Recap: After surviving a ferocious, spitfire, crime-ridden and gritty 1st round from Moon, the still competitive Bronx vet Sco pulls off a righteous comeback, using unique storytelling bars, some O.G. talk of hsi own, solid name flips, feelgood braggadocios bars and potent wordplay to, along with some help from a sputtering Moon, edge the latter two rounds and seal a win.
Verdict: Sco (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Sco – “You can’t rap better than me my nigga, think logical, or think a Spades game, ‘cuz see I keep getting booked ‘cuz what’s coming outta my hand ain’t possible!”
Recap: A real lively and lengthy one here as Ace Amin and Snake Eyez meetup for about an hour on the URL Summer Impact card for 3 rounds of fiery punchlines, pushing and shoving, Gooonie/Dot Mobb/Cave Gang drama, chain tossing, gangly street missives, prison war stories, stinging gun bars, gritty personals and piercing name flips. A couple of high energy battlers who both need to work on their professionalism and temperament’s when on stage, in the face of an elongated, a bit filler-prone and at times redundant-with-the-mayhem Snake Eyez in the first two rounds, a more condensed and crowd-controlling Ace’s ability to consistently bomb on his opponent with repeated 2-bar bangers, witty barbs, some fierce wordplay and mocking personals allows the DMV emcee to take the first two rounds for the win before a righteous and electric 3rd by both Ace and Snake gets scored a debatable here.
Verdict: Ace Amin (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ace Amin – “Listen duke, do you think that going to prison is something more than something I had to do?, I’m not proud of it, I don’t even want the URL listing ‘Convictions’ as one of my attributes!”
Recap: Even if it’s over beats here on Verbal War Zone, it makes sense that if E-Hart and O’fficial were going to battle again, they do it for 3 rounds instead of 1 like they did the first time. And while the selected beats could’ve been hotte and both battlers brought plenty of gritty lines, the final result is the same as their first battle from 4 years ago: a more potent bar-wise Hart getting the win by this time taking the latter two rounds after getting edged by a more flow-proficient and condensed O’fficial in the first.
Verdict: E-Hart (W) 2-1
Favorite line: E-Hart – “Running through shit, I’m in my terrible two’s!”
Recap: Gotta love it when a couple of big dudes go at it. Bubba Forde and Murda staying aggressive throughout this PG with the righteous shoulder bumps, stickly gun bars, plenty of mayhem and bruising punchlines. But after a shortened round 1 by the longtime Baltimore vet that was handily beat by a raucous, name-flip friendly and punch-heavier Forde, Murda increases his rounds with a spiteful barrage of rambunctious punchlines (esp. during a crazy 2nd round), some fierce wordplay and stinging heat to edge the latter two rounds for the win.
Verdict: Murda (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Murda – “I ain’t fronting, I’ll spark and sit em, I’m throwing rounds, the trigger I hold it down, all commitment!”
Recap: Well, at least Vodka kept it entertaining as the confident, but mostly inconsistent Philly rapper (who seemed more prepared for a stand-up comedy show than a rap battle) made for some guffaws here and there with a steady stream of jokes and sandwich diaries. Too bad for Vodka tho as Cortez actually came to rap and that he did in this 1-rounder from The Battle Academy, using a blistering round of witty barbs, righteous name flips/personals, fire wordplay and dope punchlines to easily take the win.
Verdict: Cortez (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Cortez – “I mean what am I supposed to do with Vodka?, it’s proven Vodka…you never gonna touch the Smack stage because there’s nothing about you that’s Exclusive [Exclusiv] Vodka!”
Recap: Pretty solid URL Banned Legacy 3 battle between Geechi Gotti and Ill Will served up a gang of explosive gun bars from both sides, wicked sexual hijinks to go along with witty banter from Will, some spicy rebuttals from Gotti, mocking (Ill Will: “You be doing hair, you know what? I ain’t gonna debate about the nonsense, you a fag, I don’t know one nigga Straight Outta Compton!”) personals, graphic street tales and gritty name flips/punchlines. The best combined round, the 1st, gets edged by a more condensed and haymaker-lit Gotti, before Will came back with an altogether blazing 2nd round to tie things up heading into the 3rd. And tho Gotti had another nice rebut to combine with one more haymaker in the final round Geechi’s pen game just wasn’t as consistently lit as was his opponent, making this one a draw.
Verdict: Debatable
Favorite line: Geechi Gotti – “Nigga, this .9 mine [Bawh! Bawh!], Mackk you better check ya man [Bawh!], I just gave him another shot, everybody deserves a second chance!”
Recap: In this solid 1-rounder from Gates of the Garden, Chuck Book delivers a host of gritty punchlines, wily personals and local DMV gratuities. But one too may indirect bars from Mr. Book along with a more consistently nice, name flip scoring, personal-spazzing, gun line waving and scheme/punch-heavy Ryda gives the Goonie a check in the win column.
