Tony D is the only battle rap champion in the modern era to defend his title twice. The London-based emcee has a long history in the U.K. hip hop scene, but his biggest battle yet is his next, against massively popular Manchester emcee Shotty Horroh.
BattleRap.com sent Tony some questions ahead of the October 11 clash.
BattleRap.com: Would you say Shotty is your biggest battle yet?
Tony D: In U.K. vs. U.K. terms, it’s probably the biggest battle this country has seen. But every battle is the same to me. It’s less about my opponent and more about testing myself.
You mentioned in a previous interview that this may be your last year as an active battler. Is this your last battle?
Nah. I’ve got one more scheduled after this in the U.K., and one in Sweden. Then I'm Audi 5000.
Until the next time...
Do you feel that Shotty is a worthy contender and deserves a shot?
Shotty is without doubt one of the best battlers this country has produced. It’s not for the title which is fair, as he left DF under a cloud and hasn’t battled for ‘em in over a year. So no, he doesn’t deserve a title shot.
Do you think he's going to show up? And what will the talk be about if not?
Don’t matter what he does. I have never lost a battle that I got all three rounds out in. That’s his last hope right there: that I choke.
Do you feel that having taken part in a some "exhibition" battles against Youthoracle and Double L is going to improve your chances against Shotty, who hasn’t battled in over a year?
Not really. I mean, it keeps you doing more than one title match a year (Pat Stay, I’m looking at you) but emcees keep their sword sharp. They write regardless of music/battle output, and I don’t even expect ring rust from Shotty. He knows how to perform on a big stage.
What do you think this means for British battle culture? Can it grow any bigger than Most Viewed vs. The Champ?
Right now, and for the foreseeable future, I don’t think it gets bigger than this. Me and Shotty are not exclusively battlers. We don’t need battles to promote ourselves, as we already made a name for ourselves on the U.K. hip hop scene. I’ve been a part of this for over fifteen years and established myself as an emcee long before Don’t Flop’s conception. An amazing number of the staff and early roster of battlers are fans of Poisonous Poets [Tony D’s crew, featuring emcee-turned-TV-comedian Doc Brown and highly esteemed recording artists Reveal and Lowkey].
Other than Verb T, who isn’t the most active battle-wise, no one else has my history, and there isn’t another current battler with Shotty's hype or international battle resumé.
What's next for you?
At the moment, I’m sitting on a few things music-wise and in the past day or two have been presented with an incredible opportunity in the industry, so I'm taking a little time to assess the situation. Other than that I'm just trying to keep my kids smiling.
What is your secret for not having aged at any point in the last twenty years?
Cocoa butter, sex and alcohol. You just have to get the mixture right.
Does having the title mean as much having successfully battled for it three times?
Rapping as an art form is very competitive at its essence. The earliest rappers boasted about their neighborhood being the toughest, their DJ being the greatest, the girls from their block being the flyest and their ability to rock a party better than anyone else. Battling takes this to a whole 'nother level. So the title lends a little more credence to your argument.
I mean, I don’t claim to be 'THE BEST' as it's so subjective, but as long as the best are being talked about, my name deserves a mention. Also I'm the first and only to defend it twice in a written league, so that's a nice slice of rap history that is mine and mine alone for the moment. My ego finds this incredibly pleasing. To me though, a title match is just another battle and another chance to show off in front of people. Which my ego, again, finds incredibly pleasing.
Before you head off, give three tips to aspiring battle rappers.
1. Don’t do it.
2. Don’t do it.
3. And don’t do it.
Nah. Honestly:
1. It is a vicious sport, so get your self esteem up. Or any personal bars/negative comments might hurt more than they should.
2. Know your lane and stay there. If you just got jokes, utilize that to its max. If you got bars, the same applies. If you are ALL performance, then perform. But perfect whatever it is you do, and don’t try too hard to appeal to those that get you. I am 100 percent sure that Soul has zero fucks to give about the opinions of Big J fans, and vice versa, but both do what they do well.
3. Don’t. Fuck. With. Me.
Tony D aka #ShottyKiller
Check out Tony's latest battle with Double L, and read up on Don't Flop's new U.S. division based in Atlanta.
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