No Bias. No Narratives.
Mister Greco Recap: From The News Battle League, what his opponent P.A.Y.N.E. lacked in rich metaphors and sturdy punches, Ave more than makes up for it, while also adding a gang of fiery name flips, feelgood wordplay and boastful barbs to handily the win over his mostly pedestrin opp in this 1-rounder.
Verdict: Ave (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ave – “You think not?, you still the trauma what we not about?, man my whole gang be steppin’ P.A.Y.N.E. like we got gout!”
Recap: A 1-rounder between Tubbs and Chess from Houston Bar Code’s ‘None 5′ card ends up kind of close as Tubbs’ pertinent punches and gritty personals work to score some major haymakers until he flattened out a bit during the final third of his round. But perhaps motivated a bit at T-Rex pulling out of their rumored Summer Madness battle last minute, the ever nearly combustible Chess holds it together here and with a plethora of nasty name flips, fiery wordplay and stinging gun lines/boastful barbs delivers a much more steady performance to earn the win.
Verdict: Chess (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Chess – “For my next assault, your bro can get thrown in the water like Epson salt…and so can Tubbs!”
Recap: From OSBL, against a competitive, rebuttal-spitting and gritty-punching Kai The Poet, a slightly more condensed and efficiently hard-hitting uses a bunch of slick wordplay, fiery set-up/punchlines, solid personals and fierce name flips to take both of the opening rounds for the win, before a more direct and punch-lit KTP edged the 3rd to avoid the shutout.
Verdict: Ryda (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ryda – “You got Ryda on ya resume dog, I’m a real killer, a Monster Indeed…this coul be a Career Builder!”
Recap: From URL’s Summer Madness 13, a highly entertaining 3-rounder between Rum Nitty and Ace Amin comes down to the latter unleashing a wide array of tricks (including a righteous, URL-friendly and classic 3rd round) and fiery wordplay throughout the battle. While Nitty’s mostly sublime punch-game, gritty name flips, performance-rich lines (and shoulder bumbs) and stinging gun bars proved again why he’s one of the best in the game. A definitive crowd-pleaser with both battlers on their A-game, this one comes down to the slightly more condensed and steady Nitty edging rounds 1 and 2 for the win, before Ace reversed the V in the aforementioned 3rd.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “I get to tripping out the gate, I told Beas, send direct payments this man dead, I’m a hit the gun store for an SK and a Mac 10, vest plate and I grab lead, I went tool shoppin’, like a hardware store, then I left Ace with a flat head [flathead]!”
Recap: From Takeova Battle League, consistently scoring all 3 rounds with a bunch of piercing name flips, gritty punchlines, some fire wordplay and flexing gun bars, an AMG mode-friendly Tay Roc (who also took advantage of a personal-hitting, but overall on his B game Real Deal what with a haphazard round 3, a couple of reaches and less-than-potent-punch-arsenal) handily earns the 30 over the Pittsburgh vet.
Verdict: Tay Roc (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Tay Roc – “He starting to black out, his breath is getting weaker, got him calling the God but he was never a believer, HK this heckler is a sweeper, this will knock 50 percent off deal…it’s better when it’s cheaper!”
Recap: Thought Ryda was about to choke there near the end of his round. But in this 1-rounder from Purebars RBl, the DMV rapper not only managed to finish his turn, but his more consistently spitfire punches, graphic gunplay and hard-hitting name flips prove enough to beat a gritty and punch-heavy at times, but less steady effort from Ju$eboxx.
Verdict: Ryda (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ryda – “Your death, I could demonstrate it, eliminate it, Sistine chapel, I left his ceiling painted, he didn’t make it, body in a morgue, it’s just chilling [vaping???], but what else you supposed to do with juice?…keep it refridgerated!”
Recap: In this 1-rounder from Capital Battle Grounds, Dre Dennis kills it with a dope flip on his opponent’s infamous ‘M.O.P. your ante up’ line, but with one too many reaches and not nearly enough haymakers, the mostly gun bar slinging Gates of the Garden co-owner just couldn’t keep up with Rum Nitty’s much richer combo of stylistic gun bars, fiery punchlines, piercing personals and stinging wordplay.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “One shot, he know he not gonna make it, it’s a Hack-a-Shaq!”
Recap: Much respect to Nunn Nunn for taking on a life of God. But while the VA vet gets in touch with his religious side, he may want to take a class or two on Capitalism 101 which would help explain how free markets, private busineses, profit motive, marketability leads to why he gets paid what he get paid per battle and others (despite their chokes) get paid more. That said, outside of dishing one-too-many obscure punchlines and pedestrian bars that cost him round 1 to his wittier and punch-heavier opp, it’s Real Deal’s continually nasty/boastful barbs, syrupy wordplay, stifling personals and bodacious/righteous punches that allows the Pittsburh battler to edge rounds 2 and (despite a classic, Smack diss-ful turn by NN in the final round) 3 for the win.
