Freestyler Bnet (Javier Bonet González) answers the phone agog from Spain with a commanding force different to his slow-paced cadence he offers on stage. The 21-year-old MC won the 2019 Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos International Finals which took place at the WiZink Center in Madrid on Dec. 1. The heated final battle among 16 contestants from around the world saw the Spaniard take the title against MC Valles-T, one of two Colombian participants.
With 25 events across Latin America, Spain and the U.S. in 2019 alone, Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos closed the year with 16 MCs representing 11 countries: three automatic classifiers from the previous year and the other 13 arriving from the regional and national competitions of the participating countries. United States and Puerto Rico were well represented after 10 years of absence by William Manzano Serrano, who goes by Yartzi, and who won the national championship Oct. 18 in Miami, FL. The judges included 2015 international champion Arkano, 2013 international champion Dtoke, double champion in Mexico Jony Beltrán, God Level league organizer Omega, and Maikel Delacalle, an expert in improvised rap and a prominent figure on the Spanish urban scene.
The 24-hour sold-out international finals in Madrid, saw the 16 freestylers diligently endure a heavy two-week competition leaning on their creative psyche while staying away from internal criticism and overall censorship in order to flow artistically in front of a 17,000-scrum in attendance and a livestream of over 2 million people.
Battling among international contenders has become bread-and-butter for Bnet (pronounced Beh-Net). Being confined to the local competitive circuit in Spain limits his range due to geographical reasons but sets the ground. “We are all year competing among Spaniards so having international competitions is something I really enjoy,” he admits with conviction. “The fact that we can spend a whole week freestyling with 15 other guys from different countries thanks to the International Red Bull finals is a tremendous opportunity.”
It seems Bnet is well taken care of by the cosmos: he finished the international competition in Buenos Aires earlier this year as a substitute, after placing fourth, and earned a spot in the finals following the withdrawal of two contestants. “I took the news eagerly and calmly,” he remembers. “Obviously it is not the way one would like to enter, not because of how one has qualified but because someone who had won is no longer participating; it’s a pity.”
A similar scenario occurred at the Spanish nationals in 2018 as Bnet entered after a cancellation. “Seems odd but I also won the nationals entering as a substitute, so I was familiar with the situation,” he adds amused. I ask him if he considers himself a lucky person, he answers with the outmost confidence: “It is indeed strange for that to happen, for someone to enter as a substitute is uncommon. Luck could be a factor but what takes place on stage depends on one and not on luck.”
Let’s go back to Oct. 18, when the national championship saw eight competitive freestylers unite in Miami, FL hosted by Queen Mary and Serko Fu. Puerto Rican Yartzi claimed the title as the national champion of the Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos. “Aside from being an honor, being a pioneer is an immense achievement,” the Ponce native tells Billboard over the phone. “I put Puerto Rico back on the battle circuit. I was able to break that door that was closed for so long, so beyond being a personal achievement, it is a macro achievement for the Puerto Rican freestyle scene in general and for the U.S. scene which I now carry on my back.”
The Miami nationals united judges Latin Grammy nominee El B (former member of Los Aldeanos), Skone, former battle winner, and Beltrán. “Johnny and Skone have international titles of caliber,” Yartzi adds with pride. “They are freestylers that I respect, that I study. They are friends. I knew they expected something from me because they know my level. El B is one of the rappers I most admire, it was an honor and a surprise to have him as host. To have a legend present became a motivation.”
Bnet eliminated Yartzi in the quarterfinals with much calmness and his signature cadence among witty and ingenious rhymes and the accustomed battle rap heat brought on stage by both contenders. Despite the on-going lyrical insults and impromptu spit bars during battle raps there was no sign of segregation among competitors, on the contrary, companionship prevailed. “There is always a sense of inclusion from the beginning,” Bnet adds. “From the very first day Red Bull puts us in activities to create a group dynamic. Obviously, there are times one needs to be alone. I took advantage that the finals were in my city and I went back to my neighborhood, was a little oblivious to the whole atmosphere of the finals at times, but the coexistence is always good.”
Bnet stood out among the 15 global freestylers following a philosophy that gives him space to freestyle the way he wants it and as spontaneous as possible. “When I started freestyling it was because I liked to improvise rap, it’s really what I enjoy the most,” he adds in a tone that reflects he is in love with the subject. “I have had to adapt my ways since I entered the circuit, though, adapt to the format depending on the context. All the political results that come are appreciated but my philosophy continues to freestyle as I know, to improve what I want to improve, rap as well as possible whether that brings good results or not.”
As the conversation continues, Bnet looks ahead. “Do I see myself doing this for the rest of my life?” he answers the question with the same question and sighs. “Yes, I will freestyle the rest of my life, but I don’t think at a public level. It is hard for me to imagine discontinuing freestyling altogether because it is something that I love. I don’t see myself doing battles all my life, though. When I get tired, when I am a little burned from the circuit and from the battles I will leave it.”
Bnet’s current freestylers of inspiration and study include Neforme, Linier, Dual Tod, Tote King, Dano, and NWise. The interview closes with the type of music he is listening to now. “Rap, always rap. It’s the only music I listen to since I was 10.”