No Bias. No Narratives.
Mister Greco
Recap: 1-round URL Quarantined battle between Geechi Gotti and Jerry Wess sees them both wreck havoc with plenty of gun bars-a-blazing to go with loads of spiteful mayhem. But with Gotti also equipped with a gang of gritty name flips, a creative and stifling cameo from his girlfriend, a steadier flow and more spicy punchlines, call this one another vic for Geechi.
Verdict: Geechi Gotti (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “All my enemies in they grave turning over…now that’s a plot twist!”
Recap: Getting downright mean, disrespectful and personal with a host of fiery gun bars to back him up, a menacing and more versatile Ill Will beats back what was essentially another gun-heavy, mixtape verse from T-Rex in this 1-round Social Distance match from RBE.
Verdict: Ill Will (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ill Will – “Nigga, I seen all things, from triple to all beams, dog fiends, coke so white it’s the captain of the lacrosse team!”
Recap: Delivering as much as a talking too as he was piercing punchlines/personals throughout the battle, a more condensed (and blase) Ave spouts enough versatility with his bars as well as steadier heat with his lines to take the first two rounds and beat back a pretty solid throughout and gun-heavy, but too one-dimensional Dre Dennis in this 3-rounder from Gates of the Garden.
Verdict: Ave (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ave – “We not the same, you think I came to spit you my best?, y’all expect a classic Jersey….try Mitchell & Ness!”
Recap: Plenty of head-ringing/adept punchlines from both sides in this close and competitive 1-round battle between Riggz and Cipha Da Lyrical. Still Riggz, slightly more innovative with the wordplay while showcasing a steadier flow than his opponent, ends up with the win here.
Verdict: Riggz (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Riggz – “Two hecklers, I’ll put you on the Ground King like Bun B or get you leaned to death like Pimp C…pick a group member!”
Recap: Another one of those ‘Can’t believe these two never battled already’ bouts pits longtime vets DNA and John John Da Don finally getting together for a 1-round Quarantine matchup on IG live. Both JJDD and DNA sprung together some punch-worthy turns with some dope schemes, fire wit and grandiose personals mixed in. But with an equal amount of haymakers from each battler, DNA’s ability to kick a wicked freestyle in the midst of his writtens and go extra hard on the personals, gives him the edge here.
Verdict: DNA (W) 1-0
Favorite line: DNA – “He shaking his head, I see a lot of ‘nahs’ [Nas] here, but that’s a Thief’s Theme!”
Recap: Granted, he was helped by a shitload of Presidential Dubz dry spots in the latter two rounds. But after getting served by his opponent’s more consistent and visceral shiners throughout the 1st round, the normally name-flip swinging and rapid-punching Ru Bando would make a workmanlike effort in mounting his comeback. The Bed-Stuy, BK, rapper mixing in some astute personals and rigid wordplay to his noted repertoire to edge a 2nd round he didn’t seem to have much chance of winning going in. Bando would then take advantage of another solid, but oft-redundant turn by Dubz in the deciding 3rd round with a more versatile, consistent and slightly more condensed turn that would edge him the win.
Verdict: Ru Bando (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ru Bando – “I’m mad humble, but truthfully, Prezzy what the fuck was you thinking you was gonna do with me?, Ruger squeeze, off his top when I shoot the piece, they won’t recognize the 3rd for nuthin’…Martin Luther King!”
Recap: In a true sign of the times, in lieu of the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic going on that’s keep us all on house arrest, Smack/URL gets innovative with its first ‘Quarantined’ matchup featuring Mike P. versus Tay Roc. And with no stage or crowd and instead, each battler delivering their bars on video from the comfort of their homes, the battle certainly offers a different feel and dynamic. That said, it’s still a goodie with Roc and Mike competitively going at it for about 5 minutes apiece and Roc, slightly more effective when it came to infusing current-day events into his raps, more consistent on a whole and delivering a steadier stream of dizzying boasts/personals/mayhem on top, taking the round and the win.
Verdict: Tay Roc (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Tay Roc – “I’ll catch Mike and his bitch at a restaurant, beautiful setting, then fuck Mike up in that booth, it’s a studio session!”
Recap: Exquisite name flips, stifling punchlines, gritty trap talk, fiery schemes and sizzling braggadocio bars, in this GOTG 1-rounder versus a pretty solid and at times punch-heavy Drop 30, for a hyperbolic T-Top the steady ensemble of heat is all there, allowing Top Bizzy to handily beat back his less potent opponent.
Verdict: T-Top (W) 1-0
Favorite line: T-Top – “But I’ve been spraying with the arm, fuck it, I’m a shoot him first, I came to split 30 in half like I ain’t used to perks!”
