]

Not mostly, they contribute very little, as a regular member of their patron.

[@shade4835]

I'm so happy you caught the Skarsgard line, so underrated.

[@camillaGorilla]

Yes finally! 💯👌🏼

[@JoJ0estar]

I feel he watched the rap battle before, did some research and did a "reaction". Ain't anybody getting all the lines and references watching it the first time. Not hating, though. If he does his research and explaining it to his audience, that's all and good.

[@rank1562]

@@JoJ0estar I don’t think so because he just would’ve searched every bar and and he didn’t get this one at 28:09 so I think he’s just a big comic book and novel fan

[@JoJ0estar]

​@@rank1562 That's fine. It's just my opinion, buddy. It's easy to "miss" some lines to make it not too obvious. The Skarsgård line is neither comic book nor novel reference. It's from the movie, and it's been pointed out many times days after release of the ERB. He's a dozen months too late. Watch his other reactions on actual historical figures like the Philosophers, the Greats, the Russians, etc., he's a history fan too? Quite a *s t r e t c h* if you ask me. Still, it's great content, but I would call his videos a "breakdown" of the lyrics instead of a reaction. I might be right or wrong, but if he doesn't do live reactions on newly released ERBs, then I'm not buying it.

[@zacoutortue009]

@@JoJ0estar i mean its not that much of a stretch he said he really loves history. In the stalin rap battle he says he actually started reading a biography recently. He also probably has a good worldy knowledge since he live in a lot of diffrent countries to play football professionaly. And i mean if you had basic philosophy classes in higher eductaion the east v west battle its pretty easy to get most of the bars

[@The_Nonchalant_Shallot]

"Shoutout to this, shoutout to that" You know what? Fuckin' shoutout to YOU dude. There are so few people who actually know that the deadlights are actually Pennywise's true form. Holy shit. Mad respect for that. You have no idea how many people I've talked to that are convinced the giant spider is his true form. It's nice to see that someone actually gets it.

[@robertdelangel1230]

Caesar Romero played the joker in the 60's batman tv show. During that time, he refused to shave his mustache for the role.

[@slenderjaguarlol1382]

I believe it was because his mustache was like his trademark thing that he was known for and refused to shave it, instead, just slather lots of white paint instead.

[@chillwaffle2033]

Cesar Romero kept his moustache cuz it was iconic. They made Henry Cavill keep his and it got erased, how ironic!

[@ninjafoxgamesgeekery]

If you go back and look at some photos of Romero in Joker makeup.... without the mustache and given a darker portrayal, I'm convinced he'd have been an amazing modern Joker.

[@Skye_Writer]

@@slenderjaguarlol1382 Yeah, Cesar would have been unrecognizable without his mustache, and since the villain roles on the 60's series were just guest star roles, not something Cesar would have been doing every week, he refused to shave because he needed to still be able to book other work.

[@ashgames9925]

Glad somebody beat me to it as the 60s TV show was the first taste i got of the whole batman thing.

[@waraikitsune]

Holy Crap...I just remembered, the Cask of Amotillado takes place during a masquerade, where Fortunado was dressed as...a Harlequin. God DAMN.

[@owenchafer1083]

It's honestly impressive just how many references they can get into a single verse.

[@zubsshokeen7255]

Nice catch

[@Extem1]

That and the fact that ERB did a Stephen King vs Edgar Allan Poe battle. They probably went so heavy with the Cask of Amontillado because of that battle they did previously

[@Bexx98]

Showed this to my sister (who LOVES EAP) she pointed out that they mispronounced Amotillado. Automatic loss to us. 😂

[@thunder_claw]

...I always thought that Poe reference was so out of place and now I get it holy shit!

[@KurNorock]

"I spit acid be wowed" Joker is known for spraying acid from a flower he keeps on the lapel of his coat.

[@WolvenSpectre]

Yeah, specifically at his trial with District Attorney and future political hopeful Harvey Dent, who was Bruce Wayne's best friend, thus turning him into the villian Two Face as half his face was eaten by a stronger version of the Acid that made The Joker.

[@passionsquietrage]

That line, "You're supposed to be the man who laughs" is a nod to the classic movie The Man Who Laughs, which was the inspiration for the Joker(at least partially anyway). Bob Kane created the character, but the appearance was created by Bill Finger. Sadly, Finger wasn't credited for his work until 2015(more than 30 years after his death). Cesar Romero played Joker in the 1966 Adam West Batman series. The mustache line is a reference to the fact that Romero refused to shave his stache for the role so the make up artists just painted over it. January Ember Flames is a nod to the poem Ben wrote for Beth in IT: "Your hair is winter fire, January embers. My heart burns there too."

[@TryPuttingItInRice]

W

[@EmrysMerlin8807]

It's also a reference to the recent storyline in the comics, Dark Knights Metal, who introduced a Batman effected by a new strand of the Joker venom: The Batman who Laughs.

[@Sises]

@@EmrysMerlin8807 I think it might be more of a reference to the 2005 comic Batman: The Man Who Laughs. It's a retelling of Batman's first encounter with the Joker.

[@willpina]

@@Sises Those 2 are also references to the classic movie.

[@Sises]

@@willpina Very true, the Joker himself is a reference to the man who laughs, as Passions pointed out.

[@arseface7256]

Joker also goes by John Doe in Telltale's Batman series. So that line goes even deeper.

