AllHipHop

AllHipHop Presents Battle Rap Superlatives: The Best Of 2023 

By: AllHipHop StaffCategory: Exclusives

The votes have been counted and the fans have decided who made the cut in AllHiHops Battle Rap Superlatives 2023.

Every year, AllHipHop drops the most controversial lists that shake up the battle rap culture, with one of the most explosive collections of superlatives on this side of Hip-Hop. 

2023 was no different, and our fan-voted Superlatives list is sure to get tongues wagging.  

Our list is the most comprehensive in the culture, voted by the people who contribute with their hard-earned cash and precious time.  

Earlier this month, we asked voters to highlight those spitters who have taken the subculture to a frenzied new height over the past 12 months. These fans are the people who buy event tickets, download and pay app subscriptions, purchase merch and lurk on YouTube day in and day out to see what’s new in the battle rap world. 

This year, as well as the highly coveted Male and Female Battle Rapper of the Year titles, AllHipHop chose to recognize even more exceptional artists and their craft. We’ve added extra categories for 2023, including Body of the Year, Upset Win of the Year, Haymaker of the Year and Freestyle/Rebuttal of the Year. 

AllHipHop presents the Battle Rap Superlatives 2023 list.

Top Battle Rap Event of the Year

The fans voted Rare Breed Entertainment’s Max Out 3 card as the event of the year. Two Midwest legends collided in spectacular fashion to headline the card, which also saw intense clashes between Aye Verb vs. A. Ward and Calicoe vs. Goodz. King Of The Dot’s unforgettable tribute event to fallen titan Pat Stay was voted in second place. Fans enjoyed the nostalgia of iconic moments like the surprise mega-matches between MC Jin and Illmac and Dizaster and Hollohan.  

Voters also loved Ultimate Rap League’s stacked Outside 2 card, headlined by Murda Mook vs. Nu Jerzey Twork, one of the most talked about battles of the year. iBattle, Bullpen, Chrome 23 and The Trenches also threw fan-favorite events and made the Top. 10. 

  1. RBE Max Out 3 
  2. KOTD Pat Stay Forever 
  3. URL Outside 2 
  4. KOTD Blackout 8 
  5. RBE Divide and Conquer 2 
  6. URL Homecoming 2 
  7. iBattle Culture 6 
  8. Bullpen The Pendemic 
  9. Chrome 23 The Anniversary Card 
  10. Trenches vs. Bullpen/Drop Your Location 

Fan Top Favorite/ Preference Battle Rappers of the Year (Female and Male) 

The Fan Top 20 Favorite/ Preference Battle Rappers of the Year let us know who you really like, male or female. The list represents the artists who won over the fans with their personality, likability, originality, and star power.  

Voters selected Nu Jerzey Twork above all others as the MC who had them pressing play and hanging on every carefully selected word. The Top. 10 was heavy on star power, with the likes of Geechi Gotti, Tay Roc, Eazy the Block Captain, Jaz the Rapper and Ms. Hustle all ranking highly.  

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A post shared by Nu Jerzey Twork (@nujerzeytwork_)

 A total of five women made the Top. 20, following the trend of the last few years as the ladies continue to break down barriers and show exactly why they deserve their spot. The inclusion of newer names like J2, Yunus and Febou indicates that MCs can make an impact if they put enough work in to stand out amongst the household names.  

Fan Top. 20 Favorite/ Preference Battle Rappers of the Year (Female and Male) 

  1. Nu Jerzey Twork 
  2. Bigg K 
  3. Geechi Gotti 
  4. Tay Roc 
  5. Eazy the Block Captain 
  6. Jaz the Rapper 
  7. Rum Nitty 
  8. J2 
  9. Ms Hustle 
  10. Swamp 
  11. Ace Amin 
  12. Yunus 
  13. Chef Trez 
  14. Coffee Brown 
  15. Febou 
  16. C3 
  17. Danny Meyers 
  18. Jerry Wess  
  19. Shooney Da Rapper  
  20. Clone 

Top Best Breakout Rappers of the Year  

Formally known as the “Top Emerging Rappers,” the 2023 Superlatives includes those rappers who simply pushed forward in a fresh new way— differently than how they’ve ever performed in the past. 

