Hip Hop World Cup is the podcast that pits golden-age hip-hop tracks and albums against each other in a contest to find the ultimate champions! In each episode, classic joints from hip-hop’s golden age battle each other in head-to-head matches, where we debate them and vote for our favourite. Join life-long hip-hop fans Danny, Steve and James as they deep-dive into the most beloved rap music of the 1990s, celebrating the greatest beats, producers, rhymes and rappers.
Ninety minutes of robust discussion about Wu-Tang mastermind RZA in our latest SHOOTOUT episode left us feeling physically drained, with multiple injuries all strangely centred around the groin area.
But thanks to a rigorous rub-down from a bloke who claimed to be a masseur and a generous slug of Lucozade Sport, we were ready to go again for an extra 30 minutes of RZA-themed fun and games.
In this EXTRA TIME bonus episode, we sign Wu-Tang members to our squads in Steve’s What’s The Scenario; play Winner Stays On to choose the best Wu-Tang verses and affiliate names; and round things off with a quiz so tricky it makes Only Connect look like Tipping Point.
Hit play and find out why Hip Hop World Cup ain’t nothing ta F’ with…
WEBSITE:
https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com (https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com)
EMAIL:
hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com (mailto:hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com)
JOIN OUR PATREON!
Sign up to our Champions Tier on Patreon and access exclusive bonus content:
(https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup)https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup (https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup)
ALL PREVIOUS EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUR PODCAST APP OF CHOICE:
Apple Podcasts: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632)
Spotify: (https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK)https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK (https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK)
Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow and holler at us on social media to share your thoughts on the episode or talk 90s hip-hop in general:
Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @hiphopworldcup
Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978 (https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978)
22 Sept 2026
SHOOTOUT 12: RZA
In this SOLO SHOOTOUT we salute one of hip-hop’s most influential figures – RZA. As the mastermind behind the Wu-Tang Clan, he created one of the most distinctive sounds in hip-hop history, building dark, gritty beats from dusty soul samples and kung fu movies.
His crazy run of classics, from Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers in 1993 to Wu-Tang Forever in 1997, hit hip-hop like an East Coast earthquake – an unprecedented streak of quality and consistency that shook up the sound and changed the game forever.
But his influence goes far beyond production. As a rapper, writer, actor and visionary, he helped turn Wu-Tang into a cultural phenomenon whose influence reached far beyond hip-hop.
To honour our esteemed artist, we pulled out all the stops and convinced (OK, blackmailed) ITV to let us record this episode in their swanky World Cup studio overlooking New York, the city where RZA made his name.
If you’re new to the pod, SHOOTOUT works like this: we select 10 RZA productions that face each other in a series of one-on-one duels. We rate them, debate them and pick a winner using the three-man vote. We then tot up our TruSkore ratings for the five winners on Steve’s trusty abacus to find the overall champion.
Along the way, we also explore the mysterious Glaciers of Ice sample that eluded spotters for years, examine RZA’s idiosyncratic rapping style and try to unpack what makes his productions so unique – with intermittent yet insightful analysis from our usual panel of football pundits.
Ten productions. Five duels of the iron mic. One champion. So bring da ruckus and hit play!
TRACKS
Wu-Tang Clan – Uzi (Pinky Ring)
Method Man feat Mary J Blige – I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By (Razor Sharp Mix)
Raekwon – Glaciers Of Ice
Raekwon – Knuckleheadz
Raekwon – Incarcerated Scarfaces
Wu-Tang Clan – 7th Chamber Part II
Wu-Tang Clan – Triumph
GZA – 4th Chamber
Method Man – Bring The Pain
Gravediggaz – Diary Of A Madman
SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (RZA):
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tZeHhzekLidEUCgQsuTVu?si=oNUdPuHQQ6aNiR7dPSUmnA (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tZeHhzekLidEUCgQsuTVu?si=oNUdPuHQQ6aNiR7dPSUmnA)
WEBSITE:
https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com (https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com)
EMAIL:
hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com (hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com)
JOIN OUR PATREON!
Sign up to our Champions Tier on Patreon and access exclusive bonus content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup (https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup)
ALL PREVIOUS EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUR PODCAST APP OF CHOICE:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK (https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK)
Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow and holler at us on social media to share your thoughts on the episode or talk 90s hip-hop in general:
Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @hiphopworldcup
Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978 (https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978)
15 Sept 2026
REPLAY #8: Eric B & Rakim ‘Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em’ vs LL Cool J ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ (1990)
Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup REPLAY – your chance to revisit classic matches between golden-age rap albums from the Hip Hop World Cup vault!
This episode is a heavyweight bout between two landmark albums from 1990 – Eric B & Rakim's Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em and LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out.
One reaffirmed Rakim's reputation as hip-hop's greatest lyricist. The other marked LL's spectacular comeback, reminding everyone exactly why he was a superstar (although we're still not allowed to call it a comeback).
These albums showcased two of the finest MCs of their generation and helped redefine what it meant to be an elite rapper. One raised the bar for lyrical complexity, the other proved that swagger, charisma and commercial success didn't have to come at the expense of skills.
And let's not forget Eric B's pivotal role in all this. His ability to make a cup of tea that met Rakim's EXACTING standards during the recording sessions was second to none. Only joking – Rakim drank coffee.
So now, after all these years, we finally decide once and for all which of these two albums takes the belt and which is left on the canvas with blood dribbling from its mouth. You're welcome.
Sit back, relax and enjoy this classic clash!
WEBSITE:
https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com (https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com)
EMAIL:
hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com (hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com)
JOIN OUR PATREON!
Sign up to our Champions Tier on Patreon and access exclusive bonus content:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup ( https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup)
ALL PREVIOUS EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUR PODCAST APP OF CHOICE:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK (https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK)
Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow and holler at us on social media to share your thoughts on the episode or talk 90s hip-hop in general:
Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @hiphopworldcup
Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978 (https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978)
Who has been a guest on Hip Hop World Cup
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Common
Nas
The Beatnuts
DJ Quik
Method Man
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
919
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 58 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
63
Social presence
0
YouTube
64
Engagement
68
Contact Hip Hop World Cup
Guest appearances
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