King Ra.
11-13-2014, 09:12 PM
Unprecedented....
AOWL IV Magazine:
*****The Mid-Season Report*****
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The Intro
Only 5 more weeks to go this season. Only one has held the title. Many look to contend. As the playoffs draw near, the competition gets tougher. Every match from here on out can make or break the season. We're in full effect with new changes. You may be amp'd for it, you may be upset. Nonetheless, things are going to be different. This is the deepest magazine yet: I'm sacrificing some extra hours of sleep just to put this together. You'll get your typical dosage of reviews & predictions of course. There are also some other shit to check out. So without further ado, let's get to it.
AOWL Flashback: Season 1
"Valentine's Day, 1884"
written by IAmBenT
Bright as the wax moon, her laugh swooned, swooped, a white crane,
Her blithe name the sprite rabbit I chased to make my life mate-
My Alice,… I- the blood, She – the chalice… Her eyes, a dove, no malice..
A family to establish, in our extravagant palace…Now I babble, unbalanced…
Grief the empty sleeve unsheathing death’s talons,… and with a high slice..
The wick blinks with night twice… “The Light Has Gone Out Of My Life”..
Mother Martha, Itty bitty “Mittie”, was Parthenon great – She’d Say,
“I came from owning slaves to being Thee’s slave”, but we praised
Her hard labor in the face of Father’s fortune was grace apportioned
As a taste of favor to my sore, thin – lungs wrung from asthma wheezes,
Many hymns sung from asking Jesus, “Please, Master heal this
Son!, like Paul’s kerchiefs slung in Past Ephesus”..Wracked with diseases,
I sleep slumped in a chair, - but once I’m aware, its back to being hyperactive
Catching bugs in glasses since Father bought an otter seal and hacked it!
Disgusted at its bits of guts and its bicuspids, but the stuff I trusted
Was each gush of grit and crust had purpose, fit and function – I was rare!
Like Audubon’s broad birds of the air… the raw earth of S. Fullerton Baird!
Until I got bullied and scared- So Pop taught me the thoughts of Franklin,
Pushups and fisticuffs toughen muscle expansions! A strong Father’s a Grand Thing..
Now Memory’s grafting Mittie, as it did He in his passing…
After Harvard, where I carved up beasts and theses alike,/
Doc said “put your heart first, cease seeking the strife”/,
but my strenuous life, part and parcel of Twain’s “Roughing It”/,
was, until my Lark sung, far-flung and unsubstantive/
She was my Sutter’s Gold, a wonder to behold in blessed splendor/
I know how Truman’s soul glowed in Nevada’s tense adventures/
So I took to tennis, riding, rowing, hiking, all aerobics/
Befriend her kin, impressed with skinny dips in the Potomac!/
Quoting French and probing those who attack the tracts of Lincoln/
All so she’d know that I’m, in fact, the man to whom she has to give in..
Only Defoe’s Crusoe, in his fits and throes, could know the cold hold of growing old alone
As I sit and, slow as a broken bone, try to fix and mold that frozen stone
That rolls in my chest, as, choking, my breath pressed … on that baby’s face.
My nose, her lips and Mittie’s cleft…. Dear God, Amazing Grace.
No emotions expressed as we both, motherless, now gaze, her eyes and mine
The oceans regress, and, open regret’s shallow waves drown Valentine’s…
And see, because I read one to three books per day/And I came self-made from a crooked way/To be brave as a brook that sprays/ in the face of a man who would look and say/“I will kill every single being that this stream feeds.”/ I believe in the Dream that America bleeds,/In the plains and the hills and the air of green trees!/
..So I leave my political passions, Place the babe in her aunt’s hands and abandon the mansion..
Which rings with the laughs of Alice and Mittie,..
I’m sick of that Death Rider that saddles the city…
My only love now lies West in the Wild.. Weigh this pain, just suppress it and smile..
Start up again with a Pioneer’s heart…Dakota Buffalo might provide a year’s spark..
Always read and dreamt about it.. Westward Ho!... Amazing.
I wonder if the tales I’ve traipsed will match the trails I’m blazing…
Week 6 Match-up Reviews
If there is one thing that has been a norm this season, it's been the amount of shutouts & huge deficit victories. Week 6 represented that clearly, as all winners tallied a 42-3 voting edge. This doesn't necessarily mean that the writing has been poor in those match ups. A lot of times, one verse just stands out more than the other, even when the losing verse is good. As we continue along towards the playoffs, there may be tighter match ups. We are definitely seeing who are the elite competitors, though.
kannon (3-3) defeats Greed (2-4), 3-1.- Greed got the first vote of the match and then fell off after that. This bout didn't get the due justice voting wise, but it was a good read on both sides. Greed seems to be still piecing things together storywise, while his rhyming has been getting props. His story was really cool, I think he took that edge over kannon, who went more direct. He did, however, write just as well as Greed, and his little flip in the second stanza probably cemented him this win.
Witty (4-1) defeats Unborn Buddha (3-2), 5-0.- Witty continues to write at a high level & he earned a rebound win after a one vote loss to the champ last week. I actually liked what Unborn put together though. He built off a quote from the Dark Knight movie from Joker, and wrote a solid piece. Readers leaned more towards Witty as he connected with the topic more, imo, a clever angle.
Vulgar (3-2) defeats Dove Dozer (3-2), 3-1.- Both of the writers were making returns back into the league, and they fared pretty well in this bout. Dozer managed to get a vote, but Vulgar out-wrote him in this match. Both went with the obvious topic direction. There really weren't many votes here, so it's hard to tell if Dozer would have got another vote or two. Truly comes down to preference.
