Rare Breed Entertainment. ⚖️
I look forward to the anticipation and ambience of this card’s prestige and thus will reserve any thoughts prior to simply enjoy all that this moment will entail as well as what I expect to be a highly competitive night of lyricism to come from it.
Matchup previews below- ⬇️
1. BLOOD.
“Is it wickedness? Is it weakness? You decide”
A funny piece of irony I found in the intro track of Kendrick’s 2017 classic is how much of a convenient tool of promotion that could be made of it with the skills and stylistics of one Ill Will. It almost transcribes as tailor made for him to spoof (not too late) into an entertaining segment and continue to fuel the campaign trails of build up for the inclement heavyweight bout between himself and RBE’s crown- Hitman Holla; that he often does so well ahead of the match. And as we’ve previously seen with JAG, I am almost certain he’d have fun with the theme and title of this opening monologue. Will usually aces the assignment of humor/banter.
As for the ring itself, well several components are at work for both artists worth mentioning. First things first, Hitman Holla. The first ballot hall-of-famer with the record books of Battle Rap history littered with his name has now been thrust into a public perception dilemma that honestly doesn’t seem to fit the crime. A victim of his own success, the crossover titan faces an uphill battle for pre-bout respect he’s already earned that we don’t typically see for such an iconic figure with the resume of his ilk within the climate of any sport. While it would be easy to liken to the world of boxing and deduce the reasoning for it to a fairweather collective fanbase that tends to eat it’s own as opposed to stand on the shoulders of it’s pillars more often I prefer in this exercise to diagnose the symptoms and how I feel they will be cured on this night. For one, let’s face facts. The money Mayweather braggadocio (though warranted in his case) isn’t for everybody. And while the tix sell no matter which side of the pendulum one finds themselves on the pressure for Holla as it was for Floyd is to be superb and undeniable with each bout. I wouldn’t say Hitman has failed the task in that regard but I will say he has left meat on the bone of scrutiny for those itching to do so at every turn. Despite that, I find it a bit more erratic of a critique than others. Cause prior to the consensus defeat many have on Holla’s jacket for the Eazy bout I can’t definitively say he’s suffered a ‘clear’ L while headlining as the face of RBE. Personally, I pointed Calicoe with the W for the Max Out 2 headline though the margins were far more split decision for the general public than decisive. And for Holla that is the ideal realm of target to dwell in when up against other elite of elite lyrical challengers. Which segues to the second symptom- the best couldn’t touch Floyd. The elite technician of legendary defensive masterclass made a storied career of this steady element. No one could ever really say they beat him up in the ring to make the fights outcome indelible. So who’s really done that to Holla on the RBE platform? I’d say none. Enter Ill Will. A man worthy of the right to try his might toward this feat while also battling the competitive rush of being the illest Ill on the card (more on that later). Well folks who better to try his hand at the treatment for the Hitman Holla top dawg supremacy belt of RBE than it’s current #1 contender. And that is in no way any slight towards Bigg K whom I feel may be on an even greater trajectory in the grand scheme but it is to say that Ill Will deserves this spot. He’s the man of many styles comfortable in any stance willing to make a match in his favor no matter the approach of his opponent. That in itself makes this bout one of the more intriguing factors for the card as a whole. Holla is cemented as a legacy fighter in lyrical combat and Will is the right guy to bring the fight to him with a legitimate shot to land the big one on one of the most elusive and difficult to defeat threats at the top of the tier based pyramid of Battle Rap pound for pound. So in the end what wins? The open jab v. Holla will always be the easiest angle yet the most ineffective. Yes, his monetary success and the split purse that comes with a Hitman bout will never be nothing to sneeze at no matter how many bars are crafted to deflect its importance. Simultaneously, at times Hitman does himself a disservice in my opinion with how overt the mention of it can appear when in reality his opposition for the night will 9/10 do that work for him and talk about his wealthy optics as homage so why oversell if you’re Him already? All in all the third headlined MaxOut for the St. Louis native figures to be the most dangerous in the pit style arena of close contact lyrical warring that is the blue room across from the versatile knockout artist that is Ill Will. Then again, Hitman Holla earned his stripes like the other two St. Louis bred legends in these exact battle-tested environments (how easy it is to forget) so who’s to say he isn’t right at home come Sep. 2nd? I say expect the unexpected when these two line it up. The KO potential for either side is certainly in play. 🧨
2. DNA.
“I got, I got, I got, I got
Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA
I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA
I got hustle though, ambition, flow inside my DNA
I was born like this, since one like this, immaculate conception
I transform like this, perform like this, was Yeshua new weapon
I don't contemplate, I meditate, then off your f**king head
This that put-the-kids-to-bed”
None more fitting to the theme here than the radio single track of most popular notoriety from the album “DAMN.” to the disposition and narration of Aye Verb towards Aaron Ward. Sense will be made on fight nite for sure and yet it seems as a neutral consumer you either can sense the brewing confidence on the exterior of this grudge match from Verb is a product of observation or a great pen camp. Or both, a scary sight if the case for A.Ward due to the fact this fight has a style.