[@scottjameson5358]

Well yes, but actually no. I keep seeing this being mentioned and I don't think it's that deep. Because in Telltale's Batman, the reason he's known as John Doe is because he's so mysterious. He never mentioned his real name and even the Asylum doesn't know the history of when he was first admitted. So, they called him John Doe because his identity is unknown. While as in this line, it lean towards on the idea that The Joker always hides his true identity and he keeps changing his origin story like his past self before becoming Joker or how he got his scars. So in a way, while it's true that both case is a reference to him never showing his true identity, John Doe is a reference to Joker having multiple identities that are all either made up or correct one way or another in order to conceal his real identity instead of John Doe is a reference to Batman's Telltale Joker that was named John Doe. Again, technically you're right but the reference is not fully clear.

[@marcusjackson4148]

Glad you mentioned that

[@theycallmejoey283]

True

[@thomasriach6987]

I came to the comments to say this haha

[@BelbyB]

@@scottjameson5358 Hey, just coming back to this video, so apologies for the tag- I think you've gotten the John Doe thing backwards. In the Telltale game, the reason they call him John Doe is, yes, he didn't give a name, but that's because in the game, he isn't the Joker yet, as determined by the whole-ass story in the second game. So John Doe IS specifically a reference to the Telltale series.

[@thetalantonx]

1:10 - I gotta say I really respect you being up front and saying you researched, and that you actually did the research in the first place to be on your game for the reaction and breakdown. 27:44 - Beautiful catch with the Scars-guard(s) bar, but "just killed IT" with him taking the pose that was on the front of The Killing Joke. 28:44 - Excellent call and catch.

[@Kyle_J850]

Joker’s only rules: 1. Fear the IRS 2. *Follow rule 1*

[@youraveragemango8671]

What about: 3. Women aren’t funny

[@youraveragemango8671]

@Cannabis Dreams fair point

[@totchi6]

@@youraveragemango8671 that's why he's the joker

[@XanderPGK]

He also hates nazis.

[@Red-jw4lw]

Don't forget "Don't work with Nazis"

[@celtic-cultist100]

Im late to respond but the "John doe" line is also a play on the fact the jokers identity has never been revealed in canon so he stays a John doe unknown male

[@Xero488]

Also John doe is the name joker uses in the telltale games

[@jarrinvaughn9402]

And John Doe in my deadlights a doe in the headlights

[@cliftonrouse9400]

"Your about to fall from a new height!" is in reference to Michael Keaton's Batman, in which Jack Nicholson's Joker falls from the BAT'S or bats belfry and died!

[@cliftonrouse9400]

No other than, "THE ICEMAN" Chuck Lidd... Oh snap my bad! I'm your pusher, ICE🧊"CUBE'S" big bro. (kidding) ICE "T"

[@insomniapetals4424]

John Doe is also the main protagonist in The Dead Zone (another Stephen King novel) and he called the lights he saw when he had his visions the deadlights. This one was seriously involved and I LOVED IT!

[@Alteori]

26:52 OMG I totally missed the Skarsgard thing! Good catch!

[@psychointent1]

Joker's last line, "that the Joker just killed IT", is also a reference to The Killing Joke, which is why he's holding the camera at the end there.

[@GarthPuckerin]

A lot of people miss the significance of when Pennywise says "Beep Beep" in his first verse. He says that the jokes from Joker's first verse were like the new Joker movie - mostly sad. Richie was the comedian of the Losers but when he told a bad joke, they would say "Beep Beep, Richie". Kinda like "Nice try, Richie". The "Beep Beep" then ties directly into the next rhyme scheme regarding "John Doe in my deadlights" The "fall from a new height" is at least a double referencing his origin falling into a vat of acid and how Nicholson's Joker died in "Batman". This battle was released shortly after both movies had hit theaters and the triple is both It and Joker were experiencing "new heights" of popularity due to the recent releases so when Pennywise won this battle, Joker was going to fall from this new pedestal.

[@MAHU_music]

Also beep beep Also reference to what Eddie says before attacking Pennywise on IT 2 "beep beep motherf*****

[@deadfox5489]

Damn I've seen a lot of stretches but your observations are actually perfectly plausible, good catch dude

[@Jordan-ms7zi]

good catch sheeesh

[@DaShonuff]

Also John Doe is the name of Joker in the Telltale games before he actually becomes Joker.

[@SIN_N0MBRE944]

The fall from a new height is also relating to the end of The Dark Knight, when the Joker falls because Batman knocked him off a building and then grapples him back up

[@adamyusuf1805]

“Cesar Romero portrayed the Joker in the 1960s' Batman TV series, where the Joker's face paint is painted over the actor's moustache, as Romero refused to shave it off, and has been associated with that incarnation since. Pennywise thinks if Joker can't get rid of a moustache, then security guards are not needed to protect him whenever he's being held in Arkham Asylum” -ERB wiki Also the January Ember Flames is about the love card in the book It. It’s referencing that, but also talking about the fire bars he’s spitting

[@stevensurnear8938]

"99 red balloons, bitch and I dare you to take one" is a double. There is a song called 99 red ballons

[@TDoughter23]

About the AIDS outbreak and fears

[@lukes.3679]

And that song plays in the old movie.

[@banthlopilendala4799]

I think it was ice cube

[@01banjokazooie]

@@banthlopilendala4799 it was Ice-T

[@6666Imperator]

@@01banjokazooie nope 99 red balloons is the english version of Nenas 99 Luftballons. A german 80s anti-war song :)

[@TheCripPlays935]

You also missed when joker stated “the joker just killed it” from the famous “the killing joke” story and he held the camera like he did to take pictures of Barbra Gordon after paralyzing and stripping her.

[@Last_March_of_the_Gents]

Bro joker did way worse than that...

[@jaketheadventurer2772]

@@Last_March_of_the_Gents As someone who actually read The Killing Joke about a year ago, I can confirm that you’re telling the truth.

