WhatTheHYPE | Liam Graham
2016 has been a mixture of things, we have seen the rise and fall of democracy in the United States, horrible war crimes in the Middle East, and more memes than you can shake a stick at.
An example of the general distaste towards 2016
Pulled from https://onsizzle.com/i/layla-h7ney-have-we-not-suffered-enough-nationalgeographic-2016-will-1573506
So, even though 2016 has been a cruel year for most things, it has been a GREAT year for battle rap. We have seen underdogs snatch the rug out from under top tier battlers, new styles have been birthed, and more growth and diversity brought to the scene in general.
Seeing as there are so many to choose from and given the fact that most top-tier battles go over the 40-minute mark, i won’t overload you. I have narrowed down my list to a top five selection, and you will probably be a fan after watching them if you aren’t already. The list is not in any order of least impressive to most impressive, It is just a means to outline them. Simply click on the link in the headline and you will be brought to the video!
SO, without further ado, lets go!
5 | Bonnie Godiva vs Realiztic | KOTD Entertainment
I choose this one to start off with because it was completely unexpected and a great way to start off the list. Originally slated to face off against Born at last years Blackout 6 event, he backed out of the battle a week before the event leaving Realiztic with no opponent. With only a weeks notice, Bonnie stepped up to the plate and oh my did she deliver. She came at Realiztic with every angle possible, his family life, his physique, his career etc while Realiztic stuck to one misogynistic angle that grew stale mid way through his second round. A true underdog story, Bonnie has been piling bodies since her debut in New York’s Queen of the Ring battle league. I don’t think she plans on stopping.
4 | Carter Deems versus Chedda Cheese | KOTD entertainment
A beautiful match up in terms of style compatibility and often referred to as “The white boy versus white boy” battle, both emcees had the crowd roaring with laughter. The match up earned the spot of “Battle of the night” at last years Blackout 6 event due to how well they performed with each other. Both had wonderfully awkward wordplay schemes and double entendres, and the puns were heavily present throughout the battle. This battle serves as a great introduction to the sport for anyone to watch as it doesn’t involve much “gang-slang” references that the average individual might not grasp at first. A very comfortable intro to the sport here with this one.
3 | Franchise versus Cortez|BeastMode Battle League
A rising star in the local scene, Franchise has earned his stripes in many a ring and this battle provides testament to that fact. Cortez is considered a top tier battler and one of the bigger names in the field, so this was a daunting task for franchise to accept. Franchise seemed not at all phased by his opponents reputation and stature, and it is evident in his rounds as he fires off on all cylinders consistently to the end. Cortez had a nice return to his original style, giving classic well known lines and roaring punches. I feel both emcees needed this battle: Franchise is now recognized on an international having been signed to Ultimate Rap League and it is due to battles like this that he earned that. Cortez proved to the audience that the old him is still alive and kicking, so they really did each other favors with this one.
2 | Iron Solomon versus Dizaster | KOTD Entertainment
In my opinion this was the best battle all year, but you can be the judge of that. Iron is jewish, and Dizaster is Arabic, so an aggressive battle was expected and an aggressive battle occurred. A true return to form, Dizaster let everybody know he was back and did not intend on playing around with Iron. Both of these emcees have been considered fallen when compared to their former styles and past battles, but this battle proved they had been listening and wanted to silence the criticism. Being title match of day one at the Blackout 6 event, it was a roller coaster ride throughout its entirety. Definitely one for the books and a must-watch for any fans of highly-aggressive battles.
1 | Pat Stay vs Hollow Da Don | KOTD Entertainment
Pat Stay is an infamous Canadian battler, and one of the most esteemed figures in the sport. Hollow Da Don is an infamous American battler, with one of the meanest stage presences in the business and this battle was his debut with KOTD. Given the aforementioned reputations of the two, this is a match made in heaven for any battle rap fan and a sure gateway into the sport for anyone interested in seeing what it is about. Originally, this battle was supposed to take place at the Blackout 6 event, but due to complications with his voice pat was unable to perform. The battle was then rescheduled for the Boston Massacre 2 event that followed, and fans were pleased with what they saw. Pat brought his unrelenting mean style to the ring and pulled no punches, bringing everything from racial slurs to murder to car dealerships into his material. Hollow brought his cool, calm and collected style he is known for but was not hesitant to mix it up with some hard aggression. Both battlers used the stage to their advantage, addressing the crowd as well as each other with excellent delivery and flow. The resulting battle is definitely one for the books as well as your watch list.
That concludes the list, but feel free to do your own research if any of these battles have brought your interest to the sport. Below I have also included a pretty good battle rap podcast called ArenaRadio. In the episode they get to talking with top tier battler Bigg K who is a well known and respected figure in the scene so be sure to check it out.
//percolate.blogtalkradio.com/offsiteplayer?hostId=239355&episodeId=7529517