Blue room. Pit style. Translation- who can stand up in the pocket and outlast the lyrical punishment of the other the best. This is an Aye Verb wheelhouse lyrically. And however one chooses to consume the theater of Verb’s billing of the match and card in totality, the gritty grudge feel and tone of the bout all but assures us the consumer of two things: a fiery effort of gumption from A. Ward we may have yet to witness and the aura of a battle legend unmoved by it standing across = 🍿. As one of the great counterpunchers of today’s field, Ward will have to resist the urge of Verb’s luring temptation to swap and exchange in the center and cut off Ward’s most effective tools. As we saw in the Bigg K bout, Ward has a matchup style an opponent can take that somewhat diffuses a lot of his strengths however the key here on this night will be to simply fight his fight and maintain the bout within his own wheelhouse without taking the route of reaching too far into the credential and credibility bag. Something Verb has no matter what the opined fan online may say. That is the advantage of being a vet and having a decade plus of your career played out on camera. To reach for straws is the risk of being taught. And while in this particular environment i’d have to imagine the weight of that measurable will be felt, as it should be. A.Ward should be mindful of that veiled component and I suspect he will be. What Ward has going for him is talent that cannot be denied nor diminished with the charisma of an exciting yet patient lyrical punch count that often overwhelms the eager opponent who resorts to the bait of their own confidence. Not to mention every thing usually said about the demographic reality of undertone associated with Ward is too often displayed as forcefed race bait. And what usually comes after a zealous overhand punch that leaves a fighter out of stance? A vicious counter combination. Or set of room shaking rebuttals in Ward’s case. Though in Verb’s case here is where I would caution skeptics and where I do side with Verb within the optics of the matchup. No battler with the resume of Aye Verb should ever be expected with that caliber of experience to approach a bout so unseasoned. It’s a lazy forecast that coincides with the fact that very often inexperience in the ring, or pit for that matter, can seduce younger battlers to attempt overkill toward a perceived advantage they only figure to have (he’s a white boy, the obvious) yet when done lazily soon turns into a backfiring feast for Ward’s dangerous counterpunches. Well this type of naivety should never apply to Aye Verb or anyone of his stature. And that sort of understanding should reflect in anyone’s tale of the tape or fight preview in my opinion. Also, I don’t think we as viewers should assume Verb has a set ideation for how to inflict lyrical damage in this bout. As we once saw with Brizz v. Loso, sometimes it’s the lack of credence and power of perception that you put toward the regard of the opponents obvious attack points that can land the best and most devastating yet subtle blows to the body. Look no further than- “The bible is a classic but it’s no Illmatic”, will stand in time as one of the crown jewel examples of this. In summary, much of A.Ward’s efforts to match the promotional marvel of Verb’s pre-fight mental tactics will prove futile and he should probably avoid that part of gaining the advantage. Many have tried and failed before him and no need. Ward’s fight in this bout has and always will be in between the lines. Can’t wait.
