If Loaded Lux has his way, the future of hip-hop could be very interesting.
The Harlem rapper, who specializes in battling, anticipates a scenario where well-established rappers must turn to royales in order to make extra money. He recently shared his thoughts with VladTV (transcribed by AllHipHop).
"[Battle rap in big venues] is becoming the new normal. Why Meek Mill couldn't jump in there with Lil Wayne? It's so many that could do it. Everybody in Slaughterhouse could do it," said Lux. "Eminem, come on he's from that. Let him get a big enough playing field. Em versus Nas, or Em versus Jay – it's coming."
It's hard to imagine all-world rappers such as Eminem, Jay-Z or Nas jumping into the ring. But Lux says public interest in battling is so strong that Hova or others would want to tap into the extra earning potential.
"[If] people just stop buying albums, and they start paying just to see battles, what you think the game gonna do?" Lux asked.
There's at least one prominent artist who has already said he wants no part of the battle game. Around the time that Lux faced off against Murda Mook in New York's Total Slaughter event, Lil Wayne declared that he had no interest in that type of scene.
"Not sure who won out of (Murda) Mook and (Loaded) Lux yet, but as far as my opinion on battle rapping, I think it's a cool sport," he said. "What I mean by that is, I think it's something cool to do. I think what they do is very very, very f----n' cool. Very dope. It can't be done by many. I can be the first to say that it can't be done by me. I don't know how to battle rap."
Of course, several famous rappers rose to fame with the help of the battle circuit. Eminem is perhaps the primary example, although his eventual international stardom was more the result of a strong EP release – and some subsequent risk-taking by Dr. Dre – in the late '90s than anything else.
It's doubtful that Lux's scenario ever comes into play, but there's no question it would be entertaining. We'll take a wait-and-see approach.
