Iron Solomon vs. Daylyt: What To Expect

What to expect from the most unpredictable battle in a long time? This is the question every fan of battle rap has been asking since the announcement of Iron Solomon vs. Daylyt for King Of The Dot’s "World Domination 5." On the surface this feels like a very strange battle, but there is logic behind it, and it makes more sense than fans realize.

Both rappers are coming into this battle with plenty of uncertainty surrounding them. N.Y. vet Iron Solomon has to first show that his head is back in the game, and that he can compete in this new era of battle rap. Just after the Murda Mook battle at URL’s "Summer Madness 2" in 2012, Iron disappeared from battle rap completely, with his Twitter account and website staying dormant even after his return was revealed. Prior to this, however, Solomon was an immensely respected rapper who was rightfully thought of as a legend. Which Iron Solomon will we see in Toronto?

Daylyt is the epitome of uncertainty, an enigmatic figure capable of show-stealing performances (Ooops, Chilla Jones, Madchild) or appearances involving antics that overshadow the battle and draw attention away from the competition itself (Real Deal, Loe Pesci, Pat Stay). Day’s career is the story of the red pill/blue pill dichotomy he rapped about against B Magic. An immensely talented lyricist and performer? Or a walking gimmick, the personification of style over substance? Is Daylyt both? Neither?

Despite the uncertainty, we can likely expect the best from both Daylyt and Solomon, because this battle is important for each of them in terms of perception. It's not just that Solomon is attempting to hoist himself back into battle rap relevancy; there is another factor here as well. The last round Iron stood in front of was Mook's Trayvon Martin angle, where Mook put his hood up in solidarity with the teen who had been killed by George Zimmerman. By using a very sensitive race angle, Mook sought to use outside factors to detract from Iron. It should be no surprise then that for his return battle, Solomon is taking on the king of the antic. Look for Iron to extol rap skill and solid writing over antics.

Daylyt, on the other hand, has had some huge moments in 2015, and generally always performs well in KOTD, but that’s not the reason this is such a big battle for him. Day has been angling for a Loaded Lux match for some time now, and onlookers have often retorted that Daylyt’s status in battle rap doesn’t equal that of Lux's, so he doesn’t deserve it. Day’s top-level performances over the past year or so have changed people’s outlook somewhat, but a clear win over Solomon should bring him one step closer (as long as Solomon is in fine form). There is a sense that Day isn’t happy with his Serius Jones battle on "Ether," so a win against Iron, who is a contemporary of Lux’s, helps to give him a legitimate big-time win over someone from that era to solidify his case.

All of these factors together make this a can’t-miss battle.

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Predictions? Let us know in the comments below.