It’s about new talent and those right at the cusp of something great. This category recognizes the artists who successfully broke through the ocean of battle rappers to make a lasting impression on the fans. 

It is not easy for a league to introduce new talent, but these MCs doggedly fought their way through the past 12 months, entertaining fans along the way. They came with new voices, styles, and energies, captivating crowds and YouTube viewers alike to claim their spot in this hotly contested category. 

This year, Yunus topped the list alongside two of his fellow URL Crucible 3 class MCs to round out the Top. 3. Cheyraq, Rocq Lee, C Bri The Lyricist and Cashflo Rizzy captured the attention of our voters who singled them out as ones to watch among a talented crop of rising female artists.  

  1. Yunus 
  2. Hansel 
  3. Klutz 
  4. Oppa 
  5. Cheyraq 
  6. Los Preeme 
  7. Febou 
  8. Footz 
  9. Awthentic 
  10. Kapo Bravado 
  11. Rocq Lee 
  12. Saflare Sole 
  13. Payne 
  14. CJA 
  15. Dice 
  16. Coach 
  17. C. Bri the Lyricist 
  18. Cashflo Rizzy 
  19. Mazi 
  20. Bandit Montana  

Top 5. Most Impactful Moments, Happenings, or Movements of the Year 

1. All Levels of Eazy Drama 

Eazy the Block Captain was trending following in June after rumors spread that Papoose had knocked him out at an event. Word on the street was that Eazy was messing with Chrome 23 league owner and Papoose’s wife, Remy Ma, something Geechi Gotti capitalized on in his viral battle with Eazy in September. Then there were the recordings, with Eazy going viral all over again after audio leaked of admitting to a relationship with Remy. 

All this followed the drama after Remy Ma announced Eazy the Block Captain vs. Hitman Holla on Chrome 23 while still signed to the league that helped make him a star. The Philly rapper claimed URL sent him a cease-and-desist letter over the Hitman battle but said he ended his contract with the league at the eleventh hour, although this remains to be seen.

2. Aye Verb Becomes Blogger 

While veteran St. Louis battle rapper Aye Verb was outside in 2023, he did much of his work in the Twitter Space and on YouTube, taking his exceptional oratory skills to the world of media.  

If there was a controversial topic, the Midwest legend was on it, often spending hours a day delivering monologues to a captive audience of battle rap fans. He also used his platform to insult various potential opponents, although only one came to fruition. Nonetheless, Verb enthralled fans with his take on the battle rap happenings all year long.

3. Pat Stay Forever (All the Leagues Came Together) 

KOTD & The Battle Rap Community joined forces in February for the “Stay Forever: A Pat Stay Memorial Fundraiser Event” in Toronto, raising over $140,000 for his family. Artists and organizations all over the culture came together to honor the life and times of the Sucker Free Boss. Stay died in 2022 after being fatally stabbed in Canada. 

The card was stacked with battles like Dumbfounded vs. Rone, Hollow da Don vs. Charron, Real Sikh and Lu Castro vs. DNA and Charlie Clips, The Saurus vs. Kid Twist and Madflex vs. Mike P. 

KOTD pulled out all the stops with some special surprises, including the return of Hollohan, who took on West Coast titan Dizaster. If that wasn’t enough, former BET Freestyle Friday champ MC Jin made his comeback after a 17-year absence for a long-awaited mega match against Illmac. 

4. C3 winning Chrome 23 tournament 

Queens battle rapper C3 made history in 2023 as the first woman in battle rap history to win a tournament, snagging a whopping $25,000. In February, she beat Rare Breed Entertainment’s first lady Kausion in the final of Remy Ma’s Chrome 23’s Anniversary Card. 

The Queen of the Ring veteran’s victory was even more impressive when you look at the names she triumphed over. The all-girl tournament featured some of the illest pens in the culture, including E-Hart, Chayna Ashley, 40 B.A.R.R.S., QB Diamond, Bonnie Godiva, Yoshi G, Ms. Miami Chetta, C Bri, Shiest Raw, Kay Prophet, Hazzy, and Koko Kakes.  

