Canada’s talented and imposing yet hilarious Pat Stay is set to battle URL’s top gunner, Tay Roc on SMACK/ URL’s Summer Madness 8. This card will be the league’s first ever abroad event held in London on Saturday, November 10th. Since the Don’t Flop (UK’s most dominant battle rap platform) hit a low a couple of years ago, leaving the British battle climate ripe to have other platforms emerge. One example is Canadian league King Of The Dot (KOTD), who has teamed up with Chalked Out to fill this gap. You know who is else looking to at least test the waters? SMACK/URL, the #1 English speaking league in the world.
Pat Stay ascension to the URL has been a long, patient road. Many believe it is overdue because he has put the work in. Stay has had classic battles on KOTD with many of the top battlers in the culture: Arsonal, Hollow Da Don, Dizaster, Head I.C.E, Math Hoffa, Charlie Clips, Daylyt, Bigg K, Serius Jones and a heated encounter with Calicoe. He has battled DNA on UDUBB, Aye Verb and Danny Myers on RBE, and both John John Da Don and Tony D on the UK’s Don’t Flop. Battling artists that have been known to win on URL should give him insight on what to expect that Summer Madness stage (albeit a different dynamic as no one knows if the URL European fanbase differs across the pond).
If Pat Stay is able to have a strong performance versus Tay Roc next month, the demand for him to make his URL debut in America will be hard to ignore. And perhaps, we could expect to see him on a URL New York stage early next year. Pat Stay’s comedic ability is likely to play in his favor in England, but if Roc is able to get in his bag and rebuttal with unexpected jokes of his own it could hit twice as hard and turn the battle around possibly.
Anything can happen with these two.
While Tay Roc has proven over the years to be nearly unbeatable on URL in New York (having battled nearly every top name), some would say he has been less convincing on the road. His battle against Dizaster in LA was not his best performance. Also, despite being booed by an attentive and at times hostile Houston crowd when he battled Goodz, he still took away a 2-1 debatable win. Those domestic battles have done little to alter how anyone looks at Roc as a champion. But his battle against the Canadian born, Charron is one that people are pointing to as caution for The Gun Bar King. Tay Roc had a very difficult battle versus the KOTD/Wild ’N Out’s star on UDUBB. Fans will look at Pat Stay and Charron as similar types of opponents. That would be pedestrian, as both emcees bring entirely different swag to the table. The only things that are similar is that they are funny, white and from Canada.
Another thing to note is that this will be his first ever international battle for Roc. And to go against the seasoned traveler Pat Stay will prove to be a difficult match-up, particularly in front of the much more neutral London crowd.
Salute to Tay Roc for taking a challenging and possibly awkward battle here. Roc has been developing his pen and pushing himself to be more than just the Gun Bar King. This battle represents a real opportunity for Roc to showcase the creative writing ability and personality. Real Talk: despite his age, Roc is a bonafide vet, seasoned over the last 14+ years. Fans and critics need to remember that, as Roc’s superpower tends to make people cast him as the underdog. If Tay Roc is able to overcome what he has called himself his “biggest challenge yet” in a multi-faceted and adaptable Pat Stay in London, the case for Roc to be etched on Battle Rap’s Mt. Rushmore increases.
The announcement comes on the back of the Battle of Da Don’s headliner for Summer Madness 8, with Hollow Da Don set to face his name-sake nemesis in John John Da Don in what is sure to be a heated encounter and is long awaited. With only two battles announced to date for SM8, the card is already looking fire and has sent battle rap fans into a frenzy. It will be interesting to see how all the battle emcees adapt to an away URL crowd in London – now a long, long way away from New York’s home.
London fans, tickets available now from here to support the culture and allow battle rap to continue to develop. The Pay Per View is available as usual from http://www.watchbattlelive.com/