Hitman Holla vs. Shotty Horroh: What to Expect

BattleRap.com's preview of one of the most electrifying match-ups in recent history.

King Of The Dot’s popular Blackout series returns this weekend for its fifth installment, and the scene has been buzzing ever since KOTD began announcing the emcees. The card is steeped in mystery as to who is facing off, but one of the two announced headliner matches is Shotty Horroh vs. Hitman Holla (and the other is Pat Stay vs. Charron). Many seasoned fans already guessed this match-up before it was publicly confirmed, and they have every reason to be hyped.

At this point, both Hitman and Shotty are battle rap giants. Hitman can easily rake in a million views in just a few weeks, and Shotty is sitting comfortably in the record books with his battle with Arsonal having more than six million views now. As the culture gains more and more mainstream momentum, Hitman and Shotty continue to solidify themselves as two of battle rap’s true “stars.”

Few people — let alone battle rappers — can brag about starring in major network TV shows (Wild ‘N Out) or collaborating with Deadmau5, but Hitman and Shotty can, respectively. Hitman cemented his top tier slot a good while ago, and Shotty has gained an enormous amount of clout as the most globally respected battler from the U.K. When a battle rapper reaches such high stature, only a few match-ups make sense, which is probably why this one was obvious to so many fans. Plus Shotty mentioned it in an interview with BattleRap.com last November.

Photo by Joe Green for BattleRap.com. Photo by Joe Green for BattleRap.com.

Of course, both rappers being famous does not guarantee a classic, but it’s also not the only thing that makes this a great match-up. Let's talk about first rounds for a minute. Anyone who has ever watched a Hitman battle rightfully expects him to shake the building off the bat, and Shotty’s first round against Arsonal is one of the most re-watchable of all time. Both are ferocious and unwavering in their delivery, and their energy consistently takes their performances to surreal levels. It begs the question: how could this battle NOT be crazy?

Admittedly, Shotty’s strongest performances have been at home, and though Toronto has been a close second, he hasn't battled there since "Blackout 3" in early 2013. Hitman is making his KOTD debut and will hopefully bring his A-game, unlike some other recent American visitors. The Drake-sponsored BO5 is KOTD’s biggest and best funded event to date, so it’s undoubtedly evident to both emcees that nothing short of 100 percent effort will do. Imagining both Shotty and Hitman at their absolute best — like how they each performed versus Arsonal — is almost frightening. KOTD is trying something a bit different with the seated format this time, but if anyone can bring the crowd to its feet at the end of the night, it’s these two.

Photo by Rob Clayton for Don't Flop. Photo by Rob Clayton for Don't Flop.

This battle is a throwback to the days where two of the nicest from separate scenes, despite having different styles and attitudes, simply had to go at it for competition’s sake. After being stood up by both Yung Ill and Aye Verb (and then cancelling their rematch himself), it’s safe to say Shotty is swimming in St. Louis material and that he isn't trying to lose under any circumstances.

It’s going to take a lot, but Hitman is known for first impressions, so how could he not come out swinging in his KOTD debut? Regardless of who comes out on top, the loser will take criticism from an absolutely massive audience. But who am I kidding? It will probably be a debatable classic.

Check out all our KOTD coverage, our preview of Pat Stay vs. Charron, our predictions on the BO5 card and the statistics behind the upcoming event.

Who do you have taking it? Let us know in the comments below.

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