The Art of Rap: Summer Madness Edition
“It’s starting to feel like Summer Madness again.” Calicoe
Indeed. The captivating slogan heard bellowing through the Bayou Music Center just as it was from a downtown Houston cab passing me by as fans arrived in droves to take part in the cultural imprint the Ultimate Rap League has grown to newer heights with each year for the better part of two decades. As the performance art acapella cadence themed lyrical fest returns to the theatric stage it knows best, so does perhaps the biggest and most prestigious event in all of battle rap culture- Summer Madness. Returning to a place it knows all too well- Houston, TX. Fresh off of hiatus due to climate changes and environmental conditions, the sport of Battle Rap returns to immerse itself within what is expected to be a raucous arena of eager fans ready to once again take center stage. There you will find a crowd of several thousand eager to reimagine and experience the one-of-a-kind rhyme cadence the Ultimate Rap League has to offer. As I scribe and wax poetic my affinity for Hip-Hop here on this platform, I feel inclined to do the artists performing on this stage their just due description, with respect to their unique craft. Said to say I preface, in my humble opinion the upper echelon of Battle Rap may indeed house many of the most skilled lyricist Rap at large has to offer. Therein lies the question so when will the slang of battle culture collide with the forefront of recognition within the community of hip hop as a whole? As a subculture of a larger ethnic ethos, the time has arrived to prose the question to Battle Rap--what did I learn from it? My optimistic vantage suggests if ever there were a subcultural influence equipped to shift the intellectual focus of entertainment from impotent ideation with no clear direction into mechanically engineered lyrics, rhymes, moments, and a good time; it’s the Battle Rap stage as well as it’s intimate communal vibe. The ecosystem of Hip Hop’s mind can thrive within the aesthetics of 3 round Surf. Motivated Mook. Anything Lux. There is something especially powerful about the way two artists can stand before one another and bring resolution to conflict. And entertain thousands up close. Tens of thousands at home. And engage a wider audience even Smack White may have never imagined from humble beginnings all those years ago. I for one indeed hope and aspire to see such a reality come to past for a collection of the best storytellers Hip Hop can produce. I will stay tuned.
TwoCent
Anyhow, let’s review the event!
Editorial: in review SM11
Synopsis: perhaps the event itself underperformed to it's rich standards comparatively to when expectation meets road. Long hiatus. Much anticipated return. Not to mention the URL picked up a significant partnership with Caffeine along the way back to capacity events. The standard will always be high as the platform itself continues its upward trajectory and thus wider audiences create often a frenzied desire. Fair or not I think we can all agree the Houston environment gave this event every opportunity and respect it deserved to be a classic moment for Battle Rap. Whether or not that sentiment will be or has been shared from the consensus there are many positive and notable outcomes available to highlight from SM11 as we will do here.
First up-
TSU Surf: “You know I’m surgical with this b*tch Jake.” Surf strikes again. As perhaps the most polarizing and equally dangerous figurehead artist within the URL culture, Surf’s well documented mishaps and faulty battle outcomes are well noted and won't be expounded upon here. Instead the operative point of view today will be to beg the question: What motivates TSU Surf to perform to his abilities? The complete 3 round display of Surf’s all-around game demonstrated a masterpiece from Surf that unfortunately for him only leaves many to ponder- why can’t Surf give us 30 every night? Such is Life at the level of performance Tsu Surf has transcended his captivating prowess on the URL over the years. Culminating into a two-sport Rap star, Surf’s ability to bend a crowd to his will was on full display in the heart of downtown Houston. Bearing witness, the range of which the talent of a Surf carries in performance cannot be undersold by his opponent. Peep the duffy- the well-timed voice inflection schemes. The vivid imagery punches with stage presence precision. The unique craft of quick-burst jabs that lead to quotable room-shakers. Not to mention the demonstrative confidence of delivery visibly accentuating the theatrics of what lands subliminally as the superpower of Surf- his momentum picks apart and pokes holes in the theory of his opponent the better he performs. On this day John John ran into a glass door (and perhaps a glass ceiling) in pursuit of something shiny. Except, he may have (like the culture often does) neglected to consider enough- motivated Tsu Surf don’t miss. The mark of being the prodigious blend of every style battle rap appreciates has mired Surf into a Universe of his own. Enigmatic as he may be to some in perception, the talent becomes readily evident that otherworldly skill takes one further than it doesn’t. Kyrie/Surf. Say what you will but the show is truly unique. And you’re going to watch. High expectations going forward will ensue for the Newark product. My advice: expect nothing. Enjoy the unexpected.