Dominate (3-0) defeats Defiant (3-2), 7-0.- I don't think anybody would have thought this was going to be a close match, not unless Defiant brought his best and matched Dominate, so it's no surprise that the end result was a shut out. Whereas Dom seems to be adapting to topicals fairly well, Def is still trying to find his niche. If Dom continues to improve, he may just become a champion before season's end.
Zen (1-0) defeats Storyteller (0-1), 6-1.- It's nice to see these two competitors back in the mix. Both made their debuts here. Zen managed to paint enough of a visual to take this match handily, though Storyteller wrote a very deep, emotional story. Had this been a regular line limit, he probably would have had enough room to fully develop his piece. It was a very good read but not enough to sway voters.
dead man (4-2) defeats timeless (3-3), 5-0.- This was the only match that I was able to vote on last week. dead man easily took this. He took a direct route but wrote well & the story came together very nicely. timeless was the opposite, though he had some good lines, his story overall didn't come into form fully, which hurt him in the end.
CopyPat (5-1) defeats NYCSPITZ (4-2), 6-0.- Of all end results last week, this one had to be the most shocking. Not because Copy is inferior to NYC. NYC is one of the most prominent writers in this league & you have to write extremely well to beat him (or hope he shoots himself in the hand). Copy did more than just that, he walked away with a flawless victory. It is a huge statement win which earned him a shot at the title once again.
Certain (6-0) defeats Mr. J (4-2), 6-0.- Certain continued his reign at the top of the AOWL, winning for the 3rd time in a title match, easily getting past Mr. J, 6-0. I guess you can say this was payback from season 2, when Mr. J had defeated Certain in a title match. Cert out wrote J, notching a 6th win and defends the title one week more.
No Show Shine
written by Certain
Three-Planes-Aligned | Familiar Faces
I think the short-verse constraints make character sketches far more effective than they normally are. Here, Three-Planes-Aligned wrote a nice look at a character (his lead characters are always named John) looking to escape the monotony of life's familiar faces. It was simple but effective. But he really needs to run a spell check.
Vividlyvague | Back at It
Vividlyvague's big return after dying this summer comes with a verse littered with rhymes. It reminded me of a combination of Zen and timeless, which is not surprising because Vividlyvague's verses always remind me of someone else (often Frank or zygote). Here he used a lot of simple rhymes but created a nice tone for this verse. It almost seemed like he was talking about mail men, but he didn't provide much clarity, just a tone. This was an OK return, but he'll need to further his content and not force as many rhymes.
zygote | Maybe Next Time
I really liked this except that zygote chose to give away the final line and ruin its impact with his verse title. (It's not a twist. It's an emotional gut-punch.) There were a lot of heavy word choices here but mostly it was a detached, annoyed description of a scene that painted the characters emotions very clearly. There was a heavy dose of social commentary, and zygote exemplified his unique writing style. The rhymes could have been a bit stronger at times, but the dialogue was very natural.
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AOWL Flashback: Season 2
"Happy Thanksgiving"
written by Frank
Mascara cascades down the high slopes of my mother’s cheek bones.
She is in complete control as blue streaks flow down the make up breaking up the peach tone.
She wipes her sleeve and weeps discretely by the 3 feet stove.
A petite soul - whipping up a massive Thanksgiving feast for a family of behemoths, in fiend mode.
She blinks, releasing rows of morose into a greased hole.
A shallow casserole bowl - her grandmother bought with a red cents at an antique show.
..
My 8 year old nephew slices and dices celery like a mean green machine - clean blow – he debo’s the celery into tiny pieces and pours butter by the heap; slow.
..
My 7 year old niece goes and cracks eggs, beating the yolk into a yellow cream float -
My mother greets folks with kisses on each cheek; directing them to their seats,
Mopes - as the cuisine glows in the clear oven, on 360 degrees –
Soaked, marinating in her grandmothers secret recipe, the Turkey wings roast.
My brother Joe had just gotten out of jail after doing 12 years for robbery -
It looked like my mother had seen a ghost.
..
She cleans her hand and squeezes Joe; eyes laminated, leaking loads,
His delinquent clothes - clinging to his creaking bones - she let’s go – he reeks of rose.
My 16 year old sister thinks she’s grown - feeding her 1 month old baby-food at the dinner table to keep him composed.
He cries out of hunger; my mother, cries out of grief - both secreting a mote.
..
People have drove from the east coast to taste my mothers stuffing; her seasonings known.
My dog whimpers at the edge of the kitchen for a piece; he pleadingly groans.
Puppy eyes; extremely difficult to say no too once they’re seepingly gross.
She adds parsley, raisins, to the stuffing, mixing, sweepingly, choked -
Cough-like, convulsive, breathing, her eyes bleeding, she boasts –
“This stuffing is to die for” her eyes red –
Allergies? Could it be smoke?
“I put my blood, sweat, and tears into this meal" – she say’s dripping into the cuisine on the stove.
Pleasure and irritation in her eyes - she proceeded to toast, teary eyed
She gleamed as a host.
When my brother Joe came back from Jail, he had tear drops tattooed;
mother asked ‘’what’s the meaning of those?
And Joe said
“I’m forever crying inside” his eyes watering like a crease in a hose.
Her eyes lubricated,
The dishes saturated,
She reached for a clove -
And peeled another onion, shedding tears - completely at home.
Happy Thanksgiving
Writer's Block
written by oats & zygote
Oats: Zygote, good to see you around again. The NC faithful were worried about your livelihood for a while there. For those not familiar with you, the way you write and your post-a-verse-in-an-hour signature, how would you describe your style? About how long do you spend writing a verse?
Zygote: Hello Oats. I'd like to describe my style as a straightforward and coherent one. The time spent varies, mostly it depends on how good my initial idea was. I've often thought about deferring my uploads until the last moment, but it seems unnecessary. It's easier just to upload it straight after it's finished. The most amount of time is spent planning what to write about. I spend a lot of time writing non-rhyming dot points containing themes and whatnot. A far lesser amount of time is spent actually writing it by comparison. Do you find it easier to write (either this or in your blog or in your professional life) if you have a clearer idea about what you want to write about in terms of themes, overarching concept or purpose?
