One of the biggest events of the battle rap calendar is going down this Sunday (May 15), so we've curated a list of battles to familiarize you with some of the newer names on the card, as well as to remind you of how good some of the vets can be when they're firing on all cylinders.
Here are BattleRap.com's picks for the battles you should catch up with before this weekend's pay-per-view.
Hollow Da Don vs. Pat Stay
This one is obvious. The main event of "Massacre 2" is a rematch of the Pat Stay/Hollow Da Don one-rounder that went down last December in London. Although many fans were disappointed with the battle falling short of the expected three rounds, the one round we got definitely left everyone eager for more.
Hollow was absolutely incredible, and Pat was strong, though perhaps too comedic for some fans. Pat typically mixes clowning and aggression into his content but the shorter battle seemed to stunt his bully side. With the rematch scheduled for three rounds, both guys should have enough time to fully show their versatility.
B Magic vs. Conceited
So, so, so many B Magic battles to choose from. At his best, Magic is almost without peer — his writing is top notch, and his delivery is one of the best in battle rap. Recently he's struggled with consistency, but it could be chalked up to a lack of motivation in those battles.
This "Summer Madness 4" clash was for the unofficial title of Punchline King, and was one Magic was clearly motivated for. We ended up with a classic barfest, and one of the best battles of 2014.
With Magic facing a legend at Massacre, we can only hope to see a return to this form.
Money Bagz vs Syah Boy
Money Bagz is someone who has been operating outside of the main battle leagues for a few years now, after being one of the Grind Time NY standouts. While some fans may have forgotten about him, his battle against Syah Boy shows why he was so well respected in the first place.
As much as anything in this battle, he displays his incredible rapping ability. Considering he’s going up against Pass at Massacre, this battle has all the potential to be the best display of pure rapping at the event.
Gjonaj vs. Gutta
This was really the battle that put Gjonaj’s name on the map. This small-room PG at URL's "Summer Madness 4" weekend may have been Gjonaj’s finest performance, and was our pick for performance of the night.
His aggressive delivery and impeccable writing were both on display here, and his opponent brought a bar-heavy style reminiscent of Gjonaj’s next opponent, Danny Myers.
In his third battle on the KOTD platform, another performance like this one will solidify him as one of the top names to watch in the league.
Dirt vs. Strange
Like Money Bagz, Dirt is another example of a well-received battler who fell victim to the collapse of Grind Time. Since that point, he has yet to have a released battle on one of the bigger platforms. That doesn’t mean he has fallen off though, and this battle is a testament to that.
At the time it was released it was seen as one of the better under-the-radar battles in some time. Both guys show out, and it's a good showcase for what we can expect from Dirt. In several battles Dirt broke down the street style, and in all he showcases his ability to spit multis and still keep things fresh.
Bangz vs. E. Farrell
How often do you see a guy rap three flawless rounds, and then take over as the hype man for his opponent? Well, just in this one, really. Bangz has a similar style of wordplay to many of the up-and-comers in battle rap, but what really separates him is ... him.
Bangz is different, he stands out. In an era of battle rap where there are so many guys who sound like a bunch of other guys, Bangz is unique.
This battle is almost indescribable — it’s fun, laid back, but serious. The hype dances between genuine and an in-joke of the gas that these two have in their battles. It's a weird battle, but also a really fun one, and a solid showcase of Bangz’ ability and personality.
Bigg K vs. Ill Will
During Bigg K’s time in KOTD, he's faced very different opponents than during his time on URL. Battles with The Saurus, Caustic and Illmaculate showed K’s ability to cross over to another genre of battle rap and succeed.
But at last year's Massacre event, K went back to the genre of battle rap he started in, facing fellow former PG standout Ill Will. An absolutely incredible match-up — and the best battle at the event — this clash reminded us that K is arguably at his best when facing someone with a street style similar to his own. At "Massacre 2," he takes on one of the preeminent street style battlers in Head I.C.E.
If he repeats the caliber of the performance we saw against Ill Will, this could easily be battle of the night.
Math Hoffa vs. Chilla Jones
This Sunday, Math Hoffa will have his first battle in the Boston area, and if you want to get acquainted with some of Hoffa’s best material, his battle with Boston’s Chilla Jones is a great place to start. This battle shows that despite the controversy surrounding Math, if you put that aside, the man is still capable of putting on incredible performances.
A great back and forth, this clash was one of our Top 10 Don’t Flop battles of 2015.
The Saurus provides a similar element of a style clash that the Chilla battle did, and that turned out to be a strong showing, so on the 15th we will find out if history repeats itself.
Xcel vs. Anubis
This battle took place as part of URL’s Ultimate Freestyle Friday, and for many fans, it was the first time seeing either of these guys. Even with Anubis catching the judges' decision, it was Xcel's stock that rose after his densely layered lyrics got properly appreciated in the video release.
Since this battle, Xcel has become one of the most active emcees in the game, which sometimes works against him when it comes to memorizing his complex content. Last year's Massacre showing against Danny Myers was a low point in 2015 for him, but with battle rap, you're only as good as your last performance, so he's only one win away from getting his name buzzing again.
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