Verdict: Real Deal (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Real Deal – “If I was concerned about your loved one’s welfare I’d ask Brett Favre to pitch in!”
Recap: In this 1-rounder from URL, both Chess and Mackk Myron go through small bouts of fumblitis when it came to their flows. However, the two battlers would still recover and make this battle competitive via a gang of gritty punchliness, artful boasts and piercing gun bars. But with an addition of witty punches/personals in hs arsenal as well as an ability to put up a handful of more haymakers, it’s the steadier scoring Mackk for the win.
Verdict: Mackk Myron (W) 1-0
Favorite line: M ackk Myron – “I’m a killer who popped out, you can’t beat me nigga, that mean my heart half-cold this a TV dinner!”
Recap: From Hunger Gamez, pretty solid effort in this competitive 1-rounder from Tink Da Demon, who with a plethora of graphic/grisly death obsessed punches and other meandering name flips and personals, showed that he came to win. However, via a gang of consistently hitting set-up/punchlines, fire similes, daunting street bars, sturdy trap talk and boastful barbs, it’s the slightly more efficient and haymaker-lit J Morr who edges this one.
Verdict: J Morr (W) 1-0
Favorite line: J Morr – “.5, 24/7’s like service lot, nigga I survived so many shifts I got Workers comp!”
Recap: A.I. may frown on it, but watch any Tay Roc battle and you’ll witness just how much work that the Gun Bar King puts into practicing his rounds. What with Roc’s ability to run back his bars with ease, decipher and break them down them when necessary and jump right back into pockets with equal precision, shows you a man who’s serious about his craft. And as this blazing 3-rounder vs. Quban on OSBL shows us once again, no matter the tier of the competition, Roc never underestimates his opp’s either. Not that Quban is anyone’s slouch. The Maryland battle vet keeping it close for all three rounds here with a boatload of gritty punchlines, aggressive heat, syrupy set-ups and flippant personals/name flips. But ultimately, this was Roc’s show. The Gun Titles co-capo using a plethora of head-banging gun bars, flexing punchlines, versatile name flips, boastful barbs, witty anecdotes and sporty personals of his own to land a few more haymakers in rounds 1 and 2 for the win, before an equally potent 3rd on both sides makes for a debatable.
Verdict: Tay Roc (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Tay Roc – “Say ya fucking goodbye’s, chopper dump on his ride, transformers whip into two, he thought it was a mirage!”
Recap: From Purebars RBL, some slick wordplay and a bunch of heavy heat from 6IX Shotz keeps things competitive throughout this 3-rounder. But steadily armed with a gang of stifling gun bars, sturdy rebuttals, fierce name flips and fiery punchlines, it’s Chef Trez all day for the 30.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “I’ll murk him, squeezing the nina, put his body on this ratchet when I peep ya demeanor, i don’t throw away the gun, I believe in the diva, plus no bitches cost too much, it’s cheaper to keep her!”
Recap: From Bullpen (in Yonkers, NY instead of ATL), against a valiant and gritty effort from Jae Millz who continues to hurt himself when it comes to consistently hitting similes (but might wanna expound on his humor a bit more in future battles), John John da Don uses a versatile palette of stifling (esp. in round 2) punchlines, sturdy name flips, piercing personals and potent set-ups to take the middle round and edge the 1st and 3rd’s for the Gentleman’s 30.
Verdict: John John da Don (W) 3-0
Favorite line: John John da Don – “The best secret I ever kept?, my aim is more accurate with strangers, ‘cuz it’s hard to miss people I never met!”
Recap: From iBattle, despite a 5-year hiatus away from the battle rap game, for 3 rounds here against JC E. Farrell shows that he hasn’t missed a beat what with his salacious combo of witty barbs and piercing punching that kept him competitive throughout the entire battle. But JC…well being JC, just prives to be a little too much in the end, the Michigan vet using a gang of slightly more efficient hardbody punches, dark/mayhem-drenched mosaics, ample name flips and gritty wordplay to edge the first couple of rounds for tne win before a 3rd round debatable.
Verdict: JC (W) 2-1
Favorite line: JC – “It get very real, I mean we in every field…toe-tagging, that mean we with it all sport, Bo Jackson!”
Recap: A competitive 1-rounder from Our Society Battle League with two battlers , Viixen The Assassin and Jade, with similar aggressive-punching (with a little humor mixed in) styles, gets edged by the more set-up/wordplay-lit, less pedestrian and haymaker-friendly Viixen, who frankly speaking definitely needed a win.
Verdict: Viixen The Assassin (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Viixen The Assassin – “I’m here ‘cuz V better, replace the Big Mac with the banana…I’m trying to eat better!”
Recap: In this 3-rounder from Takeova Battle League, Danny Myers takes advantage of a mostly subpar Theory Truth and uses a bunch of fierce name flips, piercing punchlines, hitting rebuttals and rugged/twisted mayhem to take all three rounds for the win.