And this completes my Tsu Surf appreciation portion of the editorial review.
Eazy the Block Captain: Eazy the Block Captain does Battle Rap the correct way. The methodical pre-meditation of his battle choices reveal a man possessed with the idea of catapulting himself into the highest air of Battle Rap royalty one precise hit at a time. And though this process may be correct and most rewarding on its face it is by no means everyone’s recommended path. But it works for Eazy. The sudden yet calculated rise of Eazy the Block Captain has gained significant traction and acknowledgement from the battle rap collective as the Philly MC continued his upward trajectory of the URL ladder. With a sharp and tactical approach toward a formidable opponent in what had been billed heading in as a very necessary measuring stick bout for Eazy, the Block Captain demonstrated his tempered layers of missile projectile truth serum rounds versus the vivid and descriptive electric jabs Chess delivers with rapidity when in rhythm. Well- Eazy is here to stay and he said so himself. Who are we to think otherwise after 6 rounds of brilliance between he and Chess in what will almost assuredly be filed under the heralded *classic* catalog of Summer Madness history. I think it is safe to say Eazy put any and all potential worry of his ability to carry a stage to rest and proved unequivocally how essential his presence belongs as the quiet kept predator of the New Era URL stalking each prey with intent to complete the objective at all cost. Message to ALL: Eazy the Block Captain is new to the adoration but make no mistake he’s no new kid on the block. The veteran presence Eazy carries into battles with landmark veterans of the URL culture indicates an awareness of an artist rarely seen in his contemporary peer climate and if there was a sliver of doubt before, I think the field is fully aware now. Take an Eazy the Block Captain at your own peril. Prepared you will be. And a battle you will face. We the people will enjoy it all. Eazy has his picks. Who’s the next pillar up for the challenge? Goodz? Feet to the fire brings out the competitive zeal of the best of them. Eazy’s burgeoning career On the URL embodies this approach beautifully. Expect more to come.
PenGod: “Precision aim if you run cause we do motion picks/”
Chess: The shape shifting Bronx, NY rhyme beast once again revealed himself on a big platform as an entrenched force on the shortlist of URL artists capable of magnifying a lyrically intriguing bout into a memorable staple of battle culture worthy of revisiting and replaying over and over throughout time. Chess brash moxy and raspy overtone when delivering layered rounds of trials and tribulation content create perhaps the most quintessential element to be had in the sport of lyrical sparring aside from of course substance- moments. Chess raps moments. How many can say that? And if you can’t then you want to as an artist. Chess like many others of his ilk, pours into his Rap aura with a pedigree of thought-provoking power in conviction a spectator sport like Battle Rap truly covets. Chess’ ability to leave passion on the stage makes for a catered embrace from a captivated crowd that much more impressive each time he delivers and gives the entire culture a piece of his mind to take home with them. That is indeed the mark of a great performer. Chess wears the badge well as many within the culture expected his bout with Eazy to add to the stored collection of his aged yet still ripe with potential URL catalog as his career begins to pick up significant steam once again. If Chess personal benchmark for 2021 was to set the stage for a tier rise in 2022 i'd say mission accomplished.
PenGod: “I done been thru every level, a whole lot/”
Lu Castro- Lu Era. Brolic. The wild strong entertainment moniker of the artist better known as Lu Castro deserves proverbial flowers in this review. He translates. He dazzles the stage with energy and presence and with time will become an edge-of-your-seat type of electric performer the eye of the beholder generally enjoys the most on the mainstage (see Tsu Surf). That matters. He provides the attributes of a performance-heavy MC coupled with lyrical wit, comedic relief to keep an audience engaged, and aesthetic appeal to land tactical punches at their crescendo while working to earn the roaring reaction he garners as segue into signature/crowd participation (see Twork). Aye Big Dogg will be a staple room-shaker of URL cards for years to come with the Bronx, NY native at the helm. Word of advice for Lu Castro- “I'm boutta wildout” scratch that. Please stop telling your audience what they already know while setting a precedent that should probably be bestowed unto you as opposed to self-imposed. Wild out Lu is already distinct from the previous two rounds in the battle, see the impromptu charisma and unrattled composure of your fan favorite potential in the way that you handle the vet tactics of Ars with his phone and flip it. You have Battle Rap superpowers to discover more and more with each crack at a main stage and you've earned the right to land heavy room shakers with lead ups that your audience wants to enjoy without being prompted to prematurely. You did your work already Lu, let it work for you now. Because of this, Lu demonstrated in a very entertaining battle with Arsonal his tremendous potential going forward on main cards as well as what the advantageous growth of his stock could mean for higher profile battlers looking to give the culture a classic down the line. See below.