[@cliftonrouse9400]

Joker just killed "IT"! (referring to Pennywise)

[@GarryG]

That was honestly the best one 😂😂..it makes me give a W to joker but Pennywise hit him with lot of personals.....as a battle rap fan, Pennywise wins this one

[@bizzaroblake2519]

and the acid referred to his acid gag flower he has on his suits when he's hamil and Jack Nicholson

[@charliehines5745]

Love the fact that at the beginning Joker says "but I cant be killed" is a nod to the fact that Batman absolutely refuses to kill him/anyone.

[@jacqueschocron2934]

This is one of the things I love about Batman, is that everybody knows that he doesn't, but he never really goes back to make sure the people he beat up are still alive, plus, knowing Gotham is in the USA, those people would have probably preferred being killed, compared to being crushed with huge medical bills, I doubt the "villain goon" job offers a good health insurance

[@BMJgunner]

​@@jacqueschocron2934Plot Twist - Joker provides amazing health care benefits

[@jeangentry6656]

That and DC never lets anyone stay dead (it's assumed by many that Batman choked Joker to death in Killing Joke).

[@elenadibari4390]

@@jeangentry6656 I agree! In 2001's Joker: Last Laugh #6 Nightwing beats the Joker to death and Batman, who always turns a blind eye towards half-dead villains actually gives the Joker (who at that point had already killed Robin n 2 and almost killed Robin n 3 like 10 pages before) CPR to make sure he survives.

[@chrisf2636]

And that’s why Michael Keaton is Batman… the no killing… ummm, that guy from newsies, or the one from the 60s?

[@ZxosGamer]

About the Joker's acid bar: 1. you're right about him fell into an acidic chemical plant 2. he has a flower on his shirt that spits acid, making people laugh uncontrollably until they're dead. Another note on the screenplay reference: the way Joker holding his camera was from the comic "The Killing Joke" So, you're a Poe boy. Then, how about Edgar Allan Poe vs Stephen King?

[@undertakernumberone1]

About the Acid squiritng flower: It depends on the story. In Some stories, it spits acids, usually causing the normal hollywood Acid stuff. In others it shoots Joker Gas, which is the whole "laughing til they die" stuff. Joker didn't fall into acid, but a vat of chemicals that bleached his skin.

[@jenkzkh]

"pennywise likes the devil" is also a movie reference. Tim curry also plays a large devil in the movie legend, as well as pennywise.

[@heyoitsmenate]

I think I saw that movie. Is that the one with a wannabe Link?

[@Bigmikeyj]

@@heyoitsmenate yes played by Tom Cruise.

[@zackerywarme9034]

Nate it’s actually a pretty good movie I haven’t seen it in a while but I remember enjoying it

[@heyoitsmenate]

@@zackerywarme9034 I agree. It is a bit cheesy though. Princess does something stupid, weirdly dressed guy goes to save her with a floppy-ass sword😂

[@silverbackbrorilla347]

I don't know if it's intentional, but there may be another layer. In The Dark Tower, The man in black is essentially the devil and is the right hand man to the crimson king which is pennywise by another name.

[@daviipowell7994]

"Maybe in my opinion; you can have other opinions. They're wrong, it's ok" - Knox Hill 2021 I felt that, even thou I agree with you.

[@mat4909]

The Cask of Amontillado is also self-referential, as they've done a rap battle between Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe.

[@kingclint2382]

Knox gotta do that one next, it's the most "perfect" ERB. Very well crafted

[@scottjameson5358]

@@kingclint2382 Bruh, that one was so fucking underrated. Even the first line that Poe starts literally fits his writing literature.

[@snehilsingh8475]

P

[@Thorcat001]

That is another great ERB.

[@regalcartoon5932]

25:10 Joker is right. Even criminals like him know when and where to draw the line. Professionals have standards.

[@cancerstreaming894]

mhm

[@kylemcmullan2929]

"I may be a criminal lunatic but I'm an *American* criminal lunatic!" - Joker, upon discovering Red Skull is a Nazi

[@oddballasmr7781]

Be polite, be efficient, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

[@adriannas9703]

"I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the IRS?? Nooooo thank you!"

[@jare114]

Be polite. Be efficient, and have a plan to kill anyone you meet

[@KingAdam25]

That Skarsgard reference was something I've never gotten having listened to this many times, well done. Both acting was so great for this, one of my favourites of recent ones for sure, the production value. I preferred Joker for the bars itself myself, although the production and cgi for Pennywise was great.

[@impulse959]

And to think they did that "wrap" technique twice in just this battle. Scars + gaurd = Skarsguard, and Mark Ham + I'll = Mark Hamill. The writing is very layered here. Very awesome to have it revealed and very awesome that someone can find it.

[@mattstanford9673]

EpicLloyd is a f’cking chameleon. He certainly lives up to the “epic.”

[@jrcspiderman2003]

He really is like I swear to god he can play literally fucking anyone and have it be done well, I swear if he ever got in danger and the only way to survive was to disguise himself as someone else he'd be fucking fine jesus

[@jrcspiderman2003]

Did I say the word fucking enough?

[@andrewforeman-loe3935]

@@jrcspiderman2003 fuck no.

[@Historicutuber]

He’s amazing

[@Niklarus2010]

If you loved this, you’ll also love Oppenheimer vs Thanos.

[@sbusisomanqele4318]

Didn't thanos get thrashed in that one I don't think Knox would wanna see thanos being murdered lol

[@undertakernumberone1]

@@sbusisomanqele4318 yeah, Thanos, like Bats and Banner was one of the weakest characters in ERB... Bruce Banner had to take a backseat for Jenner, Thanos was too much stuff from the movies, and the fortnight line, Bats was based ont he college humour parody of Nolanverse bats. What he should try imho is Babe Ruth VS Lance Armstrong. Ruth's final verse is just viscious.

