Now that all the excitement from the last batch of events has settled, I've finally gotten a chance to look back at the best battles from last month.
September was actually fairly dry for big battle releases though. As many complaints as there are that the scene is oversaturated, no major events happened in August, leading to a quiet release schedule for September.
Here are the standouts.
Real Deal vs. Chilla Jones
Who: Real Deal (Pittsburgh, Pa.) vs. Chilla Jones (Boston, Mass.)
Where: KOTD’s "Battle Of LA 5" at Los Globos in Los Angeles, Calif.
When: June 28, 2014
Why you should watch it: This battle lived up to expectations after almost a year of call-outs between both guys in battles. It's refreshing to see two competitive emcees trying their hardest to outwrite and outperform each other. The battle itself ended up being highly strategic, with each of them predicting each others' angles and pulling momentum to their side each round. Lots of fans have picked their own winners, but the consensus online seems to be that this battle was a draw.
Uno Lavoz vs. Jae Laww
Who: Uno Lavoz (Philadelphia, Pa.) vs. Jae Laww (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Where: URL Proving Grounds event in New York, N.Y.
When: June 8, 2014
Why you should watch it: This was URL's first taste of Uno Lavoz. The veteran emcee has been a crowd favorite in KOTD and Don't Flop for years, but has had to start from scratch in the URL to prove he could adapt his style for the street league's audience. Jae Laww does surprisingly well here but loses steam by the end of the battle. Lavoz uses the opportunity to seal the deal with a dynamite third round. Stay tuned for an even more impressive performance from Lavoz once his SM4 battle against Young X drops.
Check out BattleRap.com's feature interview with Lavoz too.
Fliiko L vs. Cannon ThaBeast
Who: Fliiko L (College Park, Ga.) vs. Cannon ThaBeast (Decatur, Ga.)
Where: Spit Dat Heat’s “Battle To Survive” in Atlanta, Ga.
When: Battle released Sept. 8, 2014
Why you should watch it: A solid, aggressive street battle that hits the next level when one rapper tags his mom in to spit some bars.
Dotz vs. Natrill
Who: Dotz (Bedford, England) vs. Natrill (Great Yarmouth, England)
Where: Don't Flop's "Beat Fighter" in London, U.K.
When: Aug. 23, 2014
Why you should watch it: This on-beat battle sets a new standard for the modern written era of the form.
Madflex vs. Emerson Kennedy
Who: Madflex (Richmond, Calif.) vs. Emerson Kennedy (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Where: Dirtbag Dan's "Battle Of The Zae 3" in San Jose, Calif.
When: Aug. 30, 2014
Why you should watch it: Great battle between two above-average writers. Kennedy uses his third round to make a statement about race relations in the U.S.
Heartless vs. Charlie Clips
Who: Charlie Clips (Harlem, N.Y.) vs. Heartless (Stockton, Calif.)
Where: Cheddahouse’s “Barnation” at Club IP in St. Louis, Mo.
When: Aug. 5, 2014
Why you should watch it: This battle ended up setting off a minor scandal, with Clips complaining about not receiving his full payment and therefore freestyling through his round. Heartless uses the opportunity to punch as hard and as often as he can.
Did we miss any classics? Let us know in the comments below.
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