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Top Battle Rappers of The Decade, Best of 2019, Top Events, and What Phenoms in the Culture Made the Most Impact

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A new year, a new decade and for The Source that means a few new lists.

As we prepare for another year of outstanding coverage of battle rap culture, we pause to salute those who have made an exceptional mark throughout last year. But before we get into all of that… before the culture gets mad because their favorite emcee was left off the list… before people accuse us of being biased and no knowing what we are talking about… before battle rap outlets throw shots because we are treading in their territory… we have painstakingly created five superlative lists tipping our hats to those emcees that have invested their blood, sweat, and tears into the culture, making at least our staff and readers actually want to tune in.

This time it’s not just the “Top 20 Battle Rappers of the Year” and the “Top Battle Rap Events,” but it is also the “Top 10 Impact Makers in Battle Rap,” the “Top 5 Battle Rap Media Outlets” and those that we consider “Catalyst Superstars: Top 20 Battle Rappers of The Decade.”

TOP 20 BATTLE RAPPERS OF THE YEAR

(1) Geechi Gotti

(2) Ill Will

(3) Rum Nitty

(4) K-Shine

(5) Chess

(6) Ave

(7) Nu Jerzey Twork

(8) Th3 Saga

(9) Danny Myers

(10) DNA

(11) Aye Verb

(12) John John

(13) Chef Trez

(14) JC

(15) Shotgun Suge

(16) O’fficial

(17) Franchise

(18) Tay Roc

(19) Math Hoffa

(20) Ms. Fit

Honorable Mentions: Bill Collector, Ace Amin, Dre Denis, Don Morino, O-Red, Shooney da Rapper (again), Swamp and Mike P.

TOP BATTLE RAP EVENTS

(1) NOME 9

(2) Summer Impact

(3) Volume 5

(4) Resolution

(5) Pearly Gates 3

Honorable Mentions: Born Legacy 8, Ladies and Gents, Town Business 2, Banned Legacy 1 and Respect the Shooter.

TOP 10 IMPACT MAKERS IN BATTLE RAP

(1) Cassidy: The way he impacted the cultured with his promotion and sheer presence.

(2) John John Da Don: “Go Get It!” Showed that just because you tell us you are ready, doesn’t mean you are (no matter how much they push you to the front.)

(3) Ms. Fit: Arguably body of the year; made everyone pay attention to female battle rap again… Also history-making battle (fastest to hit 1M on QOTR YouTube channel). Debo send her some flowers and an additional check.

(4) Goodz: Broke Cassidy’s undefeated record. STATEMENT MADE TO INDUSTRY RAPPERS: Just because you think you can come into the battle rap arena you can’t. This is a whole different ballgame.

(5) DNA: Won 25K on Live on BET, showing the industry the slickness of modern-day emcee battle culture.

(6) Tsu Surf: Being battle rap’s biggest superstar/ mogul. Books (House in Virginia made Amazon Urban AA Lit #1, Seven25 charting record with single “What Changed” on radio mid-level HOT 97 rotation, Blood Cuzzins over 5 Million Streams on YouTube, Spotify and Apple in 3 weeks and still most sought after battler in the industry.

(7) Chess: After Tsu Surf got locked up and Tay Roc was in need of a partner, with less than two weeks prep stepped in and redeemed himself fully by slaying two dragons. No one remembers that he used to throw-up during battles now… all we remember is them damn shell cases and how he put fear in the eyes of two bonafide Mt. Rushmore candidates.

(8) URL APP: Game Changer having all other leagues doing power meetings and going back to the drawing board. The move made them free and independent from YouTube and allowing them to monetize fully their brand through what appears to be a network producing original programming, high impact battles and giving real estate to smaller leagues. The trues GOATs of the industry.

(9) My Expert Opinion: Math Hoffa shows that a battle rapper can transition out of the performance space and find a comfortable seat as a host on the premiere battle rap talk show. Takes a page from NORE’s Drink Champs and Joe Budden’s self-titled podcast, he, HipHopIsReal’s Knowledge tha God and Ms. Fit produces a weekly show with celebrity guests to talk everything from battle rap to politics, relationships and pop culture.

(10) Summer Impact Reloaded: Biggest conversation in battle rap, making everyone concerned about the violent state of culture. Hindered the most anticipated return off Murda Mook and potentially stopped SMACK/URL from doing business in New York ever again.

