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Originally Posted by AVM
Okay, Okay, enough already. Tired of speculation. Syntax was on point in most areas. Here's the story. PLEASE use this post as reference to all future "evolution" questions. As I don't really like visiting RB anymore, because frankly, as much as I hated RB at the time I sold - I am kicking myself in the ass, now that it has 20k+ members, and I sold so cheap (being a poor teenager, I thought it was a lot at the time). So here goes:
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Rapbattle (wasn't even the name at the time) started out as an EzBoard. ------------, the company that provides free message boards, started putting popups/and massive banner ads ALL OVER the fucking place. In frustration, I got an unlicensed UBB message board (at the time they were $100+, fuck that)...Thereafter receiving these bootlegged UBB files, I got a free host, called F2S. The F2S board was called "Lethal Lyricizts". The forum exploded, 500+ members, and yet I had nothing to show for it. It wasn't even on a domain, it was on a subdomain. In example lethallyricizts.f2s.com was the address - So what came to mind was, why the fuck should I build this online santuary. This community, this utopia of hiphop boards - And spend all my time, for something I don't even own. Thus, I purchased my first dot com -- Rapbattle.com (singular) in September of 2000.
Unbeknownst to me, in August 2000, just one month prior --- Rapbattles.com was launched. Somehow, I get in touch with the owner of Rapbattles. We slowly evolve from competitors, to friends. Mind you, throughout this entire time, my site, rapbattle.com was the popular of the two. When we had 2000 members, rapbattles only had 700 members. Nevertheless - Several months down the line (3-5 months), the Rapbattles.com owner becomes tired of the lack of money. Frustrated with members. And just overall frustrated with the site itself. He approaches me with the intent to sell. So, I did what I had too - I bought out my competition. For what? A mere $30 (haha).
Next stage - I own two sites, rapbattle.com with several thousand members. And rapbattles.com with a member base in the high hundreds. Both have tons of traffic. So what I do, instead of merging. I hire on an old friend, from my Network 54 days. Andrew aka Luciano, to run Rapbattles.com - At this point, Syntax joined, I'm not sure exactly how he came to know of the site (maybe psicobabble?). Anyway within a few weeks, I was like fuck it. Why pay double the server bill, and have two mediocre sized sites, when I can create one of the top rap boards online by merging the two.
From there - Rapbattle and Rapbattles merged completely. Whereas Luciano continued to admin, along with me on Rapbattle.com --- The forum grew larger than ever, withstanding some tension from the two groups - For several months, it was like the Civil war. North (vs) South. Rapbattle members (vs) Rapbattles members on the same fucking forum no less . Eventually though the tension subsided and the site grew exponentially. Throughout this time, I went to pursue other, more profitable online ventures - And Luciano needed a hand. Meet the inception of a new admin; Mr. Syntax Mastery.
The more Luc and Syn got involved, the less I was around. My activity was sporadic to say the least. But when I did show up, I made my presence known. I was a banning machine.
We made a great team. I was great because I was a marketing machine. Without me, members would not even know the site. I brought the members - And Syn and Luc? They kept them here. So as you see --- Without me? RB would be nothing. Without them? RB would be nothing. Put simply; We had a great synergy.
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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.