Beat:
Relevance-I LOVE the sound effects for when Bruce is getting angry. The poppy feel fits Jenner pretty well, and there are even some big booming instruments to fit Hulk. Somehow this beat manages to fit all of these characters really well. 2.5/2.5
Catchiness-There’s not really any tune until the end. It’s just a bunch of sounds, not really a fan. The end helps this problem a lot though. 1.75/2.5
Intensity-The whole beat doesn’t need to be intense, just enough to get you excited, and there are some exciting parts of this beat. Namely the Banner and Hulk parts. 2.5/2.5
Overall: No huge glaring flaws in this beat, but the fact that so much of it has virtually no tune brings it down a notch. Still love the fittingness and intense parts. 8.75/10
Costumes:
Bruce Banner and The Hulk-Yeah, Lloyd does look a little like Mark Ruffalo, maybe the lips are a little off. And WOW did they get a perfect guy for The Hulk. I was worried about some crappy CGI Hulk, but they got pretty much one of the most muscular guys I’ve ever seen and it looks perfect. 2.25/2.5
Bruce Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner-Peter’s head shape is...a little off? At parts? I can’t take off many points for that, he looks enough like Bruce Jenner. And Caitlyn Jenner’s lips could be bigger I suppose, but otherwise she looks pretty accurate. 2.25/5
Impressions:
Bruce Banner and The Hulk-Ruffalo is usually really quiet and doesn’t have too distinctive a voice. He does have a bit of a NY accent though that Lloyd didn’t really pick up in this. Which is weird, because his normal rapping voice for his own raps probably would’ve fit pretty well instead of this professor-y voice he went with. Oh and Hulk sounds perfectly Hulky. I like the effects they put on his voice. 2.25/2.5
Bruce Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner-Now this one is hard to judge. Caitlyn Jenner DID have a different voice in her youth, but Peter’s sounds like he’s using the voice that she has NOW. And then NoShame isn’t even attempting any voice, so I guess I can’t really give high marks to either of these. Although NoShame does sound pretty cool, and she doesn’t really sound NOT like Caitlyn Jenner. So eehhhhh 1.75/2.5
Bruce Banner and The Hulk:
Round 1:
I'll school you in this battle of the baddest Bruce,
Boring opener.
With your He-Man haircut and your Daisy Dukes.
Not super clever, but kinda funny.
I hear you're good at running; you're just like the Flash,
I’m not really big on this set up line. Maybe if The Flash and Hulk were from the same universe it’d be more effective, but here it just seems like a random reference.
Especially in the 100 meter ditch-your-wife dash!
Great
I'm an ace in the lab, acid, base, and treble,
Clever boast.
So let me break you down on a molecular level:
Great set up line.
You turned one gold medal to a lifetime of green!
Not bad, kinda clever.
The most overrated athlete anyone's ever seen!
whyyyyyy does this line need to be here
You need to carry fatherhood across that finish line!
(Argh!) Kept up with the Kardashians, but left some kids behind!
These lines are both awesome. Some of the best in the battle if not the best.
Now, run along; you'll thank me 'cause I'm getting kinda cranky,
Heh run along isn’t bad
And trust me, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry!
I wish they had gotten more clever with this reference.
Verse Overview: It’s like a 9, I might bring it down a few notches for some really lame filler but I usually don’t like to take away points for stuff like that.
Round 2:
(Urrrgh!) That painted face don't give you class!
I don’t think this is a reference to anything.
Just one more thing Bruce do for cash!
Not exactly clever, but pretty brutal and effective for me.
Best thing you make: Kylie ass!
Feels a little TJB-y, but that’s not necessarily a bad things
She eighteen? Hulk SMASH!
lololololololol
Verse Overview: I’d probably also give this a 9ish. It’s funny and pretty brutal.
Round 3:
(Argh!) Hulk is Hulk; no identify as man!
Me thinks Cait might understand!
This little bit about Hulk not identifying as a man is kinda clever, but the way it’s done it doesn’t feel like a boast or a dis, so it just feels pointless.
No gender issue; this Jenner issue!
Decent wordiness.
Just you being you is enough to diss you!
This feels like it would be a great set up line for Hulk to dis MORE, but then his verse is finished.
Verse Overview: Hmmmmmm I don’t know what score I’d give it. Maybe a 7.5? 8? Either way there’s nothing incredible in this verse.
Overall: 17.75/20
Caitlyn Jenner:
I think you're in your element when you're behaving badly.
Great set up.
Honestly, you're kinda boron when you're happy.
I like it, I think it’s also subtly insulting how audiences usually don’t care about Banner’s struggles, they just want to see Hulk kick ass.
I'll lap and pass your ass ten different ways!
Pretty good boast.
Decathlon athlete, blast through you like some gamma rays!
Decent. Could’ve been a better gamma rays line maybe.
The truth is, there's no truce between the Bruces!
Always a bad sign when it’s not highlighted on genius.com
You're a drifter being useless; I'm a winner, no excuses!
Generic dis and boast.
