Rap battles on the rise

It’s not uncommon to associate rap music with the likes of Yo Yo Honey Singh or Baba Sehgal and Badshah in India. After all, we’ve heard of four bottles of vodka, baby’s love for bass and more for what feels like an eternity now. Many, however, are still unaware of how rap, which originated in the late ’70s, managed to become an art form that subsequently spread to India. While it’s still finding foothold in India, there are some who stand out from the crowd, thanks to their boom box blazing beat that represents the culture that started from the streets.

Take for example Mumbai-based rap crew called Elsewhere that has been holding the fort for battle rap with Battle Bars Bombay (B3) since 2014. Consisting of Vineet Nair (Poetik Justice), Lester Cardoz (Kav-E), Anmol Gawand (EMF), Achint Marwah (Noxious D) and Hiten Sangani (Infamous) the crew has come a long way from battling at Narli Bagh, Dadar, to inviting rappers from all over India.

After Battle Fort, Civil War, Home Invasion and Hunting Session, B3 is all set for its fifth battle event called Art of War, where a King/Grandmaster will be crowned at the end of the event, who can boast of being the face of battle rap in India.

Reminiscing about the formation of B3, Anmol says, “Back then, we had Monster Battles every month, and all of us would participate there. But these just suddenly stopped happening. We wanted to battle, but there was no platform for us. Around the same time, Elsewhere was already formed. Every Sunday, we used to meet at Narli Bagh, Dadar for Cypher Mania, where people from the scene gathered around for a rap freestyle session. During that freestyle session, we used to battle each other. So one day we just thought why not build a platform for rap battles and that’s how B3 came into existence.”

He continues, “The scene is rapidly growing in India and battle rap is finally getting the attention it deserves. So with B3, Elsewhere tries to give rappers making the right noises, or new battlers looking for a stage, the platform to hone their skills.”

Do the guys enforce rules and regulations for artistes taking the stage as far as language and sensitivity goes? “No,” Lester shakes his head. “When it comes to rap, there are no barriers. The culture is about letting your emotions flow without any restrictions. We try to keep it as real as possible. The gloves are off and they can do whatever they want and that’s how battle rap is supposed to be. Every battler you meet has a different style; some use gun bars, while some use subliminal lines; you cannot restrict an artiste.”

Lester explains that preparing for the event is a lengthy process, where a theme is decided. This time, it’s Art of War and battlers are given about a month’s time to prepare. They also have the choice to call out another battler they want to go up against.

And unlike previous times, Art of War will see a winner. Anmol quotes rapper Immortal Technique, “‘Battle rap is like gladiator sport.’ It’s entertaining but there can never be one face representing the scene. With hip hop we have names like Divine and Naezy who represent it. But battle rap is dynamic; one can do really well in one battle and choke in another. It’s not about creating a winner, but letting people know that this art form exists.”

Lester smiles as he explains that the crew makes no money out of this. “In fact we invest money in order to arrange a hurdle free event. There have been times battlers, who flew in from other cities, assured us they don’t need travel money. To save money they even stay at our place. And it’s not a hassle, since it helps us bond well. In every event, we try to pay the battler how much ever amount we can. It might not be much but we make sure that they feel appreciated for investing their time and hard work into this, since nobody is a full-time rapper here. Everyone is taking time off from college or work to prep for this just because they are passionate about the music and have love for the culture.”

The crew also has big plans for B3, hoping to make it to a global platform. “. We have been contacted by International leagues who want to work with us, so our next step is to take it further ahead and represent the scene globally. We know for the fact that B3 is one of the best leagues currently and this is the right time to keep marching forward, ” concludes Lester.

The event will take place on February 11, 2 pm onwards at Cuckoo Club, Bandra