Recap: No, they’re not battling in a church (after viewing what looked to be two crosses stationed at the top of the stairs, had to scan the Comments to verify that this battle actually takes place in a Houston club). That said, in this 1-round battle between T-Top and hometown fave Scotty, the latter’s penchant for wit and dishing entertaining narratives/personals remain indisputable. However, when it comes to Scotty’s weakness: lack of potency/intricacy with his punchlines, well, that’s another story and more importantly here, the difference-maker, even against a slip-up owning, B-grade T-Top who’s redundant themes was still gritty, personal and consistent enough to help supply him with the win.
Verdict: T-Top (W) 1-0
Favorite line: T-Top – “I really tried to lose wight, but I’m a hustla dog, so every pound you see me with, I tried dumping it off!”
Recap: Ah Di Boom’s return to battle rap is a bizarre and inconsistent one as the South Jersey rapper first has to deal with a gang of allegations from opponent Bigg K of being a snitch (a serious claim, that included K handing out paperwork to the crowd, yet didn’t seem to bother Boom nearly as much as it did K), before spitting a spitfire, punch and performance-heavy 2nd round that reminded everyone of Boom’s hey days. And despite the usually punchline-crazy K not being on his A-game throughout this battle (perhaps because he was too hellbent on the personals), thanks to Boom spitting a gang of reaches, mediocre punches and righteous filler, a more consistent K is able to do just enough to edge both the 1st and 3rd rounds for the win.
Verdict: Bigg K (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Bigg K – “I been popped tags, how could you ever hate on me, first staff you ever grabbed came from ARP, y’all battle rappers never trapping like they say y’all be, so if you ever pumping gas you putting 8 on 3!”
Recap: Both Craig Lamar and Goddie Lumenati work hard to spare no one when it comes to dishing the mayhem in this 1-round battle from Gates of the Garden. But the more savagely bent on destruction Lumenati, visceral with the heat, lit with the set-ups and consistently spicy with the punchlines gets the edge here.
Verdict: Goddie Lumenati (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Goddie Lumenati – “Dog slacking and it’s a Passion of Christ if they God acting!”
Verdict: Hollow Da Don (W) 2-0
Favorite line: Hollow Da Don – “This what a real man should never look like, you feminine ill, it’s sad, your parents still ain’t did your gender reveal!”
Recap: In this highly anticipated (and much promoted, considering they got their own billboard) matchup from URL’s Genesis card, Geechi Gotti hits on all cylinders, using a consistent barrage of boastful barbs, witty/gritty name flips, gripping O.G. talk, mocking personals, some syrupy wordplay, real street shit and piercing punchlines over the course of 3 rounds to beat back a pretty solid, gun bar-lit and at times cunning with the punches, but too often tentative and pedestrian Nu Jerzey Twork.
Verdict: Geechi Gotti (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “Aye, you beat up Norbes?, I really don’t care, I’m just tryin’ to figure out what that mean to a nigga that really clap things, shoot him, his body shut down, blood stream fucked up worser than Caffeine!”
Recap: “I used to sell wet Timbaland’s!” LOL!!! I know that line was just part of the set-up, but the way Hollaluyah Jones crafted it and left it in the air before finishing the punch was just brilliant. Still, a close and competitive 1-rounder here between Jones and Henny #3, while showcasing the former’s piercing wit and skill for dope name flips/performance-rich punches, also featured an overall strong, gun bar-heavy, mayhem-friendly and gritty punchline showing from the latter, leading to the more haymaker-lit Henny to earn the win.
Verdict: Henny #3 (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Henny #3 – “We gonna ride on him, hide on him, one round to wash this boy, put the Tide on him, code word ‘waterpark’…slide on him!”
Recap: Will we see more of this Drugz in the future now that he’s a part of NWX? As even with a loss here, this is one of the best, consistently punch-heavy and (“You with wifey?, I’ll put the chrome to her chest, and let the hammer blast, bucks in breast, like grandma’s stash!”) gun’s-a-blazing versions of Drugz we’ve seen of late. That said (undoubtedly to his opponent’s chagrin) DNA happened to be on his shit too, the battle vet delivering a steady stream of fire name flips, fierce personals, rigid battle rap tutorials and a host of lyrical (“Wolf of Wall Street, Drugz [drugs] gonna make the stock drop!”) shiners to take rounds 1 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: DNA (W) 2-1
Favorite line: DNA – “Beam, I’m a buck it tonight, Ray Charles, I’m a shoot Drugz [drugs] with nothing in sight!”
Recap: Incredibly persistent when it comes to hard name flips, flagrant wordplay, aggressive bluster and piercing punchlines, Jey The Nitewing does more than enough to make easy work of a solid overall, but a bit filler-prone turn by Shockwave during this 1-rounder from a Purpz G, Rise of the Phoenix card in Arizona.
Verdict: Jey The Nitewing (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Jey The Nitewing – “Nigga thought this was his window of opportunity, nah nigga…this is curtains!”
