LTBR Award Recipients
Battle of the Weekend: John John Da Don vs Frak
Day 1 Superlatives
Battle of the Night: #1 Mike P vs Real Deal
Performance Of The Night: #1 T-Rex | #2 A.Ward | #3 Charron | #4 Chef Trez | #5a Real Deal | #5b Mike P
Bodies Of The Night: | #1 A.Ward over The Saurus | #2 Charron over 40 BARRS
Day 2 Superlatives
Battle Of The Night: #1 John John Da Don vs Frak | #2 Bigg K vs Tay Roc | #3 Danny Myers Elijah Strait
Performance Of The Night: #1 Nu Jerzey Twork | #2 John John Da Don | #3a Tay Roc | #3b Bigg K | #4 Frak | #5 Real Sikh
Bodies Of The Night: #1 Nu Jerzey Twork over Pass | #2 Real Sikh over Charlie Clips | #3 Clone over Deth The Kid
Preamble written by France
Photo by Battle Rap Dutches
Let’s kick this recap off like this: eight months into 2024, and this is the event of the year. Despite the occasional drama that clouds the culture, the sheer quality of battles and events this year has been remarkable. From marquee events like Massacre 6 by KOTD & TBL, to URL’s NOME 14, Bullpen’s Politics as Usual, and The Anniversary Trenches card, you realize that we are spoiled sometimes in battle rap, and the culture has actually been very blessed with great battles and events all year despite the BS. And a Special recognition goes to KOTD & TBL for delivering not just one, but two action-packed days that reignited the spark the culture had been yearning for.
There’s plenty of praise, so let’s slice up the appreciation pie. First and foremost, hats off to King of the Dot for resurrecting one of their most celebrated series. It’s been nearly five years since we’ve had a Massacre card, and the energy that the audience brings to Mass is historically electric. Organik, Gully, and the entire KOTD staff feel like that favorite cousin who lives across the country—you only see them a couple of times a year, but when you do, it’s all hugs, smiles and laughs, and you just wish those moments could last longer. From Pat Stay’s tribute event to Blackout 8 and now Mass 6, their appearances may be a bit far in between, but they are always worth the wait, the ticket, and the time. The culture is undoubtedly in a better place when KOTD is active. Salute to the Ruin Your Day team on the productions of the ones and twos!
We can’t move forward without showing massive respect and love to TBL (TakeOva Battle League). Chilla Jones, Kenny Black, and the entire TBL staff were crucial to the success of this weekend. Over the past year, TBL has been making serious noise, breathing new life into the New England region of battle rap. Chilla running an event while also battling at it, is always something you have to commend highly. And I have to say, Kenny Black has been behind the curtains putting together some special things, and they don’t go unnoticed. He’s someone who really dives into the pulse of the culture and knows what the fans want. He is someone the battlers have massive respect for. He does great business, and something tells me that Kenny Black and the whole TBL crew have even more surprises up their sleeves in the near future. Don’t be surprised when he’s responsible for putting together another mega-match. For both companies, putting on a two-day event is no small feat—fatigue can easily set in—but they managed to deliver 17 battles in a timely manner. From The faceoffs, to style clashes, the grudges matches and the energy in the building, this whole weekend you can tell Massacre 6 was fostering an atmosphere so charged you could feel it through the screen watching the PPV from home. This entire weekend, lived and breathed battle rap.
One of the most refreshing aspects of the recent events was the unity between KOTD & URL. Any battle rap fan over the course of the last decade recognized the competitive nature and rivalry of these two leagues over the 2010s. But it’s been many years since they have patched things up, and we have seen Organik & Smack White on stages together, a sight that always brings a smile to my face. KOTD even announced URL’s next live-streamed event during the intermissions between battles, a clear sign of the positive direction the battle rap culture is heading. In the words of Tay Roc, “It’s a URL invasion this weekend.”
And Lastly…
Frozenberg and Brozenberg were nothing short of extraordinary as a commentary duo, setting a new standard for battle rap analysis with their seamless blend of insightful breakdowns, infectious humor, and unmatched energy. Their chemistry was so smooth; it’s almost like they’re related and have known each other their whole lives, right? The dynamic they had elevated the entire viewing experience. Frozenberg’s sharp, analytical mind broke down each round with precision. At the same time, Brozenberg’s quick wit and comedic timing added a layer of entertainment that kept audiences engaged between battles. Together, they navigated the fine line between serious critique and lighthearted banter, ensuring that their commentary was as entertaining as it was informative. They make battle rap feel like a sport! No other way to say it. Froze kicked off the evening with an epic rant about the state of the culture, which set the tone for the rest of the weekend.