Verdict: Danny Myers (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Danny Myers – “My pen is something you never seen before clearly, can’t even use my signature move…the parallel universe is a Theory!”
Recap: From West World Battle Rap, in a battle that was competitive throughout while featuring a gang of slick wordplay, blistering gun bars, savage boasts and scintillating set-up/punchlines, after the two split (had Rum Nitty edging round 1 before Yung Griz returned the favor in round 2) it’s a more bucket hat/personal-lit, condensed and haymaker-friendly Rum who takes the deciding 3rd for the win.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “If I send my shooters he fo sure dying, they get off the drugs and get more violent, before they go sliding, they probably sniff a little white girl…like Joe Biden!”
Recap: From Chrome 23, an intense 3-round battle that featured two fire rounds between a storytelling/wordplay/punchline/personal-lit 40 B.A.R.R.S. and a personal/witty/salacious (“Yeah, I like to suck dick, but you the one that be choking!”) Yoshi G (that they split with 40 taking round 1 and Yoshi taking the 2nd) gets turned upside down when the deeply rooted animosity the two battlers had for each other surfaced in the 3rd. Yoshi surprisngly (after getting off to a pretty solid start) choking away her final round and a clearly frustrated 40 choosing not to spit her last round after an unwitting security guard, oblivious to the nuanced decorum of competitive battling, touched off a tense back-n-forth with 40 for talking a bit while Yoshi rapped in ddition to the Boston vixen arguing with Yoshi (who blamed 40 for her choke) and getting a water bottle thrown at her. And while league-owner Remy Ma, as host of the battle, could’ve attempted to calm things down between 40 and Yoshi so both of them could get their verses off uninterrupted in the 3rd, one wouldn’t upser if these two did a rematch some time down the line.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: 40 B.A.R.R.S. – “Bitch, you still want that status only legends is given, you wanted to climb on top and show your ass, reverse-cowgirl, what a clever decision, but you like backshots so why using doggy-style ain’t put you in a better position?!”
Recap: In this 3-rounder from Street Status, Yung Ill’s storied set-ups, slick wordplay and rich performance bars keeps him competitive and erans him a debatable round 1. But with the ability to hit all cylinders when it came to name flips in addition to a gritty punch game and a gang of piercing personals, it’s John John Da Don who handily takes both of the latter rounds for the win.
Verdict: John John da Don (W) 2-1
Favorite line: John John Da Don – “You washed up, the face of this gun?, I’m still popping, clip longer than a Netflix series…you still watching?!”
Recap: From Takeova Battle League, a 3-round matchup between up-n-comer Rizz and Nu Jerzey Twork goes Nu Jerooz’s way as Twork’s consistently spicy set-ups, spirited/reckless gun bars, flexing punchlines and steady calls for mayhem prove to be more than enough to 3-0 an opponent who while gritty throughout, just couldn’t usurp enough potentcy to his punchlines to keep up and compete.
Verdict: Nu Jerzey Twork (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “Head shot, and that’s just for nice knowing you…say goodbye!”
Recap: While Chrome 23’s visual aesthetics and stage presense have improved quite a bit since its birth, Remy Ma may want to work a little on controlling her crowd’s as big man with the shades on (presumably from Kausion’s side) was way too comfortable being all up in the women’s space (and in the camera) during this 3-rounder featuring Kausion versus First Lady Flamez. That aside, a fire matchup between two Virginian’s gets won by Flamez who with a plethora of fiery gun bars, some impeccible wordplay, a bunch of sturdy name flips and flexing/aggressive punchlines takes rounds 1 and 2 for the win over an oppoenent who while competing hard with her bag of gritty punches, piercing street rhymes and potent name flisp of her own, couldn’t (till the 3rd round, which was a debatable) keep up to Flamez when it came to haymakers of steady efficiency in the opening rounds.
Verdict: First Lady Flamez (W) 2-1
Favorite line: First Lady Flamez – “Silencer on a nina, we ’bout action, nothing gets vocalized, so when I look at this I’m sending shots, it’s like getting pregnant by ya side nigger during summertime…I hope it dies!”
Recap: Featuring a bunch of fly rebuttals from a too cold Danny Myers and a versatile performance from up-n-comer Saflare Sole, this gritty 3-rounder from URL ends up as consequential as a debatable. The off-the-dome lit and more haymaker-rich Myers taking round 1 before (despite a small stumble) Saflare turned it up on the punchlines to force a tie against another rebuttal-lit (“Hey nigga, tonight you get slayed violent, they forgot to read that bitch Miranda rights, you got the right to remain silent!”) ..and mayhem-friendly turn by Danny. A battle that also spouted nicely-blended ‘Danny-ism’s’ from Sole throughput the match and some nifty wordplay from Myers would end up with Saflare earning a tie with another punch-crazy 3rd that coupled with a righteous Danny spending a little too much time pontificating, allows the newbie to edge the bout for a debatable.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: Saflare Sole – “I’ll clap this bitch, stomach, leg, arm, bullets even his back get hit, he shot in a private location like an App event!”
