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Featured era: 2010
Epic Rap Battles of History
“Who won, and who's next, was always up to you.”
- Featured era
- 2010
- Peak era
- 2011-2016
- Company
- Nice Peter and EpicLLOYD
- Category
- Viral Videos
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On Video
John Lennon vs. Bill O'Reilly, the first Epic Rap Battle
Plays from YouTube when you press play. Views, length and date from YouTube, October 2026.
About This Video
- From:
- Nice Peter
- Added:
- September 26, 2010
- Length:
- 1:37
What Was It?
Epic Rap Battles of History is a YouTube series in which historical and pop culture figures face off in costume, trading insults in rap verses. It was created by Peter Shukoff, known as Nice Peter, and Lloyd Ahlquist, known as EpicLLOYD. Ahlquist first pitched the idea as an improv show called "Check OneTwo", but the pair decided it would work better on YouTube.
The first battle, John Lennon versus Bill O'Reilly, was released on September 26, 2010, after an earlier upload titled "Bill O'Reilly Flips Out on John Lennon". At the end of each battle the narrator asks viewers who they think won and who should appear next.
Later battles included Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney, the series' most watched. Made with Maker Studios for five seasons and independently after that, it earned Emmy nominations in 2016 and 2017.
Things You Probably Forgot
- Lennon versus O'Reilly, the battle that started it
- The narrator asking who won and who's next
- Arguing in the comments over who really won
- Learning history from a rap battle
The Story
- 2010 The first battle, John Lennon vs. Bill O'Reilly, was released on September 26.
- 2016 The series earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series.
- 2017 Season 5 ended on January 9, followed by a long hiatus.
- 2020 The series returned from a 10-month break with an election battle.
Its Legacy
The series is still going, with more than 90 battles across seven seasons. Lennon versus O'Reilly remains the battle that started it all.
Memories
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