3. YAH.
“Buzzin', radars is buzzin'
Yah, yah, yah, yah”
IcePak is back don’t call it a comeback. Salute to that. If nostalgia still exists for consumer digestion in Battle Rap today it probably doesn’t get much better than a Yung Ill bout up against the rampage of a mean streak like no other for the 2023 SZN. Sometimes the conventional wisdom get tossed out and all bets are off. 🧊
What we know- Bigg K will not be receiving the return of a throwback legend with open arms and grace come Sep. 2nd. That we can be sure of. And with a potentially historic run of lyrical carnage on the desk for Bigg K thus far it is quite possible there will be little to discuss or vote on by year’s end as to who is Battle Rap’s MVP for this calendar year’s campaign. Which brings me to an earlier distinction I made for Bigg K when discussing Ill Will in how it may seem that the #1 contender for RBEs P4P top spot is Will’s to gain on this night, Bigg K could actually at present be the single most ferocious bout one can agree to take on out in those muddy terrains of A.R.P.’s blue room jungle. So, Yung Ill has every reason to feel honored by this designation and here’s why- the toughest fight he could be offered on RBE is this one. No better way to test the waters of the current climate than to fall into that pit with the dawg. And much like the assignment when faced with a scorching Brizz Rawsteen years ago, to come back into the battle space and opt for a drag out slugfest out the gate as opposed to a tune up just means that the man dubbed IcePak should be commended for such an ice cold approach to the field. With the implied caveat that to actually put a screeching halt to (with respect to T-Rex and whatever the outcome of that bout will be) K’s run at the moment would then open up possibilities for himself that could potentially shake up the landscape of RBE at the top as well as call for an Yung Ill resurgence in future bouts that may have lasting effects going into the 2024 SZN. Indeed radars should be buzzin. Both with anticipation and sheer euphoria for the unknown to come with a Legend’s re-introduction but also to what can emerge from it depending on the outcome. As someone personally thrilled to see this matchup roll out for announcement #3 when it did I must say IcePak will certainly have his work cut out for him with Bigg K however no matter the result the historians of the sport won with this bout being made and that in itself is always a great thing. Lastly, is Bigg K the overall P4P King, period?
4. ELEMENT.
“Years in the makin', and don't y'all mistake it
I got 'em by a landslide, we talkin' about races
You know this'll never be a tie, just look at their laces
You know careers take off, just gotta be patient”
Ah, the wrench in the works finally emerged after weeks of speculative posturing and build up. Though I think it’s possible the reveal actually missed the intended mark through no fault of their own for anyone involved. This bout in particular puts a button on the thematic operations of this cards earmarked gravitas for multiple reasons. One, Goodz is the exact type of battler Calicoe would not like to lose to and vice-versa. The competitive firmament of this clash comes equipped with the precise amount of God complex to fester a tone of substance both will want to put on full display and the genius of A.R.P. was that he took the big crowd away. Which now makes this fight what it should be- lyrical. The showmanship of both battlers could have very well (like we’ve seen before from both) taken this match into familiar shores of surface level humor and lackluster that the blue room aesthetic coupled with the prestige of the card itself will not allow. This is a win for we the consumers and the logistics favor to lean classic.
Calicoe shoud feel he lapped Goodz in battle stature from a competitive point of view. Whether that statement is more accurate than not isn’t the point as much as it serves as the tone-setter lead jab that sets the table of preparing for what will be the seminal moment when Goodz inevitably infers to Cal that he’s the little guy that got to thrive after he’d already furnished the setting and provided the tools. It’s the classic low man wins proposition in sports. You have to create the necessary leverage over your opponent by getting as low as possible to use as much strength as possible from the base or core of your body. Applied here in analogy is the body of work. How strong is the resume v. reservoir debate? Cal’s consistent propensity to take fights as a competitor has earned him a decorated jacket of achievements over time. Whereas in that same time the much more reserved adage for Goodz has been to brand as a top shelf commodity with rare usage. Though the difference this time around is that this bout should’ve ideally happened years ago and so Cal isn’t the latest new King on a tear that Goodz can make an appearance for who doesn’t have what he has- time vested coupled with established and refined value. Cal himself is a throwback who has as many if not more stamps of approval on his resume to cross-reference. And there is no stage setting to make light of those points through humorous and entertaining one-liners that can often disarm the opposing battler when lent to heavy crowd engagement and swung momentum. A Goodz specialty that he’d perfected over time. Enter the blue room. Where both will have plenty of space and opportunity to explore the depths of where those strategies can take them however at every turn is a route back to the start- the art. So what is the base for each artist- a hustler’s ambition. Within a pit style designed to hear it’s nuances from both battlers. There we find their lyrical commonalities in speech parallel in this format though the way in which it will be expressed here makes for an intriguing merge point at the peak of each of their strategic rhymeforce and deliveries. Once there it is the victor of that approach that will determine who ultimately wins out.
5. FEEL.
“I feel like debated on who the greatest can stop it
I am legend…feel like all it take is a second to feel like
Mike Jordan whenever holdin' a real mic”
An underrated gem will be unearthed with this one. Looking forward to it. Any bout ripe with the potential for grown man wisdom sold me at the promo drop. This is no different. And features two gentleman that resemble a lost art. Follow.