Recap: From URL, a highly personal, but classic and superbly put together and righteous/irony-filled 3rd (which for whatever reason gained a lot of controversy online) coupled with a 1st and 2nd rounds that were both slightly more condensed and heavy on fiery schemes, sizzling wordplay and a variety of stinging punchlines gives Chilla Jones the edge in all 3 rounds of this Born Legacy 13 matchup for the win over a mostly punch-heavy, performance-lit and multifaceted Klutz, who outside of a few dry spots here and there, still made his mark and kept it competitive.
Verdict: Chilla Jones (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chilla Jones – “In this game I’m really the one playa, like story mode!”
Recap: Outside of an opening round where a way more punch-heavy Jaz The Rapper handily earned the win, it’s a close Create For You 3-rounder here between Jaz and RX. The Compton, California native using a fire rebuttal and a plethora of hard-hitting/witty personals (while also taking advantage of a flow-challnged Jaz) to take the second round and tie things up,before a more versatile, righteous and consistently punchline-lit Jaz (who did this battle only a week after battling Charlie Clips) takes round 3 for the win.
Verdict: Jaz the Rapper (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Jaz The Rapper – “Then I’m a stab her and y’all gonna witness me poking her up, see my women’s intuition told me go with the gut!”
Recap: In this App-exclusive 1-rounder from URL, while Casino’s sterling trap talk and gritty storytelling were certainly a highlight. It’s B. Magic’s more variable schemes and name flips that included a gang of stinging metaphors and spicy themes coupled with the usual m.o. of rapid/hardbody punchlines that earns the more condensed EFB vet the win.
Verdict: B. Magic (W) 1-0
Favorite line: B. Magic – “Pac leaving Tyson fight, this the last time you seeing Casino!”
Recap: Absolute 1-round, URL App-exclusive punchfest between JC and Emerson Kennedy sees the more eclectic-punching and personal/set-up lit EK get the edge in what was a haymaker-drenched turn on both sides.
Verdict: Emerson Kennedy (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Emerson Kennedy – “This nigga plain, talking bar none, that Surf performance?, far from, the quality, nigga if you had started dancing, we thought you was gonna bar some…we thought you were supposed to end the wave, this nigga tried to start one!”
Recap: In this fire, App-exclusive 1-rounder from URL, a slightly more condensed overall, flow/wordplay-lit, punch-heavy, sizzling/wildly expansive when it came to food themes/metaphors and other salacious punches Jakkboy Maine manages to edge a Chef Trez, who while hellbent on delivering fiery tropes of mayhem, a gang of sturdy gun bars and a bunch of wicked punchlines, lacked enough firepower (and rebuttals, of which he surprisingly only had one) to keep up with the former Goonie’s efficiency and revelry.
Verdict: Jakkboy Maine (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Jakkboy Maine – “Them Christmas carols end with a scream, so my past, present and future Chef seen all 3 of them thangs!”
Recap: A couple of Philly’s finest, Reed Dollaz and Eazy The Block Captain, put on a close, competitive and dope show for 3 rounds to headline the latter’s “The Trenches” card. The veteran Reed gritty, braggadocius and hardnody as ever, kept it condensed and consistent throughout with a boatload of fire punches, fiery street themes, ill personals and stinging name flips. While the ever-confident Block Captain scored with a plethora of piercing trap talk, fire name flips and personals of his own, flippant boasts, steely/righteous punchlines and buoyant gun bars. Gripping throughout in front of a Philly crowd that was all-in from the jump, after a debatable round 1, it’s the slightly more haymaker-lit Eazy TBC who edges rounds 2 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: Eazy The Block Captain (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Eazy The Block Captain – “I am not for play, I take pride in cooking up, even my pots is dishwasher safe!”
Recap: From RBE, a competitive Robin Rhymes makes her name heard with 3 elongated but pretty solid rounds that flexed her versatility (esp. in round 2, where despite a few hiccups when it came to flow, she was able to edge thanks in part to a gang of sublime personals/bars). But opponent QB, continuing to show off in what’s been a dope 2023 for her, not only takes advantage of Ms. Rhymes prolongation with a 1st and 3rd round’s that were moreso efficient, but with a rich palette of stinging wordplay, fiery/aggressive name flips/bars and crazy, hard-hitting personals (esp. during a classic finale) handily earns the win.
Verdict: QB (Black Diamond) (W) 2-1
Favorite line: QB (Black Diamond) – “Bitch your career will never prosper, off your petty drama, fucking nigga’s in sewer leagues, Robin rhymes more like Robin Williams ‘cuz she be hung on the wrong things!”
Recap: From Takeova Battle League, a hard-hitting and aggressive 3-rounder between Tay Roc and Jae Soldier goes the former’s way as despite a slew of mocking/piercing/witty personals and gritty punches from Soldier, a rebuttal-throwing Roc’s steady bag of rich metaphors, sturdy name flips, boastful darts and festive gun bars allows him to edge each round for the Gentleman’s 30.
