Recap: A certified classic, that’s Brizz Rawsteen versus Ill Will. And that’s saying a lot in an age where popular battles are too often labeled ‘classic’ and fail to live up to the standard because popularity doesn’t always equate to a bout that will live on in infamy. Then too, classics aren’t just about two top tier battlers being on their A-game. Granted, Will’s ability here to spit a versatile array of spitfire bars via gritty (“.45 under the bed, I’m cheating on wifey wit’ a cougar bitch!”) punchlines, flexing (“Raw? Raw nothin’, if the Ross dumpin’, Raw runnin’, arm across his chest like, ‘Hold on bro, a car comin’!”) personals, dope storytelling bars, nasty gun lines and witty barbs/schemes (not to mention a killer Loaded Lux impression in the 2nd round that featured this banger: ‘Let me be honest, if you text out every hoe that I’ve stretched out, it’ll be nuthin new, just a double shot of smooth for ya boo and ya crew and I never have a bad drought, y’all niggas came here on planes…cool, y’all gotta go the hotel route, they didn’t even book my niggas rooms, I told ’em Brizz mama givin’ head out!”) for 3 consecutive rounds stands out, but having a heavy load of punches is what makes the Pontiac, Michigan rapper one of the best to do it. But it’s what Brizz does here that makes this one such a memorable battle, the Dark Side spitter surprisingly matching his energy, dripping mayhem and (“Aye Jaz, you want a Gucci purse? well you gotta give me some coochi first, it’s April 8th, how you feel about June the 1st?, I’m just puttin’ that in the universe!”) over-the-top wit with one of, if not his most consistent display of potent (“Live, In Living Color and sit ya face on the table like the Head detective, [BAOW!] I blow the brains everywhere, I mean, I’m not sure if you heard but that’s how I spread the message!”) punchlines along with a gang of fiery personals with little filler. And tho Brizz ends up losing the battle (I got Rawsteen edging the 1st with Will edging the 2nd and 3rd), with such a superb effort to go along with so many quotables/haymakes and an exceptional opponent who seemed to understand what an epic moment in time they’d both created, does it really matter who won?
Verdict: Ill Will (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Brizz Rawsteen – “‘Cuz I’m a get Get Rich Or Die Trying and this .50 don’t Back Down, these serve all day, catch a MAC round, I’ll have his body hanging halfway out the bag like a hash brown!”