TOP 5 BATTLE RAP MEDIA OUTLETS

(1) Champion (Jay Blac, Drie, Anwar, Reda, Mark Jamgochian and Debo)

(2) HipHopIsReal (Knowledge tha God, Noo Barzz, Tr4 French, Eelite and Shoota da God)

(3) 15MOFE (Uncle Rah, Nikki Knowledge, and Finesse en Chill)

(4) My Expert Opinion (Math Hoffa, Ms. Fit, Knowledge tha God, and Space Ghost)

(5) Vada Fly (Vada Fly and ShoTime SP, the Nobody that Knows Bodies)

Honorable Mentions: BattleRapTrap, Angry Fans (get better), PSAHipHOP, RapMatic, Let’s Talk Battle Rap, Versetracker and Battle Rap Stats.

CATALYST SUPERSTARS: TOP 20 BATTLE RAPPER OF THE DECADE

(1) Arsonal

(2) DNA

(3) Tay Roc

(4) K-Shine

(5) Hitman Holla

(6) Tsu Surf

(7) Charlie Clips

(8) T-Rex

(9) Dizaster

(10) Jaz the Rapper

(11) Loaded Lux

(12) Murda Mook

(13) Hollow Da Don

(14) Aye Verb

(15) Goodz

(16) Head Ice

(17) Pat Stay

(18) Ms. Hustle

(19) Cortez

(20) JC

Honorable Mentions: Math Hoffa, Ill Mac, E Hart, Calicoe, QB Diamond, John John, Iron Solomon, 40 B.A.R.R.S.

These lists are incredibly subjective, but we did comb over votes from fans, battlers, league owners, media outlets and other execs. The lists are also intended to promote conversation and to put a fire under people’s asses. Can’t wait to see what the next year will bring, and we are grateful for a full year of flame worthy battles. It is important to note further, that many other leagues and individuals could have made the list this year but there are just not enough spaces 1- 5, 1 – 10 or 1 -20 to put everyone in. In fact, just consider folk like Math, Ill Will, and Saga who had poor showings on last year’s list, but are basking in the glow of victory this year. It’s more than The Source’s lists… it is all of your lists. You all have the same opportunities to add to the numbers as our staff.

Let’s see how everyone steps their game up in 2020.

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RBE Gives Vets like Bonnie Godiva and Hitman Holla “Closure,” But Will Beef Really Be Squash?

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Rare Breed Entertainment has given platform to some of the most entertaining cards over the last two years.

With its last card, they gave some form of closure to the two headliners, Math and Hollow Da Don. The contest was hard and heavy, and it most have inspired the evil scientist over there at RBE to cook up another card with a roster just as intriguing. Seems like this is the league that let’s The Vets get off their chest anything the has been bothering them since the YouTube age of battling has taking off. While everyone is focusing on Charlie Clips and Math Hoffa, another battle connected to the Diz debacle in Cali, there are two battles newer fans have no idea of the source of their conflict.

Take the Hitman Holla battle versus Bill Collector. This grudge match has been brewing since way back at Summer Madness 2, when Holla’s brother Show-Out beat the Norristown emcee up. Bill Collector got pretty roughed up, and the cats from St. Louis believed that he deserved it. According to Hitman Holla, Bill Collector is a troll. During one of his rants, BC threatens to “rob” him (internet thugging). He never forgot that. When the two of them see each other at an event – Bill Collector still was talking slick.  That was all it wrote and Show got busy. While it seems like the Wild N’ Out superstar shouldn’t be bothered, it will be great to see him back on stage cooking.

Listen to Hitman talk about explain the source of the beef and then see the outcome. This battle takes this energy from almost 7 years ago, and puts it on the stage.

But these two are not the only ones with real beef that needs to be cooked. Bonnie Godiva and QB Black Diamond are seriously in need of closure. The root of this battle, like the other one starts with someone saying something sideways about their family member.  Bonnie’s aunt got into an argument with QB. QB, who is known for her disrespect, was making fun of her for being transgender, and in the middle of going back and forth on the demon called social media, they tagged Bonnie. According to Bonnie, QB almost used the back and forth with the aunt as a ruse to get at her since she did not like Godiva from the beginning. At a Queen of The Ring battle, it was on and popping.

Listen to Bonnie explain all the happened that night. It seems again, that this platform could help squash this back and forth and give it some closure. #Funfact Bonnie also appeared on a season of Wild N’ Out.

QB Black Diamond does not do too many blogs, but she has been getting loose on Twitter:

Closure takes place this Saturday, May 4th from 1pm to 8pm at the Music Room in Atlanta, GA. Tickets and the PPV are still available.

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Five Rap Battles Announced That We’re Looking Forward to in 2019

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On paper, the rap battle lineups are exceptional. Just judging off the battles that have already been announced, leagues are looking to the culture of battle rap to the next level. Let’s take a quick look at five of the top battles that have caught our eyes this year.