Verdict: Ryda (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ryda – “I’ll abuse you, this ain’t the shit that your used to, Ryda hop out of with a big bird like Liberty Mutual!”
Recap: Did someone fail to remind Bad Newz of how aggressive these Philly rappers can be? 1st-round, near-tussle aside, an easy vic for Newz as overall his more steady punches and flagrant gun bars deliver more than enough static to beat back 3 pretty pedestrian rounds from hometown battler Frank Wit Da Grippaz.
Verdict: Bad Newz (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Bad Newz – “I’m a fool with it, since 13 years old Frank, I used to walk with heat, I probably shot my 1st opp around the same time that you lost your teeth!”
Recap: Dope showings from both Scotty Good and Fettuccine 20 in this gritty 1-rounder from We Go Hard. However with less filler than his opponent, the ability to serve up some sublime set-ups as well as a gang of consistently hitting punchlines/personals, it’s Fetty who gets the edge here.
Verdict: Fettuccine 20 (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Fettuccine 20 – “I’ll kill you outside and in ya house, your broad get the heater, y’all get shot in separate scenes…Martin and Gina!”
Recap: Matching his loud and aggressive performance with perfunctory heaters, frenzied name flips, some witty barbs and jaunty punchlines, a more than confident Drugz easily beats back the gritty, but mostly pedestrian punches of King Beanz in this 1-rounder from Gates of the Garden.
Verdict: Drugz (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Drugz – “The 5 7 f-ing is blasting, to hook a beam, I ain’t no snitch, and the dog ain’t gonna tell…I’m in ya bushes Beanz!”
Recap: One-rounder from Colosseum Battle League and as luck would have it, first time seeing this Fendi chick while watching a little in awe as her casual, unorthodox wordplay not only consistently lit up the scoreboard (as well as the room), but handily beats back a pretty punch-heavy-until-she-bizarrely-gave-up-her-turn-to-Staccs midway Jade.
Verdict: Fendi (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Fendi – “I make sure this Opp will sit [opposite] and this midterm school this kid, no college shit…I’m talking I.D. and [en] F Up any bitch who got Fendi backwards!”
Recap: Take out a clear round 1 win for a more intricate and condensed Chess and you’re left with a spitfire and highly competitive battle here against Bad Newz. Not that Newz had a bad opening round, but by upping the ante and matching his standard aggression with just-as-loaded bar efficiency via a shitload of piercing/boastful punches, rigid gun bars, head-ringing (“I’ll have my little nigga’s distract ya and while they confuse ya, I’ll squeeze on Chess [chest] from the back like the Heimlich maneuver!”) mayhem and gritty personals, the newest member of Tay Roc’s Cave Gang squad was able to validate making the cut. Still, for all of Bad Newz’ determination and grit, Chess was still Chess–the young Bronx spitter brimming with confident throughout his rounds while remaining resolute when it came to dishing more intricate punchlines, fiery name flips, rich anecdotes, stifling wordplay and steely (“I am not here to battle you, I’m just to make sure you get talked right, “I’m just giving Bad game like an off night!”) darts without missing a beat. That said, despite a highly potent turn by Newz in the 2nd, a near perfect, haymaker-drenched round by Chess edges him the round before an emotionally fire, but also hardbody round by Newz earns him in a draw in the 3rd against a still consistently prodigious Chess.
Verdict: Chess (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Chess – “You like pushing on nigga’s in battles?, that’s cool, you facing Chess like my first time playing Chess…don’t be surprised if I make Bad move!”
Recap: Dope battle between two of the most energetic battlers in the game, Barz Major and Danny Myers, fittingly ends up in a tie as Danny’s substantive punchlines, fire (“Glock 5, running up on me bitch?, not wise, he tired of eating chicken…but I’m in line [holds out hands like a gun] to pop eye’s [Popeyes]!”) rebuttal game, stinging ‘parallel universe’ entries and piercing personals allowed him to edge round 1, before a debatable 2nd and a 3rd round defeat that while short on length, was still electrifying yet couldn’t equate to the stirring struggle bar themes Major took during his turn. Before his sublime final round, Major kept himself in the mix with a gang of raucous punches, frenzied 4-bar set-ups, righteous gun bars and piercing schemes/personals, a splendid effort that should’ve gotten him some extra shine even if he had lost the battle.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: Barz Major – “Everybody wanna be sick till they get shot, better be cool, before ya ass catch something that you can’t pronounce…like mesothelioma!”
