Eminem’s Battle Rap Competition Lands on Pay-Per-View
It’s like 8 Mile meets the WWE. Back in April, Eminem announced plans to host a battle rap competition dubbed Total Slaughter, which would take over New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom on July 12th. Eminem doesn’t just view Total Slaughter as some one-time-only event; Slim Shady sees it as a mainstream sport. The one-on-one battling and the verbal sparring puts the competition on a level with boxing and MMA. And like any worthwhile UFC or Floyd Mayweather event, Total Slaughter is coming to pay-per-view: Shady Films and Electus Digital’s WatchLOUD.com will present the event live on PPV on July 12th.
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As Rolling Stone previously reported, Total Slaughter isn’t just about finding hot hip-hop talent; it’s also revisiting classic moments in rap history. For instance, the legendary 2003 rap battle between Murda Mook and Loaded Lux, will get its much-anticipated sequel on the Hammerstein Ballroom stage. The competition will also give some OGs, like Slaughterhouse’s Joe Budden, a chance to sharpen his craft and prove his talents. Budden will face off against Hollow Da Don, the self-proclaimed “best battle rapper ever.”
“Rap comes from battling. Theres a certain cloth most MC’s are cut from,” Budden tells Rolling Stone. “Why do NBA players still play at [famed street basketball court] Rucker Park? When you are competitive you want to play against all players. You never lose the desire to compete against whoever thinks they’re the best.
“We want to help put the battle culture on a mainstream platform. As far as Total Slaughter, we want to be the most competitive league in the game! They say Slaughterhouse is the best rap group ever invented, so it’s only right to want Total Slaughter to be the best league ever invented.”
In addition to the PPV, The Road to Total Slaughter, a four-episode series leading up to the event, will air on Fuse, with unedited and extended versions of the show appearing on WatchLOUD.com. On the show, eight little-known rappers will face off against one another and vie for a spot in Total Slaughter‘s July 12th event. Slaughterhouse members Budden, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5’9″ will serve as judges on the series.