Most Important Component of a Text Battle?

So, as we all know, everyone has different opinions of what a good text verse is. Everyone votes accordingly. Some folks think one thing is more important than another. Nobody's quite "wrong," but that leaves the question of what is "right?"
With that in mind, I wanted to start a new thread in general talk and collect everyone's opinions on what they look for when voting. This can help newer users and veterans alike see what it is people are looking for. I know there are various preexisting threads covering ways to elevate but that is one person's opinion. I'm hoping this can be a community effort to cover a collective opinion on the topic. I think this could be an important discussion.

Let's hear what you think is the most important component of a solid text verse? Here's some obvious examples.

-Multies
-Wordplay (be specific.. idioms, paraphrasing, flips?)
-Setups
-Punches
-Personals
-Flow
-Delivery
-Nameflips

There's definitely some things I forgot and some of these can be combined. Let me hear which one you think is most important and why.

So, as we all know, everyone has different opinions of what a good text verse is. Everyone votes accordingly. Some folks think one thing is more important than another. Nobody's quite "wrong," but that leaves the question of what is "right?"
With that in mind, I wanted to start a new thread in general talk and collect everyone's opinions on what they look for when voting. This can help newer users and veterans alike see what it is people are looking for. I know there are various preexisting threads covering ways to elevate but that is one person's opinion. I'm hoping this can be a community effort to cover a collective opinion on the topic. I think this could be an important discussion.

Let's hear what you think is the most important component of a solid text verse? Here's some obvious examples.

-Multies
-Wordplay (be specific.. idioms, paraphrasing, flips?)
-Setups
-Punches
-Personals
-Flow
-Delivery
-Nameflips

There's definitely some things I forgot and some of these can be combined. Let me hear which one you think is most important and why.

[NOBLE]

Punches are the most important component of a battle. Some of the other items on the list (setups, wordplay, personals, nameflips, etc) only make up or support punches, so they are secondary. A wordplay doesn't mean much if it doesn't play a role in a punchline. As far as text battling, or even a capella live battling, flow doesn't weigh as much as on a track or battle over a beat. It's all (or mostly) about the punches at the end of the day.

---------- Post added at 11:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 AM ----------

I think a more pertinent question would be:
What are the most important elements of a punchline?

[NOBLE]

Punches are the most important component of a battle. Some of the other items on the list (setups, wordplay, personals, nameflips, etc) only make up or support punches, so they are secondary. A wordplay doesn't mean much if it doesn't play a role in a punchline. As far as text battling, or even a capella live battling, flow doesn't weigh as much as on a track or battle over a beat. It's all (or mostly) about the punches at the end of the day.

---------- Post added at 11:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 AM ----------

I think a more pertinent question would be:
What are the most important elements of a punchline?

I'm inclined to agree with you, @NOBLE, but there have been times I went punch heavy and lost votes for my multies being a little forced trying to make the punch work. Obviously that means I need to work on that but it seemed more important to some people to have clean multies. You can't really throw punches if they don't rhyme.

I'm inclined to agree with you, @NOBLE, but there have been times I went punch heavy and lost votes for my multies being a little forced trying to make the punch work. Obviously that means I need to work on that but it seemed more important to some people to have clean multies. You can't really throw punches if they don't rhyme.

[Seul]

Hard to say but,

I think in totality, as Noble said punches are the most important factor; as for things to make up a good punch? In no particular order, I would say, saying your verse aloud - it should sound spot on, so execution. Multi's, in terms of use - if I saw two battlers battling it out, and their punches were on par to one another? I would go w/ the guy who used a higher multi syllable rhymes. It is showcasing his skill, because every syllable you add makes it harder (at times). Concepts weigh heavily as well, one concept may connect to one person, and not another. An example would be Esso's Rob Van Dam line recently. I'm surprised some people didn't get that bar, due to it being a wrestling reference... were ya'll locked in the closet as kids or something? End of the day man, it's all preference.

Remember, rap is a vocal sport. Text battling doesn't mean that you ignore that, every verse I read - I say it out loud. If it's got too many stops, pauses and all that weird shit in between imma be docking points.

If I was to say what makes a good verse in a easy to understand way;

Good execution, complex concepts that don't go over someones head, high multi rhyming w/ WP that sounds correct both ways. <--- If all this is wrapped up in one bar, I would say its a heavy set bar.


EDIT: I do prefer to have bars w/ inner rhymes, it does help the flow of a bar to be more on point.

[Seul]

Hard to say but,

I think in totality, as Noble said punches are the most important factor; as for things to make up a good punch? In no particular order, I would say, saying your verse aloud - it should sound spot on, so execution. Multi's, in terms of use - if I saw two battlers battling it out, and their punches were on par to one another? I would go w/ the guy who used a higher multi syllable rhymes. It is showcasing his skill, because every syllable you add makes it harder (at times). Concepts weigh heavily as well, one concept may connect to one person, and not another. An example would be Esso's Rob Van Dam line recently. I'm surprised some people didn't get that bar, due to it being a wrestling reference... were ya'll locked in the closet as kids or something? End of the day man, it's all preference.