[@Orion_44]

@@undertakernumberone1 Thanos wasn't all that bad, but he was going against Oppenheimer, most characters in ERB would have lost

[@scottjameson5358]

@@undertakernumberone1 There's a time where bringing up a bar that's going to be used by your opponent is making sure that the impact is less effective but THAT LINE that Thanos brought up is really bad....

[@undertakernumberone1]

@@Orion_44 I disagree. Thanos clearly was MUCH weaker written.

[@KimonoSuki]

This is by far the best ERB in terms of references, rymes, and jokes. I love it so much, its' one of my top songs on Spotify

[@TheGDBatman]

The “fall from a new height” line was a reference to Jack Nicholson’s Joker falling from the building to his death in the first Batman film

[@crystalrains]

could be a reference to this too: The Red Hood first appeared in Detective Comics #168 (February 1951), in the story "The Man Behind The Red Hood!".[2] In this original continuity, he became the future Joker; a flashback reveals that a criminal, who at that time called himself the Red Hood after the (seemingly) eyeless red dome-shaped hood worn by him, attempted to rob a playing card factory. While chased, he fell into a catch basin full of chemicals, which disfigured him, then escaped by swimming to safety (a breathing apparatus inside the hood preventing him from drowning). Driven insane by his change of appearance, he recreates himself as the Joker. A decade later, the Joker resumes the guise, while another criminal attempts to adopt the identity, too.

[@brodiegerhardt5691]

I thought it was from Batman the killing joke, when joker said the prison joke about how 2 people escaped and the second guy didn’t want to jump across the building so the first guy shined a flashlight so he could walk across it.

[@natnirv]

When The Joker says "As far as Mr King goes, I'm a Shining man. Wink!" yes, it's a reference to Jack Nicholson but he's also dissing Stephen King implying he's a fan of Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining and not the book itself. King hated the movie cause Kubrick changed pretty much everything of his original work. And "We all float down here and you'll float too" is Pennywise's most famous line. IT Chapter 1 was a hit but the sequel with the adults disappointed a lot of fans, myself included. So you could say it kinda did sink. Awesome breakdown Knox! You should do Edgar Allan Poe vs Stephen King next.

[@roronoa_zoro968]

Poe vs King was really good. I agree with this

[@MusicLover97ization]

Fun Fact. The "You're supposed to be the man who laughs " is probably the most important reference in the battle because its a reference to a movie called "The Man Who Laughs" which is where they got the inspiration for the Jokers design, especially the wide creepy smile. Look it up

[@TheCoolestGamer20]

When Cesar Romero played joker way back in the day, he refused to shave his famous moustache so they just put makeup over it. It looked terrible

[@dillonkramer1575]

That’s the Adam West batman from the 60’s Knox

[@marveloussuperboy6370]

Huh cool

[@Spitfirethedragon]

Romero is the goat of Jokers.

[@inferlynx737]

It was terrible but now we could look back at old pictures and laugh at it

[@dillonkramer1575]

Yeah it is so bad it’s good, but to it’s credit that was batman in the 50’s and 60’s comics so that’s how they reflected batman and the joker but the mustache is without excuse haha

[@ironlivestock3284]

Pennywise: "I killed hundreds" Joker: "I killed thousands" Ronald McDonald: "I killed millions and they paid me"

[@kalebmasse5022]

This was really clever

[@anikat6783]

Underrated comment 👏👏👏

[@mahatmaniggandhi2898]

loool most dangerous clown ever😂

[@MagicMorton]

That moment when you steal a meme from a pyrocynical video that was taken from reddit

[@ironlivestock3284]

@@MagicMorton not claiming it I'm just posting it. got it from discord, also crediting memes is Gen z level of ridiculous. Imagine a world where you have to source every meme you use. The amount of cringe that would bring to meme culture. There would be memes about that rule.

[@gabrielesolletico6542]

No one get the "You're supposed to be the man who laughs" line... The creator of the character of Joker based his phisical look on the main character of an old black and white movie, called "The man who laughs", who told the story of a man with a scar of his face that made he looks like he was costantly smiling, creeping people all around him, and leaving him alone in the World... that also reconnected with the stories that Heat Ledger's Jokers tell about his scars... "Do you want to know how I did this scars?" and then he once tell the story of his father cutting his mouth with a knife, that is basically what the kidnappers did to the main character of the movie "The man who laughs", when he still was a child... search for that.

[@Ketizami]

2 years later and I learned something new thanks

[@gunnerysgthartman9263]

"Pennywise loves the devil" Knox: what a great flip! Us: wait till he hears that punchline

[@LinardsZ]

true

[@olsongc8422]

Pennywise would also love the devil because they are both played by Tim Curry.

[@davidcelio441]

Literally! lol

[@VIN-7567]

“You’ll be gobble up in Gotham” Killer croc would gobble him up since they both go to the sewers.

[@mikaylawilliams5913]

Oh shit I forgot about that

[@johndoekinnie9467]

I love these dissecting videos, I enjoy how you explain the lines and your personality makes it more entertaining. You seem like a really fun guy to talk to. Some references clearly went over my head until you explained them. Great video!

[@BreakDanceFight]

"I spit January Ember Flames" refers to the poem that Beverly reads as a child from Ben in IT. "Your hair is like winter fire. January embers. My heart burns there too".

[@bboyven]

Also means his bars are fire cause he's spitting flames.

[@CoalBee01]

@@bboyven well yeah but thats so obvious that they dont have to mention it

[@bboyven]

@@CoalBee01 Yeah i guess

[@captianzanzey]

Isn't that the letter that they strap to a rock and throw at the deadlights to kill it? So he's spitting the fire to kill

[@bboyven]

@@captianzanzey Did that really happen? I dont remember that in the book or the movies. Or are you referring to the Tim Curry version?