Recap: On point throughout with a rampant and fiery punch game that dished out some exquisite name flips, head-swinging mayhem and piercing 4-bar set-ups, G Lowe easily beats back a solid, but oft-pedestrian bar spouting Will Major in this 1-rounder from Bayou Battle League.
Verdict: G Lowe (W) 1-0
Favorite line: G Lowe – “You better write write, cuz for the right price, you get hit with a nice right, go night night, chopper lift Will [wheel] in the air…bike life!”
Recap: Game effort from Big Kannon, what with all the crowd interruptions, etc., to make it through his 3 rounds in this Anybody Can Die Battle League matchup versus Stack Almighty. The veteran BK keeping it competitive with a solid bunch of spicy freestyles and rebuttals when he wasn’t flexing throughout the battle with piercing punchlines and fiery wordplay. Still, outside of a debatable 1st round, the consistently righteous punches, fierce street ethos, stinging name flips and raw heat from Stack would be too much for even BK in the end, the Michigan battler edging both of the latter rounds for the win.
Verdict: Stack Almighty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Stack Almighty – “You getting all my best punches tonight, it’s like my greatest hits!”
Recap: Even during a pandemic, the Chef be out here cooking. This time using prolific gun bars, stunted vet talk, a couple of flexing rebuts and some fierce wordplay/punchlines to beat a pretty solid punching, but not as consistent with his handle Cosmo Kessler in this 3-rounder from 15 Minutes of Fame.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “I blaze guns, Trae Young, I’ll shoot as soon as I cross the line!”
Recap: Scoring left and right with boastful punchlines, righteous gun lines, stunted schemes/name flips and a boatload of pointed personals, in this 3-rounder from SupaNova Rap Battles, Ryda keeps the heat on a gripping and punch-heavy at times, but also flow-challenged Ooops to easily take the first two rounds before a debatable 3rd allows his opponent to put one up on the scoreboard.
Verdict: Ryda (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ryda – “Something just wasn’t sitting right, I could just tell you wasn’t living right, had the nerve to call your movie the ‘St. Louis Superman’ and the whole time the green was your kryptonite!”
Recap: Regardless of the verdict here that has Ill Will winning this battle, theoretically there’s really no losers here. And that speaks to how nice 40 Cal. was. Making his decade-plus long return to battle rap, the Harlem “industry” rapper did what most of his peers before him couldn’t do: put on a quality and competitive show. Indeed, from the opening round, via some pretty solid (“You playing pretend and don’t know my story truth, when on the back of every Henny Yak bottle say 40 proof!”) punchlines, gritty boasts and greasy personals (that esp. came together in a witty 3rd round that 40 edged), all the while using a slower and pronounced flow that stayed steady throughout the battle, for the most part, not only did 40 Cal. do really well here, but he made Ill Will earn the victory. And utilizing a steadier trope of stinging punches, raucous (“But I burn shit, learn shit, closed casket or urn shit, it’s apparent [a parent] I’m Dwyane Wade, soon as I raise the tre [3] I knew he’ll turn bitch!”) heat, biting personals and flexing performance bars, a more consistently fire and versatile Ill Will does more than enough to take both of the opening rounds and attain the win.
Verdict: Ill Will (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ill Will – “I’ll show up where ya people be, iron on me got me feeling wrinkle free!”
Recap: That “Pillow on the barrel, just to keep the baby quiet!” line by Ghostt was extra mean and the confident up-n-comer also impressed here with a boatload fly rebuttals, dope punchlines, an ability to freestyle, a gang of daunting gun bars and quality personals (against Trez as well as battlers within his home league). That said, another element of being a top tier vet is never taking your opponent for granted. And the Chef makes sure not to do so here, taking away any chance of an upset with his own barrage of spitfire rebuttals, fierce name flips, some fine wordplay, an armory of head-swinging gun bars and enough hard-hitting punchlines to take rounds 1 and 2 before his less punch-heavy, but more versatile opponent earned a debatable 3rd.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “My dog’s say you got a thousand flips for the nigger’s name, I said shit I would have zero if his dumb ass ain’t pick the name!”
Recap: Well ummm…that was bad. Really bad. Yet, to Serius Jones’ credit, an alright freestyle game allowed him to complete his 2nd and 3rd rounds (after he choked in the 1st) and avoid what would’ve been a pretty embarrassing bodybag.–to think, this is a guy who was not only a former Fight Klub champ, but has wins over the likes of Charlie Clips, Dizaster and Arsonal under his belt. As for opponent Tony D.? Nothing too spectacular here (not that he needed much considering his opponent’s many failings), but still a spiffy barrage of witty barns, feelgood personals, jaunty boasts and some abstract punchlines more than did their job.
Verdict: Tony D (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Tony D – “You talking battle rapping in its prime?, I led a champion’s life, anyone could be a veteran, ‘cuz that shit’s just a matter of time!”
