battles of the month
This month was really solid for battle rap; nothing worthy of the “classic” title, but a lot of solid back-and-forth
barfests with a lot of replay value. Between URL’s Ultimate Freestyle Friday, KOTD’s Blackout 4, and iBattle’s
Allegiance 2, the battle rap world had plenty to talk about. Here are the nominees for 100 Bars Magazine’s Battle
of the Month for April 2014.
KOTD - Rum Nitty vs. Cali Smoov
If he wanted to, Rum Nitty could’ve easily dismissed Cali Smoov and saved all of his best bars for B. Magic
at Vendetta 2. However, in true emcee fashion, Nitty used this battle to keep his sword sharp, displaying his
impressive, yet somehow effortless pen game. For those who didn’t know him before, this was a breakout
battle for Cali Smoov who, like Nitty, displayed an equally strong pen game. The internet seems split over
who actually won, but in this era of promo battles that hardly matters.
KOTD - 100 Bulletz vs. J-Pro
This battle was another one of Blackout 4’s saving graces. In addition to bringing strong bars, J-Pro took
this battle as an opportunity to personally break down Bulletz’s style. Bulletz brought a plethora of bars as
well, but was visibly miffed at KOTD not giving him a bigger name. Whether or not Bulletz agrees, this
battle was one of April’s best. As far as calling a winner, J-Pro decisively won, but one wonders what this
battle’s full potential could’ve been if Bulletz had taken J-Pro seriously.
Black Ice Cartel - Heartless vs. 100 Bulletz
100 Bulletz seemed much happier about battling Heartless, because he brought a much stronger pen
game here than he did against J-Pro. Heartless doesn’t battle much anymore, but when he does he doesn’t
disappoint. He brought his signature SONS-style wordplay to this battle and the consensus seems to be that
he won. My only complaint here is that the Wisconsin crowd in attendance was virtually dead during the
battle, missing a good majority of the bars that deserved reaction.
URL - Ty Law vs. Prez Mafia
This battle, from URL’s collaboration with BET for Ultimate Freestyle Friday, has been the target of a good
deal of controversy. The internet consensus seems to be that Ty Law not only won, but won decisively
with his elite-level pen game. If there was one thing that you argue cost Ty the battle, it was the miniscule
pause he took in the third round, followed by an “aw, man” which could be perceived as a choke. Some are
arguing that the stumble wasn’t what cost Ty the battle, but rather his lack of showmanship compared to his
opponent. Prez Mafia brought a combination of bars, showmanship, and delivery that won over the BET
judges. Whether or not you agree with the decision, you can’t deny that both Ty and Prez are in the top five
of the 2014 URL PG class.
iBattle - Chilla Jones vs. Blackheart Adonis
One might say this battle was to determine the “King of New England”, pitting Boston’s Chilla Jones
against Connecticut’s Blackheart Adonis. Some were surprised that Chilla took this battle against Team
Punchline’s captain. However, the battle was nothing short of great, as Chilla did not take the battle lightly
and neither did Blackheart. If you are a fan of schemes and associative wordplay, this is the battle for you. I
personally think it’s a clear win for Chilla, but others online make a strong case for Blackheart.
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