[@boyanpenev9822]

The best part about "I got 99 red balloons and I dare you to take one" was that it might also be another reference - to an 80s pop song. It might be unintentional, but I have to give them props for the possibility.

[@StoryMing]

I have to believe it was intended.

[@grandtheftak3666]

And to the 2000 jay z classic unless that was built upon that skng

[@StoryMing]

@@grandtheftak3666 Yes I think it’s meant as a reference to BOTH; but most commenters only seem to be aware of the Jay-Z song...

[@ZaneTruesdale007]

99 red balloons nuna

[@Anon21486]

TBH, I never associated it with the Jay-Z and always referenced that part as the 99 Red Balloons from Nena

[@rynsummer1711]

I'm amazed you are able to get many references from BOTH sides. Most reactions I see tend to only know about Batman. Amazing reaction! You nail the research!

[@Corzoko]

"You're about to fall from a new height" Another Nicolson reference; Nicolson's Joker died by falling to his death, so he turned Joker's "I'm a Shining man" joke back on him

[@WannSky]

There's a lot of references to this line. Before Joker became the Joker he was another "John Doe" that fell into the vat of acid, he falls in the animated series into a sea of sharks, and he'll fall from floating like the kids do in the movies.

[@TomJones-wx5on]

“He has to explain the joke like I do for all you dummies” Next line about floating “I don’t get it”

[@tehClew]

He got it he just couldn’t remember the quote

[@curtisg8700]

He missed sooooo much lol. Doesn't have a lot of joker or penny wise knowledge

[@hurricane_valence]

Exactly, such a shame

[@Edy.10]

@@curtisg8700 You can't be real, lol.

[@scarletmarceau1252]

​@@curtisg8700 he litterly went DEEP in the bars...😅

[@CrippledMerc]

I think you missed one. When Pennywise does the Jay Z line about 99 problems but he’s referencing his balloons, there’s also a play on the song 99 Luftballons by Nena, which from the original German translates to 99 red balloons, and he obviously carries red balloons.

[@CrippledMerc]

And you missed the fact that Bruce Wayne had a childhood fear of bats, pennywise feasts on children’s fears so he would’ve feasted on Batman as a kid. You kinda implied around that one but didn’t explicitly say it.

[@hundvd_7]

The German name of the song is 99 Luftballons, which just means balloons. Or air balloons to be precise. Not red ones. But the song does have a very famous English version, which _is_ translated as red balloons to make it rhyme better

[@abstractpersons987]

I've seen multiple reactions to this song, but no one ever recognizes that Joker holding a camera for the line "Joker just killed IT" was a reference to "The Killing Joke"....

[@StoryMing]

There’s one or two I’ve seen.

[@jclindsay007]

THANK YOU! So many reactors never mention the shining / jack nicholson line! Also, there's a couple of examples in the comics where Joker shows he has morals. If I recall correctly, he actually pays taxes, cause he doesn't mess with the irs, and when marvel crossed over with dc, he punched out Red Skull, saying he doesn't work with Nazis.

[@tonygbeulie4701]

And the Shinning man could also reference the fact that his movie got an Oscar because he was flexing a little earlier

[@JamesF0790]

"I may be a psychopath but I'm an American psychopath!"

[@codysellers8889]

The Shining reference was also because King famously hates Kubrick's adaptation.

[@scotchike_92]

There’s an extra layer to the John Doe line, too. You’re right to say an unidentifiable corpse is labeled John/Jane Doe, which fits even better since no one knows who the Joker really is.

[@colbybrasher9300]

Except for the 80's Keaton Batman, it was theorized that his original name was Jack Napier.

[@Holidaypunch1]

@@colbybrasher9300 Didn't Joker also use Jack Napier as his like, other identity so he could buy like explosives and weapons and stuff.

[@aaronlefebre5060]

One reference you missed was after the Joker made his "dance with the devil" line, Pennywise said he likes playing with the devil. The reference is that Tim Curry, the first actor to play Pennywise, also played The Devil in the movie Legend. Pennywise was doing some Actor Allusion with those lines.

[@danielolivares6313]

26:45 "i take smiles and i leave scars, guards at arkham..." Scars, guards Skarsgard Bill skarsgard Actor who played pennywise Edit: now that i finished the video, i realized you are the only reactor on the entire internet who caught that

[@floyd5688]

No life Shaq also caught it

[@Hammer_Of_Olympia]

We Skeem got it too I think. Actually I think he was the first person to pick up on it, but my goodness. Knox is fucking brilliant when it comes to picking apart bars

[@t0w3l78]

@@floyd5688 NoLifeGang

[@0Clewi0]

@@Hammer_Of_Olympia Doesn't he prepare a script? Not techinically a reactor.

[@Hammer_Of_Olympia]

@@0Clewi0 does he? I don’t think he does, every reaction I’ve watched seemed pretty in the moment? Idk though, he still does good breakdowns

[@user-ug5fd4xf7h]

the fact that even with all you caught there is still more is a testament to the erb crews skill. great battle great reaction

[@cirrustate8674]

"You're about to fall from a new height" References Tim Burton's Batman where Joker fell off a tower. The 99 balloons was referencing 99 Luftballons, or in english, 99 Red Balloons, a song from the 80s by the german group Nena. Cesar Romero was Joker on the old 60s Adam West Batman tv show, and he famously refused to shave off his moustache, simply having the makeup put on over it. January Ember Flames was a nickname one of the guys in IT gave to the girl, Beverly.

[@Tboss8910]

Okay good I thought I was the only one who caught the 99 luft balloons reference. Then they added the Jay-Z reference in it as well which made it genius

[@swagnojutsu6970]

@@Tboss8910 kid cudi also used it in the early 2010s

[@LilCyco223]

Fall from a new height actually references the Joker's first appearance...where he falls from a building.