Oats: That's a good question. I think different mediums yield different processes. For topicals, and definitely for nonfiction, I feel like I need to have a solid backbone to it, a central feeling, purpose or message I'm trying to convey. When I have the free range of writing fiction, I tend to enjoy the chase, allowing myself to get distracted and meander, since that's more true to how I see the world. But topicals don't permit that sort of approach to writing. It'll make verses ramble on, and the best ideas tend to have a high degree of self-containment. Plus, the practical purpose of writing a verse that isn't so long it'll discourage people from reading it never hurts.
Which makes me think - to what extent do you think about your audience when you write a verse? Like, is there any conflict between what you want to write and the fear (for lack of a better word) that something else might have more appeal to the voters? I don't think anyone would accuse you of ever dumbing down your writing, but how much headspace does the audience occupy when you write?
Zygote: Cool! I think about my audience an awful lot while writing. That being, trying to win isn't very fun, I think about the audience in a non-competitive way, it's more of an experimental way. Hopefully, without sounding arrogant, I kind of understand the paradigm and the dominant writing culture here, so if someone really wanted to they could try to write in that similar manner week after week to attempt to attract the maximum amount of votes. But for me specifically, when I think about the audience it's all about trying to take the audience somewhere, and trying to get that message across. A good example, is the recent contest against Dominate (which was a perfectly valid result) - I had seen a 4 corners documentary about prostitution in Pakistan and it's link with heroin importation from Afghanistan. Basically, the idea was that the lyrics of yellow brick road mirrored this social justice issue. However, my writing was too unclear and not strong or interesting enough to correctly engage the audience on this issue. So yes, thinking about your audience is a big factor. In fact, it's probably one of the most important factors to consider when writing. Hypothetically, you could have good writer but if they have an incompatible audience the outcome will be bad.
Oats: It's hard to disagree with what you said here. I'm a believer that reading and writing are joint ventures; the writer writes, and the reader attributes value and meaning to it, making both parties part of the creative process. At the same time, I never want to let that interfere with what I want to write. An example for me personally would be my last topical match here against Soulstice. He deserved the W, but I'm glad I wrote what I wrote - had I gone another route, perhaps I could have ended up with the win, but I doubt I would have produced something as personally meaningful. So it's a balancing act, and one that never ends I'd imagine.
You mention the scenario of a "good" writer being incompatible with the audience. What makes writing "good" in your eyes? With such a distinct style, have you ever found yourself in a place where you and the audience were incompatible?
Zygote: A good writer must be a good thinker. Style is immaterial. Almost any self-developed and authentic style can be a good writing style. Good writers answer questions as the audience is asking those questions. Good writers think about what are the best words to elicit particular thoughts and emotions. My top 3 good writers are Pablo Neruda, George Orwell and Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut has a nice bit about writing fiction – something like ‘every sentence should either advance the action or reveal character motivation’ & ‘give the reader as much information as possible, so that they could finish the story themselves if cockroaches eat the final pages.’ For good nonfiction writing, accuracy, clarity and conciseness are probably the most important. Then again, good anything is subjective. So there are a lot of variables. There is a lot of individual difference. What’s good to me might not be good to you.
As for being incompatible with my audience, yes I've made that mistake before. It's been from a lack of understanding of my audience rather than having a rigid or distinct style. On this website I don't think I've been incompatible with the audience, either in a previous AOWL season or on NC 1 (can't recall) I wrote about mesons in detail, and that wasn't received well, but the lack of audience engagement has always been from a lack of flair in the submission rather than the choice of subject matter. You can make boring stuff interesting if you write well enough. On this website, a good deal of flair in your choice of multiple rhymes goes a long way.
Oats: I like that, they answer questions as the audience asks them. That's a great way to put it. What are some of your favorite books? What are you reading right now?
Switching gears, you were arguably the top performer during the entirety of last season. Then you vanished for playoffs. Perhaps you've addressed this, but to sate my curiosity, where were you? Does the fact that you would have likely been one of the favorites to champ the season weigh in to your motivation at all this season?
Zygote: Here are three favorite books for each genre; Breakfast of Champions, Portnoy's Complaint and The Salmon of Doubt (for fiction) - and My Voice will Go with You, Mein System and Origin of Species (for non-fiction). Right now I am reading some books about Australian constitutional law.
Only arguably the top performer because you and Certain were also arguably the top performers! I was in PNG, it was supposed to be for longer but such is life. Favorite tags don't factor in at all, records and such don't matter. I am primarily motivated simply by the process of writing itself. Interesting topics help too! What motivates you? Do you have any particular regular breakfast or interesting morning routine?
Oats: You know, I'm the only member of my family that hasn't been to Papua New Guinea. And Australia too, for that matter. One day I'll make it out there.
As far as motivation, it's hard to say. There are times when I just want to write rhymes, and often my best work springs from those feelings, though they tend to be few and far between. Next would be the topic itself. If I find a topic compelling or evocative in some way, it's much easier for me to get behind it when I write and push until the end. Absent of those first two factors, it would be the competition. If I have a shit topic but I'm going against someone I respect and admire as a writer, or someone who beat me before, it adds a new element of challenge to how I write. I become a bit more strategic, not only in how I approach the topic, but how I write. When I faced you the second time last season, for example, I purposely tried to have a rhyme-heavy, fast-paced verse, hoping it would create a contrast to yours that would edge it in my favor. Which it did, though it was a pretty debatable match. Point being, I wouldn't necessarily write the same kind of verse for someone like Certain or NYC or Dead Man - the talents of my opponents will definitely motivate me to up my game, especially if I'm not particularly feeling the topic.
