Rap junkies are in for a treat next month as a heavyweight Hip Hop showdown is on the cards — except this one isn’t a Verzuz.
On Tuesday (April 26), legendary producer Just Blaze announced he’ll be facing off against fellow production maestro Jake One in a beat battle live from Charlotte, North Carolina. The contest — part of producer/industry connector Gene Brown‘s “Beat Down” series — will be held at the Crown Station Coffee House & Pub on May 14.
“I shall accept this L gracefully. But I’m going down fighting!!!” Just Blaze wrote modestly on Instagram while sharing the flyer. The equally humble Jake One added, “Taking this L as a sacrifice for hip hop.”
Just Blaze and Jake One’s announcement lit up the Hip Hop production community, with the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lord Finesse and Dilated Peoples’ DJ Babu sharing their excitement in the Instagram comments section.
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The night also promises a beat battle between Seattle Hip Hop pioneer Vitamin D and The Soul Council’s Sndtrak, as well as performances from J Scienide, Kev Brown, DJ Static, DJ Justice and DJ Wizdom Kenyatta.
Tickets are available at Eventbrite starting at $25, although it’s unclear if the event will be streamed online.
Just Blaze Explains His No-Verzuz Stance Despite Being A Pioneer With Swizz Beatz
Just Blaze is a name that requires no introduction. One of Hip Hop’s elite all-time producers, the New Jersey native rose to fame in the early 2000s as an in-house hitmaker for Roc-A-Fella Records, helping to craft JAY-Z‘s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, The Blueprint and The Black Album, as well as classic material for Cam’ron, Beanie Sigel and Freeway.
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Best known for scoring epic, stadium-status bangers, Just has also worked with A-listers such as Kanye West, Eminem, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, T.I., Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross and Beyoncé while introducing the world to Jay Electronica.
The 44-year-old is no stranger to beat battles having faced off against Swizz Beatz and The Alchemist in the past. In fact, it was those very contests that helped lay the foundation for Swizz and Timbaland’s Verzuz success.
Jake One, meanwhile, has built a stellar catalog over the last 30-plus years that encompasses the depths of Hip Hop’s underground to the heights of mainstream rap without sacrificing the quality of his beats or his commitment to sample-based production.
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The Seattle-born producer has racked up credits for Drake, Future, J. Cole, Travis Scott and 50 Cent, as well as MF DOOM, De La Soul and Brother Ali. Snare Jordan has even branched out into funk, soul and R&B with his Grammy-nominated group, Tuxedo, alongside singer Mayer Hawthorne.
Needless to say, Just Blaze and Jake One’s beat battle promises to be a heavyweight showdown.
