RBE’s second installment of its Blood Sweat & Tiers event went off largely without a hitch in New York on April 18, despite slight delays due to audio issues and a couple cancelled battles. League boss ARP has really mastered the craft of creating match-ups, and these ones turned out to be no exception. There were really no poor performances, and the most hyped battles lived up to expectations.
Battle of the Night
Daylyt vs. Ooops
Seeing as how Daylyt and Ooops share a Writers' Bloque crew affiliation, fans at the event had a feeling that Daylyt would take this battle seriously, a difference that regularly turns his battles into classics. Their respective performances fulfilled that assumption and it seemed like both emcees were on the same page the entire battle despite being at each other’s throats. Day came out swinging wildly and probably took the first round despite Ooops’ impressive showing. In the second, Ooops slightly outshined Day with haymaker after haymaker.
Then the third round happened.
Most people expected Ooops to bring his signature real-life grit to that round, but people didn’t expect Day to arguably outdo him in that regard. Be excited to watch this round. Day spit with unprecedented realness while detailing the unknown struggles (and gunshots) he’s endured in his life and attacking Ooops’ self-righteousness. It was as if he’d been withholding this grisly information for years just for this battle. Ooops’ performance, centered on his daughter coping with his cancer, was so powerful that it brought the crowd close to tears. The room fell completely silent for most of the round, as Ooops undoubtedly intended, and the resonance was nearly tangible.
Rookie Performance of the Night
Mr. Mill$
Although Ooops certainly deserves the “Rookie” Performance of the Night for the reasons above, it wouldn’t be right to leave out Mr. Mill$. With a solid first, an unbelievable second, and a great third, Mill$ was able to edge Big Kannon in a judged battle by split decision. Despite him being humble about the shot he was getting, his hunger was obvious, and he attacked Kannon with unwavering intensity. This was a great battle overall, but Mill$’ second round is really something special.
Vet Performances of the Night
Daylyt
It seems obvious that Daylyt actually rapping shouldn’t count as extra credit for him, but that sometimes seems to be the case. This is not one of those times. Although the crowd did seem relieved when it became immediately obvious that he was not playing around, he deserved every reaction he got. He spit with his signature cartoonish intensity while showing a genuine respect for Ooops’ talent, and he made moves no one predicted in the third. Frankly, Day blindsided the room with realness that round, including a bone chilling explanation of his Spawn alter ego.
C3
C3 is a beast. She’s not good “for a girl,” she’s just good, and she’s consistent. Melato Black was swinging in this battle with some show-stopping lines, but that didn’t stop C3 from barking back every round. She demonstrated that she can be funny, clever, and really, really mean. This battle was extremely strong on both sides, but much of the crowd still gave it to C3 with a 3-0, no body. She needs as many big names as possible, but most people probably don’t even want those problems.
Top Moments
4kus Chastising the Crowd
Despite Ya Boy Clip probably taking this undercard battle 2-1, 4kus had the crowd rolling whenever he reprimanded them for not catching his bars quickly enough. His exclamations would range from “I know!” to “Y’all are some DUMB motherfuckers,” and there was more than a little temple-tapping going on. Although it was unclear at times whether he was being laughed with or laughed at, he had some great bars and a downright hilarious demeanor.
Another Split Decision
Mr. Mill$ vs. Big Kannon being RBE’s second split decision in a row speaks to ARP’s knack for these match-ups. The first round went to Kannon simply due to more haymakers, Mill$ destroyed the building in the second, and the third was frustratingly close. In the end, it was probably Mill$’ enduring intensity that got him the win, as it evidently made a slightly more lasting impression. Even though the crowd was amped, no one would have been mad if the decision had gone the other way.
Ah Di Boom Putting JC and J-She on a Shirt
Thanks to Daylyt and many others, a lot of people have been introduced to JC’s female doppelganger that supposedly bears no relation to him. Ah Di Boom decided to celebrate the resemblance in his third round against him, and he revealed a t-shirt commemorating it to the crowd’s amusement. Although Boom’s first two rounds were solid, many seemed to be leaning toward JC, and this gag was a great way to get momentum back and ensure that this was an entertaining battle.
The Vibe After the Headliner
If it seems like I’m talking about Ooops and Daylyt’s third rounds a lot, it’s because they’ll probably be the most talked about aspect of this event. After this battle, there was an air of gratitude and awe in the building and streets outside the venue that’s rare in battle rap. It’s not often that a clash more than lives up to expectations and encompasses subject matter so harrowing that it can utterly silence a sporadically chatty room. If RBE can continue to provide classic sleepers like this one, there’s no telling what level it can rise to in the league ranks.
Low Points
Ill Will Cutting His Third Round in Half
Ill Will came out guns blazing in the first round, but Show Off was somehow able to debatably outdo him. That didn’t matter though, because Will came back with a crazy second that, at worst, put the battle at 1-1… Then some people in the back decided it was a good time to have a loud series of conversations, and the battle suffered for it. ARP unleashed his wrath on those responsible for the disruption, but it was too late. After running back his whole third a few bars in, Will still had to pause periodically and ultimately cut his round shockingly short. The entire room knew at that moment that Show could easily come back and debatably steal the battle, and that’s what happened. The distracting conditions are a real shame, and they spilled over into Lotta Zay vs. Sin Sity as well.
AR-16 No-Showing
Due to no one being able to contact AR-16, Relly Rell was left with no opponent to the crowd’s extreme disappointment. After some goading from ARP, he decided to spit a few bars to his invisible opponent, which never seems to be as hype as it should (unless your name’s Rone). Hopefully everything is okay with AR-16, but it’s a pity that Rell couldn’t get his bars off properly.
Final Thoughts
RBE is cultivating a unique aura in the battle scene, and it’s palpable at all of their events. BST2 was no different, and it’s exciting to see how ARP has made a home for guys like Ah Di Boom, Show Off, Ill Will, Big Kannon and Ooops while running a tight ship in his own way. His dedication to numerous artists and passion for the game have successfully been setting RBE apart, and he probably shouldn’t change much. The occasional judged battles are a nice touch, too.
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Thoughts on the event? Let us know in the comments below.
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