One could be forgiven for assuming that the show, which was advertised as a rap battle between the Miami and Atlanta rising stars, would be an improvisational showcase. Thatās certainly what I was expecting when I arrived at the Innovation District warehouse hosting the event. Attendees knew ahead of time that the battle would take place in a wrestling ring, and that it would pit the two aforementioned hip-hop stars against each other for five rounds. In the end, Miamiās Red Bull Zeltron World Wide showcase didnāt turn out to be a traditional rap battle, but five rounds of a relatively standard hip-hop performance. Even so, it proved to be an incredibly riveting evening by two rappers operating at the peak of their abilities.
This wasnāt the first time Denzel Curry has taken part in a Red Bull-sponsored rap battle, and it wonāt be the last. The roving hip-hop showcase is named for the Carol City-born star, and Zeltron is just one alias for the Zuu rapper who has claimed the throne as Miamiās current hip-hop ambassador. In fact, itās not even the first battle of its kind to take place in Miami: back in 2018, Curry faced off against Flatbush Zombies in a show with the same format. Now, the Zeltron World Wide project is back with a vengeance: before last night's event, Curry squared off against Joey Bada$$ in November for an Atlanta-based event, and in three weeks' time, he'll take to San Francisco for a bout against Rico Nasty.

Fans root for J.I.D at Red Bull Zeltron World Wide. See more photos from Zeltron World Wide here.
Photo by Ian Witlen / Red Bull Content Pool
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the show was ā shockingly ā not its main event, but its opener. Rather than carting in a lesser-known hip-hop act to warm the crowd up, the night began with not one, not two, but three campy wrestling bouts, each more audacious than the last. It was a fitting start to an evening in which each performance took place in a true wrestling ring, and entertaining to the point that I found myself wondering if more concerts should begin that way.
As for the main event, it featured exactly what one would hope for from the showās two featured performers, with lyrical acrobatics on full display and an embarrassment of riches in regards to the setlist. One of the rap battle formatās many upsides is that it left no time for either performer to pepper any filler into the show: this was a hit parade of absolute bangers from start to finish.

J.I.D performs at Red Bull Zeltron World Wide.See more photos from Zeltron World Wide here.
Photo by Ian Witlen / Red Bull Content Pool
Beyond the performances themselves, the event felt remarkably well-run for something that was staged in an empty warehouse and hosted well over 1,000 attendees. The sold-show meant the venue was packed, but it never felt unsafe or overly crowded. The bleachers on three of the ringās four sides afforded fans solid sightlines from nearly everywhere in the venue, while still leaving room on the floor for rowdier attendees to mosh. From my vantage point, the sound was close to spot-on for the entirety of the show. The proceedings were also kept light through a memorable assortment of merchandise: fans were offered foam fingers advertising either "Team Zel" or "Team JID", and the event featured gig posters advertising the unique event.
After more than 150 minutes of blistering rap performances, guest appearances, and campy WWE-style wrestling matches, the two artists wrapped up the show together by performing "Sirens," before being crowned co-champions and each receiving appropriately flashy title belts. Though it's this writer's opinion that J.I.D should have walked away with the win for his lyrical feats, it was a fitting end to a show that validated a new format for rap concerts; other artists should take note of its success and potential. As the last song of the night came to a close, Curry told the crowd āThis is my favorite fight so far,ā and declared āYou just witnessed history in the making.ā
By all indications, he was absolutely right.