The RVA Rap Elite is having its newest episode taking place on February 20th partnered with Southpaw Battle Coalition. If you're familiar with the YO! MTV Raps-like platform, they have an open cypher episode consisting of thirty different emcees. Now they opened their cypher for this episode to have thirty-five different emcees competing for the championship hoodie. The largest open cypher features past champions like Rel Lyfe, Vintage A, and Madam V along with fan favorites like Jason, Mila Mansa, PHAero (pronounced Pharoah), and Miss Simone J.
There are a few of the open cypher competitors doing double duty as they're featured in some of the rap battles. Those names are Bakarii Kennedy, Rel Lyfe, and Robalu.
Rel Lyfe is making his battle rap debut on Southpaw versus a Southpaw veteran and famous slam poet, Robalu. The excitement that comes from someone's first rap battle is truly the unpredictability that comes with a new battler. How does he fight? With constant punchlines? Rhythmic cadences? Is he big on body language and theatrics? That's something the crowd will find out on the 20th when he faces Robalu.
The second rap battle is between two emcees in Bakarii Kennedy and Ro$$etti. Both of them were featured in the Southpaw Battle Coalition's first Road To Supremacy tournament in 2021. Below you can watch their first-round performances in the tournament and comment below on who you think will win the battle.
The third battle features battle rap veteran Bravo versus another emcee that was in the Road To Supremacy tournament, Habeeb. Habeeb has been on a hot streak as of late with releases in 2021 along with appearances on World Emcee that had the underground rap scene talking. Bravo is a very witty and gritty battle rapper and is a prominent figure in the Southpaw Battle league itself. You can watch their past battles below.
The platform is also having team cypher battles. In the prior episode, Team Skinnyy Hendrixx won the team cypher battle but now he has some competition with artist Rep! and his team that involves another World Emcee rapper Sneeze and a familiar Richmond battle rap face in Redd Handed.
Anytime a Rap Elite event happens, it always integrates nearly every aspect of the hip-hop culture from bars to beats to fashion to even Robalu creating art of the other emcees spitting. It caters to all walks of life in the culture and you can get tickets at www.rvarapelite.com
Doors open at 6 pm, the show starts at 7 pm at Tang and Biscuit on 3406 West Moore Street in Richmond, Virginia. Feel free to comment below on who will win the rap battle and the team cypher battle. You can find every emcee on the Instagram page at @rvarap.elite
Written by: Jay Guevara @justinhisprime on all social media.
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