Frozenberg and Brozenberg have elevated the ceiling of what battle rap commentary should look like. They were in a special bag during the PPV, where every post-battle recap became a must-watch in its own right. Their in-depth dialogue dissected every punchline, moment, tempo of the battle, and strategy. Insights like this deepened my appreciation for the craft. In essence, Frozenberg and Brozenberg transformed the commentary booth into a vital part of the battle rap experience, making it clear that their voices were as essential as the battles themselves.
Biggest Takeaways
We decided to break down this weekend by taking 10 of the biggest takeaways/storylines from all of the performances.
And although some names didn’t make the cut for our biggest take away, want to take some time to give a shoutout to Clone for a dominating performance over Deth The Kid. He is an underrated talent and has been winning all of 2024 and really put himself on the map.
I also want to acknowledge Chef Trez & Xcel for their dope back-and-forth battle that set the tone for Day 1. But Chef Trez’s 3rd round was the biggest story of the battle; he had a barrage of rebuttals and landed haymaker after haymaker and was quietly one of the best performers of the Day 1. It may get lost in the sauce cause so much transpired, but Chef Trez always gives a card massive highlights, and over the weekend on the KOTD Stream, URL announced his main event battle against Ave on their Nexus series. Chef Trez’s consistency is unmatched.
T-Rex Takes over
Written by Justin Smolenski
In a weekend with a few notably explosive performances, there was none as nostalgic as TRex 3 rounds vs Chilla Jones. Closing Day 1, Rex flipped the building upside down and showed what a perfected delivery can do for you in a battle even against one of the best writers of all time, in said writers house. Rex “Key To Life” haymaker in the 3rd was the peak of Day 1 (and maybe Massacre 6 as a wholes) best showing, winning clear with pure real talk and the electric entertain factor only a few from the Golden Era of battle rap can truly produce.
This also marks the 3rd three rounder in a row (Bigg K, Chess, Chilla Jones) where Rex is competing at the highest level and fighting back as a real threat, not showing up with just one strong round or gassing out, but particularly in this battle showing uphill writing and looking as dangerous as Rex has looked in almost 10 years. Rex in prime form is simply a win for Battle Rap, and showings like this make future possible matchups like Rex vs Gotti or even Rex vs Swamp marquee possibilities that could lead to more great footage to continue this legend’s rejuvenation.
Charron Drops 30 on 40
Written by Justin Smolenski
Charron’s 2024 has been flying under the radar, as he’s been giving some of his more dominant showings, with clear and explosive Ws vs Danny Myers, EK, Shuffle T, and now 40 BARRs. The 1st round was contested, with Charron’s strong opening round being matched by a well written and haymaker filled 40 1st. While he outperformed her and showed a more versatile skillset, there was some debate in this 1st round.
But this becomes inconsequential when Charron is putting 40 in the dirt in the 2nd and 3rd. 40 did choke in her 2nd, in very elongated and rough fashion at that, but even the lopsidedness of that round seemed less damaging then the about blitz that was Charron’s 3rd for 40. Haymakers, angles, freestyles, and flat out disrespect. Even if the 1st was close, the progression of this battle felt like that of a bodybag and lands Charron as one of the top performers of not just day 1, but he weekend as whole. With enough room left in the year for 1 or 2 more high impact plates, Charron could close out this year as maybe the best year in his Hall Of Fame level career.
A.Ward Puts The Saurus On The Stretcher
Written by Justin Smolenski
A.Ward was back vs. another KOTD legend with TheSaurus, and this was one of the more one-sided in his catalog. With Saurus having a 1st so short that it was a forfeit, it damn near felt over off rip when Ward opened with one of the best 1st rounds of his career. I can overstate how explosive Ward was with a 7-8 minute round that had bombs every other bar. This dominance carried throughout, although not as much of an avalanche as the 1st round, with his 2nd being his lightest in comparisons and his 3rd round being a very strong closer.
Ward was one of the biggest winners of night 1, along with Rex and Charron, and a dominant 30 vs. Saurus adds to a consistent 2024 where he lacked some high-name value opposition. Now with the Roc and TheSaurus battle to his name with a litany of complimentary wins vs local level talent, Ward is carving out another top 20 year that emphasizes consistency.
Real Deal vs Mike P: Best Back and Forth Of Day 1
Written by Justin Smolenski
In a Day 1 that was defined by mostly clear battles or 30’s, Mike vs Deal stood out as the closest fight of the 1st day. Deal kept his patent angle-heavy approach while Mike brought the energetic build-up to a power punch style that he’s made his career off of and mainly has worked for him well since his KOTD debut on Stay Forever. The battle comes down to the 1st, with Mike giving a round of the battle in his 2nd and Deal winning the 3rd comfortably, his “streamer hanging from the ceiling” bar being one of the most well-structured concepts of the battle.
