June was another busy month for battle rap (at this point, there aren't really any slow months), with a few mid-sized events and a slew of huge releases from May's major showcases.
URL has been ramping up to their as-of-yet-still-unannounced "Summer Madness 5" and West Coast "Traffic" events, releasing crisp footage from NOME 5 including the highly anticipated match-up between Hollow Da Don and Charlie Clips.
KOTD dropped a ton of heavy content from "MASSacre" and "Back To Basics" and still had time to throw a surprise event before hosting "Back To Basics 2" in Los Angeles at the end of the month.
Don't Flop got a bunch more passport ink, with their first event in Amsterdam and then by heading stateside for Volume 3 of Don't Flop USA. They launched with a strong showing in Chicago on June 20, and then surprised fans with the official release of the Hitman Holla & Aye Verb vs. DNA & K-Shine main event just days after it went down.
Some of the smaller leagues stepped up their game too, with both Spit Dat Heat's match-up of Chef Trez vs. B Magic and Traphouse NY's Steams vs. Xcel generating significant buzz.
For a more thorough explanation of everything that's going on, check out our "Battle Rap Catchup."
Here's our list of the Top 10 battles to watch from June. There were so many incredible releases this month that we won't be mad if your list looks different.
Ill Will vs. Bigg K
Who: Ill Will (Pontiac, Mich.) vs. Bigg K (Norfolk, Va.)
Where: KOTD's "MASSacre" in Holyoke, Mass.
When: May 16, 2015
The match-up fans have been demanding for years delivers on all fronts and is easily one of the best battles of 2015 so far.
Bigg K has become one of the most consistent battlers in the game simply because he never takes a round off and creates a ton of replay value every time. This battle is no different; he comes out throwing haymakers, addressing Will directly as he sails through a refreshingly long first round.
Will gives a strong showing from the jump as well, but he doesn’t really heat up until Round 2, which is arguably the round of the battle. He truly lets loose by then, using his intense delivery and uninhibited performance to distinguish himself from K. Finally, the third round is something of a toss-up where, in K, we see one of the realest rebuttals of all time followed by a gradual loss of steam, and in Will, we see a slightly clumsy start that eventually fortifies into a solid round.
No matter who you have winning, you’re arguably right, but you would be wrong to skip this classic.
Ty Law vs. B Magic
Who: Ty Law (Washington, D.C.) vs. B Magic (St. Louis, Mo.)
Where: URL's "Night Of Main Events 5" Proving Grounds event in Harlem, N.Y.
When: May 10, 2015
Another battle that finally came together by popular demand, this one doesn't disappoint either.
Ty Law’s first round is a massive “I told you so” to fans who doubted his performance ability, and within the first few bars, he shows why he deserves this shot on URL. He's sometimes slow to the punch, but he makes it work phenomenally as a foil to Magic’s rapid-fire style.
Magic fires right back, though, and delivers a nearly flawless performance all three rounds. As is often the case, his only pitfall are his slight stumbles, which some may see as enough to edge the victory to Ty. Regardless of whether you think Ty did enough to defeat Magic, whether or not he proved himself is not really up for debate. This one will come down to your personal preference and should represent the first of many high profile clashes for Ty, as long as he plays his cards right.
For another fire B Magic battle, check out him versus fellow Writer’s Bloque member Chef Trez on Spit Dat Heat. Even if league owner Miltown Bloe’s reactions are a bit over-the-top, soldier through it or risk missing some serious jewels.
Pass vs. Charlie Clips
Who: Pass (Oakland, Calif.) vs. Charlie Clips (Harlem, N.Y.)
Where: KOTD's "MASSacre" in Holyoke, Mass.
When: May 16, 2015
“How you gonna show up better for Pass than you did for Hollow?” is the question many fans are asking Charlie Clips, and it’s a legitimate one.
This is not to say, however, that anything short of what Clips did would have sufficed. This is another highly debatable war, and any slacking from either side would have swayed it much more clearly. Pass sets the tone early, making it apparent that he didn't show up to lose as he raps his ass off in typical fashion.