Recap: Against a totally unprepared and capitulated Jakkboy Maine, Franchise’s gratuitous forms mayhem go on full tilt via a shitload of potent gun bars, fiending set-ups, some witty punchlines and wicked personals/name flips. Add to that a spirited Franchise coming extra vigorous with his performance throughout the battle plus coming better with his angles and an opponent willfully conceding defeat at the end of yet another shortened round and you’re left with a rare body shipped overnight and overseas from Canada to Virginia.
Verdict: Franchise (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Franchise – “You not ready, two hands on the bitch, I hold my Glock steady, big-ass gun, and the clip sticking out like Rex belly!”
Recap: Providing glistening commentary on the consequences for all those who stand in the way of his perpetual mayhem, but also dishing some feisty punchlines and piercing name flips along the way, a way more consistently nice Burke Bucs has an easy time beating back the overall less potent bars from Zay Smoove in this 1-rounder from GOTG.
Verdict: Burke Bucs (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Burke Bucs – “Next battle you better work out, I’m at his neck like a crew sweater, he Elroy and I’m George, trying to teach my son how to levitate in this new era!
Recap: From the Gates, versus a gritty-punching, but up-n-down effort from Wavyington, an eccentic Bill Collector utilizes a bunch of blistering rebuttals, some solid name flips and piercing punchlines/freestyles/personals to get the 1-round win.
Verdict: Bill Collector (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Bill Collector – “You tell a nigga that he mad and it make him mad, how you a puncher but you stumble when I fake the jab?!”
Recap: In this 1-rounder from The Battle Academy, Nu Jerzey Twork uses fierce name flips and stinging punchlines to make quick work of a confident, but lyrically pedestrian Cyssero. Indeed, Cyssero’s elongated turn not only had Twork exasperated, but it became so humdrum that he had the crowd yelling ‘Time!’ while he rapped.
Verdict: Nu Jerzey Twork (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “Ill line ya shit, scope on it, I’m Iron Fist, everybody gotta die, but you go first…I insist [eyeing Cys]!”
Recap: Hate to get personal in this space, but damn if Danja Zone wasn’t annoying the shit out of me with all those over-the-top reactions. Nonetheless, dope, punch/grip ready/personal/struggle bar worthy and competitive battle between Holmzie Da God and Don Marino comes down to the final round after the more haymaker-drenched Holmzie took the first before Marino came back with a condensed and more punchline crazy 2nd to split things going into the 3rd. And while both battlers, on their A-game throughout the battle, would get uber-personal and kick a couple of sublime turns in the final turn, an almost flawless, condensed and more direct go-round by Don (who also admirably predicted that Holmzie would use race angles during his turn) would give the Miami capo a nice comeback for the win.
Verdict: Don Marino (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Don Marino – “We could take the savage route, what this man about?, ladder out, [Bwoh!] leave God all over the crib….it’s a Spanish house!”
Recap: Recruiting festive gun lines, a gang of seismic punchlines (esp. during a sublime 1st round), endearing name flips/personals and a series of moody ‘old head’ bars, a consistently spicy Reepah Rell manages to beat the brakes off a versatile, but flow-challenged (including a 1st round choke) Jey The Nitewing in this Banned battle from URL. Nitewing, who started off with a bang before he fell apart midway during the 1st round and offered up plenty of heat with some roundhouse personals here and there in the 3rd, did manage to put forth a clean and imaginative 2nd to force a debatable turn there. But overall, the West-coast up-n-comer just couldn’t keep up with Rell’s synergy and residual haymakers in the opening and closing rounds.
Verdict: Reepah Rell (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Reepah Rell – “Watch your jaw nigger, first off I’ll hurt ya face, I get one punch in. you’ll see Nite [night] shift…I’m working late!
Recap: Spouting blistering name flips that even his opponent had to nod his head and approve as well as a boatload of fiery punchlines/set-ups/gun bars/schemes that had the crowd spazzed, in this 1-rounder from the Slums Battle League Don Marino shines throughout while unloading a gang of haymakers to take this one over the always entertaining and gritty, but in this case not as consistent Gauge.
Verdict: Don Marino (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Don Marino – “Who you be trolling?, I dare lames, before I see the bus, buck-fifty, ain’t fair change!”
Recap: Highlighted by a steely, mid-round freestyle directed at a rude crowd member, Lu Castro’s palette of gritty name flips and rambunctious punchlines serve up enough heat to take out a solid and dogmatic, but much less potent showing from Vito Cognac in this 1-rounder from Bring Ya Barz Battle League.
Verdict: Lu Castro (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Lu Castro – “Boy I’m dangerous, you better beware, you will drop…you know I fuck with Cognac, shit I’m a Henny man and this the kill shot!”
Recap: More lyrically adept and punch-centric overall, name flip/gun bar savvy, condensed and consistent despite struggling with his flow at times, in this close 3-rounder from Bullpen Battle League, Steams manages to edge rounds 1 as well as the deciding 3rd and take the win over a gritty, intense, scheme-heavy and moment-lit, but a more pedestrian bar-inclined Superblack.
