Image by Xciled Media
FRESHMAN 15
THE 2017 BATTLE RAP FRESHMAN LIST
INTRO
"Freshman 15" is a term used to describe the weight a student gains during their first year of college. In other words, it’s when you "Get your weight up" - a phrase we use in hip hop to represent elevation. RapGrid has teamed up with Xciled Media to make a list of 15 individuals we believe will make an impact on battle rap during 2017. Throughout the month, RapGrid will be promoting these emcees with exclusive music videos, interviews and freestyles.
*CLICK QUOTES & BATTLES OF NOTE TEXT FOR LINKS*
THE CRITERIA
Activity - If you grind hard enough, then opportunities will arise.
Consistency - Don’t have one great performance and then fall off the face of the Earth.
Resume - You need to progress. Don’t get stuck battling “Small Room Jimmy” forever.
Marketability - Can a league sell you to their fanbase?
Crowd Control - Will those small room classics translate to the big stage?
Creativity - What makes you unique? Personality, style, etc.
THE FRESHMAN
LOSO
Tampa, FL
LOSO
Tampa, FL
With arguably the best "rookie" year ever, Loso was almost guaranteed a spot on RapGrid’s Freshman 15. This time last year he was on a local league in Florida, now he is the top billed talent on Bullpen Battle League. His tryout battle for Bullpen caught the eye of John John Da Don, and he promised to make Loso a household name. His battle with Barry Bandz proved that he wasn't a fluke or a gimmick. His next battle was Xcel, at Fade 2016, and it is a battle of the year contender. His stock slowly, but surely, increased throughout the year and culminated with a battle with DNA that, as of writing this, has yet to be released on youtube. Not only does he have several great battles this year, he also released an EP, "Valley of Vision" earlier in 2016.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“What I holler in my verse, is how you wouldn't off me /
You really lost me, tonight I’mma straighten X up to show why you shouldn't cross me” - Loso vs Xcel
League Of Origin
Bullpen Battle League
Look Out For
Loso vs DNA (Bullpen Battles)
Valley of Vision (EP)
Next Move
As Bullpen Battle League grows, Loso grows with them. 2016 was a major turning point for both the league and Loso himself. He has proven that he can beat all levels of talent, and is not afraid to go against those who challenge his Christian beliefs.
GLUEAZY
Winston Salem, NC
Glueazy has probably the quickest ascent of anyone on the Freshman 15. Battling on camera for about 2 years, he's already at the top of the new wave of talent. Having a handful of battles on Body Bag Battle League, he quickly advanced to the URL Proving Grounds. His battle with Reepah Rell is touted as the best battle of their PG class. With only a few battles to drop this year, it would be easy to dismiss Glueazy as not having enough content, but his talent and potential are hard to ignore. He had a battle with Bedaffi Green at Born Legacy 3 that has yet to drop. If the battle does drop in 2016, the rest of the battle rap world will understand why Glueazy is deserving to be on this list.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“Put on your seatbelt, i'm about to pull around wit the strap” - Glueazy vs Reeper Rell
League of Origin
Body Bag Battle League
Look Out For
Glueazy vs Bedaffi Green
Next Move
Glueazy is already booked for Born Legacy 4 against fellow Freshman Nu Jerzey Twork. That battle will unofficially the determine the top of this PG class. With URL seemingly moving toward more small room battles, it's safe to say, we'll be seeing more of him.
SHOTTI P
Detroit, MI
Shotti P started battling on Bar Wars about 3 years ago. His skill garnered the recognition of Detroit battle legends Marvwon & Quest Mcody. However, his battle with Michael Ice got him the attention of Gully TK, who recruited him to King of the Dot’s Ground Zero platform. His style was unique, bringing a more street approach, as opposed to the multisyllabic style of rapping that GZ is known for. At the start of the year, he was booked on Blackout 6 against Skelly. A good showing, but the battle was mired by extra hostility on Skelly's part. IIt didn't stop Shotti's momentum at all, being booked at Massacre 2 against pen heavy Xcel. Another standout performance lead to KOTD booking him against fan favorite P Nut at World Domination 6. And that's not to mention that the Gully vs Ganik card was built around his battle with Charlie Clips.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
"The fans call you party nut? Boy that's hard as fuck.