Verdict: Tay Roc (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Tay Roc – “Boy it gets tragic, you’ll see something from the side showing, ever seen a nigga get shot in the head?…it’s mind blowing!”
Recap: From the HowYouGonAct Network, not wasting a single bar and consistently dishing some crazy punches and sublime wordplay in round 1 (i.e. classic) before getting back to the basics and scoring with a gang of gritty name flips, mayhem-lit darts and dope set-up/punchlines in both of the latter rounds, O-Red shows that even without utilizing his notorious ‘transformer’ lines, the Jersey vet can still take it up a notch and deliver a 30 on a pretty solid-punching throughout, but nowhere near as steadily hitting Holmzie Da God.
Verdict: O-Red (W) 3-0
Favorite line: O-Red – “My style is the blueprint Holms [homes], you’re an outline to me, I could turn all ya thoughts into floor plans, you copy me?!”
Recap: From No Coast Raps, a pretty solid and gun-bar heavy on both sides 3-rounder between Ultimate Beast Primus and O-Red goes the Jersey Bet’s way as despite a trio of competitive, punch-heavy and gritty rounds from Mr. Primus, a condensed Red’s more consistent/efficient punch game, crazy set-ups, wily personals and hitting schemes/wordplay/off-the-dome zingers are enough to take each round for the shutout.
Verdict: O-Red (W) 3-0
Favorite line: O-Red – “Shoulder shot, his arm break off like a Voltron piece!”
Recap: A dope 3-rounder from iBattle sees Oppa with a gang of astute lyricism, standout wit and piercing punches keep it close. But with a slightly steadier and more condensed bag of head-ringing gun bars, gritty wordplay, crazy set-ups and obscene punchlines, it’s the veteran Rum Nitty who edges rounds 2 and 3 for the win after a debatable round one.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “I’ll get dude smoked, acting like he one of them one’s, this muthafucka is a bum, have you ever seen a cokehead lining up a hit in their upper lip?, you just bumping your gums!”
Recap: In this close 3-rounder from No Coast Raps, veteran battler Ness Lee’s lyrical dexterity, mocking personals and at times effective punchlines keeps things competitive throughout. However, armed with his usual assortment of stinging one-liners, razor-sharp wit and gritty back-to-back punchlines while assisted a bit by Ness Lee’s up-n-down efficiency with the bars, it’s B. Magic who takes rounds 1 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: B. Magic (W) 2-1
Favorite line: B. Magic – “If my people kill you, the shit didn’t end, the hospital bring you back?, we gonna kill you again!”
Recap: From RBE, a crazy and sublime round 1 filled with a bunch of bullish punchlines, some fire wordplay, daunting darts and righteous boasts coupled with a second rich with a gang of aggressive haymakers, hard street rhymes and witty personals gives Swave Sevah the win over a gritty and unorthodox, but up-n-down Remedy Loko. And while the 3rd round was a wash as far as determining the victor, it was still a stellar turn on both ends with a rebuttal-lit Loko connecting more and unleashing a plethora of fire punches to avoid the shutout even while a pontificating Swave lit up the blue room with a bunch of fiery shots at the ongoing RBE/URL drama as well as scoring too with some more stealthy heat.
Verdict: Swave Sevah (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Swave Sevah – “Boxing rules apply, why don’t you and I, hop in the right have a death match…win, lose or die!”
Recap: Who doesn’t love a dope style clash? And this 3-rounder from We Go Hard was ceratinly that as Chef Trez with ominous barrel of piercing gun bars, sublime off-the-dome heat and gritty punchlines faces off against the aggressive, personal-lit, witty and entertaining polemics of Gunpowder Patt. A close one throughout, despite a pretty solid and hard-hitting opening round from Trez (that was spoiled a lit bit due to Chef taking a bit too long to land the punch), Patt’s colorful angles, humorous stylings and clever/steely punchlines edges Gunpowder the round. And then the Chef got to cooking. Landing a boatload of fly name flips and a handful of fierce rebuttals to go along with a gang of raucous punches/gun bars, Trez would do just enough to edge round 2 over an opponent who cane with it when it it came ill braggadocius lines, more crazy wit and fiery street anthems. Tied going into the 3rd in front of a rocking WGH crowd, even while dialing back a bit on the rebuts, Trez would still score at will via a rich palette of robust punchlines, some hitting personals and well-finessed wordplay to take the 3rd and get the win over a G.P. who while still compettiive, just seemed to run out of steam when it came to landing as many haymakers as he did in the previous rounds.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “Catch steel from Chef, you know what’ll happen at point blank if I squeeze bitch?, I’ll get blood on my gun, marinera falling off a chopper…it’s a cheese stick!”
Recap: Brooklyn vs. Brooklyn in this 1-rounder from the Gates. And while the lesser known June PZ ut frth a gritty and at times personal-lit effort, it’s the way more condensed Cortez’s spicy assortment of ripshod mayhem, glistening gun bars and piercing punches that earns the Murda Ave vet the win.
