The Rap Battle: Historically Significant
The
Underground Hip Hop community was founded on a lot of different principles,
traditions, values etc. One of the founding traditions most definitely is the
rap battle. Two MC's is direct competition trying to insult, belittle, outshine
and out show one and other. Perhaps the most light was shed on this underground
tradition when the film starring rapper Eminem, 8mile was released. This
movie portrayed a struggling battle MC trying make his way to stardom, plagued
by stage fright and the rough streets of Detroit he was living on. This film
shed a lot of light on how battles take place and especially on how influential
and popular these events can be. I thought I would share a similar world of
fierce battling that takes place a lot closer to home, and not written for
film, this is real.
King of
the Dot, or KOTD for short, is a really cool concept. Based out of Toronto,
Ontario (hence the name) KOTD is league of Battle MCs all competing for the
title of King of the Dot. It's rumored to have started in an alley in downtown
Toronto with just a few MC's battling each other to see who could put down the
best unrehearsed rhymes. From this humble beginning KOTD has grown to be a
staple in the underground hip hop community of Canada. Battles now take place
in major cities all across Canada but the league will always call Toronto home.
Since August 8, 2008 this movement has grown to international proportions,
drawing crowds of hundreds of people, filling nightclubs and other venues to
capacity. The events are not always just battles; KOTD pays tribute to many
aspects of hip hop culture such as graffiti, beat boxing, break dancing and DJs.
Although KOTD is truly a showcase of so many aspects of this music culture, it
has certainly become what it is today solely off its respected, fierce, and no-mercy
battles.
How the Battles Happen:
A panel of 5 judges, usually
respected members of the hip hop community judge each battle. A coin toss
decides which MC starts the battle and begins 3 90 second rounds of fierce
battling. This is no friendly competition: opponents attempt to mentally and
intellectually assault each other. The ability to add humour to insult is a key
component to winning a battle.
There are three specific levels
of competition that MCs battle in:
Prove Yourself- This is the entry
level of competition that all MCs start out in. New comers welcome.
Ground Zero- This is the next
level up, middle-weight contenders head off at this level. Some experience is
required before stepping into ground zero.
KOTD- This is the best of the
best. Winning battles at this level means you are a serious competitor, facing
some of the best underground battle MCs out there. At this level, competition often
comes in from outside of Canada.
Over 30,000 people subscribe to
KOTD’s YouTube channel where they can watch past battles. Over 11 million total
views show how substantially this has grown. MCs compete internationally in
KOTD’s World Domination Event. Love and admiration are often shown by major
players in mainstream hip hop such as Drake and other artists who may wear KOTD
attire, shout it out in a song, or even stop in to host an event!
So if you think you want to try
and run with the big dogs of battle rap, here’s your chance. Or if your just a
fan and supporter who wants to check this out, go see an event, they happen all
the time, or check out YouTube for hours of amazing clips. You can find more
info at http://www.kingofthedot.com
Here is video to check out from YouTube. A beat box battle from King of the Dot's channel:
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