Cadalack Ron was one of the most unique personalities in all of battle rap, and perhaps the most polarizing character in an art form full of polarizing individuals. If you were to ask five different battle fans their opinion of Ron, you would likely get five different answers. One thing they'd agree on though is that he was never boring.
First coming to prominence in Grind Time, Ron established himself as a force in battle rap primarily because, at a time when many emcees were clones of someone else, Ron was uncompromisingly Ron. He took on every single taboo in battle rap, and sometimes seemed to offend as an end, rather than just a means.
RELATED: Tributes Pour In For Cadalack Ron
Even in doing so, Ron allowed himself to be a lightning rod for criticism, but really never fell into self-parody. With Caddy there always seemed to be a greater purpose, even if it was as simple as addressing a perceived double standard in regard to race in battle rap. His public persona pushed the envelope past where people felt comfortable, and often, forced us to confront difficult questions about our own feelings.
All of that said, to reduce Ron to someone who only thrived off the controversy he created is not only a disservice to him, but it misses so much of what made him, him.
Ron was unique, but he was not a gimmick. Much like Daylyt, who balances antics with considerable levels of battle rap ability, Ron was above all else a very talented rapper. As much as this was shown through his highly introspective music, he showed it as well during his actual battles.
He took angles with opponents that were often very creative, and often would be self-deprecating to the point where he would beat himself better than his opponents would beat him; Caddy often won twice in the same battle. His struggles and weaknesses weren’t an angle to be used against him, they were an integral part of his battle persona.
To ever get the full story of the entirety of Caddy Ron, you’d have to listen to his music, his interviews, and essentially immerse yourself in everything Caddy. But if you were to get to know about this West Coast legend through his battles, we feel the following five, taken together, give the best glimpse of the totality of Cadalack Ron.
Cadalack Ron vs. Caustic
Where: Grind Time West's "Battle Of The Bay 5" in Oakland, Calif.
When: Sept. 4, 2009
Why you should watch it: This was an extremely competitive back-and-forth, and the desire to win on either side is more evident than in your typical Caddy battle.
It's a Grind Time classic in every sense of the phrase: it has jokes, personals, multi-syllabics, short but very dense rounds, and live judging. Caustic actually took it with a unanimous decision, but it certainly wasn't for lack of effort on Caddy's end.
Caustic was rising through the ranks and clearly hungry at the time, and it's a trip to watch Caddy expertly downplay him as the "kid from the forum." It's equally entertaining to watch Caustic roast Caddy with truly flawless punchlines, and it only made Caddy heat up as the battle went on.
The rapid-fire style of his standout third might feel a little distant now, but he was snapping, and it was exactly what the crowd wanted to hear.
Check out the lyrics to this battle.
Cadalack Ron vs. Absyrd
Where: Grind Time West's "Battle Of Los Angeles 3" in Los Angeles, Calif.
When: Dec. 31, 2009
Why you should watch it: Though actually less controversial than usual, this is a quintessential Caddy performance.
His opponent, Absyrd, took this battle incredibly seriously, and so did he, just in a different way. Absyrd’s effort is obvious, but Caddy presents a perfect foil for it in the way he lazily weaves haymakers together, chipping away at Absyrd’s appeal with utmost cruelty.
Caddy had an extraordinary ability to simply absorb personal attacks — Absyrd got very personal with him — and hilariously return the hate, turned up in volume, with carefree abandon. This is a prime example, and his “Baskin Robbins” scheme is unforgettable.
Cadalack Ron vs. Unorthodox Phrases
Where: No Coast's "No Coast vs. The World" in Columbia, Mo.
When: Sept. 17, 2010
Why you should watch it: During the second half of his battle rap career, Ron became known for overtly racist material and antics, and this battle is really the best early example of that.
In front of a fairly new battle rap crowd in Missouri, Ron delivered a jarring performance that was both groundbreaking and controversial. There are multiple angles to talk about with this battle, from members of the crowd being legitimately outraged and trying to get law enforcement involved as it happened, to the footage being taken down and then eventually re-released.
This battle also shows how masterful Caddy was at controlling an audience, as he does the unthinkable by flipping the crowd back to his side with his third round after disgusting them all for the first two. Be sure to watch until the end of the battle, as Ron explains the purpose of his offensive content.
Cadalack Ron vs. Lex D
Where: King Of The Dot's "Takeover" in Los Angeles, Calif.
When: June 28, 2013
Why you should watch it: Pitted against reliable jokester Lex D, Caddy actually gave one of his most serious, bar-heavy performances.
It didn’t really seem like he particularly disliked Lex; perhaps he just had a point to prove at the time that “bars”— read: wordplay— were slowly overtaking all other styles in battle rap. And prove it he did, as he was able to break Lex down in typically mean fashion, all while stringing complex bars together and even delivering a few elaborate schemes (his religion scheme in Round 3 is one for the ages).
Although his humorous performance was a bit one-note, Lex was a great match for Caddy and also did his part to make this an entertaining back-and-forth.
Cadalack Ron vs. Sicarii
Where: King Of The Dot's "Back 2 Basics" in Los Angeles, Calif.
When: June 27, 2015
Why you should watch it: This was Caddy’s first battle as “Caddy 3.0,” the sober, upgraded version of himself that was born in 2015.
Frankly, he ran through relative newcomer Sicarii with an intensely alert, still totally merciless style. It came to light later that Sicarii was in dire health — he had heart surgery very shortly after — but it probably didn't matter since there was little he could do that was going to overwhelm the deadly calm Caddy on that day.
After this battle, longtime fans and skeptics alike marveled at Caddy’s boundless potential when he was off the junk. It was a truly exciting moment in battle rap, and it hurts that much more to think of where he might have taken his renewed focus next.
Words by Brad Danyluk, Jackson Yates and Tyler Franz.
There are plenty of performances that could've been included in this list, so let us know your favorites in the comments below.
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