These Emcees Aired It Out At 2016 ‘Doomsday Cypher’ With Sway, Pete Rock & Big K.R.I.T.

Back in the 90s, charismatic hip-hop journalist Sway Calloway–along with King Tech–fed the culture highly lyrically emcees through their popular hip-hop program The Wake Up Show. Fast-forward to 2017, the now dread-less Sway continues to expose lyrically adept and unfiltered rapoers to the public.

On Friday (Dec. 16), Sway’s Universe, Sirius XM’s Shade 45 and Sway’s co-hosts Heather B and the lovely Tracy G held the 5th annual Doomsday Cypher, where gifted emcees gathered in the name of hip-hop to showcase their mic skills.

“This is a celebration and not a competition,” Sway said before witty rhyme slingers Taylor Bennett, Babs Bunny, R-Mean, Mickey Factz, Ren Thomas, Lyric Jones, Token, Don Flamingo, Axel Leon and Don Mykel graced the stage.

Held at Youtube studios inside Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, rapper/producer Big K.R.I.T. and the legendary DJ Pete Rock provided the instrumentals for the hungry “Hyenas” (Sway voice) to show and prove. The audience was also treated to a performance by The LOX, who just released their third studio album, Filthy America…It’s Beautiful (Roc Nation). The Yonkers trio performed their latest singles “Don’t Cry,” and “What Else You Need to Know.”

VIBE braved NYC’s disrespectful 28-degree temperature to get a glimpse of hip-hop in one of its purest forms; clever, disrespectful, exciting and cliff-hanging wordplay.