It’s championship time.
"Flatline 3" is less than a month away, and with it comes the potential for the most entertaining title match for a long while. Alongside the likes of Charron vs. Charlie Clips, this year’s second KOTD title match features two of the most idiosyncratic and wildly unpredictable battlers on the planet.
Pat Stay defended his title in January, in convincing fashion, but since then has remained pretty much dormant, with the exception of a few video blogs, some songs and a recent appearance where he was really, really nice to Rone for three rounds. He never seems to get rusty despite his comparatively long hiatuses between battles, and is one of those very seeds of the current movement who has managed to maintain his reputation from his 2006 Elements League days right through to the 2014 incarnation of battle rap.
An incarnation that is typified, like it or not, by Daylyt. He has done (at least) twelve battles already this year, including the Total Slaughter final, an on-record clash with Ab-Soul, a Dragonball Z clash, and a cartoonish green-screened onslaught against Tsu Surf. He threatened to defecate on stage twice, came out as faux-gay, and dressed up as the Grim Reaper, Neo from The Matrix and Spawn. He’s certainly the most documented battler at present.
Daylyt as The Grim Reaper. Osej Serratos/BattleRap.com.
The reason I’m looking forward to this match-up is simple: both emcees have enough love for the craft to put the time and effort into making their writing sharp and their performances commanding, but neither take themselves or their surroundings too seriously. I actually don’t think either one of them want the chain enough to go full pelt at the other (although it's equally likely that I'll be proven wrong) but I am gearing up for something truly memorable, whatever the outcome.
I have a suspicion that, while this may well be a more light-hearted, theatrical affair than the Pat Stay/Dizaster face-off I was lucky enough to witness first-hand, both will be writing at their apex. It all really hangs on effort — whether Pat is going to attempt to out-gimmick Day for fun and throw the prize away, or whether Day aims for controversy rather than a classic. It's also in the realm of possibility that the two will collaborate on some sort of Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman-esque antics too.
Pat Stay vs. Dizaster. Dan Gibson/King Of The Dot.
Even as a clash of written styles, the fixture fares well. Multi-mashing animal metaphors meet cartoon-reference-laden gun bars. Personally, I think Daylyt may win simply because he is starting to lose a bit of the connection to his barsmith side that proved the equal of Chilla Jones and Charlie Clips, and all it could take to inspire him is a tangible prize.
Daylyt has the momentum and is generating an unprecedented amount of hype about himself. But Pat Stay is no slouch and has proven himself nearly unbeatable in front of a Toronto audience. I think, if Daylyt does manage to out-perform Pat, he will at least have to go home with a great deal to think about.
Cover photo by Famous Effects.
Who do you have winning? Let us know in the comments section below.
{{ comment.author.name }}
{{ reply.author.name }}