$hi-Raq battled at The Plus backroom last spring.

Guess who’s back? Back again? Mr. Pizzy and Romes are bringing No Coast Raps back to The Plus! (Tell a friend.) On Sept. 23 in the Plus backroom on Graham Avenue (a.k.a. The Venue), No Coast Raps is holding its second training camp. The event will feature a headline battle between Shakezulla (St. Louis) and Portal (St. Paul) in addition to battles between numerous emcees from the Chippewa Valley. While No Coast Raps has multiple divisions, Mr. Pizzy and Romes head the EC one. Of the event they had back in March, Mason Hatleli (Mr. Pizzy) said, “There was a good turnout of people and the atmosphere was jovial and electric. I was super happy to see my city come out to support the event.” So, what is No Coast Raps all about? According to Mr. Pizzy, “No Coast Raps showcases talented emcees from all over the world at venues all across the Midwest. We create a friendly yet competitive environment that allows for the whole crowd to participate in the actual performance.” Seems pretty straightforward, right? The audience members form a pit, and the rappers rely on clever lyricism to win the a cappella rap battle. (Yes, you read that correctly: This is a cappella!) Finally, each battle is filmed to go on their YouTube channel (youtube.com/NoCoastRaps). If you like hip-hop, don’t miss these guys in action. And if you’re interested in performing at future NCR events? Drop Mr. Pizzy a line at nocoastraps@gmail.com. 

No Coast Raps Wisconsin: Training Camp #2 • Friday, Sept. 23, 8pm • The Plus backroom (a.k.a. The Venue), Graham Avenue entrance, Eau Claire • $5 • thepluseauclaire.com