My mornings are strange because my work schedule is 3pm-10pm, and I'm just now experiencing what a cold winter is like, so lately I've been sleeping in fairly late by my standards, getting up around 10 or 11. In the summer I was getting up earlier to go running, but outside is fucking bone-chilling nowadays, so I'm not into it. The first thing I usually do is clear the sink area - put dishes away, wash dishes, that sort of thing. Then I make coffee for myself and the missus, maybe shower if I didn't the night before. Once my coffee is set, I try to write for about an hour before I take my dog out for a morning walk. Then I come back, get ready for the work day, and cruise until I leave for the day, checking some web sites and all that.
Some of your signature OMs have been pseudo-satircal battle rap verses, which bounce between some sillier lines poking fun at the form and some legitimately dope ones. Did you used to participate in text battles? How long have you been on rap message boards in general?
Zygote: Writing battle raps are fun, my interest for doing it waxes and wanes though, unlike the topical ones which keep me consistently interested. The battle raps of canibus, big pun and ras kass are what triggered my interest in writing to begin with. I was on one different website before this called SvW.com (it is now defunct) - that was about 6 years ago, but at that time I was still learning the English language, I was much less active at that time when compared to now. Enigma was the top dog on that website. Thanks for the pleasant discussion. All the best! It's early but before we wrap it up, who are your picks for champion of this season? My logical favorite is Certain, but my emotional favorite is CopyPat.
Oats: Thank you! I enjoyed it. As for the season champ, I’m going to go out on a limb and say Dominate. Best of luck this season.
A Word From The King
As you all know, I am now taking full control of the reigns the rest of the season. With that comes a few changes. One of the most important aspects of the AOWL through the first 3 seasons, has been voting. This season, voting hasn't necessarily been as well as past seasons. And that's mainly due to a few of you not voting at all. I'm not going to list names. I've been very linient up until now. From now til the end of the season/playoffs voting will be enforced. That means you must vote on 3 match ups to be added in the next weeks line up. New signees must vote on 2 match ups to be added to the line up. If you win your match up but do not have ALL required votes, you will be given a loss. You can make up for it the next week, but be warned: the second time, the loss is pernament.
It's not fair to those who not only vote consistently & even those who vote on more than the required match ups, to do so while others are not contributing. Be sure to vote. Much appreciated.
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AOWL Power Rankings
This is the official Power Rankings. These rankings determine playoff seeding & who earns a bye. This is not the same as the standings. The standings rank every competitor by best record to worst. This system is based off certain factors beyond just wins: quality wins/losses, voting edge, strength of schedule & no show wins/losses. Win streaks help you rise up the ranks, while losing streaks can quickly drop you out. Any loss can be detrimental.
Now here are your top-10 competitors....
#1. Certain (6-0) Last week: W-Mr.J, 6-0. This week: vs. [2]CopyPat (5-1).
Last season's champ has tore through every opponent so far this season. He has shown an uncanny ability to produce top-notch verses week in & week out. He has a 35-11 voting edge, which includes 3 shut out victories. He has had the toughest schedule thus far as well which is further reasoning why he deserves to be at the top spot. He faces CopyPat in a rematch of Week 4's title, where he won 6-3. Will Certain continue his reign at the top?
#2. CopyPat (5-1) Last week: W-NYCSPITZ, 6-0. This week: vs. [1]Certain (6-0).
Copy has been one of the surprising writers in the league thus far. And that is not necessarily because he is new to writing at all; he is an Open Mic mainstay. But this is really our first hand seeing him competing in the AOWL & he has made his presence felt. He's beaten Pinot, Vulgar, Soulstice & NYC this season: all of those guys are elite writers. He's locked down the #2 spot on this list. A win in a rematch against Certain, and he becomes the new AOWL champion.
#3- Witty (4-1) Last week: W-UnbornBuddha, 5-0. This week: vs. zygote (2-1).
I'm very impressed with Witty this season. In past seasons, he has been known for no showing heavily. Since he joined the league in Week 2, he has been nothing short of excellent. The Fox quickly ascended the ladder with two victories, then got in the title match, and has been the closest competitor to dethrone Certain. He rebounded nicely last week & has a shot to earn another quality win. Nonetheless, Witty has proven he is one of the best & should continue to remain high in the ranks if he keeps up the consistency.
#4- NYCSPITZ (4-2) Last week: L-CopyPat, 6-0. This week: vs. Vividlyvague (1-0).
NYC is another writer who constantly finds himself no showing a lot of matches in his AOWL history, but this season he seems to found some motivation to write, possibly due to his champing of the Alias Topical Tournament. He rode off that momentum by disposing his first two opponents by a 15-1 voting edge, then lost to Certain in a contender match. His writing has been off the charts, even in his two losses, but after suffering a blow against Copy, it's hard to tell if he still has that competitive fire to remain consistent. If he does continue to compete at a high level, he is definitely a favorite to become this season's champion.
#5- Mr. J (4-2) Last week: L- Certain, 6-0. This week: vs. Cereal_Killa (1-1).
What have we learned about Mr. J during his brief stints in this league? He is one of the most consistent writers, without a doubt. He definitely piles up the wins. Just as good as he is & can be, he seems to lose the edge in big match ups. In 3 of his 4 wins (one is by no show), he has a 17-2 voting edge in those victories. In his losses, including his recent loss in the champion match, he's been blown out, 12-0. This was the same case in AOWL Season 2. Mr. J has the capability to beat anybody, but he tends to shoot himself in the foot. I don't expect too much of that the rest of the season, as he continues to build up momentum for the playoffs.
#6- dead man (4-2) Last week: W-timeless, 5-0. This week: vs. Dominate (3-0).
