"i know when shit goes down then im protecting mines and that overshadows my ability to empathize, my antisocial and friendly side live separate lives - minding my business is the field that i specialize" fav rapper for a reason
There are basically no rappers that can stitch together crazy fire obscure references into a larger scheme on beat and still just swag out on the delivery. This is absurdly pristine and flawless in all of the multis , references, flow patterns etc and it just sounds crazy good, FIRE
normally these just intimidate me to never do anything creative ever again, but this one actually inspired me. i'm not a rapper by any means, I produce EDM - my phone just accumulates notes of half-baked rhyme schemes & bars with no frame of reference lol ill's style is like a magic trick, it leaves you thinking "idk how he did that, but I want to learn the secret". when you're watching someone do something on the highest level, it's almost hard to NOT be derivative oneself. trying to emulate is really what makes it fun. I similarly remember being blown away listening to dubstep in 2009, and ever since downloading serum in 2015 always looking to bleeding-edge producers for influence. mastery of any art is just entertaining to watch (& sometimes attempt to partake in, if you're a foolish grasshopper like me) series continuously living up to its name. bravo
Thanks u man. Im the same way. Theres definitely sm MF Doom inspiration in this one. All about taking the inspo and filtering it through ur own channels of creativity and seeing what comes out the other end. Its an exciting process when it all comes Together
@@illmacTV DOOM wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when I heard this, but now that I think about it, the tone of this one is a lot more whimsical than in previous RTBs. the duck scheme def got me. lol I also hope these new visual environments are going to be a staple in the series going forward. supreme vibes
You're one of the best rappers I've EVER heard - and your pen in battle rap was the absolute GOAT. I dream of making a song with you one day. Thank you for sharing your gift, man.
@2:20 " Look they love the bars so much they misquoted em, that's why I take your praises with sodium, and big homie them, I don't belong here like indigenous bones in the Smithsonian" 🔥😤 that shit had me do the meanest stink face
@illmacTV "he's still dope all round" maaan you ain't even catch dat!! (dot voice) 🤣 But yeah avo came through with the magic touch on this one. It was shot so well.
Bruh this "winter is coming" thing is giving me game of thrones flashbacks. They told us that for like 7 seasons before it finally came lol. Let's gooo we've been waiting for years. At least we still got these coming tho 🔥
See, the thing is that Illmac has been at the top, and that's where he is still at. The plateau made by these run of the mill raps are just chilling on a hill flat.
That inside voices bar and setup was insane brotha. Been my favorite writer for years. Keep doing your thing. This shit makes me wanna sit down and write some new verses
Maaaan this is crazzzzzy! So many hard hitting bars! I know when shit goes down im protectin mine and that overshadows my ability to empathize! I wish you would blow up! Chase comes with hard ass beats and illy never fails to make me rewind shit!
He's my favorite honestly ...the raising the bar series everyday no capp...best mainstream or underground to me just saying..in a league of his own big homie them Smithsonian
Been a fan since 2009. Bumping his music when I was in Afghanistan in 2011 and downloaded his battles on keepvid back in the day to understand everything he was saying. Lol. Dude has gotten better with time like Lloyd Banks and Pusha T and has been waaaaaay ahead of his time.
in the last ten years iv probaly commented 5 times on youtube. i really think u could change the game man. last person who had a pen like this with the ability to switch directions was big l. you really one of the best ever
The genius it takes to even conceive these kindsa joints is nearly unchartable. Illmack gitcha grill cracked. Every. Effin. Bar. The more you listen? The more you LISTEN!! My manz has a shatter ya cranium rock ya soul punch, plus somethin for your mental, in every bar. All delivered with that untouchable, unfakeable, inimitable Illmac in his bag swag.
"Death and crime, sex and lies. Question the message I'm trying to emphasize then question why // I know when shit goes down then I'm protecting mines // and that overshadows my ability to empathize" Wow. Smh. Illmac is on another level. 🙌🏾
Goddamn! He really keeps bringing the heat! I have to listen to it fr so many times to be sure I’m getting all of the messages. So much goodness. Thanks again Illmac!
Here before or as this blows up! Recently been on a binge since happening on 'Ketchup vs. Mustard' two days ago 😄. As most every else has said, you have a wonderful way with stringing and stitching words together, and even more so, your cadence and delivery are quite simply... illmaculate! Stay well, and looking forward to hearing more of your open letters!
So many fire bars. Probably my favorite RTB yet. Feels like im living on the edge without the oceanview, gave each other room to grow and then we overgrew. I guess a stich in time is just closure for an open wound. Not only insanely relatable but the timing that he dropped this coincides with my life so hard RN. Illy been in my top 5 for two decades. Sincerely yours someone who was born in '86 born and raised in Oregon and writes similar type raps, just not as good.
