J-Pro is a problem. Not in the cliché winking “look out for this kid” fashion, but in the very real “where the hell did this dude come from?!” sense. Like most Cali denizens J-Pro was a frequent freestyle comp participant, but, until 2011 he was nowhere to be found in the modern scene. Spending the interim period grinding away with his group the Epsilon Project, the Oxnard MC gradually got his rep up the old fashioned way: tearing through the minor leagues. After a handful of standout matches in Assault & Battling, 'Pro eventually secured two battles that garnered him an increased profile: a surprising win over scene vet Dirtbag Dan and a re-match victory over another recently reactivated freestyle-era mainstay — Franco. With heavy wordplay, and an intensely impassioned delivery, J-Pro brings a harder edged Fresh Coast style that has him poised as a real threat in the scene.
Aftershock vs Bender. Aftershock vs D-Lor. If you're partial to acapella orgies of esoteric references, these battles are your scripture (Old and New Testament respectively). One of the elder statesmen of King of the Dot, Aftershock has been regarded as one of KOTD's “nerd rappers” in the past, but in reality his approaches in the ring and on paper are deeper than that. Able to spit crafty character assassinations, gun bars, and Dragonball Z allusions all within the same contemptuously delivered verse, Aftershock is a deceptively well-rounded MC that has so managed to find a niche at the two previous World Domination events, evidenced by his undefeated streak. Coming off a recent Grand Prix loss to Fingaz, 'Shock is bound to be hungry, hinting at this match against J-Pro being one of the most intense, lyrical standouts of the weekend.