Big Beat MKE 2023 Night Two Recap
Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward was the place to be on Thursday night for the second night of Big Beat MKE, with the beat battle featuring some of the city’s finest on the beats and on the microphone. Jackalope Lounj at The Wicked Hop was filled with fans eager to witness the battle, hosted by our fearless leader Twan Mack and guest DJ for the night, HomeRecker.
The evening kicked off with reigning champion Spacecrime facing off against Domes1, also known as JTodd. The battle mixed different boom bap elements in their beats, but it was Domes1 who came out on top with a surprising upset over Spacecrime. It was a tight knit battle, and as Twan Mack mentioned to the crowd, he didn’t want the judges’ jobs for the evening. An appreciative crowd demanded overtime, and it was clear that these two could go toe-to-toe on any given day.
The second battle of the night was a close one as well, with Orion advancing over Angry Kat, despite his entertaining theatrics. Angry Kat donned Star Wars gear in honor of May the 4th and brought a lightsaber to the stage, dancing and twerking with every beat he dropped. However, it was not enough to overcome Orion’s skills, as he moves on to the quarterfinals. Orion’s beats were soulful and pulled samples from all over the place, and while he’s only been producing for around a year, his experience as an emcee picking beats certainly played to his favor.
In addition to the battles, the night also featured two strong performances from Lady Sabo and StreetTeam Hektik. Lady Sabo commanded the room with her powerful presence on the microphone and featured Heyzeus, who rapped his verse from the crowd. Hektik used his second Big Beat MKE performance to showcase not only himself, but also several other South Side rappers including Shawn Guala, GP El Magico, and B.U., all of whom had never performed at Big Beat MKE before. The energy was up in the room, and Hektik’s South Side showcase saw him rapping from the balcony, while B.U. was down in the crowd. It was a way to shine the light on his side of town’s ever-burgeoning talent.
Big Beat MKE Night Two was a night to remember, and we’re only halfway through the first round. Join us next Thursday at Jackalope Lounj, when Super Ego Beats takes on No B, and Gucco faces off against Hot Science. The night will also feature performances from NilexNile and H. Kain, so you do not want to miss this one!
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