[@gregorygillquist4572]

can you please do Epic Rap Battles of History: Deadpool vs. Boba Fett?

[@KadurOrdo]

This!!

[@DevilizerHimself]

One of my favs

[@leonardomorano4957]

YAS

[@Shadowninja2840]

Yeah

[@dedrxbbit7549]

January Embers was the poem that Ben either wrote or quoted on a postcard and stuck it in Bev’s locker addressed “Secret Admirer.” Cesar Romero was an actor who portrayed the Joker (TV series: 1966-1968 / Movie adaptation: 1966) before Jack Nicholson (1989). I’ve heard two different stories. Cesar either had a different role to play in some other movie that prevented him from shaving his mustache, or he just refused to shave it. Either way, they had to paint over it in order for him to play the role. In the original version, it was a little difficult to spot, but when they came out with the high definition version of the movie, it was plain as day.

[@Alsebra]

Romero got a lot of work due to his "Latin lover" vibe and thought that getting rid of the mustache would make work dry up. Not sure if it would have (his acting chops were pretty damn good), but I don't blame him a bit.

[@magicalminty6203]

9:56 "Why so serious? You're supposed to be the man who laughs." The Man Who Laughs was a 1928 movie starring Conrad Veidt. It was about a man who had been surgically disfigured to have a permanent hideous smile on his face. That was the inspiration for the Joker.

[@vanessaaves3271]

"they all float down here" refers to both the fact that dead bodies float in water but also the children's bodies floating upwards when their fear makes them succumb to Pennywise.

[@Kevinm1228]

It's more a reference to Pennywise saying "We all float down here." It's in the miniseries version and I think the book, don't have it anymore but I'm pretty sure I read that too.

[@Spitfirethedragon]

Jack Nicholson was also was nominated for awards for his acting for both The Shining and Batman which The Shining Man can be reference as well. That one was a triple bar in one. 99 Red Balloons is also a song from the 80s from Nena. The 99 Red Balloons bar is a double for two songs. Cesar Romero was the OG of the Jokers since he was the first to play him in live action from the 1960 60's Batman tv show with Adam West and Burt Ward. Any actor who played the Joker since used Cesar's Joker clips to get influence on, and build onto the character. Cesar to me is my best Joker of all time. I thought all the Jokers from the movies were too dark for my likings.

[@mehdishirazi3]

You missed Batman: the killing joke reference when he pulled up the camera.

[@RagingR0nin]

YES! Thank you! It's often missed but the killing joke camra pose is a killer reference. ERB nails it every time.

[@Krystalja1987]

K know right

[@zakle3805]

Also, the man who laughs line which references The Man Who Laughs, an influence that helped create The Joker.

[@rachelconsoli8428]

I love the awe and respect he gives EpicLloyd’s pennywise, the impression is SPOT ON!

[@TheErickDH]

so there's a whole third level to the Phoenix line joker throws out at the beginning. Mark Hamill also played Firelord Ozai in Avatar the Last Airbender, who goes on to rebrand himself as the Phoenix King later on in the series

[@hero2bdetermined558]

A bit of a reach but still cool to think it was intended

[@heavendrips5740]

SONG IN THE INTRO WAS FIRRRE! Definitely the best song I've heard from you so far! 🔥🔥🔥🔥Definitely downloading

[@KnoxHill]

Appreciate it bro. It’s called ‘U Mad Yet’. Music video for it drops next Wednesday but it’s out on Spotify now

[@R3ddcap]

Also. 99 red balloons is another reference to a song made by a german singer named Nena called '99 luftballons', which was later translated to english into a song called '99 red balloons'

[@Klipse11]

☝🏻

[@moonie1825]

the unless you have yummy younger brother line is also a reference to the recent joker movie where they implied that joker is batmans older brother

[@Bampoo]

Cesar Romero was the very first Joker Actor back in 60's, and due to his trademark which was his mustache it was spray painted as white to cover it up when he played Joker :P

[@marveloussuperboy6370]

The 60s damn that’s a long time ago

[@shadowproductions969]

Adam West's Batman. It seems most everyone knows of that batman but not as many have watched it. I used to tune in the same bat time, same bat channel growing up in the 80s when it was still running re-runs. But yeah Cesar's Joker is still one of the best versions of it and Adam West's batman though it was meant more for kids and tongue in cheek humor, taken straight off comic pages.. it was great in its own ways. I still think he played the smartest batman of all the portrayals.. aside from the animated series. To me, that's the biggest thing that no movie gets right, they all focus on his toys and his fighting, but almost none on his detective skills.. they showcase it a lot in the animated and in the arkham games though which is great.

[@Bampoo]

@@shadowproductions969 I actually watched it when I was a kid back in -90's. It was show'n in Finland during the summer :P

[@mr.jglokta191]

To quote Count Dooku "I've been looking forward to this" There's a reason I use "Mr.J" in my name ;) Also you missed the bar about "The man who laughs" which is the movie that inspired the creation of the Joker character And Jack Nicholsons Joker fell from a building

[@neotakehaya]

Genuinely one of the only people I’ve seen to catch the Robin bar, you honestly got A LOT of the references, kudos to you

[@ryandtibbetts2962]

The "January embers" line refers to a poem that Ben wrote to Beverly in the novel. "Your hair is winter fire January embers My heart burns there, too."

[@MoostachedSaiyanPrince]

10:16 - This line has a second meaning that I've only ever seen one reactor catch. "You're supposed to be the man who laughs", in addition to mocking how serious the last Joker movie was, is also a shot at how the Joker's design is based on, if not straight up stolen from, the titular character in the movie "The Man Who laughs". The only real difference is the color scheme, but since movies were in black and white at the time, they took the pale skin to an extreme for the comics.