But with every Punchline I'm killing his buzz, this fucking party sucks.
The larkin strapped and I'll send Party to party where Party Arty at" - Shotty P vs Pnut
League of Origin
Bar Wars
Look Out For
Shotti P vs Charlie Clips
Next Move
As the premiere talent from this wave of Ground Zero battlers, all signs are pointing up for Shotti P. He was on the 4 biggest KOTD cards this year, and it's safe to assume he'll repeat that in 2017 and then some.
CASEY JAY
San Antonio, TX
Women and southern artists have fought hard for years to earn their just due in hip hop and respect from their peers. When you find a female rapper from the south that TALKS THAT SHIT, you definitely take notice. Casey Janissa has been making quite the name for herself on Queen of The Ring and is no stranger to the music industry either, recording songs and hitting stages in 2016, such as SXSW (South by South West.) She was also the main event for QOTR’s “Watch The Throne 2” vs Robin Rhymes in February. Impressive 2016 from this budding star.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
"You said you don't want ya name mentioned with mine ? You can forget that .
So ya leverage is me Robin ...
Bird I gave you somewhere to rest at" - Casey Jay vs Robin Rhymes
League Of Origin
DFWBL
Look Out For
iTunes Single “Benjis”
“So Janissa” Cosmetics Line
Next Move
Casey has breakout star potential. We’d love to see her battle some QOTR heavy-hitters like Ms.Fit or Bonnie Godiva and expand her fanbase by crossing over to other platforms in 2017.
MADFLEX
Richmond, CA
Madflex started battling on camera against Scatterbrain in 2012. His laid back style and jokes made him a fan favorite early on in his career. He started to climb the Ground Zero ranks with great performances against Illipsis, Psycoses, and Urban Element. He got the chance to be on a bigger platform when he battled Megadef at Back to Baysics. In early 2016, Madflex’s battle with Lu Cipher dropped and it was a great preview to the year he was going to have. He had a breakout performance against E Farrell at The Bunker, which caused his name to be thrown around more in Facebook groups and twitter posts. It also earned him a spot on World Domination 6 against Aftershock, a GZ champion.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
"He's spent his whole life as a proven victim, y'all knew the symptoms
but y'all react to his fake ass punches? Fuck ya'll, two for flinching" - Madflex vs E. Farrell
League of Origin
KOTD/GZ
Look Out For
MadFlex vs Ness Lee
Next Move
If 2016 is any indication, MadFlex is set for bigger and better things at KOTD. A spot on Blackout, KOTDs biggest event, is almost inevitable. Given his recent string of performances, he's sure to deliver.
B DOT
Pacoima, CA
Breakdown
B Dot burst onto the scene at the end of 2015 when his battle vs Stricc dropped. The highlight of the battle was a monstrous third round in which Dot compared white privilege to black struggle. That round seemingly sent a shockwave through the net, as the battle was posted on popular tastemaker sites like Worldstar Hip Hop and was shared by elite members of hip hop’s online community, including podcaster Combat Jack. Soon after, B Dot obliterated popular battle rapper Daylyt in a highly anticipated match and had arguably the best battle of 2016 against Danny Myers. B Dot’s habit of weaving in and out of educational material without compromising his effective battle style has made him a standout amongst his peers. A Picoima Piru promoting the teachings of Ancient Kemet and an elevated mindstate to young black men is definitely unique in today's world of hip hop.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“It all makes sense how you can’t keep control of your pipes,
but these are the days of our lives. It all ties into religion and the way it’s contrived.
You treat the black woman like a side bitch,
well, ’cause, you was taught she came from your side” - B Dot vs Danny Myers
League of Origin
LA Battlegroundz
Look Out For
B Dot vs Cortez
Next Move
The whole world wants B Dot to battle Th3 Saga on SMACK/URL, but we’ll see if that ever goes down.
