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2012 is the year of Philadelphia. From world-renowned names and festivals (think Jigga and “Made In America”) to the hottest and most controversial, young rapper out right now (think Meek Mill), all eyes are on the City of Brotherly Love this year.

AllHipHop.com’s spotlight has been shining on the city for months now, and what we’ve found is that beyond the big names and the pricey shows, there are some great MCs on the come up in Philly.

Case in point is a battle MC named Rone. Fans of the battle circuit and even the Charles Hamilton Clique a few years back will remember Rone as the guy who challenged anyone to step to him. And he was serious – with good reason. Rone is a multi-win Grind Time battle champ, and has slayed quite a few lyrical dragons in his day.

We caught up with Rone just yesterday at the legendary Larry Gold Studios in Philadelphia as he prepared for his album release. In the clip below, the hilarious Rone gives some sage advice for a recently-destroyed battle rapper named Canibus. But before the advice, he simply rips a gigantic hole in Canibus – from one battle rapper to another:

These days, Rone is with a new clique – Raw Life Records – under the tutelage of label owner and Roots collaborator, Dice Raw. Rone is determined to diversify his name and sound these days – not looking to be JUST a battle rapper (although, he always reserves the right to rip a hole in all of you battle rappers). He’s got something for everyone on his debut album, The First Story, including all original beats, and just one featured MC (Dice Raw), so he can show off his skills front and center.

For his recent efforts (like the songs “Giving My Love” and “200 Miles To Philadelphia”), Rone earned a spot in AllHipHop.com’s Breeding Ground. In the second video, he talks about what to expect from his The First Story debut, and then he proudly wears an invisible crown to celebrate his new honor:

Be sure to check out Rone’s The First Story, listen to the stream below or buy on iTunes, and follow his antics on Twitter (@_rone).