I've gotten away from writing. But every time I hear Ill on a track. I get inspired to find a beat and just block the world out. Commends good sir. This shit fye fye
This randomly popped up in my feed and i had to play catch up on the channel. This is by far the best one yet. It's giving me Danger DOOM vibes. Illmac undeniably the best rapper outside of battle rap.
He said you better duck like Huey, Dewey and Louie 😆 Always excited when a new Raising the Bar drops. This one is fire 🔥 Top five battle rapper 🔥 Top five independent artist 🔥 Next one up! LFGGGG
This might be, not only up there with 6, 10, 11 as my favorite rapping in the series, but one of Chase beats my favorite since he battled Ness Lee at a BOTB5 beat battle (RIP THE BAMBOO LOUNGE)
Illmac the best rappin battle rapper
Him or daylyt forsure
Absolutely
Easily so 🤘 there's many other notable one's tho honestly!!
Paul Walker.
One of the best Rappers period
🎥🥑🔥
😆 True though.
'We gave each other room to grow and then we over grew,
I guess a stitch in time is just closure for an open wound..' Mac's pen is
🔥
Literally started reading this comment ad he was saying it. Insane.
Incredible
❤❤❤ insanely relatable
"i know when shit goes down then im protecting mines and that overshadows my ability to empathize, my antisocial and friendly side live separate lives - minding my business is the field that i specialize" fav rapper for a reason
Best verse of 2023!
This foo has come a long way... deserves the name
I love the fact that ill is just on a bench spitting harder than most artists do in the studio
Thats my studio. Avo just CGI’d the background
Your pen is ridiculous, 'stitch in time', huey duey and louie', and 'Billy Crystal' bars all had me dead. Amazing man.
There are basically no rappers that can stitch together crazy fire obscure references into a larger scheme on beat and still just swag out on the delivery. This is absurdly pristine and flawless in all of the multis , references, flow patterns etc and it just sounds crazy good, FIRE
🫡
Bro “question the message I am trying to emphasize, then question why” is some shit I live by. Damn that’s a bar right there!!
i was hoping it would never end god damn bro, The first "Raising The Bar" I've ever seen so now I gotta go watch the other 15
and more coming!
They're all heat rocks!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥
Pandora’s box
oh, you in for a treat
Skin as thick as a sequoia tree is crazy fire homie
He said “y’all Zaboomafoo tryna go against a silverback” … now that’s a sleeper bar, I remember that show lol
cant stop running this back. Its amazing how he's rhyming this complex and it sounds like normal conversation
You always write amazing but for me this was the best you've ever rapped, so effortless!
Appreciate that! yea I love the nonchalance pocket of this one.
GOAT in his natural habitat 🔥
"Future dystopian" Clever af.
I love sprinkling these subtle crumbs all the way through
Man said "I need to rest my eyes, only the 3rd one. colour me blind, sleep with 2 eyes open and rest one at a time" 🔥🔥🔥
Empathize and Emphasize
Simple yet fucking crazy!!!
Illmac, you make this shit look too easy bro.
unreal.
Out of this world, best one yet i think. 🔥🌠🔥
And this beat is just insane. Shout out to Chase Moore shiiit
Chase is an absolute maniac for this one
@@illmacTVwhole thing is bonkers and the tiny interlude at the end is the icing on the cake
@@illmacTVfor real. Chase is so under rated. He’s going to pop bigger than any of the battle rappers he works with.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie bringing back those Duck tails after school vibes🔥🔥
Don't forget the aflac component
Flyer than Launchpad McQuack
normally these just intimidate me to never do anything creative ever again, but this one actually inspired me. i'm not a rapper by any means, I produce EDM - my phone just accumulates notes of half-baked rhyme schemes & bars with no frame of reference lol
ill's style is like a magic trick, it leaves you thinking "idk how he did that, but I want to learn the secret". when you're watching someone do something on the highest level, it's almost hard to NOT be derivative oneself. trying to emulate is really what makes it fun. I similarly remember being blown away listening to dubstep in 2009, and ever since downloading serum in 2015 always looking to bleeding-edge producers for influence. mastery of any art is just entertaining to watch (& sometimes attempt to partake in, if you're a foolish grasshopper like me)
series continuously living up to its name. bravo
Thanks u man. Im the same way. Theres definitely sm MF Doom inspiration in this one. All about taking the inspo and filtering it through ur own channels of creativity and seeing what comes out the other end. Its an exciting process when it all comes
Together
@@illmacTV DOOM wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when I heard this, but now that I think about it, the tone of this one is a lot more whimsical than in previous RTBs. the duck scheme def got me. lol
I also hope these new visual environments are going to be a staple in the series going forward. supreme vibes
The beat goes crazy with the rap. Respect and keep up the good work!!