How does one capture the feel and presence of the room in public speaking? In short- MC’ing is the highest form of it and these two guys just get it. Rare Breed blue rooming this adult conversation is just dope and multi-faceted. I often find myself transcribing the work from Wolf and reading over the lyricism and saying to myself- my uncle would appreciate this. The HipHop head that my kin is makes me wonder at times where the foundation of things so many of our beloved and great thinkers built with this art form actually went. And I think Battle Rap is seriously running the risk of losing the plot when it comes to this as well. A mildly disappointing revelation when considering the unspoken fact that the Battle Rap platform is where HipHop’s lyricism came to die. Or see it’s second wind. In knowing that brings me to ShowOff. The demeanor of poet that to me on the surface embodies the spirit (both in battle and general flow of conversation) of a few qualities that once held supreme value within the dynamic of our collective community not just in the arts but in life as well. Such as have some integrity about yourself, adorn women, and have some hands that work. A man’s man if you will. Where the character of someone should determine their aura. Similarly in the Wolf’s speech (in bout as well as flow of conversation) you hear a similar yet stylistically different sentiment being rhymed and I usually find it refreshing that this construct can still exist today with opportunity to show it’s necessary balance. In earnest I implore that Battle Rap should never lose sight of bouts like this one will be or if such is the case, concede that the beginning of the end of it has commenced at that point in time… But on to the particulars. Show is very self-explanatory and tends to deliver one of the better battles (both sides) consistently card in and card out of late (see v. Jag/Chef Trez) and has a chance to do so again alongside the Harlem architect Head I.C.E.. Another RBE classic for the resume of the hall-of-famer would be in order here. End of day, some bouts are for purists and have little implications into battle rankings and hierarchy and are just meant to be dope art for the people. This one has that type of ethos to me. Sidenote, both of these men are about to put on a masterclass in controlling the room. Enjoy. 💎
6. LOYALTY.
“My resume is real enough for two millenniums
A better way to make a wave, stop defendin' them
I meditate and moderate all of my wins again”
And closing out the main event side of the card is the ladies. Much respect. The debut appearance of RX to the RBE program will take place in the blue pit. Dope. Her opponent- the very disrespectful Queen of saying mean & inexplicable things.
This should be fun. 💣
This bout presents like a wildcard I would imagine to some. But to me not so much. RX as the aesthetically beautiful assassin will fare well if not outright eventful with the Black Diamond who knows no bounds. QB will test every limit in this back and forth as expected and will teeter the lines of both reckless word association as well as shameless flirtation. And consumers will return entertained mixed reviews of it per the norm though I think something that went under the radar a while back due to extending factors (her bout with 40 B.A.R.R.S.) was that QB turned a corner with the A. Ward bout lyrically in my opinion and showed excellent range of capability. And though she suffered an end result many do when Ward does what he does best since then QB has turned in several lyrically elevated performances that a tit for tat with someone the likes of RX may shed a new light on should she take the same approach. Very interested to see which QB presents here with the upper-hand of having prior blue room experience and a set expectation from the viewership for what she brings to the table. Enter RX. This is a genuine take- could this be the biggest bout of her career to date since KOTD? Yes I know she sparred with Jaz the Rapper this year however would this RBE performance mark the first time since those KOTD performances where the scale of competition figures to be a true style clash in a rugged setting that can bring the highest potential of RX’s performance out? I could be wrong. Or just jumping the gun here. Furthermore, I should probably just let this one play out and gather more prospective from the breakdown to examine the lyricism aspect.
In closing,
Did not get to see the prelim side of the card announced prior to the publishing of this article but all good. Looking forward to the reveal of those matchups as well.
MaxOut 3 is almost upon us. Much respect to the RBE platform for the night of Rap to come. Should be one for the books! Thank you readers. Appreciated. 💯
Til next time.
P.ess
A.R.P.
The intelligence of Mr. RBE on the surface comes across quite impressive as I have personally found his blog series of the past year or two to be very compelling and indicative of the reputation his brand carries. You have to love it when one plus two makes sense ya know. Underneath the surface on a deeper plane I find that just as historic and polarizing the experience of the event itself I expect to be I can’t help but covet the opportunity to see the mystique of the most interesting figurehead of the battle community in action under the bright blue light anthem. Now I know in the past Aye Verb has staked claim to the Von Doom moniker as one of many entertaining marketing ploys over the years however if I may i’d like to one day in the near future borrow the correlation in reference to the man of acronym and deep dive how the perceived villain is almost always the nobleman.
To be continued…
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