As with every URL rap battle event, this weekend’s “Double Impact” headliner at Irving Plaza in New York City was a packed house filled with some of the top rising battle rappers in the game plus their die-hard fans.
URL’s head honchos, Smack White and Eric Beasley, put together another classic, unique and epic battle card featuring battle rap’s favorite emcees. “Double Impact” consisted of dope 2-on-2 match ups such as B Magic & Chilla Jones vs T-Top & Brizz Rawsteen, Chess & Steams vs Marvwon & Quest McCoy, Math Hoffa & Cortez vs. Aye Verb & Yung Ill, Tsu Surf & Tay Roc vs. K-Shine & DNA, Charlie Clips & John John The Don vs. Big T & Th3 Saga. The crowd participation was real heavy as the famous DJ Don DeMarco was on the 1s and 2s between battles.
Brooklyn’s own Math Hoffa was able to showcase a strong display of performance and bars in his long awaited return back to the URL stage. Banned for roughly three and a half years, Hoffa let his presence be known with comical but witty punchlines about Smack while nailing lyrical jabs with Cortez facing off against Aye Verb & Yung Ill. Hoffa and Cortez introduced a dope scheme that was relatable to Disc 2 of Biggie’s classic album, Ready To Die.
St. Louis’ own Aye Verb & Yung Ill represented the 314 well in the Big Apple. Ill used his random appearance as a druggie to throw fans off guard in the first round, but was able to knock them upside the head with punchline after punchline that had the crowd go crazy.
The most highly entertaining match-up ended up being too intense to complete, as NWX (K Shine & DNA) went up against Jersey’s own Tsu Surf and the “Gunbar King,” Tay Roc. The first round was epic as Tsu Surf and Tay Roc came out swinging with witty schemes and punchlines. It got so intense Smack had to break up K-Shine from getting into Tay Roc’s face on more than one occasion. Things got real heated and Smack decided to cut the battle short.
Overall, the real MVPs of the event was the audience. The true battle rap fans came out to support, which made “Double Impact” another successful one for the books. Be on the look out for actual footage of each battle to hit the internet soon. Major shout outs goes out to Smack and Beasley on another dope production that was well planned out for battle rap culture.
Photography: Fabian Pacheco