He was AOWL's first champion. After two seasons of hiatus, he returned this season and so far has been off to a good start. He stumbled in the early going but has strung off two solid victories. dead man is one of the best writers, and it will be interesting to see if he could keep up this pace through the remainder of the season. A win this week against Dominate & he enters familiar territory.
#7- Dominate (3-0) Last week: W-Defiant, 7-0. This week: vs. dead man (4-2).
Dominate's rise into the top-10 is nothing to scoff at. Despite being known for being a battler, he has written very well in this league so far. He pulled off a huge statement win over zygote after a two week hiatus, then dismantled other fellow battler, Defiant. His writing has improved with each verse.Definitely one of the surprises this season. He has a chance to add another statement win to get into a title match.
#8- UnbornBuddha (3-2) Last week: L-Witty, 5-0. This week: vs. Defiant (3-2)
UnbornBuddha joined the league in the second week, racing off to a quick 3-0 start. He has since faltered against solid competition, losing to Witty & Mr. J. His writing has been pretty good, one of the more lengthier writers, sometimes a bit too deep for readers to try and comprehend. Another loss would probably knock him out of the top-10.
#9- 3PA (3-2) Last week: W- (NS) This week: vs. Zen (1-0)
3PA (formerly known as Johnathan Mercy) has been very quiet this season. Quiet enough that he sits here near the bottom of the rankings. He only has two no show victories & a non-quality win against asylum. He can get on track by beating Zen which would give him the opportunity to possibly get in a contenders bout. His writing has been solid, but it seems like he is holding back.
#10- Vulgar (3-2) Last week: W-Dove Dozer, 3-1. This week: vs. kannon (3-3)
After a no show & a week off, Vulgar returned with a statement, defeating Dozer, 3-1. Its been a slow start to the season for this veteran, but his return only indicates he will be back into the thick of things. He's not too far off from the other writers in the rankings. He'll need to put everything together though, as the competition is very tight & wins aren't guaranteed. Expect V to linger a bit higher here by season's end.
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AOWL Flashback: Season 3
"Journal Entries"
written by Zombie
JOURNAL ENTRY: 4/28/14
This is the perfect topic. It explains me perfectly.
I'm highly ranked.
I'm amazing. words are clean. my over-workings chronic.
flow is so atomic. and my cadence? certainly.
everything i wrote is flawless
any strain of lava zomb' creates is flowing hotness.
it's like gauge unloaded on em'
insane, atonement. godly.
some say a faint robotic, but I complain Im hercules.
I've mastered greatness. heard of me?
calculating emerging schemes. and every burst is toxin
I NEVER RELAX. I'll have you salivating. awesome
i'll activate a wordy scene through any range of optics
and relaxing's great, im busting through the ranks of any college
enunciating lanky rhymage, with slants you couldnt pay to write it
raced the hare & turtle, blindfolded, eyes closed
and still maintained the speed at supersonic
-end log
JOURNAL ENTRY: 4/29/14
and I mean its a bit ironic, the hare and the tortoise
a red herring for short. The phrase is just gorgeous
it was a saying with a page of components
saying in quotient, that you should still remain focused
even if you heavily outrank your opponent
Oh wow, my mouth faded a moment. Oh well.
I'm 2-0. I'll have everybody riding on my coattails. haha
JOURNAL ENTRY 4/30/14
Just Writes verse was fucking dope. Damn.
- end log
JOURNAL ENTRY: 5/2/14
Look, I didn't mean to be cocky, i really am sorry
i reigned supreme as a god, and mocked you as weakling. youre hardly
but in the evenings, i worry. but not about the league
i worry about me. I worry about worrying. I worry about dreams
if you don't win, zombie, they'll crucifix you
i'll just throw whatever together & pretend I couldnt get to it
im trying to relax. but i've gotten to a point
people expect stuff in my verses, and the work to be had
if hardwork beats talent, i guess hardworks my dad.
where all my talent seems superficial
my mind creates scenarios where i am caved
sometimes... I don't want to be highly ranked
- end log
JOURNAL ENTRY 5/3/14
but they don't profoundly understand how it is. absolutely no one does
if skill was a fountain jug, my will to give is the water floating out of it
pain's read out in scars, each day thuds intense mid-drift
where metaphors, melts my core, & kisses. my blood with red lipstick
and as I'm pacing, I could list the feelings that comes with greatness:
various nobs of patience, periods of ostentation
serious numbed sensation; fear to become complacent
nullify the nascent, buzzing. you could hear the drumming bass in
everything. my morning coffee doesnt even wake me up
as i'm unveiling scuffs. and morph into amorphous zombie
no one sees the work i emanate within
just end results when this savior shows up
relationships are a tease, and take a shit
because i'm flirting with failure so much
you're now witnessing the fluctuating collapse of my frustrating debacle
bankrupting my patience, as all you judge me and toggle your punctuating bravado
my mind equates it like math, if you add to what you have you're greater than that
but the faces that grasp at you, are obstacles that wait to subtract your molecules
cause the one thing you can't do when you're highly ranked is relax
--
to have faith is to have trust. and promise yourself to the water instead
when you doggypaddle you don't clutch hold of the water or you'll sink to its depths
instead you relax, and float. a vagabond. - a quote by alan watts
-end log
Week 7 Predictions
written by timeless & Certain
AOWL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: [1]Certain (6-0) vs. [2]CopyPat (5-1)
timeless: Solid rematch of Week 4's Championship match. I felt that copypat easily got outwritten last week, so I didnt vote in that battle because everyone else was voting for him. Dude is talented, takes great approaches to his topics, knows how to fill in all the seams properly throughout his verse to make for an easy going read. Certain is the same in a lot of ways though, and this should be a good match. He's also been on a roll, I'm sure its 10+ wins now dating back to last season, etc. Both are very naturally talented at writing, however, I feel like its going to come down to the take on the topic, and I'd have to give it to Pat for the upset. PREDICTION: Copypat, 55-45.
