3
Cyhi Da Prynce, "Tony Toca Freestyle"
The word "freestyle" used to mean rhyming improv, making it up as you went along. It hasn't really meant that in a long time. And Kanye West protege Cyhi Da Prynce obviously had these lines memorized before going on Tony Touch's radio show. (That's Tony, freestyling in the strictest sense at the beginning of the clip—wait him out.) But they are still impressive.
No, it evolved to mean going off the top of your head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5egwRoiFe4
Yeah, but what does Big Daddy Kane know about it?
No, of course: That is very informative. So I guess it's more like the term has gotten back to its original meaning, then. And now you often see it used—on mixtape labels, for example—to denote any verses rapped to a beat for a previously released song.
Thanks, Evan.
Tony Touch!