Verdict: Spade (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Spade – “I don’t wanna hear shit about how you lining up the beam, ‘cuz all these rappers be talking sideways and he Conway the Machine!”
Recap: A close 1st round, but afterwards not much of a contest. That’s the summary on Rum Nitty versus O’fficial from the URL/QOTR Royalty card as while O’fficial proved to be a worthy puncher and mayhem-dishing spitter that could give Rum some comp, overall Nitty’s much slicker wordplay/name flips, elite gun bars, performance-enhanced punchlines and witty personals along with redundant name flips and too much filler (esp. in the latter rounds) from O would do her in despite a mostly solid effort.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “You the one dying, you poking ya chest out…with nuthin’ to back it up, come try it, and it’s gonna be an Offcial body…one-sided!”
Recap: Dope, scintillating and punchline-heavy 1-rounder from Loewkey Battle League between Stuey Newton and Brixx Belvy features a gang of flexing personals, righteous wordplay, hard-hitting street missives, piercing name flips and slicing gun bars. However, with nary a dry spot from both battlers, the edge on haymakers goes Stuey’s way for the win.
Verdict: Stuey Newton (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Stuey Newton – “Be calm, act smart then let’s play stupid, Tek’s spray ruthless…steel… drum…banging…reggae music!”
Recap: As pointed out here in the past, battlers need to be more careful about what names they pick. Because not only does your name say a lot about you, but names flips an important tool to have in battle rap and as dope as a movie American Gangster was, its main character Frank Lucas’ reputation for being a snitch is pretty well documented. Thus, even a low tier battle rapper would be dumb if he didn’t take advantage of an easy name flip. Kid Chaos not only using his opponent’s moniker for some exquisite wordplay, but also dishing some fiery schemes, righteous mayhem and witty personals to get the win over his inconsistent and questionably-named adversary in this 1-rounder from Zoo Battle League.
Verdict: Kid Chaos (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Kid Chaos – “I should grip the blade and split ya face, since you wanna steal a snitch’s name…knot ya shit!”
Recap: Not sure why a mostly mayhem-dishing, fiery and name flip-spazzing Holmzie Da God would also go after Chef Trez’s rebuttal game as it takes a special skill to rebuttal and the Chef is one of the best at it. But other than one questionable angle and a slow start to both his 1st round (which he lost) and his 3rd (which he won), it’s a flexing and top-notch showing by Holmzie, who takes advantage of a bit of a lazy pen/flow from the usually more consistent Trez to out-punch and out-perform his opponent in the latter rounds for the win.
Verdict: Holmzie Da God (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Holmzie Da God – “I pull it out, the mag clap, you better duck, Aflac, a small cap will leave this brim bit like a dad hat!”
Recap: Big Kannon and UK battler Matter get together for a pretty underwhelming 3 rounds that outside of your usual boastful battle bars and witty barbs, saw a whole lot of predictable fat jokes from Matter and a whole lot of whining from BK about lack of promotion for the bout amongst other things. That said, a nice 1st round rebuttal from a more versatile BK helps him edge the first before the Chicago rapper also takes the 2nd (and gets the win) thanks to a more condensed turn there. A mostly unprepared and argumentative turn from BK allows a far more steadier Matter to take the 3rd.
Verdict: Big Kannon (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Big Kannon – “…and I’ve had this discussion with chicks, you look like something that doesn’t exist!”
Recap: Outside of yet another elongated, but this time subpar 3rd round, in this 3-rounder from URL’s Genesis card, a versatile T-Top uses a gang of hard-hitting personals, witty barbs, fire set-ups, rich storytelling, fierce punchlines and hardcore street rhymes to get another win off of Arsonal who Top had just upped in a 1-roudner the year prior. This rematch, while entertaining at times with Arsonal nearly causing a melee in round 1 as one of T-Top’s boys didn’t seem to take kindly to some of Ars’ more disrespectful bars at Top, often lacked substance on both sides (which can probably be due to them battling again so quickly). But while Arsonal was solid throughout lyrically, disrespectfully and aggressively, way too many pedestrian bars by the Jersey capo would also hurt in the end.
Verdict: T-Top (W) 2-1
Favorite line: T-Top – “Grab a cig and put the loosie over the Grape like Ricky Ricardo wife!”
Recap: In this dope West-coast 1-rounder, during the first half of his turn Da Kid Clutch makes quite an impression, dishing gritty punchlines/personals and hardbody gun bars with an aggressive performance to stay competitive. However, the 2nd half of Clutch’s turn, while still spent on flexing a load of heat, would see him falter a bit in terms of bar potency. And in light of a turned up Geechi Gotti consistently delivering a plethora of boastful punches, witty personals, formidable name flips and fiery gun lines/schemes that all but made their point, Clutch’s more erratic showing ends up not standing a chance to beat back yet another stellar showing by his opponent.