Verdict: Steams (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Steams – “I’m a black on Black, fold his cap till it crease, who said Black don’t crack?!”
Recap:Red Dot 2 battle from URL sees Eazy the Block Captain and Stumbles unload a whole boatload of wicked street shit when they weren’t trading spicy punchlines throughout this competitive bout. And while Stumbles also stood out with his witty punches/personals, greasy gun bars, slick talk and ability to finally make it through a PG without choking (tho he did have some minor hiccups here and there), the Block Captain, firing on all cylinders (scratch a fire, but elongated 2nd round which forced a debatable) with the aforementioned heat along with some gritty trap talk, gripping prison war stories, solid personals/wordplay and dizzying name flips, is able to take the 1st and 3rd rounds for the win.
Verdict: Eazy the Block Captain (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Eazy the Block Captain – “I’m a real trapper, me and the connect got a construction deal, I get the work and he get billed after!”
Recap: Gritty and mayhem-drenched battle between Chef Trez and Prophelinni stays close throughout its 3 rounds, but even with nary a rebuttal, it’s Trez who still outshines his opponent with a wide series of sizzling gun bars, head-ringing schemes, searing street narratives and stinging punchlines to take each round.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “Peep bitch, I don’t know what they was saying but I’m here, glide on the street he live I bet this K will give him fear, he outside with hella niggers?, I’m a wave it at his peers, I went for the steal [steel] and caught a block…Defensive Player of the Year!”
Recap: That’s the problem with one dude liking to take his short off during a battle, the other guy might get motivated to do the same thing too…and well. Moving on, the gritty unorthodox/sound effect stylings of Jakkboy Maine meeting up with the sheer raucous, but at times witty and punch-lit modus operandi of Shotgun Suge in this Banned Legacy 3 battle on URL (after the two split the first couple of rounds) ends up with the more spicy and name flip/wordplay/personal-lit Jakk taking the 3rd round for the win.
Verdict: Jakkboy Maine (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Jakkboy Maine – “Nigga, fuck the Jonas Brothers, Frank Sinatra and since the — didn’t, I’m a buy a rocket launcher and finish the job on Jersey that Chief Keef didn’t!”
Recap: Unloading on his opponent with plenty of gritty punchlines/personals, braggadocios bangers, solid name flips, potent gun bars and feisty wordplay for all 3 rounds, a benevolent, but unapologetically savage Ave makes quick work of a nice and righteous at times, but mostly inconsistent C Moneii.
Verdict: Ave (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Ave – “Let me speak clear son, this battle might be your life, but I care none, see? this was a shot to see where you went like a flare gun!”
Recap: Fire battle between Kid Chaos and J-Krooger sees them both on their A-game with the versatile Chaos flexing everything from spicy/witty personals to head-twisting (“Rifle slamming, bullets all over his back like they micromanaged!”) heat, while the more condensed Krooger unloaded a plethora of fiery name flips, dope wordplay and jaunty gun bars throughout the battle. A competitive bout with little in the way of filler from both sides, tho the 1st round was equal on haymakers, a more succinct Krooger gets the edge there. 2nd round showcased a spitfire, performance-heavy, superbly-executed turn from Chaos that beat back another punch-heavy, but not quite as potent run from his opponent. The 3rd and deciding round was yet another goodie, but the more personal, multifaceted (including another nice rebuttal) Chaos gets the edge over what passed for a potent at times, but somewhat redundant go-around from Krooger.
Verdict: Kid Chaos (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Kid Chaos – “I will actually slap box you where my open hand will be a fist, or let my stock rise after this PG, but I’m a definitely get Banned for this shit!”
Recap: From the URL app…Young Kannon and Xcel spit a boatload of lyrical heaters, righteous mayhem, sturdy name flips, ready and loaded punchlines as well as stinging personals in this highly competitive 3-rounder from the URL Banned Legacy card. Noteworthy when considering that both battlers came through with 3 weeks and nary a stumble, the vic here goes to YK who edged the first two rounds via a slightly more consistent and condensed turn in the 1st, before landing more haymakers to take the 2nd. Call the 3rd round, which overall saw Kannon and Xcel come down a notch bar-wise, as a debatable.
Verdict: Young Kannon (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Young Kannon – “Give X bucks after he gone…that’s alimony!”
Recap: Short, but fiery on both sides, battle between Prep and Funeral F.A.M.E. sees them go at it in a 1-rounder that’s highlighted by Prep’s ability to deftly mix in fierce written punchlines/name flips with nasty freestyles on everything from lines from previous battles to wall murals. And tho Funeral F.A.M.E. delivered a solid, name-flip lit effort in return, Prep’s more stable punches, versatile hijinks and verbal dexterity makes it a well-earned win for the DMV.
