This year, demand for tickets has been so high that the league has broken with tradition and decided that the event will be available to stream on pay-per-view, having sold out New York’s 1,000 person-capacity Irving Plaza several weeks in advance.

Why is NOME 7 generating such hype this year? Let’s a take a look at the card and find out.

T-REX vs K-SHINE


The main event of main events, literally. As far as history in battle rap, these two contenders have more than most other possible pairings. T-Rex and K-Shine were Dot Mobb partners for roughly a decade, backing each other up both inside and outside of the ring.
But after some tension that ultimately led to Shine’s departure from the crew, the two will settle their differences on the stage. T-Rex’s reputation as a legend and a vet stretches back further than Shine’s, but in recent years Shine has held his own with the heavyweights as T-Rex has lost the previous consistency that had people putting him in the GOAT category.
Who will have the upper-hand on Saturday remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: this match-up has the right ingredients for a classic.

TAY ROC vs CHESS


From his early battles with Shotgun Suge and K-Shine, to his rematch against Charlie Clips, to his role in the legendary 2-on-2 performance with Tsu Surf vs NWX, Tay Roc has carved out a reputation for himself in the battle game that any newcomer would envy. The Baltimore vet goes against the Bronx on Saturday as he takes on Chess, whose string of aggressive performances (the most recent against Ave) proves that he’s capable of rocking the big stage.
Those who’ve been paying attention to the battle game might still think of the teenaged MC as an upstart, but the fact is that his resumé is already stacked and only getting more impressive with each opponent. Tay Roc will be his biggest test yet, and whichever man wins will have added a huge victory to boast about.

GOODZ vs T-TOP


With NOME 7, URL has put together a card where not a single battle is easy to call. Goodz vs T-Top is no different. Goodz has always been somewhat under-appreciated in the game — the kind of rapper who can deliver solid performances against the likes of Hollow Da Don and Aye Verb and whose swagger both on stage and off is unmatchable. That said, a lot has changed with URL and its fans since his last performance for the league in June 2014.
Despite coming out of their Funk Flex faceoff looking like the more capable MC, that’s no guarantee Goodz will get the better of North Carolina’s T-Top in their battle. For a dude who was considered Rookie of the Year in 2014, T-Top has become a fearsome prospect, developing a well-rounded style and looking strong against top competition.
This time it’s the vet who’ll need to bring his best to make sure he can keep pace with a rapper who has shirked off the “rookie” tag at an unprecedented pace.

AVE vs SHOTGUN SUGE