Verdict: Cortez (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Cortez – “It’s another ‘W’ in store, that’s Walgreens, and don’t you know he’ll never be seen again after the scufflee…like Rawsteen!”
Recap: A 3-rounder from URL’s ‘Banned’ series sees Jae Millz arguably at this best since the Harlem vet made his most recent comeback to battle rap. The former Young Money signee dishing a trio of sound, quality rounds that while featuring his usual m.o. of earnest boasts and gritty lyricism, was also highlighted when the usually one-note Millz flexed his funny bone a bit and added some witty barbs to the mix. That said, outside of a debatable round 2, this one was all Cortez with the Brooklyn emcee spouting a bunch of hard street rhymes, stinging personals, bodacious punches/gun bars and feelgood name flips/wordplay that especially lit up the scoreboard in rounds 1 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: Cortez (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Cortez – “They say battle rappers can’t make music, well since you put us in that box I’m returnung the favor!”
Recap: Chef Trez versus Showoff. Security guard verssus security guard. ARP interrupting battles as usual…it’s all there for 3 rounds on RBE and it was a dope one. Showoff, aggressive, boastful and gritty as usual with his trademark ‘lingo’, delivered a standout performance with a gang of bodaciosu street raps, some sizzling wordplay, a couple of fire rebuttals, some straight ‘talking to’ personals (esp. in round 3) and a boatload of steely punches. While Trez, battling on RBE for the first time in awhile, came through with a shitload of fire punchlines, crazy name flips, hard-hitting personals, spicy schemes and of course, a handful of head-ringimg rebuttals. All in all, another ‘Blue room’ goodie, but at the end of the day it’s the more consistently-lit and haymaker-friendly Trez who manages to take all 3 rounds to score a shutout.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “Quit bluffing, nigga all that tough seem fake, with that same blade I’ll pick ya side, we running screenplays!”
Recap: Against an A. Ward who was solid throughout, but not at his best when it came to overall punch prowess, the eccentric rhyme patterns of Emerson Kennedy, scoring with efficiency when it came to wordplay, boastful darts and mind-bending set-up/punchlines, even while surviving a slip-up early on during his turn, are enough to edge this 1-rounder from Mic Masters.
Verdict: Emerson Kennedy (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Emerson Kennedy – “I really had to sleep in a car while you was working on an image, if I clicked my heels 3 times I’d wake up in a Honda Civic!”
Recap: A mayhem-lit 3-rounder from URL’s ‘Banned’ series, Chess uses a gang of potent rank-n-file name flips, consistently raucous punches, a few solid personals, hitting wordplay and a boatload of gritty gun bars to take the first couple of rounds for the win. Before Tink Da Demon, earnest throughout with the caustic bars and name flips, but much less substantive overall with the punchlines, came back with gripping and steadily hitting 3rd to avoid the 30.
Verdict: Chess (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Chess – “He walked in thinking he the shit, then realized he’s number two and that’s where he gets deterred!”
Recap: From RBE, against the introspective musings, mental health exorcisms and overall solid (bot often cryptic/nonsensical and elongated when it came to getting to the punch) verses/schemes from King Los, Ill Will stays consistent while scoring left and right with a shitload of gritty punchlines, witty barbs, clever puns, rich storytelling, slinging gun bars and hard-hitting personals to earn more than enough haymakers and take all three rounds for the win.
Verdict: Ill Will (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Ill Will – “I’ll put your whole family in an obstacle, I’ll make him box, Jamie Foxx, al that acting out his chest gonna put him in a hospital!”
Recap: From Bullpen Battle League, Georgia battler Clone does his thing, supplying a gang of gritty raps and fiery punches throughout this 3-rounder and make this matchup versus Ave competitive. But ever ready with a plethora of boastful punches, systematic haymakers that showed off his resilience, witty personals and stinging wordplay/name flips, it’s the Norfolk, VA vet who takes rounds 1 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: Ave (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ave – “That’s probably why this bluffing shit hit you, so don’t survive a Rico to die from another government issue!”
Recap: Murda Mook versus Bigg K, a matchup that pretty much came out of nowhere, gets the royal, blue light treatment from RBE and deservedly so. K, arrogant and fiery as ever, but almost always able to back it up with his modus operandi of steely back-to-back punchlines, hard-hitting personals and charming wit, did his thing up until getting sidetracked towards the end of his 3rd round by a heavy-on-the-personals ‘cop’ angle that seemed to be based on hearsay rather than actual facts. While Mook, always sly and aggressive with his raps, pontificating, punch-lit for the most part, scoring with some solid metaphors and of course, well-dipped when it came to jaunty personals and predictable race angles, kept it close throughout. Unfortunately for Mook tho, despite a fly showing of his own in round 1, K’s more steadily hitting darts would edge the former the opener, before one too many subpar joints from Murda to go along with a pretty lazy ‘A-B-C’ scheme in round 2, would help a punch-crazier and scintillating Bigg K get that round too for the win, before a wittier, spicy storytelling and slightly more punch-heavy Mook took the final round to avoid the 30.
