The latest player to drop a quarter into the battle rap game is Battle Of The Brave, the upstart U.K. league behind the recently announced match-up between Hollow Da Don and Pat Stay.
We reached out via email to get some more details on the card going down at London's Ministry Of Sound on Dec. 6 and spoke with H's, the rep behind the league. The 25-year-old from South London's Thornton Heath has been a big battle rap fan since the Grind Time days and wanted to bring a major event to London.
BattleRap.com: Who's behind Battle Of The Brave?
Myself (H's) and my partner BigChris. I came up with the idea and joined up with him to bring it to life. BigChris and I started watching battle rap in 2008 and ever since then it's been my passion so I felt it was only right to partner with someone that has the same knowledge of the sport.
What made you want to bring Pat vs. Hollow and Arsonal vs. JC to the U.K.?
I feel that Hollow vs. Pat was one that had to happen, the speculation speaks for itself, people want to see this, we all want to see this!
Hollow is extremely unorthodox and well rounded, his versatility allows him to cater to any environment and he has a large U.K. fan base that want to see him live so I took it upon myself to push as hard as I could for his battle!
Pat Stay was the longest reigning KOTD champion, not only has this battle been anticipated for years but it makes sense because Pat is charismatic yet has a fierce style. He has good jokes and he knows how to control a crowd. When you give Pat a battle that's beneficial he always exceeds expectations and puts on an amazing performance.
Arsonal has a very strong presence; he's mastered how to set up his delivery and show his opponent the ultimate disrespect. His lyrical content has proved he can hit hard with the English crowd.
Personally, I think JC is one of the most lyrical battlers in battle rap, period. His style is so unique, his bars, delivery and energy will make this a match-up that the U.K. will want to see. As for the rest of the battles ... You have to wait and see!
Will you be showcasing U.K. emcees too, or just bringing North Americans over?
That's definitely in the plans, it needs to be the right person, this is a big card, we want to show the world that the U.K. has talent.
When should we expect the rest of the card? How many battles will you have on it?
Within the next few weeks the full card will be announced, there will be four battles on the night.
Will there be a pay-per-view?
There are talks of a pay-per-view. As soon as anything changes we will let you know.
What's your goal with this event? Will there be others after?
My main aim for this event is to raise awareness to get the U.K. excited about this sport. London is overflowing with talent, and they need a platform to be able to showcase it. I feel with these big names getting involved it will create a buzz and give people an insight to the art form. This is the opening of our league and we plan to keep it going with events in the future.
We've seen a bunch of new leagues come in with high hopes and disappear after one event. What steps are you taking to make sure the event (and the footage) will meet the high expectations of fans?
A lot of the new leagues come into this with a one track mind and they are motivated by the money, they aren't passionate about battle rap. BOTB is, we have a genuine love for this. I believe the key to longevity is in the planning, we're taking small steps, starting off with a bang and then easing into the flow of things. We have worked hard to ensure we get top quality footage and editing, watching the battles from both perspectives gives us an advantage that way we can please the battle rappers, the fans in the building and those watching at home.
Most North American battle fans associate U.K. battling with Don't Flop. How will BOTBUK be different from them, and other established leagues?
Firstly I want to put it out there as no disrespect to Don't Flop but we are not affiliated in any way. I know people assume that we are linked because we're both English leagues but this is not the case. BOTB is the league that reps London. The biggest name out of the U.K. right now is Shotty Horroh and he is from Manchester (although that doesn't disregard his talent or what he's done for the U.K., we would love to have him at BOTB) but we want this event to raise awareness to the community in London. I know we have local raw talent that could have a serious impact on the battle rap scene.
Battle Of The Brave's first event goes down Dec. 6 in London, England. Get your tickets here and follow H's and BOTB on Twitter for more updates.
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