“I just really wanted to win,” the champ told AllHipHop. “I finally have something under my belt that solidifies my top-tier spot position. Something that can’t be debated.”  

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A post shared by CeeThree Craig (@darealc3)

5. Norbes Settling Lawsuit 

URL rounded out the year by settling their drawn-out legal battle with Norbes. The former talent scout claimed he was one of the partners/owners of the league that gave the culture “Summer Madness,” “NOME,” and “Kings vs. Queens.” 

While some saw the settlement as a victory for Norbes, the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division ruled that he was not a co-owner of the “world’s most respected battle rap league.” After two prior decisions by a lower court, the presiding justices dismissed all of the claims filed by Norbes in his 80-page, $40 million lawsuit. 

Top Battle Rap Media of the Year 

Battle rap fans rely on media platforms of all kinds to inform, entertain and spotlight talent in between cards. While the artists remain the stars of the show, media outlets are increasingly becoming as impactful to the community as the talent they cover. 

The past year saw a rise in battle rappers crossing over into media, giving traditional outlets a run for their money. While cultural staples dominate the 2023 Superlatives list, with OTFMZ snatching first place, some older voices were replaced by the likes of Aye Verb, Goodz and Rosenberg Raw.  

  1. OTFMZ 
  2. 3 Letterman/ PSA Hip Hop 
  3. Angryfan 
  4. Black Compass Media 
  5. Vada & SP 
  6. Champion 
  7. Battle Rap Trap 
  8. Piperboy Williams 
  9. Let’s Talk Battle Rap 
  10. Aye Verb 
  11. Hip Hop Is Real 
  12. 15 Minutes of Fame (and Properties) 
  13. It’s Just Battle Rap 
  14. Temperature Check 
  15. Goodz ties with Rosenberg Raw 

Top 20. Female Battle Rappers of the Year 

  1. Jaz the Rapper 
  2. Ms Hustle 
  3. Coffee Brown 
  4. C3 
  5. Jade 
  6. Lady Caution 
  7. Chayna Ashley 
  8. QB 
  9. E Hart 
  10. Casey J 
  11. 40 B.A.R.R.S. 
  12. First Lady Flamez 
  13. Kausion 
  14. Cheyraq 
  15. Yoshi G 
  16. Toni Blanco 
  17. Rocq Lee 
  18. Cashflo Rizzy 
  19. Jay Love 
  20. Rainefire Moon  

Top 20. Male Battle Rappers of the Year 

  1. Nu Jerzey Twork 
  2. Bigg K 
  3. Tay Roc 
  4. Geechi Gotti 
  5. Rum Nitty 
  6. Chef Trez 
  7. Eazy the Block Captain 
  8. Real Sikh 
  9. Ill Will 
  10. Ave 
  11. Swamp 
  12. Danny Myers 
  13. Yunus 
  14. Jerry Wess 
  15. Hansel  
  16. Klutz 
  17. Oppa 
  18. Payne 
  19. Swervo 
  20. J2 

TOP BATTLE RAP LEAGUES OF THE YEAR (SMALL, MEDIUM & LARGE) 

Shout out to all the leagues who work tirelessly to push the culture forward, constantly innovating and adapting to elevate the industry. Because so many leagues have been doing such great work, our 2023 Superlatives lists them by YouTube subscriptions, leaving that metric as a qualifying measuring stick. This allows more leagues to be celebrated and recognized for their hard work. 

Top Battle Rap Leagues of the Year (Small) 

OSBL 

(Forged In Fire, Next Generation 3, Rookies vs. Vets, Basic Training Target Practice, Graduation, B#### Duck!, Bombs Over Baghdad 4, P.T.S.D. (Pull Triggers Start Dumpin), Culmination 2, Eminence 4, Our Society… Our Way, Behind Enemy Lines 3, Friday Night Lights 2, Basic Training 12, Homecoming – The Prep Rally, Homecoming 2023, Late Registration 2, Death is Urned 2)  

Top Battle Rap Leagues of the Year (Medium) 

RBE 

(Divide & Conquer, 1SK Intake, Divide & Conquer 2, 1SK Intake 2, ISK Intake 3, Max Out 3, 1SK Intake 4, Full Circle, Bricks vs. Intake, 1SK Intake 5) 

