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Let’s Take It Back: Grain Assault 7
The 7th Grain Assault took place on February 6, 2016. Here’s what went down.
Dante Romero
January 14, 2025
Grain Assault is the first ever FlipTop event. Since its inception, it has been known as the affair that kicks off the year of the league. Many iconic battles and moments have happened here that continue to make an impact. In 2017, it simply became FlipTop’s anniversary celebration, with each division organizing its own parties. The Metro Manila Division focused on exclusive parties (strictly for emcees and close friends) starting in 2022 while the Visayas and Mindanao Divisions feature musical performances and open mic sessions. Instead of having matchups, it put a spotlight on hip-hop culture as a whole. Today, we’re going to talk about the last event that had rap battles. Join us as we travel back to the seventh edition of Grain Assault.
The date was the 6th of February 2016 and the venue was the beloved and very much missed B-Side in Makati. Four first-round matches for the 2016 Isabuhay Tournament took place. Tipsy D vs Flict-G wasn’t just a technical masterpiece. It was also a showcase of stage presence and crowd control. Plazma vs KJap remains to be a criminally underrated match. Both emcees unleashed their intricate pen game, with a few lines being ahead of their time. Pistolero vs J-King was a remarkable display of well-roundedness. The two rappers exchanged effective bars, jokes, and rebuttals. Unfortunately, Rapido vs Romano didn’t push through because the latter wasn’t able to make it due to personal reasons. Instead, we saw Rapido and LilJohn team up to take on the absent competitor. Despite being a last-minute matchup, the crowd was still treated to various witty lines and concepts.
Nico vs Righteous1 is another overlooked battle. Apart from the combination of heavy bars and creative jokes, it also has unique references and angles and their delivery was convincing throughout. Many consider EJ Power vs Jonas as battle of the night and it’s no surprise because both emcees gave their A-game. The content focused mostly on comedy but each bar and angle was original and made the crowd go wild. EJ and Jonas also displayed flawless rap skills and intensity up to the last round. Invictus vs CripLi is arguably one of FlipTop’s greatest style clashes. Invictus effortlessly represented the hardcore, technical style while CripLi proudly showcased his innovative humor. They may be different in content, but both were equally impressive when it came to rhyme schemes, delivery, and presence.
WATCH: Grain Assault 7
Supreme Fist was the DJ for the night and as always, he provided nothing but the best hip-hop tunes before and after the event and during breaks. Grain Assault 7 was the last Grain Assault to have battles but at least each one elevated the art of battle rap. Next month we’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of FlipTop. Stay tuned for announcements regarding upcoming events and other plans. One thing is certain: 2025 is going to be a huge year. Enjoy the ride! For those who’ve attended Grain Assault 7, what was your favorite match? Who gave the performance of the night? How was your overall experience? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