FLYKINGi
FlyKingi has made tremendous progress in battle rap since his arrival in 2015 ,wiith nine battles preceding him. Although openly gay, he has earned the respect of his peers on LA Battlegroundz and a dope performance on Sara Kana’s Prism Battle League. His big break was supposed to come against Daylyt, who pulled a no-show the night of the highly anticipated battle. FlyKingi has also proven to have crossover appeal as a recurring cast member on the reality show "The Bad Girls Club" which he 1st appeared on in September 2016. A savvy businessman, he also owns a store named "The Upper Room Boutique" in Los Angeles.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
"Red dot on his head - convert him to Hindu
Pull up just to show him what real men do
Play with plastic toys - ill show him what I KEN do” - FlyKingi vs Perfecto
League of Origin
Just Us TV
Look Out For
"Hotline Bling" mixtape cover
Next Move
He should have battled Daylyt, but in the meantime, FlyKingi will be featured against Romesh Ranganathan (London,) on his comedy-themed reality show.
NU JERZEY TWORK
Trenton, NJ
Twork started battling three years ago against Get Em Gwap. He battled sporadically over the next couple of years, but caught the attention of Norbes with his battles against Ripp and Redd Handed. When he was announced to be on Born Legacy 3, it was to a bevy of mixed reviews. Those who were aware of his ability and potential were praising him, as those who didn't know him could only criticize. Those in the building couldn’t stop raving about his performance and the naysayers were quickly silenced when his battle with Dougy dropped on URL earlier this year, which caused a spike in views in his other battles as well. His unorthodox punchlines and unique performance are helping to usher the next wave of talent in URL's Proving Grounds.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
"I'm strapped in, I'll clap you in a coma. Madness, I could snap at any moment.
League of Origin
Showtime Battle Arena
Look Out For
Nu Jerzey Twork vs Glueazy
Next Move
Twork battles Glueazy at Born Legacy 4, and it is being billed as the unofficial battle to see who is the top of this class.
A.WARD
KANSAS CITY, MO
A.Ward’s buzz began about a year ago when he battled Charlie Atlas on The Connects. The battle was posted on popular Christian hip hop website, Rapzilla under the title, “Christian battle rapper knocks out opponent.” That was the small push he needed to take of running. He followed up with a Battle of The Year candidate battle against Saint Mic and a CRAZY performance against Franchise on KOTD’s Ground Zero, which resulted in both A.Ward and Franchise making this list. After an amazing performance against battle rap legend, Real Deal at KOTD’s Gully vs Ganik event last month, sky is the limit for the talented emcee.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
League of Origin
The Connects
Look Out For
A.Ward vs Real Deal
Next Move
A.Ward should be slated to battle on Blackout 7. Lets see who his opponent is!
FRANCHISE
Toronto, ON
As the lone Canadian on our list, Franchise held it down for his country and scene at the end of 2016 with two monster performances that hit the net around the same time. In his classic GZ battle with A. Ward, Franchise earned the top rookie spot in Canada. After battling Cortez on BMTO, the calls started coming in - Franchise got the chance to skip the whole Proving Grounds process and was added directly to the URL roster. If Franchise can keep his hot streak going, he will have enough exposure to become one of the top Canadian battlers over the next year.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“How he goin think outside the box when he in one” - Franchise vs A.Ward
League of Origin
Beast Mode Battles Toronto
Look Out For
Franchise vs Brooklyn Carter
Next Move
Franchise is headed straight for SMACK/URL and faces an opponent who is long overdue for a big shot. If Franchise can prove himself in New York, he will have a great year.
QUILL
LONDON, UK
Quill has been around a little longer than most of the freshman on this list, but the North American fan base has yet to take to the versatile emcee the same way as his native Don’t Flop crowd. UK needs another rapper to break down the barrier and demand top matches similar to DF legends Tony D and Shotty Horroh - Quill might be the one to do it. Punchlines, freestyle, charisma, delivery and crowd control - Quill has it all. Did we mention that he has two CRAZY battles against Charlie Clips and Rum Nitty? Catch up people.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“Judging by your weight you need to train better fam, I will Mayweather man
Combinations will open him up … I’ve got a safe pair of hands” - Quill vs Charlie Clips
League of Origin
Don’t Flop
Look Out For
Quill vs Soul (Don’t Flop Champion)
Next Move
Quill has battled on almost every major league. We’d love to see him go to URL and get the star-level exposure he deserves.
