While one of the most anticipated battles of the year, DNA vs. Ill Will, was abut to take place, RESPECT. caught up with Smack and Beasley to discuss the competition, their battlers and Night of the Main Events 4. You can read all about it in our upcoming issue but, prior to watching DNA and Ill Will go at it for three rounds tomorrow, we’re giving you a preview of Smack and Beasley’s mindset on the event and their “imitators.” Read on below.

RESPECT.: With all the competition going on right now, how do y’all feel? Are you the leaders in the battle league space?

Beasley: I still think that URL is the leader in the space. All of the major talent that attracts viewership at MC battles online, they come from our platform. Even if they weren’t a big name, they were established here and we broadened their profile to enable them to go out and battle. Any other league that’s out here, they are trying to secure views, they are using our talent pool to do so. Whether they are small leagues, major corporations that are now trying to come in, labels… I’ll say it’s good on one end when you have them imitating what you are doing, ’cause it shows that you are making an impact. But it’s also frustrating because in addition to us being businessmen and entrepreneurs we are also true to hip-hop.We always believed in being original.

Night of Main Events is coming up, but your marquee event is the annual Summer Madness show. What do y’all expect from both high-powered battles?

Beasley: Energy. I expect energy, performance, excitement, and elevation of MC battle culture to another level. People have to remember that we were able to do something that few thought was even possible. People laughed at us, thought we were jokes, clowns… “There’s no money in this.” Now we are selling out venues. One of the owners of [famous New York venue] Webster Hall told us the only people to sell out Webster Hall were The Killers and The Rolling Stones. They said no one else ever in hip-hop was able to haul out to that level with the ticket price point that we had. [Editor’s note: Tickets can reach up into the $200 range.] They said it was insane. We are providing jobs, opportunity for these guys to make money. They are actually making a living off of battle rap now. They can pay their bills, travel the world, have opportunities to go to other leagues overseas. You see guys in other countries acting like they are Smack. So even if we don’t get any bigger, it just feels good to know we did something that contributed to hip-hop culture that will be around forever and that’s documented that people will always refer to.

The full issue hits newsstands soon.

The post RESPECT. The Preview: Smack and Beasley in Vol. 5, Issue 1 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

DNA vs Dizaster
This is the moment that DNA cemented his spot in the top tier. Pairing up Dizaster, perhaps the only other MC on a comparable sky-rocketing path at the time, with DNA in long battle hosted by Drake set this up to be a classic, and damn did these dudes deliver. Freestyle flips and tense moments of real talk (especially in round 3) are abound. Watch the whole hour, it’s worth it.

DNA vs Eurgh
DNA has stated in interviews that he loves to choose opponents who can freestyle, and this battle is a particular treat because of that. There are few other instances on Youtube where both MCs offer tight rebuttals at the top of each round. DNA blends some grimy gun bars and some hilarious accusations of UK culture for a fantastic showing.

DNA vs K-Shine
As K-Shine’s opening round mounts in energy, those watching at home might think DNA was dead on arrival, but hang in there: dude’s composure and trust in his material allows him to get what seemed like an initially swayed crowd onto his side. DNA brings punch after punch, meets K-Shine on his turf and incorporates other styles as well. A classic battle.

DNA vs TheSaurus
Here, DNA faces the active veteran of battle rap, the “Two Time Winner of Everything,” so this was a particularly important test. Though the crowd is pretty whack and unresponsive, a careful listener can hear that his bars are razor sharp. He provides name flips, wittiness, brutal passion, and perhaps most impressively, a prediction of his opponent’s bars.

DNA vs Arsonal
This one, hot off the presses, is a very close call. What wins it for DNA are the two reasons this list exists in the first place: underneath his surface level wordplay, he is an artist with purpose, passion, and pain, and he is the most consistent performer in his field. Here’s DNA’s latest classic. Enjoy, and be sure never to sleep on this boy again.

The post 5 Battles To Show You What DNA Is Made Of appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.