Verdict: Bigg K (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Bigg K – “You was the best in the world when there was only 8 battlers!”
Recap: A dope punchfest for the first couple of rounds with Charlie Clips delivering a gang of sizzling set-up/punchlines, witty barbs and fire wordplay/schemes to edge round one before Clips efficiency punch-wise dips a bit in round 2, thus making room for Rosenberg Raw’s bullish punches, artful boasting and hard street lines allow the PA vet to take the middle round and split things up going into the 3rd. There it’s Clips’ (who before the battle had decided not to freestyle) ability to turn it up and spout a highly personal turn rich-deep in hardbody disses, mocking darts and gritty truth-telling that when matched with a hitting at times, but overall pretty pedestrian turn by Raw, eventually gets the Harlem legend the win in this spirited 3-rounder from RBE.
Verdict: Charlie Clips (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Charlie Clips – “I was mentioning burgers but thinking taco’s, ‘cuz we day from Cinco De Mayo, head shot, blood and puss, exit wound look like Pico de Gallo!”
Recap: A 1-rounder from iBattle features a pretty solid, punch-heavy at times and witty effort from home league fave Febou. But showing off once again that there’s levels to this shit, a turned up and a tad bit pissed off Geechi Gotti turns the tables on his opponent with a gritty barrage of hard-hitting personals, bodacious street raps, stinging punchlines, dope rebuttals and righteous haymakers to handily take the win.
Verdict: Geechi Gotti (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “Battling me this was a deathtrap, gun drawn under your chin it ain’t a neck tat, run down, pump and shoot…look like it was a step back!”
Recap: From URL’s ‘Outside 2’ card, in a fire and competitive battle with very little letdown and a shitload of gritty punchlines, fire gun bars, potent name flips and twisted wordplay from both battlers throughout, it’s a slightly more condensed and efficient Rum Nitty who takes the deciding (had the slightly more haymaker-lit Nitty taking round 1 before Saflare Sole reversed the V in the 2nd) 3rd round for the win.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “I don’t know what the fuck he thought but I really dump shit off, I’m not the one at all, I’ll get a gun involved, you better go toy with somebody else Sole (soul), like a Chucky doll!”
Recap: Funny how after pushing Snake Eyez halfway across the stage, Coffee Brown expected you to hear whatever bar she uttered in the moment…like we weren’t a little distracted. Anyway, from URL’s ‘Outside 2’ card, while Snake dished his usual assortment of gritty lines and even stepped it up with a boatload of piercing/witty/wicked personals throught this 3-rounder, it’s Ms. Brown’s just as flexing personals, head-ringing gun bars, brash trap talk, hard-hitting punches (that included a dope mid-round rebuttal in round 2) and well-finessed name flips that earns Coffee the 30.
Verdict: Coffee Brown (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Coffee Brown – “If this nigga bump me, he better know what he doing, get [swipes at Snake’s arm] your shoulder cut off…that’s highway improvement!”
Recap: From Gates of the Garden, going to guess that there’s a lovely backstory between King Chi and that light-skin dude he was snapping at towards the end of the his round. Nonetheless, still a pretty solid effort from Chi in this 1-rounder, what with a bunch of spicy, unorthodox punches, some bodacious freestyles and sturdy wit comprising his turn to make things competitive. But with a gritty mix of hitting gun bars, bold street themes, flexing name flips and a gang of sublime punchlines that more than hit, at the end of the day it’s the storied vet Cortez who takes this one.
Verdict: Cortez (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Cortez – “He’ll get beat with the handle if he touch Cort…that’s And 1!”
Recap: From Bullpen Battle League, outside of a so-so 3rd round Bad Newz turned it up here. The Atlanta vet keeping it competitive and standing toe-to-toe with Geechi Gotti with a consistent barrage of fire punchlines, aggressive street talk, some solid personals and stinging gun bars. But proving once again why he’s a mainstay on anyone’s top tier list, Gotti’s ability to steady serve up a bunch of fire rebuttals, fiery name flips, boastful barbs, witty personals, some killer schemes and his own parlay of grity gang talk loaded with hard-hitting punches and steely gun lines would just prove to be too much over the course of 3 rounds, whiel landing Geechi a Gentleman’s 30.
Verdict: Gechi Gotti (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “Nigga you shoulda called off, ‘cuz ain’t no way you winnng this, even to save your life, even in the strip club the shit you spit gonna be the most ass we see on this stage tonight!”
Verdict: Swamp (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Swamp – “Catch you slipping in the mall or something and let you buy my lady J’s with your military discount!”
Recap: From iBattle, both Cortez and Sean Godda drop a gang of stinging gun bars, wild episodes of mayhem and gritty street bars in this mostly competitive 3-rounder. But it’s Tez’s more steadily glistening punches and fine-tuned name flips that adds to the mix and helps him take each round for the 30.