Certain: Yawn. I already beat CopyPat, and who wants to see a rematch? No one likes rematches. OK, CopyPat may be this league's most impressive competitor this season. I happened to catch him on perhaps his weekest verse. He's been funny and approachable and, of course, rhyme-heavy. These darker quotes don't ideally suit him, but I'm sure he can find one that he likes. Are we ready for a new champion? No. Fuck that. Prediction: Certain, 100-0.
AOWL CONTENDER MATCH: [7]Dominate (3-0) vs. [6]DeadMan (4-2)
timeless: Its always a clash of two different styles when you're facing dead man. His unique, savagely poetic approach to his writing is in a league of its own when it comes to rest here. Ive only read a couple of verses from Dom, but I can tell he's no slouch either, and well deserving to be in the contenders match. I feel that dead man is a huge fan of the topics this week and will be able to capitalize on it. Even though I got Copypat winning, I hope Certain wins just to battle deadman. Look for Dom to make it a close one though. PREDICTION: dead man, 65-35.
Certain: I love what Dominate has brought in his three weeks in the league. He's like oats, as I said last week, but he definitely is developing his own style, too. His vocabulary is deep. But he'll have to really up his content game to win this week. dead man has been a man on fire since he went short for the first two weeks. His style is so unique and yet honed that when he finds a topic he can dig into, he may be unbeatable. Giving him a choice makes him even tougher. Prediction: dead man, 57-43.
[3]Witty (4-1) vs. zygote (2-1)
timeless: Another great match. I don't know if these two have ever faced before but it should be a dope turnout. Expect a 13 minute keystyle from zyg about killing your mother with a magazine article thst reads of how foxes are assholes. Witty will probably write about a fox playing craps, making an asshole move and stealing a kangaroo from australia to fall in love with. I don't know, but this is one matchup I will be checking out. Witty has been on a tear lately so I have to give it to him. PREDICTION: Witty, 60-40.
Certain: zygote already posted, and while I haven't read his verse, I did see that he wrote about Ireland. And that's pretty much why I love zygote. He's always willing to take a risk, especially if it might stimulate his humor circuitry. But I really like what Witty can do with this set of topics. He's at his best in working darker angles, and he seems determined to actually do something on Netcees for once. So I'm going for the stunning upset that would put zygote at 2-2. Prediction: Witty, 51-49.
[4]NYCSPITZ (4-2) vs. Vividlyvague (1-0)
timeless: Another dope matchup dealing with future contenders. Vividlyvague has finally been reincarnated and is getting back into form. Nyc has been on fire lately, even last week I felt he should have won that battle easily. This is tough, I feel that both are starving, but vivid needs to get them wins up for the playoff race. I have to give it to vivid, hes probably a bit more hungry and less burnt out than his opponent at this point in the season. No offense spitz, you been the most consistent here probably. PREDICTION: Vividlyvague, 55-45.
Certain: This matchup was supposed to go down in the second round of the Season 2 playoffs, but NYCSPITZ got drunk instead. Well, he seems to be much more focused this time around. Vividlyvague is just now returning from death. NYCSPITZ with a dark-themed topic is tough to beat. Prediction: NYCSPITZ, 57-43.
[5]Mr. J (4-2) vs. Cereal_Killa (1-0)
timeless: Cereal_Killa will write a verse with text size large enough my cataracts can squeeze into, and everyone will vote against him/her. Mr. J will write about how he signed up to netcees with a mr. t account, but then quickly changed it realizing he was on an ultra serious rap website..and he will be voted against. Namix wins. 80-20. Nah but both are dope, but I think J will edge this ever so slightly. Cereal doesn't seem to have any motivation this season. PREDICTION: Mr. J, 65-35.
Certain: With all due respect, these two might be the biggest surprise champions in Art of Writing League history. That's a nice little point of intrigue here in a good matchup. Cereal_Killa has a tendency to overwrite (and to no-show). Mr. J sometimes doesn't connect well enough to the topic. These topics probably favor Cereal_Killa, but he's rusty. Prediction: Mr. J, 52-48.
[9]3PA vs. Zen (1-0)
timeless: If Zenland writes a verse like he did last week, then it will be hard for 3PA's weird robotic rhyme schemes and interwebbing mindfuck statements. I don't know about this one, seems like every battle this week will be decided by sudden death votes at 3am monday morning while King Ra. injects coffee through a syringe. I got 3PA here. He seems like a fat fuck. PREDICTION: 3PA, 75-25.
Certain: This is a very cool match up. Three-Planes-Aligned is a tour de force who for some reason always seems to get the best from his opponent. Zen doesn't try all the time, but he's always an interesting read. If they both come out aggressively, this could be a very good matchup. Right now I've got to lean toward the writer who is more consistent. Prediction: Three-Planes-Aligned, 62-38.
[10]Vulgar (3-2) vs. kannon(3-3)
timeless: Vulgar is one of, if not the best writer in this little tribe of writers we have here, in my opinion anyways. He reminds me of a slut's handful of NYCSPITZ and a dog food bowl of Certain. I'm waiting for kannon to drop an audio one of these weeks, hopefully this time. To be honest I haven't heard any of his shit, but his taste in music is fucking disgusting judging by the mixtapes he puts out. Hes a damn good writer and I wouldn't be surprised for an upset but I still got Vulgar. PREDICTION: Vulgar, 68-32.
Certain: Here's my pick for battle of the week. I don't think kannon gets enough credit here. He's taken a couple tough losses. Vulgar, though, is very tough to beat under any circumstance. Here he gets a set of topics that play well into his writing style, and he gets a choice. Prediction: Vulgar, 53-47.
