How Do People Vote Here?
 

Just curious. Do people just read a verse once then drop a vote?
If you dont understand a bar, do you just continue on without at least trying to understand or asking the writer what it means?
What makes a bar hot to you guys?

Just asking because there's always someone complaining about voting, including myself.

Personally, I dont think people even try to understand something that they dont. I feel people just continue on, claim they read the verse 3 or 4 times. No you don't lmao

Anyways, how do yall vote?

I’ll read a verse several times if it’s not clear from the jump who won. First emphasis is on basics. Does it all rhyme? Does it make sense? Is it for the most part grammatically correct (except slang and vernacular)? Next, does it flow like you can use the verse in an acapella battle? Text battling is imitating that...so if you got long ass sentences without a rhyme or your patterns are mad inconsistent, it fucks with the read. A clean read with a good flow means a lot. Most of the high level battlers master the first two parts so lastly I’ll analyze punches. Is it creative? Does your wordplay make sense both ways without reaching? Are your concepts correctly used? Are your figures of speech used in the proper context?

I used to not look up bars because if I didn’t get it the first time, that’s the writer’s fault for not being accessible to the audience. But then I saw how many bars the general public here found hot that were about shit like Pokémon, DBZ, Harry Potter, etc that I have no interest in...between that and a vote I placed one time on a nameplay that had one additional meaning I wasn’t privy to, I started doing a quick look up.

And if anyone mentions a Venn diagram, I’ve got time today and want all that smoke

For me I only vote on text but I prioritise content over multis and flow. My order of preference from best to worst is:

1. Direct, relevant bars - Most people here clearly don't write for their opponent so when people do it always sticks out. Name flips are fine too. Sometimes basic, sometimes great, but at least they're direct.
2. Double meaning wordplay - Most people here do single meaning similes and sometimes that's 75%+ of their verse so its boring and not creative. Double meanings are difficult to write but hit harder than anything. A bar that works both ways and attacks your opponent specifically is as perfect as you can get.
3. Original concepts/schemes/wordplay - Again, its so nice to read a verse that isnt just Mcgregor, Trump, Marvel bars the whole way through.
4. Similes - They come into play only after all that stuff, and I'm looking for ones that are creative, complex etc. I'm bored of people using nothing but similes that could apply to anyone. Read a 16 line verse earlier today where 12 lines were single-meaning similes. Yawn.
5. General shit with no wordplay - So just a cypher basically. Its battle rap. Battle your opponent. You'll rarely win if you do this.

Then in terms of readability formatting matters a lot. I think 3-4 syllables is fine, the sweet spot is 4-6 and over 6 usually results in ugly reachy punches. I'd rather read a clean, sleek 4 syllable verse than a reachy 9 syllable verse. I see so many people use unnatural wording or overly long sentences and I always mark it down.

So my vote is an average of all that, with preference going towards those who write towards their opponent and try double meanings and original ideas.

I personally think for a text 'battle', its dumb to see so many voters not take into consideration if one person has clearly written for their opponent and one person has just chained random lines together. I also don't like that voters sometimes prefer simple one way punchlines to someone trying to actually break down and talk to their opponent. There's a lot I'd change.

Edit: And to address what y'all are asking. I read once, then once again as I start writing my vote. I always read expos and google stuff I don't catch. Even if the bar is trash at least you learn something new.

Word. Bunch of fucking weirdos if ya ask me... these would be the type of lads who'd get the shit kicked out of them regularly.



This is the best answer to this question i have ever seen. :high:

30 seconds max to research something I don’t understand. If I determine that it’s something ridiculous/obscure, it loses points.

Also definitely some weird opinions being expressed in this thread. Text battling seriously on letsbeef.com is inherently more nerdy than having watched dragon ball Z as a kid. Lmao.

I read the verse and I pick the one I felt hurt the opponent more.

You guys annoy me because in trying to overthink everything, you end up dumbing it down. Everyone knows I'm annoying as fuck when my vote comes in. I break everything down, I shark every little detail like things such as using a word in the build up that you used in the punch. There's a lot of small details that I like to focus on in what makes a verse good and honestly I'd say there's very few people on here that get those sort of technical aspects of a writing or reading a verse.

But at the end of the day, there's one thing it all points to and that's simply which verse you enjoyed more. If I don't get something, I won't enjoy the bar. I'm not researching something that I don't get, nor am I PMing you, nor am I not going to vote. It's your fault. Write it clearer or don't write an obscure reference. Sometimes you'll have someone that's a much better writer. Better fundamentals, better set ups, better everything, but I just literally prefer the opponent's verse. Maybe it's some comedy or a personal approach. Maybe I'm swayed because it's an underdog performing his best against a vet with a disappointing drop. Whatever it is, the verse I enjoy more and I feel hit the opponent more is ultimately what I vote for every time.

Texts -

1. Metaphors/Wordplays which transition smoothly enough to a punch
2. Personals
3. Humour (cnt stress this enough really.)
4. Multis and formatting (generally i dnt believe flow can be judged esp in a text battle but a lucid reading experience is totally dependent on how one formats and uses his/her multis which gives a lasting impression to the reader.)
5. The verse gotta be relevant and easy to understand. Obscure concepts dnt work for me.

Audios -

1. Flow
2. Clear Delivery
3. Punches or Jabs if it is a freestyle.
4. If it's on a beat, it's always gonna be the one who rode the beat better who is gonna have a major advantage for me.
5. Recording quality.

A lot of people, even the top heads, are quoting shit that doesn't have a double meaning lol. And the worst part is it actually fools people.

Usually just vote for the most popular battler without reading the verses

This happens I'm sure.. Terrible voting all across the board and nothings done about it.