King Of The Dot’s Ice Age has begun.
Harlem’s Head I.C.E won the KOTD title against Philly defender Rone to become the first black champion for the league, as well as the first from New York.
The match went down in Toronto around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (April 16) in front of a lively crowd, proving to be a highlight of the entire two-day event and one of the better title matches in recent memory.
Both MCs executed their game plan effectively, though I.C.E’s often densely coded street talk and always-intimidating presence was too much for Rone’s more dynamic writing and rapid-fire delivery.
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The unofficial BattleRap.com post-battle poll was razor close, though the 6-1 judges’ decision wouldn’t necessarily indicate that.
The battle was debatable enough that it set off “robbery” calls from Rone fans and (the usual) conspiracy theories about judge selection (who were approved beforehand by both MCs).
Going into the title match I.C.E definitely had more momentum, becoming a fan favorite after a long string of impressive showings since his league debut against Pat Stay in 2012. In that time, he’s become a staple of the Canadian-based platform and has shown it to be his first priority for battling.
I.C.E brings a new Hip Hop pedigree to the chain, regularly getting co-signs from industry MCs like Ghostface Killah and Fat Joe, as well as congratulations from Alchemist and Royce Da 5’9 for his win.
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Rone wasn’t without his celebrity endorsements though…
As for what’s next for the chain, the league’s #1 contender is widely considered The Saurus, who was also named over the weekend as the 2016 KOTD Battler of the Year. Title matches are historically held at Toronto’s twice-annual marquee events, but it’s still too soon to say exactly when I.C.E will make his first defense.
Rone addressed the loss on Twitter, thanking his fans for their support.
Catch the full replay of the live pay-per-view here.
