Since August we've been putting together a weekly list of the best music from the battle rap community as a way of shining some light on the often slept-on side of the battle rap world.
Here's a look back at some of the biggest songs and videos of the year from the battle rap world. From Big T teaming with Okwerdz to Murda Mook getting a big look as a featured artist on an LL Cool J track that also features Raekwon.
Murda Mook Releases New Mixtape
Murda Mook had a big comeback year in 2014. In the fall, just a few months after his huge performance at "Total Slaughter," he pulled a feature on LL Cool J’s GOAT 2 single alongside Raekwon on “I’m Nice,” then took to the BET Hip Hop Awards to diss and call out Drake in a live performance.
The next day, Mook let loose his Eazy Doez It mixtape with features from Snoop Dogg, Raekwon, and Busta Rhymes in tow. Watch Murda Mook in LL’s video and listen to his mixtape in full via Datpiff below.
FLIGHT DISTANCE – HIGH PRIESTS OF LOW-LIFE
Canadian hip-hop trio Flight Distance, which features former KOTD champ Bender, released their third album, High Priests of Low-Life in November. The 18-track release features D-Sisive, Escrol, Whitney Delion, and more. The whole thing is available for purchase on Bandcamp and for streaming below.
BIG T, OKWERDZ, & YOUNG COLLAGE – “ALL THE TIME”
With Young Collage providing the sung hook, Big T and Okwerdz each boast about their rap careers and conquests as they ride around L.A. with pinup model Tania Fonseca and porn starlet Miley May. Check out Okwerdz quietly clowning on Lil Debbie when he throws one of her records out of the car.
BILL COLLECTOR – “124 BARS”
Shortly after being released from prison in August, Bill Collector took to the streets of Norristown to drop what he then called “124 bars of Flamez.” Bill spits over a beat playing distantly in the background, proving that he’s back, along with his particular style of forceful punchlines. The video might not be a high-budget affair, but that seems to fit Bill pretty well in the end.
DIRTBAG DAN – “FUCK THAT”
Culled from Dan’s free DBDLP release, “Fuck That” reads like half nihilist manifesto and half regular guy musing in the club. A mix of performance and documentary footage, the video itself comes off like a fast-paced trip through Dan’s angry consciousness and has been of the battler's biggest tracks of the year.
HITMAN HOLLA – “#MIKEBROWN”
Joining dozens of other rappers in penning a tribute to Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old shot dead by a white police officer earlier in August 2014, St. Louis’ Hitman Holla released a video for “#MikeBrown” just weeks after the incident. In the song Holla breaks down both the initial tragedy and the much-talked-about response in Ferguson, Missouri, proving that battle rappers can join their industry counterparts in releasing message music.
SERIUS JONES – “NONE OF MY BUSINESS”
Teaming up with Kermit the Frog for a video last summer, Serius Jones offered up an anthem for the ills of relationships in the social media age. While he spends most of the track dropping comical relationship tropes and an autotuned vocal hook, the rapper’s resounding truth is: “That’s none of my business though.”
Arsonal Da Rebel - “On My Bandana”
Arsonal has had another big year on the battle rap circuit, and over last Labor Day weekend he took to his SoundCloud page to release a loose single, “On My Bandana.” Over a hi-hat heavy beat, Arsonal lets loose a syncopated flow full of lyrics like, “You say $1,200 your rent? Well I paid that for my sneakers / That ain’t even a half of a half of a half of a half what I ask for my features.”
NESS LEE – DON’T FLOP FREESTYLE
Jumping on a notorious Alchemist beat, Ness Lee spit some heat for a Don’t Flop drop in November. Showing off his skills on the mic with a crazy alliterative scheme and plenty more, Ness keeps it moving and at the end of the video lets everyone know that it was all originally intended for Leeds rapper Dialect.
Cee Major - "East London 2"
Fresh off a stand-out battle against Chilla Jones, Cee Major released a new video single off his debut EP Humble Beginnings. To start 2015, he kept up his momentum with a new EP called The Format.
Illmaculate feat. Only One - "Woodstock"
Pulled from his 2014 Clay Pigeons LP, Portland, Ore. battler Illmaculate shows he's as much a threat in the booth as he is in the ring. Check the full album, which features production from Chase Moore and guest spots from Bigg K and Ness Lee, here.
