The Southwest United States is a region that is often looked over when it comes to art. The State of New Mexico doesn't have much going for it in terms of jobs and economic activity. The state subsists on jobs from military bases, federal funding and has one major metropolitan city, Albuquerque. The last notable painter to come out of the state was Georgia O'Keefe. If you are a fan of art you would know that having your state recognized because of paintings of landscapes and cacti is less than exciting. The state is also known for a television show about a cancer patient turned meth dealer, Breaking Bad. The state fares badly in childhood hunger, poverty and graduation rates from public school. New Mexico does not generally inspire hope for the youth as the State remains a popular place for the country's retired to find affordable homes and live out their golden years in the warmth of the desert temperatures. This kind of bleak landscape and economic outlook creates a rough and tumble place to live where an artist, a business person, a dreamer has to fight against the stream just as hard as those stricken with poverty in the South have to.
There are little to no outlets for creative space, artistry and business. One small group of artists, poets, writers, rappers and business people have sought to create a DIY environment for entertainment and music. This group named UBR or Universal Battle Realm started as a collection of artists that wanted to highlight the incredible pool of talent in the region and also create a positive outlet for hip hop culture. This battle rap league has grown to a notable level of success bringing national artists to the city of Albuquerque and creating a platform for hip hop producers, writers, rappers and business people to help create a new hip hop culture in the southwest.
This rap battle league is known for being the most disrespectful battle league in the country. The battlers have been known to be irreverent and incredibly adept at wordplay, rhyme schemes and rhythmic versions of the most entertaining insults an audience has ever heard. This league represents what young artists, business people and dreamers can create in a cultural vacuum. The hip hop scene is self driven and as the league grows it seeks to showcase the talent that the Southwest United States has to offer in terms of art, music and culture. Please take some time to view their social media links, their website, and the battle below to get an idea on the culture that is growing in the Southwest as this group of individuals seek to claim their American dream with art, hip hop and a drive to succeed the any American can identify with.