Illmac is the goat
This might be favorite one lowkey
Same
@@illmacTV the competition is real . 3 and 7 are the two I play the most but they all flame. The studio cypher is otherworldly frfr
You're one of the best rappers I've EVER heard - and your pen in battle rap was the absolute GOAT.
I dream of making a song with you one day. Thank you for sharing your gift, man.
Can't stop listening to this and rapping along..thanks Illmac.
Chase Moore stupid wit it 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Illmac is the best ever, period.
So fuking smooth, definitely one of the reasons I still rap. Please don't give up your gift Illmac
@2:20 " Look they love the bars so much they misquoted em, that's why I take your praises with sodium, and big homie them, I don't belong here like indigenous bones in the Smithsonian" 🔥😤 that shit had me do the meanest stink face
"thats water" at the end killed me 😆 Proud of illmac sticking to his sobriety for so long. Hes still dope all around though!
Lol Avo up to his crazy video tricks
@illmacTV "he's still dope all round" maaan you ain't even catch dat!! (dot voice) 🤣
But yeah avo came through with the magic touch on this one. It was shot so well.
"when I step outside they use their inside voices" man this whole thing is 🔥
“Place my heart in a mason jar and face on a trading card” that entire build up was 😷
Insomniac, rest my eyes, only the third one, color me blind, sleep with 2 eyes open, rest one at a time CHILL GODDAMN
Bruh this "winter is coming" thing is giving me game of thrones flashbacks. They told us that for like 7 seasons before it finally came lol. Let's gooo we've been waiting for years. At least we still got these coming tho 🔥
🌬❄️
We have each other room to grow and then we overgrew I guess a stitch in time is just closer for an open wound 🤯
might be my favorite part of the whole thing
See, the thing is that Illmac has been at the top, and that's where he is still at. The plateau made by these run of the mill raps are just chilling on a hill flat.
🔥
That inside voices bar and setup was insane brotha. Been my favorite writer for years. Keep doing your thing. This shit makes me wanna sit down and write some new verses
I don’t say this enough though I always say this and believe with all my heart
Illmac has the greatest flow of all time
Love this! Props Avo! The videography and sound are amazing! For Illmac "Raising the Bar" is not just some catch phrase but actual methodology.
Yea we gonna need the bars in the description for this one, this is insane. Thanks for feeding us 🤝
Maaaan this is crazzzzzy! So many hard hitting bars! I know when shit goes down im protectin mine and that overshadows my ability to empathize! I wish you would blow up! Chase comes with hard ass beats and illy never fails to make me rewind shit!
Wntr is coming! Let’s go!
Illmac never disappoints!!! Straight heat!!!
He's my favorite honestly ...the raising the bar series everyday no capp...best mainstream or underground to me just saying..in a league of his own big homie them Smithsonian
Been a fan since 2009. Bumping his music when I was in Afghanistan in 2011 and downloaded his battles on keepvid back in the day to understand everything he was saying. Lol. Dude has gotten better with time like Lloyd Banks and Pusha T and has been waaaaaay ahead of his time.
in the last ten years iv probaly commented 5 times on youtube. i really think u could change the game man. last person who had a pen like this with the ability to switch directions was big l. you really one of the best ever
Excellence. Listened 10x in a row, thanks Illmac :)
Thank u 🙏
The genius it takes to even conceive these kindsa joints is nearly unchartable. Illmack gitcha grill cracked. Every. Effin. Bar. The more you listen? The more you LISTEN!! My manz has a shatter ya cranium rock ya soul punch, plus somethin for your mental, in every bar. All delivered with that untouchable, unfakeable, inimitable Illmac in his bag swag.
I've been a huge fan,& wish he'd drop something every week..😎👍
I came across this on my feed and glad I didn't pass or skip this video. Dude has heavy bars
🙏 more loading up…
The truth bliss n ESO ft illmac
Illmac love me less
Illmac milc cocaine blunts
Just a couple more dope tracks for you to dabble in brah
Who has been here since raising bar 1?🔥
👑 u dropped this
You can't see, but I'm raising my hand.
@@illmacTV thanks lllmac wish to watch you live one day all the way from Africa✈️🙏
How bout this? I bought Skrill Talk on CD! Come again.
