Short answers, pulled from the story.
Originally, a freestyle rap was a written rhyme that was free of any specific subject matter or predetermined cadence. Big Daddy Kane described it in the 1980s as a rhyme you wrote that was free of style, basically bragging about yourself with no particular topic.
The shift happened in the mid- to late 1980s and became dominant from the early 1990s onward. Kool Moe Dee stated that until 1986, all freestyles were written. Freestyle Fellowship is credited with popularizing and redefining the term to mean improvisational rap.
Myka 9 and Freestyle Fellowship are credited with redefining freestyle rap as improvisational rapping comparable to a jazz solo. Myka 9 stated that Freestyle Fellowship helped "get the world to freestyle" by redefining the term.
A freestyle battle is a contest in which two or more rappers compete using improvised lyrics, with each trying to "diss" their opponent through wordplay. The rapper who receives the largest audience response is typically considered the winner. Using pre-written lyrics is considered dishonorable.
A cypher is an informal gathering of rappers, beatboxers, and breakdancers in a circle who jam musically together. It serves as a communal space for sharing hip-hop knowledge and can make or break a rapper's reputation in the community.
Japanese rapper PONEY holds the record, set in April 2023, at 48 hours. The previous record of 33 hours, 33 minutes, and 19 seconds was set by American rapper and slam poet George Watsky on the 6th of May 2020.