(Sidebar: The challenge has been issued Lu Castro. The stage is set. The criteria seems apparent. “Spend the next 20+ months continuing to build your profile on main stages (both in and out of battle rap with a burgeoning music catalog developing quite nicely). Go on a crazy run, promo yourself as the headliner of several cards in that time and make me come outside for SM13.”)
-Surf, probably.
Geechi Gotti- Presently, The face of the URL experienced highs & lows during his bout w/Calicoe. A haymaker paradise of a second round will be slightly overshadowed for some by a debatable first and a choppy third round which seemed to have real traction early on before ultimately succumbing to a round he’d have to punch through make due and call it a day. Respect to Geechi Gotti for always respecting the craft and completing the objective. However, with rather obvious foreshadowing of several Lux(?) lines and bar references I think it may be fair to consider Geechi may have done some looking ahead of this matchup toward the bigger situation approaching. And who wouldn’t? It’s not every day you stand in front of the G.O.A.T. He’ll need much more for Loaded. He knows that. I fully expect better game tape to emerge from his next one. Note- consideration. Not that such a thing necessarily exists from the prism of fandom but a man evolving on a personal level and a spousal level often seeps to the surface of any individual and your favorite battler is no different. TwoCent*
Calicoe- There is no personality or character in Battle Rap like Calicoe. He uses wrestling for reference in regards to himself therefore so will I. Calicoe Steve Austin moves to the beat of his own drum and finds time to stunner the culture on his way to the ring at almost every turn. With now impressive performances of late against the likes of Aye Verb, Hitman Holla, and Geechi Gotti; Calicoe appears to be hellbent on merging the straight-away path at the fork in the road with all that he desires from the meteoric inclement rise of the Battle Rap culture profile as a whole. Mr. Summer Madness himself once again flew to the beat of his own horn in the Bayou Center and left a trail of destruction and everyone stunned. With Geechi as the heavy favorite going into the matchup Calicoe proved to at-least possess the ability to demonstrate why at one point in time he was the Geechi Gotti of this sport. And also why he warrants heavy consideration of his stock value reassessment with several intriguing battles still on the table for his timeshared partnership with the URL (v. Chess / v. Eazy/ v. Brizz rematch?). Calicoe is back in demand and he knows it. No, my 2 Cents won’t be pocket-watching any negotiations amongst men, but I must say the culture is always more exciting with Calicoe 3:16.
PenGod: “aye homie you need some help, turn into A-Wax on camera/”
Reed Dollaz: “Give it up for Reed Dollaz.” Respectfully
First Ballot Hall of Famer, Original Progenitor of Battle Rap culture.
Salute the General.
Murda Mook: Obviously not his brightest moment considering the logistics of his battle with Reed Dollaz being moved out of the originally billed main event slot. Alongside both vocal and quiet concerns with whether or not Mook’s lyrical prowess and approach translates into mainstage performances (inebriated poor sportsmanship is never good film for anyone but especially the artist widely viewed as the logo) that have some semblance of immediate connection and resonation with engaged crowds consistently throughout a battle. Nonetheless the film playback often tells a different lyrical tale for Mook in review though rumors of his demise may indeed prove to be greatly exaggerated in short order with a very quick turn-around looming to potentially headline a very polarizing card (and matchup) to come.
Arsonal: Battle Rap Snoop continues to flourish and take part in the culture, successfully merging into Era after Era of the URL format he helped take to new heights. Da Rebel once again produced entertaining moments with replay value and gave Lu Castro a stage to shine.
A seasoned vet who continues to give back to the sport, keep getting them checks Ars. Juice.
Sidenote: Arsonal has far too many pockets of lyrical fortitude to receive some of the dismissive characterization of his skillset that I sometimes see attached to his current game. No he isn’t the same Ars as a decade past (or battle rap dog years) but who is? Wasn’t too long ago Ars gave this culture great performances and turned back the clock for a night (see v. Twork or v. Geechi Gotti or v. Official). Vince Carter wasn’t the same Vince Carter after a certain point either. But he was still THE Vince Carter. Better to have been once than never been at all. TwoCent*
In conclusion: Welcome back URL. And a formal welcome to Caffeine. Summer Madness was a hit and just the right housewarming gift to the culture heading into the Fall season. This about does it for me on the subject.
Til Death Do Us Part.
TwoCent
End
P.ess-
H.O.M.E. happened. Silent battle concept was pretty cool. Houston a vibe.
photos by: Daryl Rice
1/1
Great words