The battle rap community is growing. Views are rising and it's audience is changing. There was a time that in order to gain recognition, you had to travel the country. Now with the help of youtube, a battle rapper can become "famous" rapping in his backyard. Rappers like, Murda Mook, Serious Jones, Loaded Lux, Young Miles and X Factor were in the first wave of battle rappers to benefit from youtube. Even before youtube was the place to be SMACK DVD's were being SOLD and distributed nation wide.
While all this was going on I was against what I had ignorantly deemed "rapping for free". I turned down SMACK & Fight Klub invitations left and right. Why? Because I thought I was above the organizations? Nah. At the time I was being paid by major television networks to battle in front of millions and rapping "for free" in a record store didn't seem like a good business decision--at the time. If I had to make that decision again today, I would do the same.