(Originally written when the battle was released)
This is going to be an interesting battle. Crash has been active in the scene for many years now and is starting to be considered one of the bigger names in Wales. Odie on the other hand has not been active in the past few years but has a wealth of experience battling before the creation of Pryme Cut in many different leagues.
Here is the video of the battle:
I score each battle on a round to round basis giving each battler a score out of 5 based on lyrics, presence, crowd control, confidence and ability. I then add the scores up to give a final result and winner.
This is how to battle rap. There’s no going off topic, no chatting shit, no speaking just to be speaking – it’s just pure insults and that’s what it’s got to be.
Round 1
Crash starts off the round strong. He is a little difficult to understand at times but he has a unique style and flow within Pryme Cut. As the round progresses Crash becomes more aggressive and starts to really enjoy his performance. The performance is good but I feel he could improve this round by adding more insults and a touch more crowd respones. Solid round.
Round Score - 3.
Odie starts the round the way which a battle rap should start, with some insults. He projects his voice to fill the room but more importantly, his pronunciation and clarity when speaking make him much more of a threat in this battle. Make no mistake, Odie’s bars are directed purely at Crash, every bar is a set up to a punchline made to insult Crash. This is how to battle rap. There’s no going off topic, no chatting shit, no speaking just to be speaking – it’s just pure insults and that’s what it’s got to be. I would have liked to have seen Odie just pause for slightly longer in one or two places before spitting his bars but overall this is a very solid opening round. Crash is left looking disheartened at the end of the round knowing he has to improve dramatically to stand a chance against Odie in this form.
Round Score - 4.
Round 2
This round is probably the best I have seen Crash. I’ve reviewed several battles featuring Crash over the years (and I haven’t always been nice), but this verse is one of his best. His high energy and the way he moves around the stage is certainly unique. A lot of battlers will just use a small space on the stage to perform, Crash however commands the stage whenever he is on it. He’s almost like a wild animal marking his territory, waving his hands around and getting in his opponent’s face; and Crash is a big boy, this would certainly intimidate many of his opponents.
Crash’s personality shines through in this round and the way he ends the round is great. I would like to see Crash sometimes slow down when spitting and add more direct insults to his bars, it can be difficult to follow. I think if he uses his style a little less; and instead drops more punchlines the average crowd member can appreciate rather than just the other rappers in the room; his overall game would improve. But make no mistake, this is Crash at his best and enjoying his performance.
Round Score - 4.
Odie also steps his game up in this round. Displaying he can do more than just drop insults, he can spit too. I love the way at certain points Odie grins at his own bars because he thinks they're funny. Odie shows his experience at battling in this round. Although Crash’s round was strong, Odie did not flinch once and delivered a solid round in return. His voice projection is certainly Odie’s best quality, he’s almost shouting his bars but he’s controlling the room and has the crowd in the palm of his hand. The crowd get so hyped in this round its clear at this point the direction of the battle has been tipped in Odie’s favour. As I mentioned in the first round, insults matter. Every word that comes out of a battler’s mouth should be set ups or punchlines, Odie does this brilliantly. The reoccurring bar at the end of each round is another example of Odie’s experience.
Round Score - 5.
Round 3
Crash is a fun guy, he takes it all within his stride and although he must feel as if he’s losing or even lost this battle at this point, he keeps his spirits high. This round is for me not as strong as the other two rounds, maybe because he knows his opponent was simply to good today but this round is still very characteristic of Crash’s style. Again there are times in which it is difficult to follow his bars but overall this is solid from Crash. There are other little things Crash does to play mind games with his opponent. Like turning his back during their performance and looking uninterested, these are good things to do in a battle but I feel Odie is just to experienced to let it faze him.
Round Score - 3.
Again Odie delivers a round filled with set ups and punchlines. The crowd love him and rightly so, he’s doing everything right. He’s got some sick bars (as does Crash) but what Odie does better is deliver them in a fashion the whole room can understand. There are times in this battle in which the crowd just erupt for Odie, they do not for Crash. I feel the battle dips slightly at the end peaking in round 2 for both performers but this is still a greatly crafted round and still shows Odie’s dominance.
Round Score - 4.
Conclusion
For me there is a clear winner in this Battle and its Odie. He uses a technique which can be successful for certain battle rappers and its very simple; in principle. Set up – Punchline. Set up – Punchline. Set up – Punchline. Obviously Odie uses this technique incredibly to dominant this battle and really excels by adding little details to the formula, alongside a confidant persona and experienced dialect. Odie stands head and shoulders above Crash in this battle.
Crash puts in a good performance, probably one of the best I’ve seen from him. However, he is battling someone who was too strong on the day. I like Crash’s style and he’s an incredibly fun guy, he’s without a doubt one of a kind and with some adjustments to his delivery and writing I feel he could compete much closer to those of Odie’s standard. I feel his style and delivery can only be appreciated by those with a knowledge of rap and battle rap, therefore the complexity of his writing and punchlines often goes unnoticed by the average crowd member who doesn’t understand rap in detail. If Crash dumbed down his style a bit and focused more on dropping insults the crowd can easily appreciate, he can become dominant. I feel his best quality is stage presence and in South Wales he’s probably the best at it.
Overall, great battle. Odie stole the show and I’m looking forward to seeing more of him battle. With the right adjustments Crash can become a dominant figure in the scene and I hope he continues to be regularly battle.
Final Score
Odie – 13
Crash - 10
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