Verdict: Geechi Gotti (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “Imagine that, the shit you call highlights is below my average, nigga, this your championship game, bitch, this my practice!”
Recap: A confident, punchline/set up-lit and gun bar spazzing Boze The Bambino makes quick and easy work of a hitting at times (mostly in round 3), but too abbreviated and oft-passive with the heat Nick G in this PG matchup from URL, Boze handily taking both of the opening rounds before his Illinois opponent stepped his bar game up to edge the finale.
Verdict: Boze The Gambino (W) 2-1
Favorite like: Boze The Gambino – “For this big bitch [raises arm like a gun], extension on the waist like maternity pants!”
Recap: From Bayou Battle League, credit to 4Kus who in this 1-rounder abandoned the usual assortment of ghostwriting allegations and Math Hoffa references we normally see against Bonnie Godiva and instead went the persistent mayhem, boastful barbs an hard-hitting punches route to make for a solid effort. Too bad for 4kus Bonnie wasn’t about to change her m.o. up, the veteran rapper putting it all together with a resounding turn that featured a gang of flippant personals, steely punches, fiery gun bars and stinging name flips/wordplay to win this one hands down.
Verdict: Bonnie Godiva (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Bonnie Godiva – “Besides your bum-ass resume, you know the first thing about you I can’t stand? battling a no-name nigger with man fans!”
Recap: Madflex’s unorthodox stylings, pointed personals, witty (“Fat Thor!”) anecdotes and often clever wordplay make for a debatable 1st round and a close 2nd and 3rd. But in this aggressive, competitive and fiery bout from KOTD, Bigg K’s gritty name flips, flexing punchlines. fierce braggadocios darts and stinging metaphors/personals combine with more consistency/potency to edge the latter rounds and earn the win.
Verdict: Bigg K (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Bigg K – “I ain’t no fucking battle rapper, where you know me from, your O.G. my little homie and he owe me one!”
Recap: Sometimes it’s not about the opponent not showing up, but rather showing up without a plan. That description pretty much describes O-Red to a tee here in this rematch against JC on a URL Genesis card. Whether it was attempting to get off on a slower, pronounced flow in round 1 that went nowhere what with mostly pedestrian bars or trying to mano-a-mano with JC in regard to who could dish better sport bars or resident name flips that were mostly ho-hum or even a Translation utterance that fell flat, when it came to angles and executions, Red just seemed to be going in circles. And that’s not a good look especially in light of an top tier adversary who was clearly more motivated to win this battle. Indeed for 3 rounds, JC nuanced with the set-ups and coming down hard on the punches, flexing with the gun bars/name flips, spouting some piercing personals and ever bullish with the wordplay, had an easy time of it here against an opponent who at times looked like he couldn’t wait to leave the stage.
Verdict: JC (W) 3-0
Favorite line: JC – “Six years ago I would of left this bitch as the best to write, I punched with Tyson Fury and I don’t expect you to be any Wilder in the 2nd fight!”
Recap: In this raucous, punch-heavy, name flip-spazzing, gun bar-slinging and competitive 1-round battle from L.O.E.W.key Battle League, a more steady with the heat Young Kannon beats back the aggressive, but overall less potent stylings of LL Coogi.
Verdict: Young Kannon (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Young Kannon – “Your casket waiting, I brought the cig [sig] for the paper like an affidavit, your dome I’ll push it to the side…I’m a procrastinator!”
Recap: One of the best anglers in the game and the 1st battle rapper to call out (even tho he’d do it himself later) dudes who use ‘chest’ instead of ‘Chess’ when using name flips against his opponent, a super confident John John Da Don does his research and uses a superbly-executed mix of gripping/witty personals, fiery set-ups/schemes, nifty wordplay and righteous punchlines for 3 rounds to beat back a solid and gun-lit throughout, but sometimes flow-challenged, pedestrian and seemingly even overwhelmed at times Chess in this Genesis battle from URL.
Verdict: John John Da Don (W) 3-0
Favorite line: John John Da Don – “Be honest fam, Steams or Tay Roc, who’s your true leader?, look at him, having flashbacks, forced to make a bold decision because he couldn’t eat without those 2 liters [leaders]!”
Recap: Fire, competitive battle between Don Marino and B. Magic features a variety of slick punchlines and fierce set-ups throughout the battle. And while Marino was able to dip in some pointed personals here and there, a more condensed Magic, after losing round 1, would score with enough (“Act tough and uh, Tek’s gonna hit y’all, it’ll calm that shit down like Pepto Bismol!”) haymakers to edge round 2, before hanging in there versus a robust turn from his opponent in the deciding 3rd round and force a draw.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: Don Marino – “You only got one or two moves in the ring…Mankind!”
