King of the Dot (KOTD) is returning to Nova Scotia for a special event in honor of the late, great Pat Stay, one of battle rap’s most beloved figures. It’s a heartfelt move by the KOTD team, with Oragnik and Gully leading the charge, showing their commitment to keeping Pat’s legacy alive. Just a month after the highly successful Massacre event, it’s great to see KOTD staying active and pushing the culture forward.
Much respect to the battlers who agreed to take a pay cut for this cause, showing their love and respect for Pat. Special shout-out to Rosenberg and Brozenberg for providing their entertaining commentary remotely and kudos to Ruin Your Day for delivering his PPV production. Salute to everyone involved in making this event possible!
Charron Is a Dark Horse COTY Contender
Without any added context, Charron vs Illmac was already a big battle.
Two of the battle rap’s greats, guys who are inseparable from the legacy of King of The Dot, guys who have went on to find their own respective successes outside of battle rap. And then, when you factor in Charron’s year quality, having him in contention to make the COTY list for the first time in his career, and both men being close friends of the great Pat Stay, it was a more than fitting main event on a card that was about bringing awareness to that ongoing situation.
While this battle and event is all bigger than battle rap, Charron took heed of the gravity of this situation and turned in a performance that puts him right at the top of COTY discussions. Illmac was very good in this battle, significantly better than he was vs Geechi Gotti. His second round is pretty weak, but his first and third are both very good rounds, with his third honestly being closer to great. Anything that’s said from this point on is not a reflection of Illmac and more about how phenomenal Charron was.
Charron won this battle 3-0 in my eyes. He put on a career-high display, and he couldn’t miss. It was like one of those nights watching an NBA player go 8-9 on attempted three-point shots in a game. Part of me wondered if being in Canada gave Charron a home-field advantage, which could have some truth to it, but Charron’s material and execution get over anywhere in the world.
When people highlight Charron’s skillset, counter-writing probably isn’t one of the first things mentioned, but he did an excellent job of it here. He anticipated Illmac’s angles about Charron’s wealth and success and found ways to spin that in a way that hurt Charron. Still, Charron powered through it and had angles prepared for Illmac as well that I thought did some neutralizing of what Illmac was trying to attempt. Even in Illmac’s third, I wondered how or if Charron would be able to match Illmac’s best round of the battle, but he just kept building and heating up. And then he lands the incredible freestyle about a leak in the building and ties it back to Pat Stay. It’s just as well done and timed as a freestyle you’ll find anywhere.
When you factor that in with his ability to build to a haymaker, his comedic chops, and his all-time freestyling ability, Charron put on the type of performance that makes him an undeniable legend in this culture over what I would call a very game Illmac. It’s a legacy-defining win in an event to commemorate a legend we all sorely miss.
Charron doesn’t always get the respect he deserves in certain circles. Whether it be because of stylistic disconnects or preconceived notions about him as a battler, he routinely is left out of conversations. But this year, he not only needs to be in these talks, he has to be. Charron has had one of the best years for any battler in 2024. He’s handled business against formidable competition like Anderson Burrus, Cali Smoov, and Emerson Kennedy but also against Shuffle T, 40 Barrs, Danny Myers, and Illmac. And he’s often won all of these battles in dominant fashion. Whether he’s your favorite battler or not, Charron is undeniable this year and belongs at the top of the heap for COTY contenders in 2024.
Jey The Nitewing vs Real Deal Recap
in the most competitive battle of the night, Deal vs Jey emphasized the strengths of both battlers when they’re locked in. Deal brought his angle heavy approach, with solid structure and penmanship that peaked particularly in his 2nd round. His 3rd he talks about his time with the chain and why he relinquished in, also relating the content back to Pat Stay, something that was obvious and common across the entire event. It was a very good Deal performance, that was up against another stellar showing for Jey on KOTD.
Jeys 1 of 1 style was once again shown at full force, with 3 masterfully penned rounds. His 2nd he had a Pat impersonation which was hilarious and well crafted, but the true high point was his message based 3rd that most fans have come to expect from him every battle. While the content itself was great and the landing rate picked up as it went, the real magic is in the rapping ability which was at a 10/10 level. BOTN easily and extremely debatable, both walk out with a stock positive result as Deal adds to his under the radar 2024 and Jey is now 2 for 2 on displaying his greatness on KOTD.
The Saurus vs Anderson Burrus Recap
First battle of the main card, this battle turned into more of a showcase than a fight. From as early as Saurus opening round you could tell what kind of day this would be with him choking early in the battle. Anderson took advantage of his mix of comedy and angling and, even without his craziest performance, was able to get a clear win vs the legend. The battle didn’t come without cringe, with Anderson having an awkward 2nd round with his angle choices and The Saurus inconsistencies.
Saurus said himself post battle it wasn’t his best day in the ring, but Anderson still did his numbers and gets one of the biggest wins of his career up to this point, and now having battled Charron and TheSaurus on KOTD this year, big additions to the resume.
One Week? No Problem
In this one-week notice clash, Riz Relit, Beast Mode Champion, and Critical both delivered commendable performances, showcasing their professionalism. Riz Relit maintained his signature intensity, blending awkward humor with sarcastic jabs that kept the audience shaking their heads in both confusion and amusement. Critical, an OG who once faced Pat Stay in the Elements League, stepped onto the King of the Dot stage to honor his late friend. Despite the short prep, Critical’s energy and aggression were on full display, giving a solid performance that truly reflected his dedication and experience. Both emcees made the most of their time to create a memorable battle.
Komp outlasts his Comp
In a fun match, Komp from Halifax, made a stellar debut on King of the Dot, while Cronic made his return with intensity out the gate! You can watch a throwback battle from the Elements League to see Pat Stay vs. Chronic go at it back in 2007, as a reminder of how deep the roots are.
Chronic came with the full intention of dismantling Komp in the 1st round, delivering aggressive name flips, some wrestling haymakers (Battle rap loves Wrestling bars), and also had some bars angling back at Komp’s career. It was a good first round, but Komp kicked it off with a rebuttal, transitioned into some witty lines, and mostly fired back with some personal. It was a very good showing for his first time on the KOTD stage. He brought some dope angles about how Cronic is an OG of the scene but still irrelevant: “You may be from the elements league, but in this league, you’re out of your element.”
Chronic had some turbulence early in the second, and Komp took full advantage and landed a few big bars early in his second to snatch the room in a shorter round, but the battle was sealed by then. This battle had a nostalgic Grind time BOTB type of feel, blending bars, some personals, and some humor for a well-rounded, entertaining battle on the undercard. It was a good moment for Komp to shine in a winning effort.