[@cjmars822]

Pennywise likes the devil because Tim Curry also played the devil (Darkness) in Legend. Cesar Romero played the Joker in the 1960’s tv show with Adam West. Famously, Romero refused to shave his mustache for the role which is why Joker in that series has a mustache under his face paint.

[@BoydOfPray]

That Heath Ledger line is one of the most savage things I've ever heard.

[@camerontuma3526]

Even more then the Chris benoit line from Tom Macdonald

[@nertz4579]

"I'd see you in round 2 but no one in your family has lived to see a sequel" is right there with it

[@DerMoerpler]

@@nertz4579 Also the Miss Carriage line

[@sbntd]

Charles Darwin's "Mighty Morphin' Michael Vick" bar from the Ash Ketchum battle has to be up there too if we're talking about ERB's most savage lines.

[@skwisgaarskwigelf1365]

"One more superman who's never gonna walk again" anyone?

[@Koorime18]

I loved the Joker, but EpicLloyd was an AMAZING Pennywise. The writing was phenomenal, they absolutely blasted this out of the damn park! Glad you caught the references, even the Skarsgard one!

[@jacqueschocron2934]

If you watch the behind the scenes, they explain that Lloyd's make up was so good that sometimes he just stood up in dark rooms to scare the crew

[@iamben42]

“YOU CAN HAVE OTHER OPINIONS they’re wrong BUT ITS OK.” -Knox 2021

[@justin2039]

The Shining joke is maybe my favorite bar, Jack is the man, and the reference there of him being a shining man is gold.

[@justin2039]

Romero wouldn't shave his mustache for the film so they covered it (poorly) with the makeup.

[@MAJ0ROCEL0T]

Great breakdown, the 1 thing you missed was the "Beep beep" part of the "You're John Doe in my Deadlights" because not only does it add onto the already layered Doe in Headlights reference, it was also Pennywise's catch phrase in the Novel. That bar may be one of the most layered lines in all of ERB. This rap was such a good one, to me its the best one they have ever done

[@fumegaming2529]

The fall for a height is for the jack nickelson joker that’s how he dies in the 1989 movie

[@MaiiOrduna]

I mean, the Joker falls A LOT in any piece of media he's on, that's why Pennywise says "fall from a new height".

[@bboyven]

Also fell in the Dark knight but didnt die.

[@DanFeske]

It’s also how Bale’s Batman lets the Ledger Joker know he won’t kill him.

[@pringleton]

Also notice when Pennywise talks about being "the John Wayne of John Wayne Gaceys" his legs stretch out in a classic cowboy stance..knowing ERB there's no way that's coincidence! Can you put an ERB playlist up, make it easier to find? Stay safe all x

[@Brandolupa]

HOLY CRAP, almost a year to the day this video was released, i find it in my suggestions again....and this was the first Knox video i watched! Love you man and keep up the great work! (came here right after the Beethoven vs Beiber video)

[@kingofsoy2413]

My favorite scene in the entire battle is the side shot where Pennywise is turning in Spiderwise. You can see the height difference and how on is much larger than the other and yet the Joker doesn't care, and is in less lighting, making him seem almost scarier.

[@leonmuchakemnm]

"I spit January ember flames" is a reference to the poem ben wrote Beverly "Your hair is winter fire, January embers. My heart burns there, too"

[@Meralx]

Joker saying "They all float" is a reference to IT saying "You'll float down here. We all float down here." It's somewhere in both the old and new adaptations of the movies. Not sure if it's in the book(s). My guess is probably. Oh, and about the "I'm a shining man, wink" line, Stephen King didn't like the film adaptation of his book.

[@--CHARLIE--]

It is in the book aswell, yeah.

[@jtwgeek]

Also John Doe was Joker's name when he was at Arkham Asylum. That was a deep line right there.

[@zachm2331]

I honestly don’t think it was his method acting that killed Ledger. It was just the over dose. Also, everyone seems to forget that the Joker was not his final role.

[@irishwristwatch2487]

The imaginarium of Dr Parnassus!

[@jakexgames]

Michael jay white said that Heath was just his normal self off camera and that the other stuff you hear about his death are just false speculations or something like that.

[@isaacyeon6334]

Either way, it’s very unfortunate that we lost him so soon

[@archfiend221]

Don't forget his family came out and stated it had nothing to do with the joker role and if anyone would know it would be them

[@ryanstornetta1106]

btw january amber flame was a line in a card the one kid gave to the girl in the movie”your hair burns like january amber flames” was the full quote

[@brow7549]

Had to subscribe to this channel as this is one of the best reaction/breakdown of Bars with ERB that I've seen on KZbin. Joker vs. Pennywise is my favorite ERB battle and enjoyed this video and look forward to viewing the other videos you have uploaded. Thanks for this and keep up the great work.

[@KnoxHill]

Welcome to the channel! Thank you for your kind words and support 🙌🏼

[@jl4285]

@@KnoxHill the Cesar Romero thing is he played him on TV show but wouldn't shave the mustache for the role so they just make-uped over it and it looks weird as shit lol

[@jl4285]

@@KnoxHill also wanted to say love the channel i just subbed after u were only reaction channel to catch R Kelly line in Not Alike seen like 10 where flew over there heads

[@BdIlluminatilevel86]

​@@jl4285 scriptwork caught that bar also

[@Yuethefox]

At the line “that the Joker just killed IT.” Was also reference to a Batman comic series called Killing Joker. It’s the comics that Joker tried to kill Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl. And in stead of killing her he paralyzed her. Thus she became Oracle.

