Onstage company
Documented collaborators
Grind Time Now (GTN) is a cornerstone of modern battle rap, born in 2008 from the creative partnership of Drect (David Williams) and Madd Illz, with Lush One stepping in to lead as the brand evolved. By the late 2000s, GTN had grown into what many considered the world’s largest hip hop battle league, with a worldwide network of divisions spanning the US, Canada, and the UK. Known for its rapid rise and expansive reach, GTN built a massive online audience through YouTube and WorldStarHipHop, turning battles into global events and shaping the culture of competitive rap. Though the official GTN site grindtimenow.net now redirects elsewhere, the brand’s influence remains evident in hundreds of battles cataloged by VerseTracker and evergreen content on long-running YouTube channels.