Q&A with Cortez

“Besides the fact that we get paid, it’s fun again. I’m taking it all on,” Brooklyn battle rapper Cortez from Murder Ave. says before his match-up against John John Da Don in Atlanta, at the A3C hip-hop festival’s first ever battle rap event, presented by URL.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A PART OF A3C’S FIRST EVER BATTLE EVENT? I feel honoured by it. They picked certain artists, because they see what we’re doing beyond the battles. Beasely called me and said, ‘I see what you’re doing. I like what you’re doing. You need to be here and I’ll set you up with a battle here too.’ And when I realized how big A3C was, I was like, ‘I gotta be here.’ I’m appreciative and I’m not a greedy person. I’m happy.
DID YOU TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH PREPARING FOR THE BATTLE SINCE IT IS AT A FESTIVAL? Nah, because it is URL. At the end of the day, URL is the top of the line. You’ve got to come with your bars there and respect the rap league for a reason so I couldn’t play with him. I came here really focused.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MATH HOFFA/SERIOUS JONES INCIDENT AT THE PREVIOUS URL EVENT? Everybody knows Math is my boy, like my right hand man. You see the footage; I was there with him. I’m holding him down. It was an unfortunate incident, but like I tell people, I don’t think the punch was a serious thing, because Serious Jones and Math are from the street corner era, where a lot worse things can happen. It was just the fact of where it happened and the timing. There were investors in the building, but at the end of the day, Math knew he was wrong and it was unfortunate, but it is what it is.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS A STEP BACK FOR BATTLE RAP? I think it could have been, but I don’t think it has. It came and it went.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE SCENE TO NOW HAVE EVENTS AT FESTIVALS SUCH AS A3C? The crazy thing about battle rap is, it came from nothing and I think that we created our own lane of hip-hop, we generate our own revenue, we sell out our own crowds; we’re like an independent movement and we’re cashing out. So, for us to get selected for venues and events like this, it just [shows] that people are taking notes, not just the fans, even the execs now, are taking notes and the people that are in power and make changes are realizing that this is here to stay. I’m just glad to be a part of it.

A3C's First Ever Rap Battle

A3C brought URL to ATL last week and created history. The battle rap league, URL, presented two anticipated battles at the five-day festival, which included Rich Dolarz vs. JC and Cortez vs. John John Da Don. Rap fans packed themselves into Atlanta’s Quad, anticipating a body bag match, and that’s exactly what they got.
After some lighting issues, the event began as Rich Dolarz faced JC, in what was one of the biggest chokes many have seen in the battle rap world. After choking in the first two rounds, Rich couldn’t take the “boos” and took his mic off, before there could be a third round. JC, who had taken a loss at World Domination 4 in Toronto against 100 Bulletz, came back with a vengeance at A3C and made the win look simple.
“I’m not going to lie, that was probably the easiest battle I’ve ever done in my life. He didn’t have anything and he didn’t bring anything,” JC says, following the battle. Rich has been known for choking, but he brought it to a whole new level by refusing to continue until the end.
Up next, Brooklyn’s Cortez faced the hometown hero John John Da Don. The two friends only had a week and a half to prepare, but brought an entertaining and intricate battle that ended with no real concrete winner. They each brought stage presence, serious bars and personal information that could only be provided by real comrades, but they made sure not to get too personal or to overstep their boundaries, which some rappers choose to ignore just for a win.
“I respect all these battle rappers for what they do. Especially if I’m willing to battle you, I already respect your craft; no matter how much shit I may talk. I respect everybody, but Cortez, he always shows love and has always been real honest, so you’ve got to respect that,” John John Da Don says after all three rounds, which both rappers had delivered perfectly.
In the end, fans were happy, witnessing a body bag first hand, as well as a competitive battle between friends at A3C’s first ever battle rap event. The event taking place shows how much the movement has grown and that battle rap is now gaining the respect it deserves.
According to John John, he and the other battle rappers are just happy to be a part of the history. “Battle rap is the purest form of hip-hop. You’ve got to appreciate battle rap if you appreciate hip-hop,” he says.