[@kostajovanovic3711]

He didn't try to kill her, just paralize her and then abduct Gordon, and mentally break him with the photos of his crepled daughter

[@philosophicaljay3449]

@@kostajovanovic3711 "and mentally break him with the photos of his crepled daughter" I mean, iirc it was implied to be more than just pictures of her crippled...

[@acyh4097]

It's also a reference to the killing joke too ( the cover of the comic with Joker holding the camera).

[@Books_BrewsandBeyond]

Great breakdown- this was one entertaining well worded rap battle. I missed the skarsgard line.

[@rachelconsoli8428]

“We got head jokes...this is gonna get mean.” Wait til he hears the Heath Ledger line 😅

[@michaelhawkins7389]

Are you a girl?

[@rachelconsoli8428]

@@michaelhawkins7389 yes lol

[@travis7patriot653]

@@rachelconsoli8428 i didn’t think those existed-

[@PassiveWealth]

Congrats on being one of the only people I've seen that understood the Cask of Amontillado reference right away LOL

[@seanlynch6323]

He looks it up before he watches it and plans out what he says

[@kenniesaurus27]

@@seanlynch6323 How do you know? You live under his bed or something?

[@joshley486]

@@seanlynch6323 deffo, he acts surprised but NOBODY catches every bar and he does no matter what the song is 😂

[@poisonpotato1]

@@joshley486 he didn't catch the killing joke reference or the January ember flames.

[@beng4ll967]

10:24 one other thing: « you’re supposed to be the man who laughs » Penny is basically calling Joker a copy of The Man Who Laughs

[@tvftw1]

I consider this battle the final exam for reactors. It's crammed full of references, and they're all the kind of references where it's immediately apparent if someone didn't understand them

[@kaspersnow1791]

Ceaser Romero was The FIRST Joker and He had a mustache and refused to shave it for the show

[@spiderfingers86]

On this episode from ERB is the battle of the two different clowns featuring NicePeter as Joker and Epiclloyd as Pennywise. NicePeter is channeling Mark Hamill's comic book Joker whereas Epiclloyd is being Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise

[@KennethK12]

Knox Hill now check out Thanos vs J Robert Oppenheimer!!

[@cubedone106]

Another layer to the “John Doe in my deadlights” bar is that the Joker’s name has never been revealed. If he were to die and his body turn up he’d be identified as a John Doe

[@ChiefBones]

At least two jokers are dead, though, as of the Three Jokers storyline conclusion.

[@LukeZwarteVacht]

Especially because the chemicals he fell in messed up the normal ways of identifying a body.

[@copocopocopocopo]

About his name not being revealed: I'm pretty sure one of them was named Jack Napier. The Tim Burton one if I remember correctly.

[@JuanPerez-jt3br]

John Doe is the name of the Joker in Batman Talltale series. Before becoming the joker

[@MChuck-]

@@copocopocopocopo I think in the comics there were multiple backstories for the Joker and in each story, he has a different name.

[@96pokemonrule]

Hey bro I just found your page not to long ago but I gotta say I love your break downs of ERB’s stuff. You are the only person that I’ve seen to catch the Mark Hamill line. Thank you for that haha.

[@dizzysic66]

"Ask Robin if i drop bars..." Still hits the hardest^ "Mark Ham with ill zingers" Gold^

[@Red-jw4lw]

This one. Right here.

[@dannybeaty3486]

There is a silent movie called "The Man Who Laughs" in which a man is facially disfigured, leaving him with a large, permanent grin.

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

Which is also the character thee Joker is actually based off of. Hence makes the simple reference into a triple bar. *quite* brilliant.

[@fannypouzac139]

Before being a movie it was a french novel written by Victor Hugo "l'homme qui rit"

[@minnesocold]

One of the best ERB reactors, You get most every joke, Please keep it up!

[@Ryuujiish]

"even i wouldnt stoop to that kind of impropriety" remember that comic scene where he met a nazi?

[@Cutie_Amor]

yes, and im pretty sure that was red skull in one of the marvel/dc crossover comic

[@danksidious4399]

"That mask must be cutting off the oxygen to your brain. I may be a criminal lunatic, but I'm an American criminal lunatic! Keep back boys! This creep is mine"

[@drebalite1030]

"Whoever sees this and subscribes will get a free joke. Just look in the mirror" Well, I didn't expect to be delivered facts this early in the video.

[@cheriberry3]

Oof I'm fight there with ya.

[@demonzone2571]

When Joker killed Robin it was in 1988 in a DC issue called " A Death in the Family" the issue was made because the fans at the time hated Jason Todd, so the writers asked the fans if Jason Todd should no longer be Robin, so the infamous Joker killing Robin came to life.

[@ysabelagarcia9030]

Cesar Romero was indeed an early Joker. For the role Cesar Romero refused to shave his mustache so they had to cover it with make up but you can actually still pretty much see it when he's on screen. Also, January Ember Flames is a line in the poem Ben wrote for Beth in the newest IT movie.

[@Nareimooncatt]

Wasn't Cesar the original Joker? He was the Joker from the old Batman series, and my favorite.

[@Alsebra]

​@@Nareimooncatt, he was indeed. The first two on-screen appearances of Batman were in 1943 (15 episode serial) and 1949 (a full-fledged movie), but neither included any of his known Rogues' Gallery (a Japanese spy, Dr. Daka, in 1943 and, in '49, The Wizard). Only in 1966 did we first get The Joker...in the *third* two-part episode (so, technically, 5 episodes into the series); Cesar Romero joined the show after Riddler (played by Frank Gorshin) and Penguin (Burgess Meredith).

[@jamesbossmancaldwelliii5703]

Ceasar Romero played in Adam west version of batman if I recall