While I personally edged Deal the 1st, many preferred Mike’s punch-heavy style. This leaves it as a near 50/50 battle with good replay value and a display of almost every skill Battle Rap has to offer. The battle of the night of Day 1, it played its part and was a good look for both battlers involved.
A No Look Pass From Twork
Written by Justin Smolenski
In one of the two huge KOTD debuts for Day 2, all eyes were on Twork, who has drawn some worry again in 2024 for possibly returning to his older and more infamous patterns of inconsistency. However, this was not a night that played a factor, as Twork won and perhaps performed the best in the event. Even clearly still in cruise control (maybe 70-80% Twork), Twork brought the signature energy, haymakers, and performance, making him one of the most dangerous forces we’ve ever seen. Pass 1st was shockingly light, and when Twork got to his Make-A-Wish haymaker in the 1st, it was no looking back from there.
After a somewhat overkill 1-0 start, Pass leveled up with a better 2nd and a 3rd that may have been his best round, but it didn’t stop the storm coming his way. Twork was able to clear the 2nd similarly, and vs. Pass, best round, Twork tapped into more tailored material that showed versatility and a plan of approach to the battle overall. By the time Twork hit the “100K/Bill Collector” bar, the battle was over and showed how even some of the best from any region are simply at the mercy of Twork’s performance-heavy style even when he’s just somewhat near his peak form. This may have been the best in an event with many 30s to speak on.
Real Sikh: Putting Mr. Chuckles In a Wood Chipper
Written by Justin Smolenski
One of the many high-name value battles of the night, Sikh logs another KOTD matchup, this time vs. a legend in Clips. This one was another execution, as Clip’s underprepared alter ego, Mr. Chuckles, is the man we got a performance from in this one. The ultimate bomber of footage, Clips gave a near-nothingness effort as we’ve become used to in much of his recent work, with his previous battle vs Eazy looking to be nothing but another aberration.
However, Sikh still made the most of it with one of the better showings from the weekend, with an excellent 1st round and, more importantly, a great character breakdown 3rd that really stuck in the building vs the type of Clips performance it was directly pertained to. Sikh didn’t have to do much to win, but still gave a show and walked away with yet another 30 in a winning streak that spans nearly two years. While extremely dominant, too many of Sikh’s matchups are ending up insanely one-sided due to a lack of worthy opps to fight back, whether that’s him battling down or battling the most run-down of legends. Sikh is one of the best talents in battle rap; depending on who you ask, he is even the best, which means he should be facing off against the other best.
Whether it’s his callouts like Illmac, Tay Roc, Rum Nitty, or even opponents like T-Top and Chef Trez, it’s long overdue for Sikh to be in fights similar to that of his A.Ward and Twork battle where the best is brought out of his opponents and himself.
Bullpen vs Bar Mitzvah: An Angle Masterclass
Written by Justin Smolenski
Although all of the leading headlines from the weekend was the culture-shaking match between Tay Roc and Bigg K, there’s a very good case that Frak vs John John is the actual battle of the weekend and one of the better strategy-based battles you will see. With counterwriting, angling, rebuttals to counter, and, of course, the pockets and punches any battle has, Frak and JJDD put on a clinic of what being an all-around battler is. The 1st started with good rounds from both, but Frank set the tone heavily with his best round of the battle (albeit with a cringe ending to it). After what many called a 1-0 edge lead for Frak, JJDD made a statement with a round-of-the-event contender in his 2nd that set the bar, so it felt like even another Frak 1st couldn’t stand it. Although Frak 2nd was good itself, it didn’t hold a candle to John’s highs and was the clearest round of the battle.
This battle comes down to the 3rd, and on the 1st watch, I found myself edging it to Frank, who had a flurry towards the end of his performance. However, on the watchback, while Frak’s 3rd is successful with some of its comedic and counter writing segments, the first half is not all that much on the offensive. At the same time, John John had a strong 3rd once again that, at the very least, was punching at a different level than Frak, with some angles of its own to add to the ongoing dialogue of the battle.
On the rewatch, I had JJDD winning the battle 2-1, 2nd, and 3rd, but the switching of winners and a mountain of details from both sides to consider further speak to how good it was. In what is a top 10 battle of 2024, Frak and JJDD had a great chess match that added another good battle for Frak and another huge piece to John John’s case for one of the best of the best years in 2024. It can’t be understated that John John is having one of his best career years, and if he stays on this trajectory, you can certainly find his name on a Top 5 COTY list at the end of the year.
The Ladies Are Always Needed On Big Events
Written by France
The ladies delivered an outstanding performance in both of their King of the Dot debuts. Both Yoshi G and Cheyraq gave it their all in a battle that was a true road game for Yoshi, as Cheyraq represented her home turf, being from Mass. From the opening bars, it was clear that both women came to leave everything on the floor. Yoshi’s style proved to be a perfect fit for the KOTD stage, and as the battle progressed, she visibly grew more comfortable, settling into her element. When Yoshi is in her zone and genuinely enjoying herself, she shines brightest as a performer.
