Top 10 EPIC Drop the Mic Battles
#10: Mayim Bialik vs. Kunal Nayyar
What do you get when you pit a couple of “Big Bang Theory” stars against each other? Only one of the smartest “Drop the Mic” battles of all time! Nayyar kicked things off with a flurry of jabs aimed at Bialik’s child acting career, only for her to come right back at him with a knock about his notoriously thick accent. The best line came during Bialik’s second verse when she remarked that Kunal Nayyar has got “the kind of name that makes Donald Trump nervous.” In the end, it was Bialik who walked away with the golden microphone.
#9: Seth Rogen vs. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
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They may play best friends on the big screen, but these two actors held nothing back during their time on “Drop the Mic.” Decked out in a Wu-Tang Christmas sweater, Joseph Gordon-Levitt kicked the battle off with a dizzying array of deep cuts that had the crowd in a frenzy. Rogan responded with arguably the best line of battle, quipping, “I’m chubby, I’m balding, I’m lazy, I smoke pot - so tell me how am I a leading man and you’re not?”Unfazed, Gordon-Levitt came back hard, and ended his final verse with this brilliant line: “that guy from ‘Knocked Up’ just got knocked the fuck down.” Soooo, when is JGL coming out with a rap album? Because we would totally buy it.
#8: Darren Criss vs. Gaten Matarazzo
Known best for their roles on “Glee” and “Stranger Things,” respectively, Darren Criss and Gaten Matarazzo teamed up to put on a different kind of show for “Drop the Mic.” Criss commenced by going right for the jugular, attacking Matarazzo’s age, acting skills, and on-screen nerdiness. The young thespian came right back at him, responding to Criss’ nerd comment by bringing up “A Very Potter Musical.” Not to be outdone, Criss ripped Matarazzo for his, uh, lack of manhood. Who’d have thought that a rap between a 31-year-old and teenager could be so damn entertaining!
#7: Terry Crews vs. Luis Fonsi
What makes “Drop the Mic” such an engaging and dynamic show is how it pits polar opposites against each other. Take for example this battle, between former NFL player turned actor Terry Crews and “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi. On the surface, these two couldn’t be more different, but on stage they share a singular goal: rap battle supremacy. The real winner is the audience, who get to watch them tear each other apart. While Fonsi clearly has the better flow, its Crews who drops the best lines, burying his opponent by attacking his one-hit-wonder status over and over and over! In the end, Crews and his flute proved too much for Fonsi.
#6: Shaquille O'Neal vs. Ken Jeong
Doctor turned actor Ken Jeong performed lyrical surgery on Shaquille O’Neal when the two squared off on “Drop the Mic.” That’s not to say the former NBA star didn’t hold his own. He repeatedly attacked Jeong’s size and gave him a third-degree burn with the line: “if you need a sleeping bag, I got a condom in my wallet.” Despite the severity of that wicked line, Jeong still managed to walk away with the show’s top prize. Featuring what’s probably the largest height disparity between two opponents in “Drop the Mic” history, Ken Jeong and Shaq’s battle was definitely one for the ages!
#5: Halle Berry vs. James Corden
It’s fitting that James Corden was a contestant on “Drop the Mic’s” first episode. After all, the show’s based on a segment he created for his late-night talk show. However, despite what you may assume about his rap battle prowess, Corden rarely defeats his celebrity guests. And this battle, against Academy Award winner Halle Berry no less, ended in typical Corden fashion. Although to be fair, Berry would probably destroy most people in a rap battle. She straight up emasculated Corden from start to finish with a selection of well-thought-out disses, leaving “Drop the Mic’s” creator looking like tourist on his own show.
#4: Charlie Puth vs. Backstreet Boys
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Five against one doesn’t seem like a fair fight. But when the “one” is four-time Grammy nominee Charlie Puth, anything can happen! This battle took place back in Season 1 of “Drop the Mic” and saw a legendary boy band go toe-to-toe with one of music’s hottest young acts. The first round featured some brilliant repartee on Puth’s part, but he was brought back down to earth by Brian and Howie shortly thereafter. Despite a wicked bit of harmonizing on the part of the B-boys in Round 3, Charlie Puth would not be denied. His final verse was the nail in the coffin, sending the Backstreet Boys back into rap oblivion.
#3: Anthony Anderson vs. Usher
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“Drop the Mic’s” inaugural episode featured a couple of entertainment legends in Usher and Anthony Anderson. And as we’ve already seen, when legends cross paths, the results are electric! No stranger to the business of making people laugh, Anderson cuts deep, reminding the audience of Usher’s various, uh, sexual transgressions. Usher claps back hard, taking shots at Anderson’s failed flicks and questionable acting skills. Despite a solid rebuke by Anderson, Usher was ultimately crowed the top dog; and of all the “Drop the Mic” battles to date, this might just be the rawest.
#2: Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Shawn Mendes
When opposites collide, things can get nasty. Case in point: this rap battle, between Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes and New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Both would-be rappers trade barbs like it’s their day jobs. Mendes quips that Odell isn’t even “the most famous Beckham,” only for him to retort that Mendes is like an even whiter Ed Sheeran. Despite the fact that both OBJ and Mendes are used to being the center of attention, it’s the latter who shines brightest. And if host Hailey Bieber’s reaction to calling Mendes’ name is any indication, it was clear the young women in the crowd were more than happy Mendes their winner!
Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions:
Vanessa Hudgens vs. Michael Bennett
James Van Der Beek vs. Randall Park
Gina Rodriguez vs. Rob Gronkowski
Shania Twain vs. Meghan Trainor
Marlon Wayans vs. Jay Pharoah
#1: Liam Payne vs. Jason Derulo
These two music icons came out of the gate spitting nothing but fire. Round after round, diss after diss, things only got more heated the longer the battle went on. Jason Derulo managed to turn the titles of his most famous songs into lyrical baseball bats, smacking One Direction’s Liam Payne all over the stage. But did Payne tap out? Hell no. He came right back out with a no holds barred quip about Derulo’s mom and then finished him off with a truly epic closing line! Liam Payne may have been awarded the golden microphone, but honestly, we all won thanks to the awesome performances of these great artists!
