The E (online) true Hollywood Story: The forum formerly known as Rapbattle.com
With so much hearsay when people recall back as to how/and when the inception of Rapbattle(s).com occurred. I figured I, Mr. Anonymous should clear the air once and for all. Let's begin with a timeline, and slowly integrate into the true history of this site:
August 2000 - Subtrek launches Rapbattles.com
Septemeber 2000 - Shadow purchases the domain name "Rapbattle.com" and immediately makes the transition from his "f2s" (free2serve) UBB forum "Lethal Lyricizts" to Rapbattles.com - Although Rapbattle & Rapbattles were similar in domain origin, the actual development/and user base encompassing both communities varied completely.
Through some odd coincidence, week(s) after the launch of a competing Rapbattle.com site/forum, Mike (Shadow) & Jake (Subtrek), form a friendship. Although initial ill will for one another occurred, it quickly spawned into a little competing love/hate relationship.
*Fast Forward a year plus down the line*
Both communities are still at it, going neck and neck. However Jake (Subtrek), is completely disenchanted with the turnout of Rapbattles. He is currently making beats and enlisting them on MP3.com for revenue. Through the spamming of his beats on various communities, he has a nice little chunk of money earned. With this new found revenue generator, beat making - In addition to a generalized hatred for the Rapbattles.com members, he decides to contact long time buddy Mike (Shadow) in efforts of selling the community to him. Rapbattles, at the time was 900 members strong. While Rapbattle.com nearly double in member count. Shadow agreed to the acquisition terms, and purchased the community immediately thereafter Jake's resignation/sale.
*New Era: The combining of communities*
When I last left off; Shadow had purchased the Rapbattles.com community. After a few days of maintaining both - Rapbattle.com & Rapbattles.com - It became very overwhelming. Shadow, at the time, favored Rapbattle over his latest venture. After all, he had started Rapbattle from the ground up. Thus, he did not want to allow someone else to run Rapbattle.com - So, he decided to appoint a new admin for the Rapbattles.com community. The appointed admin was Andrew Bareknuckles, Luciano at the time. Mike (Shadow) has known Andrew from his earlier textcee (1999) days on Network 54 forums. Thus had the utmost trust and confidence in Luciano running the community. After a month or two, Rapbattles.com just became a hassle to run. Additionally - It was a complete waste of effort to grow each one individually, when you can grow as one and form one of the largest rap communities online. With this in mind, Mike redirected the domain name Rapbattles.com to Rapbattle.com. Tension immediately arose, between the two budding communities. Eventually it died off and the forum had maintained some unity. However this wasn't the only thing to die off - Mike/Shadow's passion to running the site slowly descended, as did with his counterpart Jake, just 8 months prior.
*New Era: The split*
Mind you, although a bit wack - Due to it's long stemmed roots (online), Rapbattle.com slowly emerged as one of better text battle boards. As must of the members had time to grow over the years with the forum. However, with Shadow's disinterest in the forum, he slowly developed an animosity issue. He figured if he could somehow, run the forum with an iron fist - He could possibly regain interest. After various attempts, the straw that broke the Camel's back occurred - Mike (Shadow) banned, at the time, short-time member Jay Krupp. Outraged by his careless banning techniques, and argumentative banter, a number of the forum vets (the best at on the site at the time), finally took a stance against Shadow & left the community. Although, this was one of the many turbulence that effected the overall quality of the forum. Rapbattle.com still strived on - The popularity and notoriety of the site could not be deterred by scorn members who left the site. It continued in growth, and after reaching a milestone in it's self. Rapbattle.com reached 9000+ members, and over 500,000 posts.
*The crash*
Rapbattle.com strong as ever -- hit it's new low, a complete forum meltdown. All and everything Shadow worked for had slowly went up in flames (Karma?). All members and all posts were lost. The entire community vanquished.
*Rapbattles.com: Resurrection *
Shadow, furious, yet with some glimmer of hope - Decides to rebuild what was destroyed. This time however he decides to devote his once lost interest in another direction - A direction of which involved a complete site turnaround. Rather than rapbattles.com point to rapbattle.com - Rapbattle.com instead pointed to rapbattles.com. The site starts off slow, however begins to get back it's userbase. It yet again grows past - 9000 members. However, as history will do, it repeated itself yet again for Shadow. He began his iron fist tactics, and slowly started to form more hatred for the site. His decision was to allow - Luciano, Rapbattles.com run the site on his own. As Shadow pursued other endeavors. Eventually - Luciano became a bit overwhelmed with a community of this size. After a suggestion brought on by Luciano, and some consulting with one another - Luciano appointed RB's fourth Admin in History - Kris, aka Syntax Mastery. A very dope emcee, who had the respect of many of his peers.
*Rapbattles.com: The untimely death*
Syntax (Kris) & Luciano (Andrew) continued to run the forum, as Shadow (Mike) sat on the sidelines pursuing other areas. After running the community as well as anyone could (two amazing admins, best in RB history) for months? If not over a year - Shadow, out of nowhere, underhandedly sold the forum to another Mike (also known as Alldig). AllDig had no direct interest in the community nor even visited the community once, however took on the venture - After realizing it's potential in growth was enormous. He found the community posted up for sale via the webmaster forum GeekVillage. After his purchase, he de-adminned Luciano/Barknuckle as well as Syntax....
Well, that's it. Of course I left off much detail - But all in all, this is the history of RB. All contributed to by four people - Jake, Mike, Andrew, and Kris. And a never dying community of Internet emcees - Making this one of the best forums online. Who knows the future - This site has endured so much, I wouldn't be surprised if this site goes through 10 more ownership changes - And people claiming they're vets since 2006. It's cool though, as long as this shit is kept alive.
Nonetheless take this thread for what you will.
Sincerely signed,
Rapbattle(s) scientist, and full-time Shadow dickrider.
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