Fresh off a record-breaking 2022 edition, the new season of the world’s biggest Spanish-language freestyle rap competition, Red Bull Batalla, kicks off today with the applications opening worldwide. Now through March 31st, interested MCs are invited to show their skills and apply for a chance to compete for the title of Red Bull Batalla World Champion at the World Final event in Colombia this December.
Open to all countries simultaneously, those that wish to apply can upload their freestyle submission video in Spanish via the Red Bull Batalla app (in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) by March 31st. For U.S.-based applicants, this will give them the opportunity to be selected to compete in one of three stateside Red Bull Batalla qualifier events this season.
Submissions for the 2023 global application phase will be reviewed by a panel of judges comprised of industry notables and veteran freestyle MCs from across the Spanish-speaking music landscape. Applicants deemed ready to advance to the next phase will compete in a series of regional cups and qualifier events across the country. Throughout these exciting proceedings, aspiring MCs will compete in one-on-one knockout battles to show off their best rhymes, wordplay, stage presence and more in hopes of advancing.
The top 16 contenders from the qualifier phase will then travel to the U.S. National Finals in November to battle it out for the title of 2023 Red Bull Batalla National Champion. After the U.S. National Finals, all eyes fall to December’s World Final in Colombia where one winner will be crowned the new 2023 Red Bull Batalla World Champion. This final battle will be particularly exciting for U.S. fans because, for the first time in Batalla history, two national champions will represent the U.S. in the final round as the future U.S. champion will join 2022 title holder OneR in Colombia.
For more info on the Red Bull Batalla 2023 application process and a preview of what’s ahead this season, visit the Red Bull Batalla website.
Since 2005, Red Bull Batalla has provided a platform for the best hip-hop improvisers in the Spanish-speaking world to connect, develop and compete. After going virtual due to the pandemic, Red Bull Batalla’s 2020 International Final was the most-watched live music event of the year (source). Last December, the 2022 International Final was hosted at the historic Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City. Mexico’s national champion Aczino took the title, making history as the competition’s first-ever triple World Champion. To relive the incredible moment, rewatch Azcino’s historic third world title win on ViX.
To relive additional 2022 highlights, visit Red Bull Batalla on YouTube and Red Bull TV.
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