Verdict: Cortez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Cortez – “Move, I’m gripping a tool, and I’m blazing a Taurus, this El Chapo right out the cell, this a breakout performance!”
Recap: From the Gates, both Chess and Wise put on dope showings during a 1-rounder that featured more than enough sizzling street bars, fiery boasts and hardbody punchlines to keep things competitive. But via a more timely efficient and versatile turn when it came to haymakers, righteous bangers and a gang of stinging wordplay, it’s the Young Gawd who takes this one in the end.
Verdict: Chess (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Chess – “Acting like you smart, but out here doing stupid shit, like calling yourself ‘Wise’, thinking you knew some shit, I mean you could know it all, but it ain’t effective if you don’t use the shit, ‘cuz knowledge is what you know and wisdom is what you do with it!”
Recap: From KOTD, after splitting the first couple of rounds with Real Deal, Loso’s choice to get extra sentimental (this battle took place on a memorial card for the late Pat Stay) in the deciding 3rd ends up leaving a punch-crazier R.D with plenty of room to handily take the final round for the win.
Verdict: Real Deal (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Real Deal – “I will curb stomp you on vaca, you getting brutalized in Bermuda slides!”
Recap: From URL’s ‘Outside 2’ card, a pretty good (and witty at times) 3-rounder between Stumbles and Swamp ends up with the latter taking it. As outside of a couple of hiccups here and there in round 2 (which helped a cleaner, crispy street talking and punch-lit Stumbles to score a debatable) it’s the more versatile, personal-lit, name flip spicy, rebuttling, boastful, gun bar-slinging and altogether more consistently crazy with the punchlines Swamp who would take the 1st round and handily take the 3rd for the win.
Verdict: Swamp (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Swamp – “Yoou standing in front of a real stepper…boy I can put creases in a pair of foamposites!”
Recap: From Any Body Can Die Battle League, a gritty and punch-heavy (“Is you too pretty to die bitch?, hell naw, you are drop dead gorgeous!”) effort from Badlifebird in this 1-rounder against Coffee Brown. But with a more steady mix of sterling gun bars, head-ringing mayhem, fiery wordplay and surly name flips, it’s the 1st Lady of San Bernadino who edges the win.
Verdict: Coffee Brown (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Coffee Brown – “Everybody died, they all get slumped, I ride with it tucked, turkey giveaway, I got bird in the back in the trunk!”
Recap: From URL’s ‘Outside 2’ card, a fire 3-rounder between Nu Jerzey Twork and Chef Trez features the latter utilizing a gang of rambunctious set-up/punchlines, stifling gun bars, witty/hard-hitting personals and righteous mayhem to make his mark. While the always-on-point Chef offered up a sizzling plate mixed with a boatload of piercing rebuttals, gritty (“Put a ratchet behind Twork, y’all know bitches like to dance with each other!”) punches, head-ringing gunplay and flexing name flips/wordplay to stay in the game. Close all the way though, a slightly more cohesive and less flow-challenged Trez would edge round 1 before an equally efficient punchfest from both sides would add up to a debatable 2nd round. The final 3rd round in a battle that never lacked for entertainment and crazy bars, would get edged by the slightly more haymaker-lit Twork thus making this one a debatable.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “You is a weirdo and a fucking fraud, wasn’t you just over there with RBE doing a bunch of cards?, he seen URL on Caffiene with celebrities & he said ‘What’s up with y’all?!‘”
Recap: A dope 3-rounder from URL’s —series sees Crucible alum Klutz go toe-to-toe with the always formidable JC. The former combining a bunch of witty puns/personals, stinging punchlines/schemes, storied name flips that were often pretty metaphorical/gripping (esp. during an emotional round 3) and boastful darts to make sure his opp and the crowd remembered who he was. However, despite a strong showing from Klutz (which was enough to force a debatable round 2), one too many pedestrian bars from the newcomer and a slightly more condensed/efficient JC, who with his shitload of mayhem-lit punches, crazy set-ups, steely gun bars, potent wordplay and fiery odes to death and demise, manages to edge rounds 1 and 3 for the win.
Verdict: JC (W) 2-1
Favorite line: JC – “How everybody trying to act like Big Meech and his son can’t even play him right?!”
Recap: Flexing her vet card by taking on Loso in a 1-rounder on only 5 days prep (to replace Ms. Hustle), a versatile, consistently spicy and slightly more haymaker-lit Jaz The Rapper uses a steady barrage of hard-hitting personals, fiery punchlines, steely wordplay and hardbody braggadocious bars to get past an opponent who while just as fiery and multifaceted with the punches, suffered from one too many pedestrian bars and couldn’t keep up with Jaz when it came to efficiency and overall potency.
Verdict: Jaz The Rapper (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Jaz The Rapper – “This about to be a big body and I got the driev for it, I got my CDL, nah this gonna be a real body, I’m replacing a bitch that stole deposits for a BBL!”
