The Freestyle Rap Boom: 1.8B Social Media Impressions And 800M Video Views In H1 2023

In a digital era where content is king, the FreeStyle Master Series (FMS) and Urban Roosters unleash a tsunami of digital content consumption, proving that the art of freestyle rap battles has not only endured but burgeoned amidst the pandemic-induced shifts in entertainment landscapes.

As the third post-Covid season of FMS unravels, the numbers vouch for a staggering inclination towards digital absorption of its content. Highlighting a meticulous understanding of its audience, the brands have registered a 45.4% surge in social media impressions during the first semester of 2023, amassing over 1.8 billion, according to data from digital audience platform Horizm.

Key Statistics

• Social Media Impressions: 1.847 billion (a 45.4% increase from 2022)
• TikTok Growth: 278% in impressions; 515% in content interaction
• Video Views: 793 million (surpassing MotoGP's 720 million)
• Instagram: Leading platform with 735 million impressions (40% of total reach)
• Total Followers: 25.1 million (a 6.2% growth), with FMS leagues contributing 14.7 million
• Content Interaction: An 81.25% rise, crossing 90 million interactions in six months

Instagram and Facebook remain the dominant platforms, accumulating 735 million and 615 million impressions respectively. However, TikTok has emerged as a dark horse in the race, experiencing a 278% spike in impressions and a staggering 515% growth in content interactions, such as comments and shares, compared to the same period in 2022.

The video, being the natural format for showcasing the electrifying rap battles, has witnessed a remarkable 68% rise in views, totaling 793 million, outshining giants like MotoGP. Notably, Instagram leads in video consumption with 306 million views, while TikTok, with 248 million views, is relentlessly gaining ground and is prognosticated to spearhead this domain in the upcoming years. YouTube, despite a 56% growth, maintains a consistent volume of publications similar to the 2022 semester.

Sergi Besa, responsible for Business Intelligence at Urban Roosters, elucidates, "Six years after its inception and with the third post-Covid season underway, the professional freestyle rap league has fortified its standing as an entertainment offering among the youth. With FMS rounds as the epicenter of content generation and a specific strategy per channel, the Urban Roosters digital ecosystem continues to entice new audiences and an increasing number of sponsors trust it as a medium to gain relevance among Generation Z."

While numbers narrate the story of triumphant growth, a peek behind the curtains reveals that content spotlighting battle winners, session highlights, graphic comparisons, participant declarations, rivalries and behind-the-scenes content are the crowd-pullers, magnetizing the community’s attention. Urban Roosters and FMS, vigilant to the trends, persist in bolstering their digital strategy and innovating formats to preserve and amplify the connection with an increasingly active community.

In an era where digital realms are constantly evolving, FMS and Urban Roosters have decisively staked their claim, not just as purveyors of freestyle rap culture but as formidable entities in the digital content domain, orchestrating a symphony where metrics and community engagement compose a harmonious melody of digital success.