Rap battling is a prominent part of hip hop culture and has been a springboard for many of hip hops major stars. It originally tended to be freestyle orientated and would rarely be planned often happening sporadically whenever people would be reciting some of their lyrics. It is now predominantly prewritten which allows for intricate schemes, extensive research into an opponent as well as an all-round higher level of lyricism. Freestyles are now generally used in rebutting an opponents round, if someone has forgotten their bars or if a battler merely wants to showcase his spontaneous lyrical ability. Battle rap has grown rapidly and there are now leagues all over the world with battles being structured into rounds and being judged over by a panel of battlers. Dont Flop is the premier UK rap battle league and in little over four years it has become a globally recognised organisation. It was founded in 2008 by battle rappers Eurgh and Cruger and has gone from strength to strength since. Aside from the hard work the founders and the Dont Flop team have put into it there have been two key catalysts in its success. The first is undoubtedly the battle between teacher Mark Grist and student rapper Blizzard; a battle that saw major mainstream coverage and to date it has received 3 million views. The majority of the coverage focused on how the teacher schooled the pupil but this is very harsh on Blizzard who has some very impressive verbal attacks and who in my opinion was unlucky to lose. The second is the Bradford based rapper Lunar C whose lyrical prowess and brutal punch lines spawned a new enthusiastic fan base. Lunar has since retired from battling to focus on his music career but the lure of battle rap and the constant demands of the fans mean we may well see him back one day. As someone who normally covers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) the parallels are obvious and battle rapping is basically the verbal equivalent. Like MMA in battle rapping competitors from various differing styles compete to see who is superior. The primary debate is between bars, pre written complex schemes, and jokes, using primarily humour to get reactions from the crowd. A great example of these two styles clashing is the recent Dont Flop title match between Oshea and Tony D. However much like MMA the scene has evolved in front of our eyes and the new talent emerging are versed in various styles and techniques. A fitting example of how the game has changed is highlighted between the now infamous battle in Canadas King of the Dot battle league between Canibus and Dizaster. Canibus is a hip hop legend and an old school battler who stepped back into the fray to make a point. Dizaster is one of the best battlers in the world today, a master of various styles, excellent at freestyles and deadly at rebuttals; the Anderson Silva of battle rapping. What ensued was one of the most controversial battles in history. It is not to everyones tastes and there is pretty much nothing off limits from dead relatives, criminal pasts and even adulterous behaviour (see Caustic v Jefferson Price). This aside there is no denying the talent and technical prowess some of these rappers possess and I urge anyone who considers themselves a fan of words to watch some of the talent currently in Dont Flop. There is genuinely something for everyone here whatever it is you are after. Shakespeare is often considered the master of the English language due to his wordplay, inventive use of metaphors and poetic lyricism. Yet it is worth noting that his plays were performed predominantly in front of a rowdy crowd who would be drinking and reacting to the action that occurred on stage. Dont Flop is in the same mould with these modern day wordsmiths battling in front of a noisy crowd who are hanging on every word. Like Shakespeares works a lot of the intricacies are only revealed on closer inspection and there are numerous battlers out there whose verses require multiple viewings in order to fully take in the subtle references and desired meaning. Dont Flop has everything from comedy and drama, villains and heroes to ecstasy and despair and it even has the odd life affirming tale with Pete Cashmore attributing battle rap as helping him overcome depression. With poetry predominantly belonging to the elite this is an excellent example of a medium where people with a mastery of words are choosing to express themselves. It must be mentioned also that a generation that is much maligned for its destruction of the English language can still show an intelligence with words that belie the perception most people have of them. Dont Flop is a brilliant example of the underlying intellect prevalent in subcultures people often dismiss and it is proudly flying the flag for UK Battle Rap. If 2013 is anywhere near as good for Dont Flop as 2012 was, and judging by the first few events it is well on course, than we are in for a treat. DFAFD.