Recap: A fire, close and raucous-on-both-sides round a by a scheme-heavy Charlie Clips (who rather astutely shut down a heckler midway through his round) and a performance-lit and fiery-punching K-Shine in this URL Genesis battle reminded the crowd of why these two Harlem vets have remained on top of their game for so long. Afterwards? Not so much. As while the two battlers kept it solid and competitive for the latter two rounds, neither Shine or Clips could quite get back up on their A-game when it came to consistency and substance. So after the slightly more direct Shine edged round 1, even while choosing, for the most part, not come too direct with the personals (except when it came to dissing NWX and Dot Mobb), Clips’ more rigid wordplay/set-ups, witty barbs and continuously sound schemes combine to score enough points to beat back a still gritty and personal, but less steady with the punches Shine in rounds 2 and 3, thus giving Charlie a comeback win.
Verdict: Charlie Clips (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Charlie Clips – “Headshot when I walk in the room, I got Shine all in the house leakin’
I did a good job, cause I left Shine in the room like good housekeepin’!”
Recap: Ooops: “I’m just up here trying to save the life of another purse-snatcher!” LOL!!! Even Nu Jerzey Twork had to laugh at that one. But in this dope 1-rounder from Street Status, it’s a condensed Twork who gets the last word (even with a few recycled bars), dishing out a consistent barrage of utter mayhem, stinging name flips (that included both his opponent Ooops moniker and his gov’t name), wicked personals and fierce punchlines during his round to beat back an at times stirring and punch-heavy, but also a bit filler-prone turn by Ooops.
Verdict: Nu Jerzey Twork (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “I don’t know nuthin’ about no Democrats, no Republicans, but I know the sound of a Mac when it dump, I don’t give a fuck about no donkey or no elephant, ‘cuz I’m a put yuur ass in a trunk!”
Recap: Brutally taken apart by Goonie capo Nu Jerzey Twork some years back, in this 1-rounder from Showtime Battle Arena, Ripp uses a wide load of visceral schemes, nifty punchlines, spicy personals and earnest mayhem to get a little revenge and beat back a pretty solid at times, but wildly inconsistent and shortened turn from now-former Goonie Ace Amin.
Verdict: Ripp (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ripp – “I don’t even need to mask up, I know you live by a code of silence, barrel full of sick shit, hitting everybody…Coronavirus!”
Recap: In what was for the most part, a haymaker-drenched and competitive battle between 40 B.A.R.R.S. and Ms. Hustle (who let E. Hart come in the ring and sling a few punches at her former battle partner in round 3), Hustle gets the edge here with a more consistently spitfire rounds 1 and 2. The ever confident ‘1st Lady of URL’ taking each of the aforementioned rounds with more intricate punchlines/schemes, cold name flips, potent personals and aggressive heaters, before a more condensed and fiery 40 (who when her flow is on point, as seen here, can hold her own against anyone) salvaged the last round with some turned up shiners and rousing name flips/personals.
Verdict: Ms. Hustle (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ms. Hustle – “I asked for Hitman, was you not listening homie?, I never mentioned you, I don’t know where you getting that story, I’m high maintenance, I never asked a nigger for 40!”
Recap: This 3-rounder from GOTC TV is highlighted by pretty solid effort’s from both battle vet Marvwon and blaring newbie So Severe as its filled with a litany of fierce braggadocio rants, gritty gun bars, witty darts, aggressive punchlines and from each battler, a handful of quality rebuttals and freestyles. Still, after a more condensed Marvwon takes the 1st round, before getting edged in the 2nd by a turned-up round from So Severe, thanks to one more haymaker as well as some hitting schemes and slightly less filler, the deciding 3rd round goes to the Detroit legend for the win.
Verdict: Marvwon (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Marvwon – “Nigga, this Operation Trick Daddy, when I see his mug, I’m just gonna…take a little bit off the top!”
Recap: Hearkening back to the days of Jay Focus and an early John John da Don, here in this KOTD 3-rounder versus B. Magic, Saynt’s fashionable fur coat is not only a bit nostalgic, but in this case fitting in lieu of his eccentric performance bars. Indeed, an often stifling series of varied bar patterns that were only lessened by a flow-challenged 2nd round that even with its more heated moments couldn’t keep up with Magic’s requisite climactic punchlines and fiery name flips. Still, clearly motivated to add a win over a top, punchline vet to his resume, Saynt’s more consistent and gritty punches in addition to his rugged gun bars, pointed personals, flexing name flips and steady mayhem are more than enough to take the 1st and 3rd rounds for the vic.
Verdict: Saynt (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Saynt – “Town Bizness, Smack Volume, you ain’t even been spitting hard, you wanna see some basic Magic, just pick a card!”
