Last year when I did this, I went back, rewatched everything again and put a lot of effort into ordering things but I don't have that kind of time anymore so this is mostly based off of reading my own posts in this thread over the year and I'm only really solid about the top 4 TBH. I've also missed quite a few battles this year, namely from people like QP, JC, DNA, A.Ward, Carter Deems, Head I.C.E., Real Deal, Soul, Raptor, and Xcel. Overall, while I feel like there a TON of exceptional performances or moments this year, as far as overall great, all-around rewatchable rap battles goes, there weren't as many as last year or other years. Also, not too many rising stars TBH.
Best Battles of the Year
1.
Rum Nitty vs. Ave
2.
Tsu Surf & Tay Roc vs. DNA & K-Shine (First Part)
3.
Iron Solomon vs. B Magic
4.
Thesaurus vs. Chilla Jones
5.
JC vs. Craig Lamar
6.
Ill Will vs. Rum Nitty
7.
B Magic vs. Syahboy
8.
Mike P vs. Tink Tha Demon
9.
Ty Law vs. PC
10.
Cortez vs. B.Dot
11.
Chedda Cheese vs. Carter Deems
12.
Yung Ill vs. Daylyt
13.
Chilla Jones vs. Th3 Saga
14.
Mike P vs. Daylyt
15.
Head I.C.E. vs. Bigg K
16.
Qleen Paper vs. Ty Law
17.
DNA vs. Loso
18.
Bonnie Godiva vs. Myverse
19.
Glueazy vs. Bedaffi Green
20.
Danny Myers vs. B.Dot
Battler of the Year: T-Top
- This one was super tough. For me, T-Top's year has signified a changing of the guards. He's been having a year most MCs dream of. Getting shots at and either having a debatable or outright beating Math Hoffa & Tsu Surf in addition to embarassing Magic/Chilla and Arsonal/Suge.
- There are a lot of good contenders for this all for different reasons that I wouldnt't be mad at: Ave, Cortez, Thesaurus, JC, Gjonaj, Iron Solomon, Rum Nitty, QP (from what I hear).
Rookie of the Year: Ave
- His two PGs were technically in 2015, and last year I even (hilariously in retrospect) said he wouldn't get far, but if Ave feels like a 2016 sensation and if counts he's unequivocally the rookie of the year. How fast he has risen and the consistently great performances he's had put him there and nobody comes close. Without exaggeration, close to half of all of the hardest bars this year are from Ave's rounds.
- My runners up would be Loso (came out of nowhere, had several great showings against names, and is different), B.Dot (two great performances, one that went viral, everyone wants to battle him, definitely right there with Ave as far as the most talked about MCs this year), and maaaaaaaybe PC.
Moment of the Year - This whole sequence of Tsu Surf (and Tay Roc) going bananas on DNA & K-Shine. Honestly, the MASSIVE increase in momentum leading up to a huge payoff is something you don't see often, and it is as glorious and rewatchable as it gets.
We got a problem, Houston (Whitney)
I bring a bitch with bald heads (Britney)
Could put it on the house (This shit smoking like a chimney)
Entry wound like a dime, (Exit wound like a Frisbee)
100-round drum makes the shooting shit easy (Big T's fingers after lunch, do ‘em greasy)
Before the shot (Hanes shirt)
After the shot (Yeezy)
Before the cut (Shumpert)
After the cut, (Beasley)
- Honourable mentions: DNA & K-Shine's flip of this same moment, Marvwon/Quest's First 48 sequence vs. Steams/Chess, Prep's ridiculous number of freestyles in his 3rd vs. Lottazay, Prep saying he's not going back to where Rich Dolarz is at, Rum Nitty's nose-running scheme, Brizz & T-Top's Goldeneye shit, Mike P's multi-of-the-year in his 3rd vs. Daylyt, Chilla clowning Th3 Saga's porn addiction, Math's Milly Rock. Seriously, this year was great for stuff like this.
Performance of the Year - Tsu Surf & Tay Roc's first round against DNA & K-Shine
- Legendary. One of the best rounds ever IMO, and I wouldn't just throw that kind of praise around.
- Honourable Mentions: Tone Montana against Dre Dennis, Both Ave and Rum Nitty in their battle together, Marvwon/Quest McCody's 2-on-2,
Bar of the Year - Rum Nitty against Ave
If I'm with the piece, you're family's fucked
Head shot ya mom's sister, they gon' have to M.O.P. your Ante Up
Honourable mentions:
- Brizz Rawsteen against DNA
Tell them The Bridge is Over, they gon' say "Brizz did that"
I'll leave a tool sittin' where ya tooth missin', That's how I Bridge the Gap
Tech 9 against Jerry Wess
WHICH ONE OF YOU N***AS WANNA BE A SHOWOUT? OR A SHOWOFF?
IF I SHOW OUT, SMACK GON' HAVE TO CUT THE SHOW OFF
- Ave against Rum Nitty:
See I've been 'bout that action
30 under the 40, that's an improper fraction
You wanna take a thug's gamble?
Understand, I'm strapped and fat, on both sides, n***a, I LOVE handles
Life ain't make you 6 feet... but death can
Gun butt with a mean grip
Serial (cereal) smacking his face like he's riding with Queenzflip
- Swave Sevah against Tink Da Demon
Let any chump have it - semis, snubs, 'matics
Razor across the head like you're 21 Savage
- Ryda against Chef Trez
I'm peeling out of both like Morpheus' hands
Then the next thing you know, the pound behind his head like the Scorpion stance
Best Comeback - Iron Solomon
- Even though Iron Solomon technically came back at the end of 2015, if I gave Ave the slide, I gotta give it to Iron Solomon too, who showed he could hang with Clips, Dizaster, and B Magic. Those are 3 MCs from 3 different eras that have independently earned their place in the history books. Iron already has too, but the fact that he can come back and do as well as he did is impressive and shits on most comebacks.
- Honourable Mentions: Tech 9, Yung Ill, Bill Collector, E-Ness
Biggest Disappointment - Hollow Da Don vs. Pat Stay (Re-do)
- This is one of those endgame matchups we have all envisioned would be a classic for years and, while it had it's moments, it was ultimately disappointing and nobody is really talking about it. It might not even be their fault, all of Hollow's best material was in the one rounder that took place in the UK, and Pat Stay was clearly fed up with the whole situation he got forced into and he ended up using bits of all of his rounds in that one rounder just to please the crowd. Yet another classic matchup ruined by outsiders trying to make a buck off of battle rap.
- Honourable Mentions: B Magic and Daylyt not showing up to Born Legacy, Tsu Surf vs. T-Rex, B Magic falling off, Ty Law doing well off-Smack but his Cyssero battle being forgettable, Math's fall from grace
Bodybag of the Year - Bishop Brigante bodying Cyssero
- How the FUCK do you show up to a ONE ROUND BATTLE and CHOKE at the START of your ONLY ROUND. FUCKOUTTAHERE.
- Honourable Mentions: Saint Mic bodying Anubis, Tone Montana bodying himself vs. Saint Mic, Rum Nitty bodying Clips, Clips bodying his own career, QP and K-Shine bodybagging themselves, Tsu Surf bodying himself vs. T-Rex, PC bodying B Magic