Verdict: Prep (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Prep – “Your bitch text me when you all alone, she hit me like ‘that short nigga at work’, I threw on cologne, I was beating that pussy up, knowing what I’m doing is wrong, just bodying the box…all in Funeral home!”
Recap: Take out a minor slip-up that occurred due in part to his opponent talking through his round and Quban, flexing throughout with fiery name flips, righteous personals and stifling punchlines. manages to beat back a lyrically fierce, gritty and wordplay-lit, but not quite as consistent with the bars Tori Doe in this solid 1-rounder from Bring Ya Barz Battle League.
Verdict: Quban (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Quban – “Synthetic weaves, your hair not real but you real…oh we gonna laugh at that, ‘cuz if I hold and spray, let’s see this will help keep ya wig intact!”
Recap: Gritty, competitive 1-rounder between Ill Will and Blaxkface sees the latter score with some fierce punchlines here and there. But a demonstrative Ill Will, extra nice with the name flips and flagrant gun bars, mixes in some piercing punches of his own to go along with a fleet of witty personals to get the win.
Verdict: Ill Will (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ill Will – “Coming at Ill, but you won’t beat him, and anybody can die the same day, competition? I don’t see ’em, they wanna see if you gonna sit in Will chair or a wheelchair…don’t cheat ’em!”
Recap: In this competitive 3-rounder from Black Ice Cartel, Capboy Hurt, sturdy with the heat and fluorescent with the mayhem/punches, puts on a solid showing. But a performance-heavy and more versatile Qleen Paper displays some rare 3-round consistency via a barrage of stunted name flips/gun bars, gritty punchlines. fire set-ups/schemes, rigid jokes and some hard personals to take the win.
Verdict: Qleen Paper (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Qleen Paper – “You let it ring, huh?, man, get the fuck outta here, this shit just seem aww, Kawhi Leonard, I’ll bring two to Milwaukee and stop all that ring talk!”
Recap: Flexing throughout the battle with a gang of mocking personals, piercing punchlines, screeds on Christian hypocrisy, on-point breakdowns of his opponent’s style and some stifling name flips, a consistently nice Kid Chaos easily scores a 30 here in this Proving Grounds battle versus a punch-heavy (esp. in round 3) at times, but also oft-indirect and oft-bloviating Street Hymns.
Verdict: Kid Chaos (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Kid Chaos – “Bro, you rap like a bitch and think that mean you got a broad mentality!”
Recap: From URL’s Banned Legacy 3, helped by a Mackk Myron who while dishing a mostly rambunctious punch game, couldn’t really get into his consistent bag of bullish/electic darts and witty personals until the final round, an aggressive, steady with the fiery heaters and stifling with the personals, angles, similes and punchlines Ryda manages to edge round 1 and handily take round 2 for the win, before getting edged by a more versatile, witty and more in control Mackk in round 3.
Verdict: Ryda (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Ryda – “The Goonies will turn into Black Market media, you won’t even get a chance to start pleading your case, I’m talking Banned Legacy, nigga’s be shooting for 3 days straight!”
Recap: Both having had beef’s with Drugz alone makes for a compelling battle, but personals aside, in this 1-rounder from Kill Switch Battle League, it’s Gwitty’s potent name flips, fiery punchlines and righteous mayhem along with a solid, O.G.-bent turn by Moon being cut short, gives Paper the win.
Verdict: Gwitty (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Gwitty – “Arm strong, we could jump him it’s smooth, he out of space, stomp his face…first nigger to walk on the Moon!”
Recap: In this 1-rounder from Queen of the Ring, a gritty, wordplay/personal-heavy and aggressive Chayna Ashley having a better 1st half then her 2nd proves to be a non-starter as opponent C3’s struggles with her flow (even in the midst of some hard-hitting personals/punches and a fire freestyle thrown at Chayna’s hypeman T-Rex) throughout the bout prove to be her undoing with an eventual choke giving the battle to Ms. Ashley.
Verdict: Chayna Ashley (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Chayna Ashley – “Now you fucking with a true vet, think random, I don’t choose wreck, veer aside, right by the big names like blue checks!”
Recap: This much-hyped T-Rex versus Bill Collector battle is a tale of two halves with witty and visceral personals, references to past lore, boastful barbs of mayhem, salacious gun bars (esp. via Bill’s highly maneuverable Super Duper Scope) and other lofty punchlines dominating Rex’s 1st and BC’s first two rounds. The first round easily being the best, Rex edges the opening round with a more consistent and condensed turn, before a still-turned-up B.C. comfortably takes the 2nd with a dope performance that included some very pointed (“…it would’ve been a news article that read ‘This Nigger Dead!’?, is that what happened when Head I.C.E. man put you to bed?!?”) personals at his opponent. 3rd round was pretty much a wash what with neither battler going for the kill, but delivering enough fiery heaters and solid punches to make the 3rd a draw and the battle a tie.