Dove Dozer (3-2) vs. timeless (3-3)
timeless: I'm not sure I've read anything from Dove, I feel like I have but I don't know. I probably should to see what I'm up against. I already posted my verse, and I don't think anyone will actually enjoy it as much as I did. Best of love to the Birdman. I got him taking this 100-0 because I used dialogue. PREDICTION: Dove Dozer, 100-0.
Certain: They've already posted! Both of them! I haven't read a word, but this battle is interesting because these two are pretty inconsistent. Sometimes they show they can beat just about anyone. I'd say Dove Dozer is a bit more polished and timeless more creative. Prediction: timeless 52-48.
Defiant (3-2) vs Unborn Buddha (3-2)
timeless: Unborn seems like an inbred from RR with his awful long bar style. Reminds me of Frank, only Frank makes it work out. I really dug his verse in week one for some reason but I haven't gotten into his shit since then. Defiant has good ideas and impulses within his writing. He has the knack for forcing words to get his bars more adjusted, but I think he's really been gripping his stride the past week or two, and is starting to settle into his own. I got rebel over peace. PREDICTION: Defiant, 60-40.
Certain: Here are two Art of Writing League relative newcomers who have had mixed results. Both are a bit unrefined in their approaches. UnbornBuddha is more the intellectual type but can be alienating, while Defiant has a more traditional style but hasn't shown elite-level ability. Prediction: Defiant, 54-46.
Greed (2-4) vs. Storyteller(0-1)
timeless: I like this match up a lot. Two completely different styles, yet similiar in the storytelling department more so. I haven't read anything from Story aside from last week but word has it he's pretty dope or something rather. I feel like he still has some rust to peel off, but I got storyteller taking this. Dont be surprised if greed comes out swinging urban tales with a lock in a sock. PREDICTION: Storyteller, 55-45.
Certain: This one's a strange clash of styles. Greed is a great rhymer with a style married to hip-hop more than most. Storyteller can put together some interesting thoughts, but he needs to slim down his writing style. Prediction: Greed, 57-43.
Frank (1-3) vs. theMuzzl3 (1-2)
timeless: Frank's style is so weird that it's almost as it Muzzle has been taking notes from francis' archives. I dont know, its probably the long bar enthusiam from both. I think muzzle will take this at the buzzer, at the end of the first half. Then frank shows up at the deadline with a 48 line verse using the same rhyme scheme describing muzzles musical career. PREDICTION: Frank, 80-20.
Certain: I don't even know how to offer a prediction. If Frank shows up, he will win, which is what the number is based on. Neither of these guys may show. Prediction: Frank 100-0.
In closing,
Apologize to all for the tardiness with the magazine. With that said, everyone gets a 24-hour extension on match ups this week. I'll explain why during the weekend. Anyways, big thanks to Certain, oats, zygote & timeless for their contributions in this magazine. I wasn't able to fully do what I visioned with it, so hopefully this suffices your needs. Good luck to all competitors this week in your match ups. This is The King, signing out. Holler.
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---- Heard this movie was EXCELLENT. Check it out. I'm sure it's worth the watch!!!
AOWL IV Magazine:
*****The Mid-Season Report*****
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The Intro
Only 5 more weeks to go this season. Only one has held the title. Many look to contend. As the playoffs draw near, the competition gets tougher. Every match from here on out can make or break the season. We're in full effect with new changes. You may be amp'd for it, you may be upset. Nonetheless, things are going to be different. This is the deepest magazine yet: I'm sacrificing some extra hours of sleep just to put this together. You'll get your typical dosage of reviews & predictions of course. There are also some other shit to check out. So without further ado, let's get to it.
AOWL Flashback: Season 1
"Valentine's Day, 1884"
written by IAmBenT
Bright as the wax moon, her laugh swooned, swooped, a white crane,
Her blithe name the sprite rabbit I chased to make my life mate-
My Alice,… I- the blood, She – the chalice… Her eyes, a dove, no malice..
A family to establish, in our extravagant palace…Now I babble, unbalanced…
Grief the empty sleeve unsheathing death’s talons,… and with a high slice..
The wick blinks with night twice… “The Light Has Gone Out Of My Life”..
Mother Martha, Itty bitty “Mittie”, was Parthenon great – She’d Say,
“I came from owning slaves to being Thee’s slave”, but we praised
Her hard labor in the face of Father’s fortune was grace apportioned
As a taste of favor to my sore, thin – lungs wrung from asthma wheezes,
Many hymns sung from asking Jesus, “Please, Master heal this
Son!, like Paul’s kerchiefs slung in Past Ephesus”..Wracked with diseases,
I sleep slumped in a chair, - but once I’m aware, its back to being hyperactive
Catching bugs in glasses since Father bought an otter seal and hacked it!
Disgusted at its bits of guts and its bicuspids, but the stuff I trusted
Was each gush of grit and crust had purpose, fit and function – I was rare!
Like Audubon’s broad birds of the air… the raw earth of S. Fullerton Baird!
Until I got bullied and scared- So Pop taught me the thoughts of Franklin,
Pushups and fisticuffs toughen muscle expansions! A strong Father’s a Grand Thing..
Now Memory’s grafting Mittie, as it did He in his passing…
After Harvard, where I carved up beasts and theses alike,/
Doc said “put your heart first, cease seeking the strife”/,
but my strenuous life, part and parcel of Twain’s “Roughing It”/,
was, until my Lark sung, far-flung and unsubstantive/
She was my Sutter’s Gold, a wonder to behold in blessed splendor/
I know how Truman’s soul glowed in Nevada’s tense adventures/
So I took to tennis, riding, rowing, hiking, all aerobics/
Befriend her kin, impressed with skinny dips in the Potomac!/
Quoting French and probing those who attack the tracts of Lincoln/
All so she’d know that I’m, in fact, the man to whom she has to give in..
