The Original Rap Battles
HOW DISSES BECAME POETRY
Long before diss tracks, rap battles, and “yo mama” jokes, there was medieval “flyting.” Defined as quick exchanges of witty insults, these poetic slights were popular in England and Scotland from the 5th to 16th century. Insulting someone in verse took immense effort and quick wits, and they were undoubtedly a performance you didn’t want to miss. Despite crude language and below-the-belt potshots, flyting became entertainment for royals and was dubbed “court flyting.” While these jests are not well-documented, one flyting event made history. The iconic exchange known
clever nature, and their flyting did not disappoint. This famous dialogue featured two firsts: using fecal matter as an insult and dropping the F-bomb. Low-brow and crass, these speedy insults were simply too entertaining for even kings and queens to ignore. If you’re wondering what exactly these two “gentlemen” were saying, we’d have to admit that it would be difficult to quote without including expletives and curses. However, one tame section can be shared here. Dunbar reportedly insulted Kennedie by saying: Maggoty mutton, gorged glutton, scurrilous certain heir to Hillhouse, Rank beggar, oyster-dredger, dismal debtor on the lawn, Lily-livered, soul-shivered, cheap as slivers in the millhouse, Bard baiter, thief of nature, false traitor, devil’s spawn. While these amusing fights were a form of entertainment, men also used them to influence the courts and improve their social profile while lowering others. So, as you can imagine, flyting could get intense (similar to rap battles and heated diss tracks).
as “The Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie” occurred
in the early 16th century between William Dunbar and Walter Kennedie. The two were performing their court flyting for the Scottish King James IV.
Both men were known for their intellect and
Centuries have passed, yet some things never really change!
Thermometer! Take a break!
Goat Cheese and Thyme Stuffed Chicken Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com
Ingredients
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts • 3.5 oz firm goat cheese • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus 2–3 sprigs
• 4 pieces of thin-sliced bacon • Olive oil • 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced • 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Split the chicken breasts almost in half along the long side, open them like a book, then flatten the sides out. 3. Put the goat cheese on the “open book” side of the chicken and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Fold the chicken over to enclose the cheese, then wrap each breast in two slices of bacon. 4. Lightly oil a shallow gratin or casserole dish, then arrange overlapping rows of zucchini and tomatoes on the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then set chicken on top. Place thyme sprigs on chicken. 5. Bake for 40–45 mins until the bacon is crisp and golden and the zucchini is tender.
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