Verdict: TIE
Favorite line: T-Rex – “Your son gonna grow up a pussy Bill and you did it, he said ‘Daddy how you want me to swing back nigger…you didn’t!'”
Recap: Punchline for punchline, in this 3-round battle from KOTD, Illmaculate and B. Magic are about equal on potency. That’s except for a 1st round Magic edged with a more concise turn. But with Illmaculate mixing in biting breakdowns of his opponent’s style, witty barbs, piercing name flips and a gang of fiery personals along with a solid punchline game as well as Magic struggling with his flow during a shortened 3rd, the latter two rounds are Illmac’s for the taking along with the win.
Verdict: Illmaculate (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Illmaculate – “Good Shepard, Catholic school you, I transcend bars to father greatness, that’s Mutulu, don’t let facts confuse you, top 5 convo’s, you can’t skip past me like ads in Hulu!”
Recap: While there are certainly others to blame as well for exploiting the narrative over the years, most of the onus on Rum Nitty chiefly being a ‘gun bar’ dude falls on Nitty himself. The self-proclaimed ‘Gun Line King’ (going back to one of his earlier battles against Tycoon Tax) deceiving us all by making it seem he’s so one-dimensional in various battles and interviews, all the while chasing Tay Roc for the notorious title. The nerve of the guy, fooling us all in this URL/NOME 4 battle with a gang of prolific verbal heat that included a flawless 2nd round here against K-Shine, with more than just stifling gun bars on the menu, but also a steady proliferation of nasty punchlines, daunting wordplay, rich metaphorical zingers and sublime name flips on the entrees as well. Indeed, another reminder that Nitty’s versatility with the heat keeps getting overlooked and only makes him more dangerous. Not to knock anything Shine did here, the performance-heavy NWX capo delivering 3 dope rounds of gritty darts, frenzied anecdotes, piercing name flips/personals, raucous punches/gun bars and some witty barbs. All the while lacking the consistency to keep up with his opponent in the first couple of rounds, before a rare trio of slip-ups by Nitty in the 3rd helped Shine avoid the shutout.
Verdict: Rum Nitty (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Rum Nitty – “You know I’m clapping, stone-face savage, so the pole I’m packing, go over heads…with no reaction!”
Recap: Well, that was entertaining. And to be fair to Queen Vixen tho, getting triple-teamed in a 1-round, one-on-one battle and having a nude picture of yourself exposed for all the world to see, would probably make anybody tight. That said, Hustle already had this battle won before Viixen and the other chick made their cameos. Not that Vixen didn’t have a solid turn with her own series of mayhem and nifty punchlines. But an amped up performance by Hustle that was matched by more raucous punchlines, hitting personals/schemes and righteous 4-bar set-ups, would prove to be too much in the end.
Verdict: Ms. Hustle (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Ms. Hustle – “Bitch, I’m excited, I heard you like fighting, but that last bitch?, you ain’t even hit her not once, now it make sense why you was fucking Chilla Jones, y’all both take too long to get to the punch!”
Recap: 1-round, Onsite Battle League ‘SummertimeShootOut 3’ battle between Nu Jerzey Twork and Mway Ojae sees the latter come through with some gritty punches and nice set-ups/schemes during his turn. But one too many subpar name flips and throwaway bars from Ojae along with a more versatile, punch-heavy, metaphor-bent and gun bar/personal/name flip spazzing Twork, gives New Jerooz the vic.
Verdict: Nu Jerzey Twork (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Nu Jerzey Twork – “Wait, y’all really think he be on Jefferson, selling dope with the blue stamp?, hey Tom, I really had quarter brick, half a brick and you still giving Ojae the juice man [OJ da Juiceman]!?!”
Recap: Even with an up-n-down and energetic Barz Major dishing plenty of mayhem while rapping thrice as long as him, in this 1-rounder from GOTG, Prez Mafia’s more condensed/visceral punches, fire set-ups, sterling performance and toxic personals/gun bars are more than enough to take this one.
Verdict: Prez Mafia (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Prez Mafia – “You ever see a body twitch after the head shot?…yeah, nigga you getting on my last nerve!”
Recap: With a boatload of gritty punches, in this 1-rounder from Bulldog Battle League, despite a somewhat monotonous flow Tyshone TV impresses. But a way more condensed, performance-heavy. rebuttal-kicking, wordplay savvy, hitting with the personals/name flips and just as punch-centric as his opponent Prep, does more to edge this one.
Verdict: Prep (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Prep – “If ain’t what you saying, it’s how you saying the things you say, your delivery is what’s hurting you…like labor pains!”