It’s clear, though, that he hadn't had a chance to watch Clips vs. Hollow yet, since he covers a lot of the same ground. Clips makes note of this in a freestyle-heavy first round that understandably raises some “is he gonna freestyle the whole thing?” concerns. But he erases those worries in the second round, when he really starts to cook with far, far more energy than he was able to muster against Hollow.
It comes down to the third round, as so many solid battles do, and it’s 100% up to your preference. If you favor jokes and on-point freestyles, you’ll likely give it to Clips. If you prefer substance-packed syllable slinging, you’ll probably go with Pass.
You should probably also check out Charlie Clips vs. Hollow Da Don; I hear that battle was kind of a big deal.
Hitman Holla & Aye Verb vs. DNA & K-Shine
Who: Hitman Holla (St. Louis, Mo.) & Aye Verb (St. Louis, Mo.) vs. K-Shine (Harlem, N.Y.) & DNA (Queens, N.Y.)
Where: Don't Flop's event in Chicago, Ill.
When: June 20, 2015
Whether or not you think it’s merited, these 2-on-2’s have revitalized some battle rap careers lately. DNA was pretty unanimously considered “oversaturated,” but here he is creating demand again. Aye Verb too had been subject to some lackluster tendencies, but here you’ll find him in full form. It’s odd to see two people (Verb and Shine), one of whom recently bodied the other, face off again in a different format mere weeks later. It’s even weirder when both teams are composed of people who have famously clashed before.
All that said, it certainly works. The formation of NWX has invigorated Shine and DNA, and they work amazingly as a team. Verb and Hitman give them a run for their money, though, even though it’s difficult to match the intensity of their constantly back-and-forth style.
Of note, Shine and DNA fall victim to one of the most extreme backfires in battle rap history when a dude they bring on stage to intimidate Verb ends up taking his side instead. DNA saves it with a freestyle, but it makes what could have been a clear W very debatable. Regardless, whichever “street” 2-on-2 team rises to the top needs to face Shuffle-T & Marlo and The Saurus & Illmaculate before they can call themselves the top dogs.
Xcel vs. Steams
Who: Xcel (Brockton, Mass.) vs. Steams (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Where: Traphouse NY's "Bars Over Bullshit 3" in New York, N.Y.
When: June 14, 2015
There are a couple “clear” battles in this month’s list, but this is not one of them. You’ll probably have to make a rigorous argument for who you think won because this one, like many Trap House battles, seems particularly divisive and contentious.
Xcel starts very strong and stays mostly consistent, but he just can’t seem to get through a battle without a few slips these days. As usual, it will cost him, enough for some people to give Steams the win. You could easily give Xcel the first two rounds, but he’s definitely doing himself a disservice in not having all his material down pat.
Steams, on the other hand, fully has it together, regardless of how one-note you might think his style is. He builds more and more momentum as the battle rages on, and by the third round he’s fully in control. Although Xcel’s delivery pales in comparison at times, he makes a much stronger showing here than in some of his recent battles, and this is definitely worth your time.
Carter Deems vs. Illmaculate
Who: Carter Deems (Atlanta, Ga.) vs. Illmaculate (Portland, Ore.)
Where: KOTD's "Back To Basics" in Los Angeles, Calif.
When: April 18, 2015
Here it is: the surprise battle from "Back To Basics" that features one of the most epic punchlines of all time in Carter’s second round.
Whether or not you accept the fact that he’s the goddamn man, Carter has magical powers in battle rap. Even without saying so, he dictates the tone of every battle he participates in, forcing his opponents to adapt to his bizarre, non sequitur-filled approach. Usually, that results in a strange clash of styles whose only replay value lives in Carter’s rounds.
Illmac, however, rises to the challenge far better than most. It’s impossible to out-cat-bar Carter, but Illmac does his darnedest and frequently leaves the crowd in stitches. Above all, he’s an incredibly good sport and seems to enjoy watching Carter do his thing just as much as everyone else.
To quote him, “I got 3-0'ed by the second round,” but this is still a low-key classic and a great battle to show someone who doesn’t follow the culture.
