Essential The Official Battle Rap Random Thoughts Thread (URL, KOTD, UW etc...)

Big Jo

Big Jo

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Phillyrider807 said:
Yea if ARP really out the game and this is what we got. shyt is ass out here

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Ya like I don’t even understand the point of this card. Feels like a bunch of throwaway matches and battles for the sake of it.

Now I’m not really up to date on all things battle rap so please correct me if I’m wrong. But seeing a card like this, I dont see why anybody would even care to watch it.

Man battle rap is down bad. 10 years ago or so there was a really nice buzz around every card and exciting trajectory over all. the industry really could have exploded but URL didn’t have strong business acumen. Also the battlers were streaky and flakey and didn’t show much business sense either. Lux and Hollow squeezed UDUBB for every penny to where that league shut down. Nobody saw it as a long term, growth play. Could have gotten many more bags from UDUBB if they were less greedy up front. Ironically only Math ended up leaving BR and getting it right.

In an alternate timeline we’d have battle rap shows on Netflix, HBO etc and it would be akin to MMA or pro wrestling (mainstream, monthly cards, hyped matches, meet and greets, etc). Instead as somebody else said Tay Roc is battling nobodies to pay rent.
 
TheWiseWon

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FreshAIG said:
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Glad to see Banks touch on his transition from being a punchline rapper to his present style.
Big Jo said:
Ya like I don’t even understand the point of this card. Feels like a bunch of throwaway matches and battles for the sake of it.

Now I’m not really up to date on all things battle rap so please correct me if I’m wrong. But seeing a card like this, I dont see why anybody would even care to watch it.

Man battle rap is down bad. 10 years ago or so there was a really nice buzz around every card and exciting trajectory over all. the industry really could have exploded but URL didn’t have strong business acumen. Also the battlers were streaky and flakey and didn’t show much business sense either. Lux and Hollow squeezed UDUBB for every penny to where that league shut down. Nobody saw it as a long term, growth play. Could have gotten many more bags from UDUBB if they were less greedy up front. Ironically only Math ended up leaving BR and getting it right.

In an alternate timeline we’d have battle rap shows on Netflix, HBO etc and it would be akin to MMA or pro wrestling (mainstream, monthly cards, hyped matches, meet and greets, etc). Instead as somebody else said Tay Roc is battling nobodies to pay rent.
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I agree with all of this, but at the same time, comparing battle rap to other industries is what may be its downfall. With the subject matter being contained in a few areas, we are seeing how nonstop battles have diluted the product and the talent pool. No words are necessary to enjoy combat sports.

One thing that always puzzled me is URL not owning a venue (or multiple) and renting it out to generate residual income to invest in offshoot revenue streams in and outside of battle rap. The prospect of getting kicked out of venues should have been foreign to them years ago.

At this point, we might need linguists, poets, etc. to step into the fray to shake things up because the formula of battle rap is stale. The "wow" factor is gone because the separation between fans and battlers gets increasingly smaller as the talent compromises itself for the sake of the fan.

Not too sure what the answer is, but we are four months into 2024, and we may see some bloggers on the Champion of the Year list.
 
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