(Uh!) Beautiful women all up on my jock!
Pretty good as far as “I get lots of grils” lines go.
I got a home gym; check me on the cereal box, doc!
These references feel soooooo wasted. You could’ve done something much funnier with the home gym line or the Wheaties line.
You big green freak, don't try to flex!
Basic.
If it wasn't for your cousin, you'd never have sex!
Kinda clever, I like how it makes it sound like he screwed his cousin.
(Oh!) You're so strong when you get mad!
Too bad you can't go back and protect your mom from your dad!
oooooh
Verse Overview: Pretty on par with Banner’s first verse. Probably a 9ish.
Round 2:
That's my teenage daughter, man; I have to forbid this!
Unnecessary.
I'll put a javelin through your jolly green discus!
I really like this line.
Kylie not the type of girl I'mma let you smash on!
we get it you don’t want the hulk to fuck your daughter
(Hmm.) You'll get the medal without the decathlon!
Clever threat.
Verse Overview: 2 lines I really like, I guess that makes this like a 9.
Round 3:
Look, I understand that you hate yourself, (Huh?)
But you don't need to blame yourself!
You're a tiger; stop trying to tame yourself!
You gotta be big enough to contain yourself,
There aren’t any real references in this, but I do think the concept of Caitlyn trying to get the Hulk to accept himself kinda funny and kinda clever. Still, doesn’t really need four whole lines, and could use more references.
And get hit with a little forgiveness!
Funny but really could use some sort of reference.
Be green; it ain't none of my business,
This is really clever.
But if you think you looking good in those torn-ass clothes,
You're lying, which means you need a new wardrobe!
Nice.
(Aw!) The vision of those shorts kinda scarred me.
I want to believe this is a Vision reference but it’s probably not
What'd you just rage at, a Barney-themed party?
Funny, but definitely not the most clever line in the battle.
That's probably not something you seen as a child!
Kinda clever.
Not one day did you see your daddy smile!
Fact statey.
"Hulk not strong enough to deal with denial!"
This is funny.
Laying you down, easy; that's kitchen tile! (Ugh!)
OK, so NoShame specializes in FREESTYLE. Which is really fun to watch and is probably a much more rare talent than normal lyric-writing, but it doesn’t really fit with ERB’s normal writing style. Members of the ERB team say that they sometimes have to rewrite a line over 50 times just for proper wording. When you’re used to freestyle like NoShame is, you’re probably not going to have that mentality when writing a verse, and that’s why lines like these feel out of place and awkward.
Examine this under your microscope:
that said this is a great set up line
You got no neck, but you still fucking choked!
and this is awesome
After battling me, you're gonna always be pissed,
So the Hulk will stay forever; neither Bruce will exist!
I like this line in a “fuck yeah LGBT” kinda way, and I think it’s good for finishing the battle.
Verse Overview: Despite my little rant, this is still a pretty strong verse. I’d probably give it like an 8.75.
Overall: 17.5/20
Ungraded Stuff:
Idea-I like it a lot, to be honest. Jekyll vs. Banner would’ve been great, don’t get me wrong, but this match-up is also really clever. I remember actually seeing this in the comments a long time ago and laughing at it, but never thinking it would ever actually happen.
Presentation-I love the transformations. Hulk’s is done really well and professionally, while Jenner’s is just utterly hilarious, one of the funniest moments of the season so far for me. The boulder effect is a little cheesy, but overall this battle doesn’t disappoint visually at all, and it definitely had the potential to.
Overall Battle: It has some serious flaws, namely that they missed some real joke opportunities for Jenner, there’s a LOT of filler, and they really didn’t need to give Caitlyn THAT many more lines. But I think it’s lyrically pretty good overall, like a solid B+. There’s a lot of really funny lines in this and some brutal disses. Not going on my favorites list, but a strong and fun battle, better than Tolkien vs. Martin and Jefferson vs. Douglass for me. 8.75/10
Bruce Banner/The Hulk’s Worst Line: I’ll school you in this battle of the baddest Bruce
I think the audience gets this part of the match-up already really didn’t need an explanation
Bruce Banner/The Hulk’s Best Line: Especially in the hundred meter ditch your wife dash
This one’s the most personally insulting for me. Honorable mentions are fatherhood finish line, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and Hulk Smash I guess (though it’s not as clever as the others)
Caitlyn Jenner’s Worst Line: Laying you down easy, that’s kitchen tile!
This could literally be used by anyone in any battle ever and it could not make less sense. There are even some characters probably where it would be a decent line.
Caitlyn Jenner’s Best Line: You got no neck, but you still fucking choked!
This line is funny, clever, and insulting. Honorable mentions are Boron, cousin sex, jolly green discus, metal decathlon, none of my business, and lion witch wardrobe.
Winner: Bruce Banner and The Hulk (17.75/20) over Caitlyn Jenner (17.5/20)
They actually both got a 17.75/20 when I first calculated my scores but Banner's was slightly higher and so I bumped Cait down .25
Total Score: 61.25/70