Tempo Won Vs Al2 El Aldeano With One Line? Review of Round One.

 





I know what I wrote for those paying attention. But this is Rap.  Since one of these artists engages in Reggaeton too and the other one collaborates with Reggaeton/Reparto artists, I believe the mods will allow this.  I will post as a backup on my Funky Bae Blog just in case.  Check that out if you’re in need of new Urbano or general music material.  LW I will be posting there, but since only Reggaeton is allowed here, unless it’s something I was already working on, I will rarely post here for the next 40 days.

Anywho… Tempo won... the 1st round.  These two guys are thoroughbred EMCEES and it’s highly unlikely that it will end here.  I felt that Al2 was winning but then Tempo went in with that line “Todo El Mundo Sabe Que Yo Vendia Droga/Yo La VendÍ, Tu La Usas Que El Público Escoja”.  I feel Al2 went too modern with his diss track focusing on visuals, themes and sonic shifts to distract from the lyrics which were good but pretty generic for a diss track.  The typical “You’re Wack and G@y” stuff we often hear in diss songs.  He did not have one standout punchline.  Tempo at least has 1.  It’s 1-0 in Tempo’s favor thus far.

But many felt Tempo won the first round vs Residente and then most felt the 2nd round was a knockout blow from Residente to Tempo (I disagree, I thought it was a tie and I felt Tempo defeated Cosculluela lyrically with “Karma”).  This may be over though.  I have not seen the reactions yet but both Tempo and Al2 have an audience of a similar size.  So, this is not the popularity contest other battles have been in recent years.  It appears that Tempo’s fans are siding with him and Al2’s fans are riding with him.  None have won over the other side.

From a marketing perspective, the smart thing would be to end the battle now.  A 2nd round could awake interest, but moreso would a squashing the beef with a collaboration move.  That’s what I would be looking to make if I were the managers and promoters involved.  And that way neither artist looks weaker than the other allowing fans to claim victory for whichever side they prefer.

But Tempo’s lines about Los Aldeanos’ breakup and AL2 being a rumored drug user probably cut too deep.  I see Al2 answering soon and it will either be as a wounded puppy, or a brutal scathing diss track like when Residente answered.  Of course if Al2 remains focused on lyrics about Sodomy, Residente took up all the best possible lines and he will have to be more creative than that.  I know most of you don’t know this, but Tempo has the first great diss track with lyrics about sodomizing Lito & Polaco in “Conozcan Otra Parte De Mi”.  Some say, he won the battle on that alone, I felt he won all his battles with “Mas Fama y Dinero”, yes even Daddy Yankee.

However, within most of the Urbano consciousness, Tempo holds 2 of the worst losses in the history of Urbano Latino tiraera vs Cosculluela and Residente.  There’s even some crazy newbies saying he even lost to Luar and Chimi… dream on.  He defeated Luar and that’s why his stock went down so much and the Chimi battle is still out for jury.  Only because Chimi never responded, if not, Tempo held back and it is a tie.  I think Tempo wants to look out for Chimi because of what happened to Yeruza.

Point is, Tempo needs to win this battle, Al2 does not.  Al2 defeated every battle MC that came at him in Cuba.  The Spaniards don’t battle for the most part except in freestyles which Al2 does.  Maybe a dream freestyle battle between Al2 vs Zatu happens someday, but it is unlikely.  I think Al2 would win though both are legends and Zatu was a champion in Spain back in the day.  Al2 is a better freestyler than songwriter.

If Tempo loses again, his career may be over.  This was crucial for his career, not necessarily Al2’s.  The reason why Al2 might take the sympathetic route in this tiraera is if what Tempo said really affected the people around him.  I cannot think of a clear example of this happening before in Spanish nor American Rap battle.  The closest thing that comes to mind is J Balvin’s flaccid response to Residente in the recent Bizzarap session.  Maybe Eminem’s “Toy Soldiers” to Benzino where he bowed out before the battle got out of hand, but he had already destroyed Benzino before then who wanted to keep it going and was giving hints of possibly initiating violence.  I feel like it has happened though, I just can’t remember off the top of my head right now.

Al2 doesn’t need this win, and if he has to save face for his own people, he might just let Tempo have an apparent victory.  If Al2 does a sympathetic appeal in round 2 and doesn’t come with any viciousness, then Tempo won’t have to respond.  Maybe Al2 even offers an olive branch which will be the first time this has ever happened.  It is unpredictable, but Al2 will most likely respond.  It is almost a guarantee.

Rating for Al2’s diss track to Tempo:  8.0/10

Rating for Tempo’s diss track to Al2:  8.2/10  

Result:  Tempo narrowly edges out in the 1st round.

One thing I did not like about this battle is that both artists made references that most people would not know outside their inner circles.  Like, I don’t even know the name of the other guy from Los Aldeanos.  And they are both saying all these names I believe may include politicians or social media people from Cuba and Puerto Rico.  I don’t know who the hell these people are?  I hate when artists do that.  Like, if it’s a make believe character, that’s cool that I don’t get the reference but when you mention some guy named Pedro Sanchez who is some congressman I never heard of… like it makes me care less.  Stop doing that Emcees everywhere, no one outside your countries cares to know about your politics unless they are relevant in dialogue at the United Nations meetings.  Stop that please, unless you have a small niche base or really fight for a meaningful cause.  My bad if they mentioned someone important and I am just being ignorant, but that’s kind of my point, most people will be ignorant about the politics in your country and 80% of the Urbano audience is outside of Puerto Rico now.

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