Recap: The stifling gun bars will always be there, but it’s really the tremendous bite and originality of Rum Nitty’s punches that make him so good. As seen here against a pretty solid punching (esp. in round 3, which he took) Jerry Wess in this competitive Genesis card battle from URL, Nitty’s ability to consistently spout prototypical darts and land haymakers with them are what makes him no ordinary rapper, while also allowing him to take both of the opening rounds here for the win.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “Aye, I used to rob niggas, pull a strap if I need that, you’ll lose everything if I go back to my old ways…factory reset!”
Recap: Fire battle on URL between a couple of lyrical swordsman, Chess and O-Red, goes down to the wire as a draw even tho it included a perfectly-executed, name flip expansive and punch-heavy 2nd-round by Chess as throughout the bout the slightly more consistently spicy, wordplay-bent and slick-punching O-Red refused to give an inch. Indeed, if not for the usually gritty, gun bar-heavy and intuitive Chess showing off a side of himself, we don’t often get to see in battles, his wit, versus a steadily cooking and haymaker-dropping Red in round 1, the opener would not have been a debatable. And with Red dropping more of the same consistent heat in the middle round, an aforementioned classic turn by Chess is the only reason he was able to edge round 2. Finally, in round 3, with Red dropping even more (“Think vending machines when the .38 pop, I load a few rounds, push my buttons, I’ll let it spin till a Cake drop!”) gems back-to-back, while getting even more deft with the vocabulary, boasts and personals, Chess, while still delivering a pretty solid and raucous turn, just couldn’t keep up with the efficiency coming from his opponent’s pen, thus giving O the round and making this one a debatable.
Verdict: Debatable
Favorite line: Chess – “The clip funny, it got a mind of its own, it’s schizo, like elephants, the long nose cling out the trunk, but the wide nose coming out the hip, O [hippo]!”
Recap: The singing might have been a little too much on this end, but all said with a bunch of nice schemes and punches at least 4Eva made things competitive throughout this 3-round Overflow Rap League battle vs. Pristavia. That said, outside of a minor slip-up in round 2, a consistently-lit Pristavia’s punching power just proved to be too much here. The Christian rapper using a gang of boastful punches, some fire rebuttals, piercing Christianity bars and hard-hitting personals/wordplay to score a well-earned 30.
Verdict: Pristavia (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Pristavia – “Yeah, you talk a little spicy, without them heels probably only 5 feet!”
Recap: In this 1-rounder from Bayou Battle League, O’fficial does a nice Nu Jerzey Twork ‘Strapped In’ impression, but other than that fails to do anything noteworthy (or consistent enough) to keep up with the well-finessed punchlines, stinging personals/name flips and myriad of heat provided by a way more condensed and filler-light Twork.
Verdict: Nu Jerzey Twork (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “I’m talking semi’s and more and with your partner gone, that’s no more Double Impact, y’all can’t get busy no more…O performing all alone, it’s the Millennium Tour!”
Recap: Fierce, 1-round battle between Swamp and Chi-town’s King Krash goes the former’s way as the South Carolina battler’s more condensed turn, which contained a boatload gripping mayhem, witty personals and rugged punchlines/schemes, was more than enough to beat back a hard at times, but elongated and hit-n-miss round from his opponent.
Verdict: Swamp (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Swamp – “I wish I could sleep peacefully, fuck a cover, it ain’t till I tuck my pistol I feel warm in the bed!”
Recap: Rare forfeit here as an emotionally bent Jakkboy Maine (who also got booed at the end of hsi 2nd), the brunt of a classic 2nd round by opponent John John Da Don, gives up his 3rd round (ironically, this blog had the battle tied 1-1 going into the final round) by jumping into the crowd in an attempt to confront a heckler who kept interrupting his turn. Jakk’s refusal to return to the stage would in turn give JJDD the round and the battle in an entertaining grudge match that featured a plethora of heated personals from both sides, some dope punchlines, a pretty excited Tay Roc, , a bunch of head-ringing gun bars, a well-executed 1st by Jakk that deftly played to JJDD’s rep for copying his peer’s style and of course, a sublime, punch-heavy turn by JJDD in the 2nd that was highlighted by a $79.99 ‘Black Wealth’ chain, courtesy of Walmart, being hurled into the raucous crowd by John John.
Verdict: John John Da Don (W) 2-1
Favorite line: John John Da Don – “You fuckin’ fruit! 12-gauge will bust his grape, vital signs go ‘Wooooooop’, let’s just say that Shotgun got one thing straight!”
Recap: URL PG battle between Killa Tyme and Ty Main features plenty of mayhem and righteous gun bars. But after edging the 1st round thanks in part to a more condensed turn that was just as haymaker-lit as his opponent, the more name flip/set-up rich Main also takes the 2nd for the win before Tyme came back with his best round, the 3rd, to avoid the shutout.