Recap: Close and solid 1-round battle between Showtime and Teewhy delivers aplenty on the mayhem, fiery gun bars and braggadocio lines. But even with Showtime coming hard on the aggression/performance axioms, eventually it’s a more consistent, versatile and wordplay/name flip/punch-heavy Teewhy who crosses the finish line first.
Verdict: Teewhy (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Teewhy – “I ride up, big blazer, I’m a risk taker, get kidnapped and hung up over a mountain in big danger, you gonna die like the movies, but right before I tell you how [bwoh!], I’m a end Show with a cliffhanger!”
Recap: Even with Bad Newz’s hardbody raps, sometimes abstract shiners and head-ringing mayhem causing plenty of havoc throughout this battle, over the course of 3 rounds, a more consistently nice and versatile Swamp’s more potent punchlines, stinging name flips/personals, gritty street narratives and witty darts prove to be too much for the less intricate Cave Gang member in this fiery Banned battle from Smack/URL.
Verdict: Swamp (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Swamp – “I ain’t playing with not one of these muthafucka’s, its devouring time, last time it was Your Honor, now the honor is mine!”
Recap: After displaying a superb punchline game to easily win the 1st round, Da Kid Clutch’s pen melts a bit and becomes less consistent in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, allowing fellow West-coast battling vet Danny Myers to use a strong rebuttal acumen along with a boatload of fire name flips, righteous ‘parallel universal’ bars, heated gun bars and fiery set-ups.punches to win the battle.
Verdict: Danny Myers (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Danny Myers – “I ain’t do no promotion for this battle, but I’m still a realer nigger, because Michael Myers ain’t have to say shit before he killed a nigger!”
Recap: Over the course of this 3-rounder from Renegade Rap Battles, Chef Trez’s wide assortment of fluorescent gun bars, over-the-top mayhem and fiery name flips/punchlines combine to make easy work of a performance-heavy, but flow-challenged and lyrically unsteady Chris Trotter.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “Chopper rounds make his head spin, Dead or what, Alive? [Bwoy!} they found him dead then!”
Recap: Solid, gritty and name flip/punch-heavy effort by Daddy Mason still gets beaten by a more versatile, performance stunting, rebuttal-waving and wordplay/name flip/punchline-spazzing Quban in what turned out to be a nice, competitive 1-rounder from Gates of the Garden.
Verdict: Quban (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Quban – “It’s a bare-knuckle brawl, I’m here to get rid of you, but he was talking wild, like he want me to show him what that ‘matic do, I’m a sit on the couch, the AR gonna tell it all…it’s a Vlad interview!”
Recap: Two of the best free-styler’s/rebuttal feen’s in the game, Chef Trez and Bangz, go at it on the iBattle stage and for the most part it’s a goodie with each battler flexing their off-the-dome skills (which allowed for some entertaining crowd participation) in between written’s that mostly engaged in your usual assortment of fierce mayhem, braggadocios lines and gritty punchlines. That said it’s Trez–way more consistently nice with his punches in the deciding 2nd round, while matching his opponent in impromptu shiners here and there, who takes the match in the end after also winning round 1.
Verdict: Chef Trez (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Chef Trez – “Speaking of bitches, your’s can learn this death lesson, I’ll body him then assault Bae…who think the Chef flexing?!”
Recap: Houston Bar Code 1-rounder between Holmzie Da God and Statz G sees Holmzie delivering one of his better rounds…ever, getting crazy lit with gritty punchlines, some turned up wordplay, well-crafted name flips and of course, healthy gun bars–a superb turn that stayed consistently fire throughout and easily beat back a solid, but filler-prone round from his opponent.
Verdict: Holmzie Da God (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Holmzie Da God – “I will beat your ass like Celebrity Death Match on MTV and keep beating your ass until I best of Statz [stats]…I’m the MVP!”
Recap: Black Ice Cartel delivers yet another dope 1-rounder here, this time between Showstoppa and a returning-to-the-scene Lotta Zay. And while the veteran Zay used a gang of nifty punchlines to drops a nice load of haymakers during his elongated but pretty solid turn, a slightly more consistent, performance-heavier and less reach/filler-prone Showstoppa came through with his own series of jaunty punches, witty barbs and righteous gun lines/name flips to edge this one.
Verdict: Showstoppa (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Showstoppa – “…then let the chrome spray and this ratchet hitting everything moving, she in her hoe phase!”
Recap: Despite both battlers struggling with their flow at times and making for debatable 2nd round, a lyrically bent J. Dose and a punchline-spazzing Prez Mafia still make for a solid 3-rounder on this KLBL card. However it’s Prez, consistently more potent and condensed overall, who easily takes teh 1st and 3rd rounds for the win.