How does Illmac get better every fucking time!!! There's just too much 🔥 to contain. Onto 16
Absolute cream of the crop penmanship as always. The delivery with the pauses tho!!!! Supremely polished! Dayum, illy! 🙌🔥
🙌🙌
"Death and crime, sex and lies. Question the message I'm trying to emphasize then question why // I know when shit goes down then I'm protecting mines // and that overshadows my ability to empathize" Wow. Smh. Illmac is on another level. 🙌🏾
Goddamn! He really keeps bringing the heat! I have to listen to it fr so many times to be sure I’m getting all of the messages. So much goodness. Thanks again Illmac!
Illmac is one of the best rappers on earth period. Not just battling.
@@craigmills6275 I wholeheartedly agree!
🔥👀
Shit is insane as always. Illmac is spitting straight from Elysium with the rest of the greats.
This toooo cold! 🔥🔥🔥 this a whole body! 😤😤😤😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
True King of the North. Fire 🔥 🔥🔥🔥
I know Battle rappers can't make music but if anyone was close, it's illmac. From another Portland native, big ups my man.
Here before or as this blows up! Recently been on a binge since happening on 'Ketchup vs. Mustard' two days ago 😄.
As most every else has said, you have a wonderful way with stringing and stitching words together, and even more so, your cadence and delivery are quite simply... illmaculate!
Stay well, and looking forward to hearing more of your open letters!
Really appreciate that thoughtful feedback. Few more in the works already 🫡
@@illmacTV lesss gooo!👏
more conflict on my phone than congolese cobalt
Brooooo macs literally the GOAT
Dropping jewels every time
Dope dope dope. Keep these coming please
Posted in the back...
no monkeying around...
dude had speed racer bars. respect.
illi is one of the only ones (no pun) who never changed.
Respect homie.
No good sir Illmac is an absurd thinker and writer. Some of my favorite lines ever.
Illmac just stay proving that he one of the best ever, music and battle rap wise
This the type of song that makes writers want to go and write.
Nah, This is the type of song that makes writers hang up their jersey and quit 😂😂😂
Seriously thank you for every single freestyle you have ever delivered and given us. True definition of rappers with bars!💯🔥🔥🔥💪🔥💯💯💯
Strolling through the overgrowth, I just happened to stumble upon Ill - Chase.
Illmac will always have a spot in my top 10. One of the best to ever do it. FACTS
🫡
BIG FAX
I need a IIImac and J.Cole collab like yesterday
For sure! Beat by Alchemist maybe?
not many things on the list of recommended songs get my attention more than a new raising the bar by illmac!
🙏
So many fire bars. Probably my favorite RTB yet.
Feels like im living on the edge without the oceanview, gave each other room to grow and then we overgrew. I guess a stich in time is just closure for an open wound.
Not only insanely relatable but the timing that he dropped this coincides with my life so hard RN. Illy been in my top 5 for two decades. Sincerely yours someone who was born in '86 born and raised in Oregon and writes similar type raps, just not as good.
So amazing!
Listened to about 20 times already
Too bad it's not on spotify...
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 for my boy. Illmac!!!! Much luv n respect sir.
🫡
Bars! Love this series 🔥🔥🔥
Illmac always has bars that are top notch
"swing a drum, i'm like dilla"
fire. rip the legends dilla & nujabes
Been rocking with ill for awhile i got that shit he did over those busta beats
I've gotten away from writing. But every time I hear Ill on a track. I get inspired to find a beat and just block the world out. Commends good sir. This shit fye fye
Also, dope hoodie and thanks fam!
🎶🎶
Jesus christ! So much substance in literally every line. Not sure if anyone is on mac's level
Keif and wax ona J passing Tarantula legs 😮💨🔥
I need these daily
Bro I cannot wait😂😂😂😂 the Congolese cobalt line is BUGGERED WTF
This randomly popped up in my feed and i had to play catch up on the channel. This is by far the best one yet. It's giving me Danger DOOM vibes. Illmac undeniably the best rapper outside of battle rap.
Damn. Nice!
Respect from Oregon
you're a goat illmac. proud of u dude. never give up.
He said you better duck like Huey, Dewey and Louie 😆 Always excited when a new Raising the Bar drops. This one is fire 🔥 Top five battle rapper 🔥 Top five independent artist 🔥 Next one up!
LFGGGG
Seriously some of my favorite rap content in a long time
Been watching raise the bar since # 1 ...... I just thumbs up it before I even listen lol
'More conflict on my phone than Congolese cobalt," cot damnnnn 🔥
This boy done broke the multiverse
Lol 🫡
This might be, not only up there with 6, 10, 11 as my favorite rapping in the series, but one of Chase beats my favorite since he battled Ness Lee at a BOTB5 beat battle (RIP THE BAMBOO LOUNGE)
Throwback! I see u