Red Bull Batalla Is a "Contemporary Coliseum" for Spanish-Language Freestyle Rappers

What makes a battle rapper stand out among all their opponents as the head that wears the crown? Is it lyrical flow, quick wit, or something entirely less tangible that transforms an ordinary emcee into "one of one, the only one," as some might say?

When Spanish rapper and singer Sara Socas serves as a judge of the Red Bull Batalla regional qualifier — a global, Spanish-language freestyle rap competition coming to SkateBird Miami on Saturday, August 26 — she says there's one quality an emcee may exhibit that can earn them her vote.

"I love the confident ones," Socas says. "As long as you prove that you believe in yourself and convince me with your performance, I will vote for you, for sure."

Red Bull Batalla is a bracketed competition where a pair of rappers exchange verbal shots in an exhilarating, head-to-head battle — a "magical form" of entertainment in which audiences can never be quite sure how it'll all end, Socas says.

"I like to see it as theater: two soldiers fighting for their lives or two poets sharing their unique, artistic points of view. To me, it's like a contemporary coliseum with infinite possibilities of thinking and performing," Socas says. "Sometimes, the winner is the angriest; other times, the most sensitive. Sometimes, it's not even a fight; it's more like a song made by two artists at a certain moment, at a certain place, in front of a lot of people."
From Saturday's qualifier event, four rappers will be chosen to compete against other regional winners from Los Angeles and Houston for a chance to take the crown at the national finals in Dallas this fall and the world finals in Bogotá this winter. The Miami batalla judges' panel gathers artists from around the globe, like Socas, MC Snow, and Chester. The emcees vying for the title include Micky Ricon; MC Freites, a Venezuelan native based in Orlando; El Salvador's Zeu; and former Red Bull Batalla world champion Link_One.

At 18 years old, Olenky David Arriaga Anez, a Miami-based rapper native to Venezuela, also known as Sorious, has already learned invaluable lessons from his time in the trenches of rap batallas.

"While the opponent is rapping, a good technique I learned is to stay calm, and there's no better way to throw someone off of their concentration than to maintain eye contact," he says. "Truthfully, it used to bother me when I would lose, but ultimately, I learned that what I care more about is being happy and satisfied with how I feel I performed to the best of my ability instead of whether I won or lost."

Luis Manuel Corona Castillo, who performs as Crown and represents Orlando and his native Venezuela, has built a fan base with his emotive, bilingual approach to freestyle. Before he enters a battle, he can usually be found relaxing while listening to his heroes, Jay-Z, Travis Scott, and Migos.

"What I love most is the energy that I get, the lightbulb in my head turning on once I know that I'm about to drop a line that's going to be crazy. The adrenaline and feeling of confidence when I get on stage is amazing," he says. "I'm going to say this with 100 percent confidence: no one can match my style. To my knowledge, I believe I'm the best at combining both languages at the same time while I'm battling. Most of my influences in rap come from English[-speaking artists,] and I think that's what defines me."
Socas, whose most recent single, "Siente," showcases her talent for rapping and singing, calls the role that freestyle rap has played in her life truly medicinal. Socas credits Red Bull Batalla for jumpstarting her career, and she's confident that some of the emcees battling at Miami's regional qualifier are destined for similar rises to fame.

"I think [freestyle rap] appeared when I most needed it, at the right moment. I was emotionally devastated, and improvising and writing became ways of healing. They still are today," Socas recalls. "[Red Bull Batalla] is just the start for performers. At least, it was for me. I was really afraid, and I almost stepped back when it was going to be my first Red Bull Batalla, but I'm glad I did it because it was the start of my career. I learned lots of stuff that made me stronger, as a person and as a rapper."

When it finally comes time for Crown to take the stage and show off his bars, no matter the outcome of the battle, the moment will mark the culmination of years of practice and passion, one giant leap toward transforming "a thing that started as a hobby" into a profession enabling him to realize his greatest dreams. He says there's no place he'd rather take this leap than the Magic City.

"It's been years of me wanting to be on this stage to show how I can do this because I'm one of those who does things not so traditionally," Crown says. "I believe Miami is the best place to host this event because it's one of the cities with the best energy, vibes, and people. Honestly, I believe it's a city that makes you feel alive on a stage — like extremely alive."

Red Bull Batalla Miami Regional Qualifier. 7 p.m. Saturday, August 26, at SkateBird Miami, 533 NE 83rd St., El Portal; skatebirdmiami.com. Tickets are $10 via eventbrite.com.