The only thing that left me with something to desire… I was waiting for Yoshi G to start off her round by saying “DID YOU COME TO SEE CHEYRAQ ? OR MY RACK.” Missed opportunity !
I will say that Yoshi G said something very interesting in her post-battle interview, she talked about how she loves taking on newer talent because it elevates the female battle rap. Yoshi always brings that energy and wants to uplift others like she was uplifted while climbing the ranks.
Cheyraq, on the other hand, delivered some of the most significant moments and highlights of the battle, particularly with the haymakers she landed in her first round. She was clicking on all cylinders and entirely in the zone. Cheyraq’s highlights of the battle are one of the more talked about portions of this battle. Her first round was one of the best of the weekends, and I can say this performance from her was easily her best performance of 2024, showcasing her growth and poising her for a solid finish for the year. This battle was major for Cheyraq’s momentum to go upward in the coming months. Both women deserve immense credit for being the only female vs. female struggle of the entire weekend, reminding everyone why the ladies should always have a place on these marquee events.
The Bar Fest of The Weekend
Written by France
Elijah and Danny had one of the most competitive back-and-forth battles of the whole weekend. Every card needs one really good Bar Fest between two dynamic punchers, and this was the battle that fit that bill!
Elijah Strait has immense creativity in his punchlines, and some of his one-liners are so strikingly good you can write them down on paper and be amazed at how simple yet complex and fire any of his bars can be. He can really pull out references that are extremely unique or make a very standard reference refreshing. My favorite part about his style is you get all this creativity, and you stop to realize these punchlines aren’t gun bars, which is even more difficult than you realize and deserves a ton of credit. At times, his delivery is a bit rushed and could still use some work, and he is still growing as a performer, but he took full advantage of this moment. This was his most prominent opponent and biggest opportunity to date, and he rose to the occasion.
As for Danny, The Bar God is doing what he usually does, clocking in overtime hours and using no paid time off! As per usual. His battle with Elijah was his second battle in 2 days. He flew from Ohio to Massachusetts, put on three clean rounds, and had just as much Firepower to combat Elijah. You could argue that he had more firepower and exceeded Elijah because the battle is genuinely debatable. I personally would Edge Elijah straight in this battle. He could win the battle and the large picture here; he wins the war because his stock is still soaring in 2024, from Elijah having one of the best battles of the year with Footz. Then, after a great back-and-forth battle with a top tier, he is showing positive results in these challenging spots, and it’s making me confident about the next level that Elijah can hit as a battler.
A Grudge Match That Lived Up To The Hype
Written by Q Moody
The reigning Champion of the year of 2023, vs the #1 contender for 2024.
It’s strange to come away from a battle this massive feeling like no one’s perception or status took a hit. There’s no exaggeration when it’s said this battle was 15 years in the making. But neither guy faltered under the pressure. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think this battle was a little strange or didn’t have things that dragged it down a tiny bit. Bigg K showed a lot of growth as an angler in the last year so I expected some better selection in the topics he chose to expound on or maybe just a little bit more focus on certain topics.
I was shocked that he didn’t utilize the similarities between his famous Ahdi Boom first round and Tay Roc’s first round for Kyd Slade. That being said, what he rapped was still effective to me, and lines like “blowing bubbles trying to breathe” and “there’s a thin line between loyalty and betrayal of self” were two of my favorite things said in the entire battle. Tay Roc came clipped up for the occasion. This is admirable, and I can’t take anything away from a man coming in prepared for a huge grudge battle like that one. Respectfully, though, I don’t need 11-minute rounds from Tay Roc.
It’s not something I find conducive to what his strengths are, and it just leads to diminishing impact throughout the battle for me. He had plenty of solid material and it’s enough for people to say he won the battle. For me though, I believe rapping TOO much can harm a battler just as much as rapping too little. If the battle is viewed as a Tay Roc win, that’s more than fair, and I wouldn’t fight it. But this battle is way more debatable than people treated it the night before. No one got cleared here. But no matter how you call this battle, Roc completed his objective on the road and on his KOTD debut, and at this point, COTY for 2024 is Roc’s to lose. He was a front-runner for the entire year and has only increased the lead after a performance like this.
Critiques of both aside, it’s a battle that does come across better on replay and one that will age well with time. It’s also great to have seen that after years of tension and trash talk, at the end of the night, they could laugh and joke and appreciate the moment they shared. They’re two of the all-time greats, so seeing them have camaraderie moments was beautiful.
Who do you have winning between Bigg K vs Tay Roc ?
— Let’s Talk Battle Rap (@LTBRpodcast) August 26, 2024