Top Battle Rap Leagues of the Year (Large) 

URL 

(Outside, The Crucible Season 3, Redemption 2, Kings vs. Queens 4, Outside 2, Survivor Series, NOME Impact, Born Legacy 3, Summer Madness 13, Final Exams 2, Banned Legacy 4, Civil War 4, Traffic 6, Rookies vs. Sophomores, The Prelude, Homecoming 2) 

Battle of the Year 

Battle rap fans have consumed numerous top-notch clashes throughout the past 12 months, but one stood out above the others as the best battle of 2023: Ill Will vs. Hitman Holla. The Wild N Out star stripped down his usual energetic performance style and got back to the bars to put on a classic in RBE’s Blue Room with the veteran Pontiac MC, who always puts on a show.  

Dot Mob legends Murda Mook and T-Rex took the next two spots for their battles against Chess and Nu Jerzey Twork, respectively. Newcomers Hansel and Yunus took fifth place for their match up on The Riot, while Rum Nitty vs. Illmac closed out the list after showcasing six rounds of fire on KOTD’s Blackout 8. 

  1. Hitman Holla vs. Ill Will (RBE) 
  2. T-Rex vs. Chess (URL) 
  3. Mook vs. Nu Jerzey Twork (URL) 
  4. A Ward vs. Aye Verb (RBE) 
  5. Hansel vs. Yunus (The Riot) 
  6. J2 vs. Mac Myron (Bag$ & Bodies)  
  7. Ave vs. Tay Roc (URL) 
  8. Eazy the Block Captain vs. Geechi Gotti (Chrome 23) 
  9. Swamp vs. Chef Trez (URL) 
  10. Rum Nitty vs. Illmac (KOTD) 

Body of the Year 

Even the most experienced and highly skilled MCs can have bad days at the office or come up against somebody who’s just plain better than them on the day. Sometimes, these losses are so clear, they can only be classed as body bags. This year, fans voted Geechi Gotti’s highly publicized victory over Eazy The Block Captain as the biggest body of 2023.  

  1. Geechi Gotti vs. Eazy the Block Captain
  2. Lady Caution vs. Ash Cash 
  3. Chayna Ashley vs. Tori Doe 
  4. John John Da Don/DNA vs. Saflare Sole/Footz 
  5. A Ward vs. Viixen the Assassin 
  6. Bigg K vs. A Ward tie with Shotgun Suge vs. Ace Amin 
  7. Nu Jerzey Twork vs. Coffee Brown 
  8. Jerry Wess vs. DNA 
  9. Ace Amin vs. Tru Foe 
  10. Swervo vs. Cortez 

Upset Win of the Year 

An upset win never fails to get fans talking, whether in open-mouthed shock that their fave has taken a loss or in sheer delight that the underdog has triumphed over the predicted winner. 2023 was no different in this respect, and our voters selected Jerry Wess beating DNA as the biggest of them all.  

  1. Jerry Wess vs. DNA 
  2. Bigg K vs. A. Ward 
  3. Ace Amin vs. Rum Nitty 
  4. Footz vs. Rum Nitty 
  5. John John Da Don vs. Eazy the Block Captain 
  6. Eazy the Block Captain vs. Hitman Holla 

Ultimately, battle rap is all about the bars and how you execute them, and this year Superlatives recognizes the best lines uttered on the battle rap stage in 2023. Fans voted for the artist who shook the room hardest and had the Haymaker of the Year. They also highlighted the MCs who can think on their feet and stun their opponents with bars worthy of the Freestyle/Rebuttal of the Year title.  

Top 3. Haymakers of the Year 

1. A. Ward vs. Aye Verb: “Glock 40” 

2. Rum Nitty vs. Illmac: “Give you a headstone” 

3. Bigg K vs. A. Ward: “Closed my eyes and hit something” 

Top 3. Freestyles/Rebuttals of the Year 

  1. Rum Nitty vs. Saflare Sole: “Kimbo Slice/Uma Thurman” 
  2. DNA vs. Jerry Wess: “Basketball”  
  3. Chef Trez vs. Clone: “Pikachu”