Bar for Bar: How SUMiT and Termanology Revive Hip-Hop’s Competitive Edge on MADE

The 2025 collaborative album MADE by SUMiT and Termanology underscores the competitive roots of hip-hop, presenting each track as a showcase of lyrical skill and craftsmanship. Both artists approached the project with the mindset of sparring partners, trading verses in rapid succession and pushing each other to elevate their performances. SUMiT described the album’s inception as a direct result of a playful competitive exchange at a Statik Selektah SXSW afterparty: “Term was talking about how he had crushed the other dudes on tracks and my response was that it wouldn’t be the case with me. It was all in fun but it led to a serious idea of making a project together.”

Originally envisioned as a three-song EP, the momentum generated by the back-and-forth exchange led to a seven-track full album. Both artists emphasized that this collaborative approach harkens back to the golden era of hip-hop, where duos and crews often relied on lyrical competition to sharpen their craft. Termanology reflected on the process, noting that the album “represents the most updated version of me … the more focused, mature, business-savvy individual versus the younger wild version of myself,” highlighting how the competitive environment also fostered personal and artistic growth.

Tracks such as “Ammunition” featuring Method Man exemplify this bar-for-bar ethos, with each artist delivering technically precise, high-energy verses. SUMiT described the experience of recording the track as intensely motivating: “The beat lit a fire in me right away … After our verses were laid down, we brought up potentially inviting a bona fide legend to get on the lyrically lethal track.” The inclusion of Method Man further reinforces the project’s alignment with traditional hip-hop values, emphasizing lyricism and technical skill over algorithm-driven trends.

In an era dominated by streaming platforms and short-form viral hooks, MADE stands out for its emphasis on penmanship, discipline, and the competitive spirit that defined early hip-hop. Both SUMiT and Termanology intentionally structured the album to reflect these principles, ensuring that each track not only entertains but also challenges listeners to engage with the music on a technical and lyrical level.

By reviving the bar-for-bar tradition, MADE demonstrates that contemporary hip-hop can retain its foundational elements of competition and craftsmanship, blending modern production with a respect for the genre’s historic roots. Through this approach, SUMiT and Termanology offer a model for how lyrical skill and collaborative rigor can coexist with modern music industry demands.