JAKKBOY MAINE
Richmond, VA
Jakkboy leap-frogged over quite a bit of considerable talent to earn a spot on this list, but when you watch him its evident - HE IS DIFFERENT. Jakkboy originally made a name for himself battling on smaller leagues, until he broke through in 2016 with a 70k-view battle on URL’s channel against Drugz. The Richmond native doesn’t have any huge opponents or matchups confirmed yet, but list list might be exactly what he needed to get the push he deserves. Just give Jakkboy a watch and we guarantee he will be one of your favorite newcomers.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“Peep the step, cause the one that comes next’ll be your death
Hoover business premonition - im letting you see what’s next
One to your face, one to your knees like ‘please I need a breath’”
League of Origin
Body Bag Battle League
Look Out For
???
Next Move
Please get Jakkboy any type of main stage URL battle. You wont regret it.
JEFFREY
Manchester, CT
Absolutely hilarious. Jeffrey is the evolution of the humorous joke rapper - he has crazy bars to go with an addictive style that oozes personality. Jeffrey comes from the same camp as popular emcee E. Farrell, but comes with a different style to wow crowds and outclass opponents. His recent surge at KOTD Bunker battles have put him in a new space and he seems to be gaining or fans by the day. Believe it or not, good ‘ol Jeff was one of the highest vote-receivers among the 2017 Freshman Class.
Battle of Note
Jeffrey / E. Farrell vs DNA / K-Shine
Best Bar
“Im stakin’ i might fuck around and leave the event in damn choppa/
I live in a mansion - my house got more stories than ya grandpapa”
League of Origin
iBattle
Look Out For
Jeffrey vs Lil G
Next Move
KOTD Main Stage (Blackout ???)
RYDA
Calvert County, MD
Crazy thing is that Ryda actually started out as a videographer and photographer. He met Drect while he was filming behind the scenes footage at a tryout for Don’t Flop in DC. A little over a year and a half later he turned a dope We Go Hard battle with Truth Watson into three key Proving Grounds Battles: Snake Eyez, Fettuccine 20 and Chef Trez - a battle of the year candidate. Ryda has proved that give a little time he can adapt to any format and circumstance. He has a bright future.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“Two strap im peeling out of both like Morpheus hands /
Then the next thing you know the pound behind his head like the Scorpion stance” - Ryda vs Chef Trez
League of Origin
League Of Champions
Look Out For
Tales From The Whip LP (Coming Soon)
Ryda EP (Coming Soon)
Next Move
Hopefully we see Ryda on Born Legacy 5
CHEF TREZ
Atlanta, GA
Chef Trez made a name for himself as a standout on Miltown Bloe’s Spit Dat Heat league with battles against dope opponents like Riggz, B-Magic, Craig Lamar and Fliiko L. After brief stints on URL and Don’t Flop, Chef came back to Atlanta and became one of the faces of John John Da Don’s Bullpen Battle League, where his match against DNA showed everyone his immense talent level. Now back on URL after logging a few crazy battles in a row, Chef Trez is primed to take a MAJOR jump and become a household name in 2017. PS his freestyle skills are AMAZING.
Battle of Note
Best Bar
“You got your tooth knocked out, i knocked out niggas teeth - we run the streets different
You said something about Puertorican and Mexican mom ?
Its actually Puertorican and Mexican when the heat spittin
Cause they both similar, but when they get mad they speak different” - DNA vs Chef Trez
League of Origin
Spit Dat Heat
Look Out For
Main Stage URL Battles
Next Move
We can see URL using the same blueprint they did for Rum Nitty and feeding Chef Trez big names all year - he deserves it.
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