Remember, rap is a vocal sport. Text battling doesn't mean that you ignore that, every verse I read - I say it out loud. If it's got too many stops, pauses and all that weird shit in between imma be docking points.

If I was to say what makes a good verse in a easy to understand way;

Good execution, complex concepts that don't go over someones head, high multi rhyming w/ WP that sounds correct both ways. <--- If all this is wrapped up in one bar, I would say its a heavy set bar.


EDIT: I do prefer to have bars w/ inner rhymes, it does help the flow of a bar to be more on point.

[Miles Uzi]

A punch doesn't have to include multis. That's an archaic way of thinking. You can multi the fuck out in the setup and follow through, but the punch itself does not have to be included in that same scheme of syllable sounds. I prefer NOT to use it that way. That's my personal opinion though. You guys have been writing in this format for a lot longer than I have, so I won't try to change what you look at as the norm, but sometimes too many multis or angles take away from the punch. Wordplay only goes a certain distance on its own, without something to link to or fall back on. Forced multis aren't as bad as forced wordplay though.

I think originality should be one of the strongest traits to a battle. I mean, Knot Guilty used a bar talking about bald heads "dying for nothing (dyeing)" which has been used to death, and even in the same exact way he said it. Was it biting? I doubt it. Its just a concept that has been overused to death. You can only flips things so many times like old mattresses, before the dust starts to show. *shrug*

[Miles Uzi]

A punch doesn't have to include multis. That's an archaic way of thinking. You can multi the fuck out in the setup and follow through, but the punch itself does not have to be included in that same scheme of syllable sounds. I prefer NOT to use it that way. That's my personal opinion though. You guys have been writing in this format for a lot longer than I have, so I won't try to change what you look at as the norm, but sometimes too many multis or angles take away from the punch. Wordplay only goes a certain distance on its own, without something to link to or fall back on. Forced multis aren't as bad as forced wordplay though.

I think originality should be one of the strongest traits to a battle. I mean, Knot Guilty used a bar talking about bald heads "dying for nothing (dyeing)" which has been used to death, and even in the same exact way he said it. Was it biting? I doubt it. Its just a concept that has been overused to death. You can only flips things so many times like old mattresses, before the dust starts to show. *shrug*

These are all very valid opinions and this is headed the direction I'd intended. I'm wanting people to open their eyes and see that battle rap is about more than one component. A dude might have brutal fuckin' haymakers his whole verse but only use monosyllabic rhymes. His opponent might lack punches but have all kinds of crazy 5 syllable rhymes and inner multies. Who should win? The guy with punches might.. but his rhyming sucked. The other guy focused on rhyming and had weak punches. It all comes down to personal preference. I see a lot of votes start with "I feel..." Which is spot on. You vote how you feel. If you write punch heavy, you gon' vote for the first guy. If you're obsessed with rhyming a many syllables as you can, you might vote for the second guy. If you're well rounded and see both sides it might be up to something else like the delivery or flow or nameflips. Battle rap means something different to all of us and we need to acknowledge that shit.

These are all very valid opinions and this is headed the direction I'd intended. I'm wanting people to open their eyes and see that battle rap is about more than one component. A dude might have brutal fuckin' haymakers his whole verse but only use monosyllabic rhymes. His opponent might lack punches but have all kinds of crazy 5 syllable rhymes and inner multies. Who should win? The guy with punches might.. but his rhyming sucked. The other guy focused on rhyming and had weak punches. It all comes down to personal preference. I see a lot of votes start with "I feel..." Which is spot on. You vote how you feel. If you write punch heavy, you gon' vote for the first guy. If you're obsessed with rhyming a many syllables as you can, you might vote for the second guy. If you're well rounded and see both sides it might be up to something else like the delivery or flow or nameflips. Battle rap means something different to all of us and we need to acknowledge that shit.

punches ftw

punches ftw

[Subreal]

punches, concepts and creativity particularly, all the other stuff can be worked on easier such as wording and execution.

[Subreal]

punches, concepts and creativity particularly, all the other stuff can be worked on easier such as wording and execution.

[Esso]

punches win battles but wording is right behind. Plenty of text heads piss me off...they use 7 syllable multis, plenty of quotes and attempt to punch conceptually but when you read it out loud it either doesn't make sense, doesn't resemble a battle verse, or it's something nobody would ever, ever say except to make that punch work.

[Esso]

punches win battles but wording is right behind. Plenty of text heads piss me off...they use 7 syllable multis, plenty of quotes and attempt to punch conceptually but when you read it out loud it either doesn't make sense, doesn't resemble a battle verse, or it's something nobody would ever, ever say except to make that punch work.

What's the most important component for a boxer? Footwork, Head movement, jab, hook, uppercut?

What's the most important component for a boxer? Footwork, Head movement, jab, hook, uppercut?