Verdict: Ty Main (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ty Main –Â “This one for my respect, I thought about choking him to death, I will stab this nigga, fuck loading up with Tek, I rather take a blade, run it by his neck, then it back in Tyme [time], that’s a butterfly effect!”
Recap: You’d expect a tight, competitive and fiery one between ex and current group members and that’s what you get here as newfound NWX head Don Marino faces off against former NWX rep Th3 Saga in this blistering 1-rounder from GOTG. A near debatable with both battlers spilling their guts worth of sizzling punchlines, fierce personals, ringing mayhem, potent name flips/gun bars, Spanglish and slick wordplay to make for an almost equal amount of haymakers, what with less filler and even lesser predictability to his bars, the edge here goes to Mr. Marino.
Verdict: Don Marino (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Don Marino – “I’ll let it blam, the big fall, triggers on both sides…pinball!”
Recap: When he’s not writing for female battle rappers, Quantum Physics’ pen can hang with the best of them. As seen here, where QP drops a shitload of rich metaphors, forthright schemes/personals and wily wordplay on Emerson Kennedy in this rooftop battle from URL’s Standoff card. But reminding everyone that he’s no slouch either, EK more than holds his own against the SONS vet, using a bunch of stinging personals on his opponent’s battle career, fiery 4-bar set-ups/punches and some flexing play on words of his own to edge both the opening round and the deciding 3rd for the win.
Verdict: Emerson Kennedy (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Emerson Kennedy – “You right, you are my biggest fear…and that’s being old with potential!”
Recap: An equal amount of haymakers, fiery schemes, gimmickry, witty barbs and wicked punchlines throughout their battle make John John da Don versus Jerry Wess (from the URL app) a close and competitive one. But the veteran JJDD’s more condensed and name flip spazzing 1st round coupled with slightly more intricate wordplay and more pointed personals in the 2nd allows the ‘Other da Don’ to edge the first two rounds and gain the win before Mr. Wess, after a bit of a slow start, takes the 3rd with what was an onslaught of rich set-ups and righteous mayhem.
Verdict: John John da Don (W) 2-1
Favorite line: John John da Don – “This what you call a risk?…only the people that got the Apple watch!”
Recap: Dope, iBattle, 1-rounder between Quban and Reepah Rell is edged by the former who with a slightly more consistent and well-crafted array of spicy punchlines, stinging mayhem and wily personals, after going 1st is able to hold on and sneak past a pretty solid, but less potent turn by Mr. Old Head Bars.
Verdict: Quban (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Quban – “The fans counted me out, so many times, they ran outta fingers and toes, but I’m snatching my respect, a robbery, you knows how this goes, any wrong move and an Operation…I’m a light up the nose!”
Recap: Kicking some raw street drama to go along with a boatload of aggressive heaters, fiery schemes, rugged pontifications and well-lit punches/personals/jokes, even while rapping a couple of minutes longer than his opponent Piranha (who was solid throughout his turn and had a few spicy rebuttals to boot), a more consistently nice Gunhood Zeke does enough to get the edge in this 1-rounder from Anybody Can Die Battle League.
Verdict: Gunhood Zeke (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Gunhood Zeke – “Nigga you ain’t get caught sneaking in nigga’s houses, you got caught sleeping in nigga’s houses!”
Recap: Capped by a gritty, aggressive, superbly-executed, mayhem-lit, performance-rich and punch-heavy round 1, Ace Amin manages to hold on with a slightly more condensed, but just as raucous 2nd round to edge that one and beat back a versatile throughout, gun bar-waving and name flip/punch-savvy, but also a little too indirect at times and punch-predictable (tho he still got better with each round, so much so that he won the 3rd) Holmzie Da God in this dope Banned battle from URL.
Verdict: Ace Amin (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ace Amin – “You bi-polar, everything black and white?, [click, click] now your mouth full of gray matter!”
Recap: Adeptly utilizing a modus operandi consisting of rugged punchlines, flighty gun bars, gracious jokes and lofty schemes/personals, here against fellow battle rap vet The Saurus, a consistently nice Marv Won’s only misstep is a costly, flow-challenge 2nd round on his way to a win in a matchup that was literally 13 years in the making.
Verdict: Marv Won (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Marv Won – “The flames hit different when you looking in the mirror, nigga, the chair roll different when you pushing it yourself!”
Recap: Dot Everything’s steely flow, greasy street chatter and gritty punchlines/mayhem make for a one-dimensional, but competitive and pretty solid showing. But in this 1-rounder from Hit List Battle League, a way more versatile Qleen Paper, not just stuck on dishing raucous punches, but also nice with the witty barbs and searing name flips, is able to drop a more condensed round of haymakers for the win.
Verdict: Qleen Paper (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Qleen Paper – “I’ll get your bitch ass knocked off, with the big K, it just look like the pistol, ‘cuz the stock off, if she hit, I’ll put that bitch on Everything like hot sauce!”