40 B.A.R.R.S. vs. Chayna Ashley
Who: 40 B.A.R.R.S. (Boston, Mass.) vs. Chayna Ashley (Bronx, N.Y.)
Where: QOTR's "Panic Room 3" in Manhattan, N.Y.
When: May 17, 2015
This is a great battle, but it would've been much better with a more enthusiastic crowd (or perhaps one that the microphones picked up better).
The crowd seems dead tired for this headliner match that went down late on a Sunday night, and that’s a real shame. The consensus seems to be that 40 took it 2-1, but the crowd has already robbed her of most of her glory. This is, in reality, a great showing for Chayna as well, but it will be overlooked by many.
This battle, like many others, makes a solid case for the argument that headline matches should not necessarily be the last ones of the night. It’s certainly not unwatchable, though, and it’s worth it to see 40 further cement her legacy by taking out another longstanding veteran. You could also argue that Chayna was slept on, severely at times, and that the momentum could have been completely different in another room.
Ooops vs. Daylyt
Who: Ooops (St. Louis, Mo.) vs. Daylyt (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Where: RBE's "Blood Sweat & Tiers 2" in Manhattan, N.Y.
When: April 18, 2015
Tons of fans who were in the building for this battle have been singing its praises since the day it went down, and now you can finally see what the fuss is about.
This battle takes “debatable” to the next level. Day has a premium first round, Ooops dominates the second, and the third is just too damn real to call. Day shows another side of himself in confronting Ooops' self-righteousness with his own war stories and callous thoughts on the protest movement. Ooops gives a harrowing account of his painful relationship with his daughter and his constant battle with cancer.
Believe it or not, some have been insolent enough to decry this round as emotionally manipulative and “not for battle rap.” To them I say, “Who cares what you think?” Ooops and Day felt like talking about some real stuff in the third round, and they did it masterfully; they don’t owe you anything in terms of what they choose to talk about. If you can’t relate, to Ooops in particular, take comfort in the fact that you have no idea what he’s going through in battling a deadly disease. Definitely check this out for something moving and different.
RemyD vs. Coma
Who: RemyD (St. Louis, Mo.) vs. Coma (Washington, D.C.)
Where: LRC Battles' event in Washington, D.C.
When: May 24, 2015
RemyD versus who? Coma will demand your utmost attention from the moment he starts rapping in just his second showing, and he did plenty here to justify a win in his favor.
First, a small disclaimer: Remy has stumbles in this battle. This is his sole problem that constantly holds him back and sometimes ruins his performances altogether, and it once again prevents him from clearly winning. Coma’s performance is not completely pitch-perfect, but he does a notably better job keeping it together, especially given his relative lack of experience.
Aside from these stumbles, the other thing that might distract you here is host Pat Stay’s blatant favoritism toward Coma. It really doesn’t take away from the battle much, but it does get weird at a few points. Anyway, don’t sleep on this one, as it features an insane third round on both sides and what should be a breakout performance for Coma.
Shox The Rebel vs. Cojay
Who: Shox The Rebel (London, England) vs. Cojay (Manchester via New Jersey)
Where: Don't Flop's "Checkpoint 2: Training Days" in London, England
When: April 26, 2015
You may have seen Shox in his recent URL debut, but he’s also been putting in work at Don’t Flop.
Although Shox is always solid, he gets outclassed in this battle. Cojay, a name once mocked for his cringey lines that frequently landed him on "Bad Bars," delivers an A1 performance. His accent might throw you a bit, because he's from Manchester by way of New Jersey, but he’s on his way to being another U.K. killer.
He came to win, and his intensity compels Shox to take notice. “I’m losing,” says Shox after the first round, and he also acknowledged defeat despite being satisfied with his own performance. Some of Cojay’s bars are actually jaw-droppers that will probably surprise the hell out of you. And hey, if you’re one of those assholes who can’t be bothered to listen closely enough to understand a British accent, you won’t have to for half this battle.
Thoughts? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below.
{{ comment.author.name }}
{{ reply.author.name }}