Verdict: Prez Mafia (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Prez Mafia – “What’s popping Dose, let’s see if I can pull a Larkin off the belt [Bwoh!}, spin his head around, like he talking to himself!”
Recap: Roasting his more pedestrian opponent Ha Double with stinging personals (including reminders on the status of their current day battle rap careers since they started in the same PG class years back) and delivering his usual assortment of fiery punchlines and lofty schemes/gun bars that were matched by over-the-top aggression, in this 3-rounder from Bayou Battle League, Danny Myers takes the first two rounds here for the win before a more consistent Double’s braggadocio synergy and forthright punches/wordplay easily salvages the 3rd.
Verdict: Danny Myers (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Danny Nyers – “Go get that nigga Ha, it’s gonna be plen…[long pause] it’s gonna be plenty of trouble, oh y’all ain’t catch that?, I stumbled into a bar and said gimme a Double!”
Recap: Impressive showing by Drugz, who for 3 rounds brings a boatload of heated artillery from his noted ‘Gun Show’, yunno, visceral mayhem, fire 4-bar set-ups, lofty punchlines/personals.storytelling and of course, a load of righteous gun bars to unload on King Jables and after a debatable 1st round, beat back his solid and aggressive throughout, but not-quite-as-nice opponent in the latter two rounds and win this iBattleTV matchup.
Verdict: Drugz (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Drugz – “…bet things were going good on the job, then they gave him one of them late night shifts all to himself….shit went haywire, he call the bell(???), customers complaining, he put all the back pain relief medicine on the bottom shelf!”
Recap: Competitive and fierce 1-rounder between newly appointed, NWX member Don Marino and newly appointed Cave Gang member Bad Newz features a host of venom, airy gun semantics and hardbody punches from Newz. But a more versatile and slightly more consistent with the punches Marino–flexing with his storied Mexican bars, but also scoring with plenty of jaunty punchlines/personals, fire set-ups, some stinging Spanglish/hand-offs, witty barbs and a very rare rebuttal that he spit despite going 1st–gets the win here.
Verdict: Don Marino (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Don Marino – “How you gonna stop this?, that’s the mean bars, that scheme hard, not a Chico talking white like I applied for my Green card!”
Recap: Don Marino scores this one about right, using flexing personals, lofty gun bars, stinging name flips and a boatload of fiery punchlines (esp. during a spitfire round 2) to come from behind, take the latter two rounds and beat back a research-heavy, but after spazzing with fire/witty punches and personals in the first round, very inconsistent Jonny Storm.
Verdict: Don Marino (W) 2-1
Favorite line: Don Marino – “I said we could go to war, I could give him war, Tsu Surf said I look like the Uber driver?, that’s ‘cuz I bring the mil [meal] to ya door!”
Recap: A more condensed, punch-heavy turn to edge a favorable round 1 for both battlers, a gang of stunted ‘Your Honor’ flips, spirited gun bars, witty barbs/personals and some righteous undercutting on the vet tip, for Bill Collector it’s all there in this Banned Legacy 3 matchup against an opponent who after dishing a dope opener, faltered by relying too heavily on dated personals, which in turn contributed to a pair of sluggish rounds 2 and 3 as well as a 30 for BC.
Verdict: Bill Collector (W) 3-0
Favorite line: Bill Collector – “I woke up snapping…like a tough guy in the 50s!”
Recap: A wide array of piercing punchlines, crazy set-ups, stinging name flips, hard-hitting (“That box is past its Prime, you ship it out daily like Amazon!”) personals, hometown angles and wordplay-savvy zingers from Bonnie Godiva and RX makes for a dope battle here on the KOTD stage. Yet, in light of the slightly more overall punch-heavy RX taking round 2 after a debatable 1st, behind a round going into the 3rd, a spitfire, mid-round rebuttal by Bonnie would highlight a head-ringing turn that allowed the NY femcee to win the final round and make this battle a draw.
Verdict: Debatable
Favorite line: Bonnie Godiva – “Abortions are a women’s right…and honestly, you should try it!”
Recap: This 1-rounder from Kill Switch Battle League features another nice effort from Jersey vet Spee Dolla, who uses a gang of gritty punchlines/wordplay, some ill sacrilegious lines and a consistently spot-on flow to stay in the mix. But Th3 Saga, fresh off his battle on URL with Chef Trez, shows off his ability to bring his A-game regardless of what stage he’s on, combining a high energy performance with fire set-ups, some heated struggle bars/personals, devout religious speak, fiery punches/schemes and to his opponent’s chagrin, a boatload of potent name flips to get the win.
Verdict: Th3 Saga (W) 1-0
Favorite line: Th3 Saga – “Get in my face and B. Dot me the death, gonna be a tragic fate, ‘cuz everybody claim to be woke till I’m at a wake!”