Loaded Lux vs. Aye Verb

Harlem legend Loaded Lux is set to make his long-awaited return to SMACK / URL. This year, he will do so by at NOME 9 in Houston, Texas against St Louis’ Aye Verb.  Without doubt one of the greatest battle rappers of all-time, news of Lux’s return to the world’s biggest battle rap stage has sent fans in a frenzy.  This is a battle that fans have wanted to see for some time, but not as much as Verb. The vegan vet has been chasing this battle his entire career. Facing a formidable opponent in Aye Verb, whose last year battle on RBE with Murda Mook might have chiseled his face in many people’s Mt. Rushmore, “Beloved” may have his work laid out for him.

Loaded Lux has previously battled in the SMACK/URL DVD era against Midwest Miles (aka Young Miles in 2006), and most famously against Murda Mook over eight rounds back in November 2003 in the Bronx. Lux then went on to battle half a dozen times on the now defunct 106 & Park on BET in 2009. In the most modern era post-SMACK DVD on URL TV, Lux headlined Summer Madness 2 against a young Calicoe in a classic, had a very tough battle against Charlie Clips on a heated Summer Madness 5 three years later in 2015, a classic versus Hollow Da Don on UW in 2014, a rematched with Murda Mook on Eminem’s Total Slaughter in 2014 and most recently battling Arsonal Da Rebel on UW mid last year for Arsonal’s then supposed retirement battle.

Verb will be no easy opponent by any stretch of the imagination for Lux. The experienced Verb has had near 50 battles on camera over the last decade since the Grind Time era on multiple platforms. He has stood on that stage and like Lux also faced off against Charlie Clips, Hollow Da Don, Arsonal, T-Rex, Midwest Miles (twice) and of course most recently with Murda Mook in a performance which really made its own case for him to now face Lux. Aye Verb’s complete battle resume is one of the most impressive overall, having also battled the likes of K-Shine, Math Hoffa, O-Red, Pat Stay, Hitman Holla, Dizaster, Tsu Surf, Cortez, Goodz amongst dozens of others.

This battle has been long in the making for seven-plus years already, and Verb’s recent strong showing against Mook coupled with strong fan support for this battle to go down now means the time is now finally right for Lux to greenlight it. The battle means a lot to both, a Lux win will really see him cement his place at the top end of battle rap table while a win for Aye Verb would really rattle battle rap.

Goodz vs. Cassidy

Platinum-selling Philadelphia legend Cassidy makes his long-awaited return to battle rap, this time debuting on the URL stage versus Bronx legend Goodz. This will be Cassidy’s first battle since his controversial encounter with Los Angeles- based battler Dizaster four years ago at the FilmOn.TV’s “Ether” event in LA, with consensus giving that battle to Cassidy 2-1 in an overall disappointing battle plagued by technical issues that failed to live up to the lofty hype surrounding such a potential classic showdown.

Goodz over the last 15 years has battled the likes of URL’s current top gunner Tay Roc, T-Top, Aye Verb (hosted by Jadakiss), X-Factor, Hollow Da Don, Rone, Hitman Holla, K-Shine, Jae Millz, Conceited, Head I.C.E, Tech 9, Rich Dolarz as well as Cassidy more so at the beginning of his career. Goodz is currently in top form, coming off a very strong performance against a formidable Tay Roc in Houston at NOME 8.

Hollow Da Don vs. Math Hoffa

With the personal grudge match of NYC legend Hollow Da Don facing off one-time close confident in infamous Bronx legend Math Hoffa, fans can expect a heavy-hitting encounter full of personals from two of the cultures best over the last decade with an unlimited third round sure to expose all and more on RBE’s Pearly Gates 3 card in mid-February.

Charlie Clips vs. Nu Jerzey Twork

One of the most random matches off the stacked SMACK Volume 4 card, New York’s Charlie Clips returns from Wild ‘N Out and collaborating with Nick cannon to the URL stage to take one the most electrifying performer in battle rap at the moment, Nu Jersey Twork. After a very strong year mixed with a couple of chokes, no-shows and stumbles, a consistent Twork in 2019 could see him cement his name as one of the most feared battlers while Clips is here to prove why he is still an active legend. RANDOM but potentially great.

Head I.C.E vs Chilla Jones

The long-awaited title match for the chain on King Of the Dot pits Harlem legend and reigning champion Head I.C.E vs. one of Boston’s finest in the schemin’ Chilla Jones at KOTD’s World Domination 8 event in London.  The style clash on foreign soil is sure to be a strong battle after the match-up was already previously postponed once.

Honorable Mentions – the whole SMACK Volume 4 card, Yung Ill vs. Ill Will on RBE, Arsonal vs. Soul (UK) on KOTD.

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