Ray Lavender - Champion

On Sept. 19, six-time world Champion “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather will come out of retirement for a bout against John Manuel Márquez.  It goes without saying that the legendary pugilist’s return to the ring deserves hard-hitting hip-hop commemoration, and although the tribute track we watched Konvict singer Ray Lavender and Jeff “Pay$0z” Chery record in a recent video ultimately wasn’t selected as the boxer’s official theme music, there’s no denying it packs a mean punch.  Originally set to premiere in the Booth but recently leaked to the ‘net in unfinished form, the unreleased cut finds the collaborators squaring off against their challengers over an hyped-up synth-string beat by J Hot.  Pay bobs and weaves his way through two verses, waxing poetic about Mayweather’s many achievements, and Ray ties it all together with a high-powered hook.  Pound for pound, Champion is a knockout, and should leave listeners amped for the upcoming bout as well as the projected year-end release of Chery’s Booth-sponsored Going Against the Grain mix-album.