Shotty Horroh & Hypes - “#WTF”
U.K. battler and emcee Shotty Horroh enlisted fellow rapper Hypes for his video single “#WTF.” Eccentric, weird, and a little psychedelic, Horroh’s latest was released ahead of his Don't Flop battle against current champion Tony D. The promo battle came after Horroh cancelled their previous title match-up following an apparent injury sustained to his jaw that kept him out of the ring. There was also some static between Shotty and the league, but that seems to be water under the bridge now.
Chilla Jones - Welcome To Bosstown
Riding the momentum of his debatable clash with Real Deal, Chilla Jones released his latest solo mixtape back in September. Welcome To Bosstown features Ea$y Money, Termanalogy, Mickey Factz, and more. Download the mixtape for free (or buy a t-shirt) here.
If you haven't already, check out Chilla's recent rundown of the Dizaster vs. Cassidy battle for BattleRap.com.
Swisha T x Johnny Bravo x Charron - “Stay In Your Lane”
Joining Swisha T and Johnny Bravo, Charron dropped a verse on the Kemyst EDM produced “Stay In Your Lane” late in the summer. With a Shady-esque vibe to the subject matter and production style, Charron raps random and maniacal non sequiturs throughout the third verse.
Loaded Lux - “About The Money Freestyle”
Proving he had plenty of life left after his loss to Murda Mook in July, Loaded Lux dropped off a series of remix videos leading up to his Beloved 2 project which dropped in September. For this video Lux co-opted the beat (and flow) from T.I. and Young Thug's “About The Money” single.
BET Cyphers
One of the biggest moments of the year for battle rap came with several battlers being featured on the BET Cyphers leading up to the network's annual award show.
Conceited joined the likes of Emilio Rojas, Dreezy, and Andy Mineo in the first cypher and separately Tsu Surf, T-Rex, Rain, Goodz, and Smack White appeared in their own. Both cyphers were noticeably anchored by DJ Scratch’s beat juggling as a backdrop.
The biggest moment however came with the live performance at the ceremony from Arsonal, Couture, Calicoe, and Murda Mook.
Joe Budden feat. Tsu Surf & Ransom - "Nothing Changes"
Whether or not hardcore battle rap fans consider Joe Budden a battler after his Total Slaughter performance, Tsu Surf tagged along for the Slaughterhouse emcee's "Nothing Changes" single in October. The Jersey connection has also yielded previous collabs like Budden's "Through My Eyes" released in 2012.
Cassidy - "Mr. Chicken"
Released as a warm-up to his Dec. 6 battle against Dizaster, Cassidy took some shots at Diz directly but also puffed himself up with boasts about his career highlights. Proving he's in no way out of bars, Cass also referenced his history of match-ups against Freeway, Goodz, and plenty more (mostly secret) opponents.
UTK feat. Ab-Soul & Loaded Lux - "Talk To Em"
Pulled from UTK's recent solo release Feels Good To Be Great, Ab-Soul and Loaded Lux hopped on the standout track "Talk To Em."
Shotgun Suge feat. Jai - "She Ain't Low"
Exactly a month after the release of his battle against Charron, Shotgun Suge released a song for the ladies (kind of) with Jai. Suge also took to Twitter around the same time to announce a new project (and look).
Charlie Clips - "The G.O.A.T."
Even though he had a rough time against Charron in Toronto around the same time, Charlie Clips has arguably had one of the busiest and strongest years in battle rap throughout 2014 and his name has quickly shot up the ranks of plenty of Top 5 lists as a result. Addressing his rising stock on his next single "The G.O.A.T.," Clips peels backs some layers and airs out what his life and career has really been like recently.
Clips has a new mixtape, The Lenox Ave Beast 2, dropping in January 2015.
Head I.C.E feat. Charlie Clips, Cortez, DNA - "I Am Battle Rap"
Joining forces for a battle rap anthem, Harlem veteran Head I.C.E enlisted Charlie Clips, Cortez, and DNA for a proud single called "I Am Battle Rap." Running through their individual track records, the song will live on I.C.E's upcoming release and is also set to feature even more battlers than the original.
There's more Battlers on that Song. You'll hear the full version on My CD #WolfLove
— HEAD I.C.E (@Headice) November 28, 2014
Math Hoffa - "Nigga Like Me"
Math's new album, Pacjuice, is on the way soon. The project's first single, a thinly-veiled shot at Dizaster, finds Hoffa sounding tough as ever with a slightly different sound.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below.
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