Only Defoe’s Crusoe, in his fits and throes, could know the cold hold of growing old alone
As I sit and, slow as a broken bone, try to fix and mold that frozen stone
That rolls in my chest, as, choking, my breath pressed … on that baby’s face.
My nose, her lips and Mittie’s cleft…. Dear God, Amazing Grace.
No emotions expressed as we both, motherless, now gaze, her eyes and mine
The oceans regress, and, open regret’s shallow waves drown Valentine’s…
And see, because I read one to three books per day/And I came self-made from a crooked way/To be brave as a brook that sprays/ in the face of a man who would look and say/“I will kill every single being that this stream feeds.”/ I believe in the Dream that America bleeds,/In the plains and the hills and the air of green trees!/
..So I leave my political passions, Place the babe in her aunt’s hands and abandon the mansion..
Which rings with the laughs of Alice and Mittie,..
I’m sick of that Death Rider that saddles the city…
My only love now lies West in the Wild.. Weigh this pain, just suppress it and smile..
Start up again with a Pioneer’s heart…Dakota Buffalo might provide a year’s spark..
Always read and dreamt about it.. Westward Ho!... Amazing.
I wonder if the tales I’ve traipsed will match the trails I’m blazing…
Week 6 Match-up Reviews
If there is one thing that has been a norm this season, it's been the amount of shutouts & huge deficit victories. Week 6 represented that clearly, as all winners tallied a 42-3 voting edge. This doesn't necessarily mean that the writing has been poor in those match ups. A lot of times, one verse just stands out more than the other, even when the losing verse is good. As we continue along towards the playoffs, there may be tighter match ups. We are definitely seeing who are the elite competitors, though.
kannon (3-3) defeats Greed (2-4), 3-1.- Greed got the first vote of the match and then fell off after that. This bout didn't get the due justice voting wise, but it was a good read on both sides. Greed seems to be still piecing things together storywise, while his rhyming has been getting props. His story was really cool, I think he took that edge over kannon, who went more direct. He did, however, write just as well as Greed, and his little flip in the second stanza probably cemented him this win.
Witty (4-1) defeats Unborn Buddha (3-2), 5-0.- Witty continues to write at a high level & he earned a rebound win after a one vote loss to the champ last week. I actually liked what Unborn put together though. He built off a quote from the Dark Knight movie from Joker, and wrote a solid piece. Readers leaned more towards Witty as he connected with the topic more, imo, a clever angle.
Vulgar (3-2) defeats Dove Dozer (3-2), 3-1.- Both of the writers were making returns back into the league, and they fared pretty well in this bout. Dozer managed to get a vote, but Vulgar out-wrote him in this match. Both went with the obvious topic direction. There really weren't many votes here, so it's hard to tell if Dozer would have got another vote or two. Truly comes down to preference.
Dominate (3-0) defeats Defiant (3-2), 7-0.- I don't think anybody would have thought this was going to be a close match, not unless Defiant brought his best and matched Dominate, so it's no surprise that the end result was a shut out. Whereas Dom seems to be adapting to topicals fairly well, Def is still trying to find his niche. If Dom continues to improve, he may just become a champion before season's end.
Zen (1-0) defeats Storyteller (0-1), 6-1.- It's nice to see these two competitors back in the mix. Both made their debuts here. Zen managed to paint enough of a visual to take this match handily, though Storyteller wrote a very deep, emotional story. Had this been a regular line limit, he probably would have had enough room to fully develop his piece. It was a very good read but not enough to sway voters.
dead man (4-2) defeats timeless (3-3), 5-0.- This was the only match that I was able to vote on last week. dead man easily took this. He took a direct route but wrote well & the story came together very nicely. timeless was the opposite, though he had some good lines, his story overall didn't come into form fully, which hurt him in the end.
CopyPat (5-1) defeats NYCSPITZ (4-2), 6-0.- Of all end results last week, this one had to be the most shocking. Not because Copy is inferior to NYC. NYC is one of the most prominent writers in this league & you have to write extremely well to beat him (or hope he shoots himself in the hand). Copy did more than just that, he walked away with a flawless victory. It is a huge statement win which earned him a shot at the title once again.
Certain (6-0) defeats Mr. J (4-2), 6-0.- Certain continued his reign at the top of the AOWL, winning for the 3rd time in a title match, easily getting past Mr. J, 6-0. I guess you can say this was payback from season 2, when Mr. J had defeated Certain in a title match. Cert out wrote J, notching a 6th win and defends the title one week more.
No Show Shine
written by Certain
Three-Planes-Aligned | Familiar Faces
I think the short-verse constraints make character sketches far more effective than they normally are. Here, Three-Planes-Aligned wrote a nice look at a character (his lead characters are always named John) looking to escape the monotony of life's familiar faces. It was simple but effective. But he really needs to run a spell check.
Vividlyvague | Back at It
Vividlyvague's big return after dying this summer comes with a verse littered with rhymes. It reminded me of a combination of Zen and timeless, which is not surprising because Vividlyvague's verses always remind me of someone else (often Frank or zygote). Here he used a lot of simple rhymes but created a nice tone for this verse. It almost seemed like he was talking about mail men, but he didn't provide much clarity, just a tone. This was an OK return, but he'll need to further his content and not force as many rhymes.
zygote | Maybe Next Time
I really liked this except that zygote chose to give away the final line and ruin its impact with his verse title. (It's not a twist. It's an emotional gut-punch.) There were a lot of heavy word choices here but mostly it was a detached, annoyed description of a scene that painted the characters emotions very clearly. There was a heavy dose of social commentary, and zygote exemplified his unique writing style. The rhymes could have been a bit stronger at times, but the dialogue was very natural.
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AOWL Flashback: Season 2
"Happy Thanksgiving"
written by Frank
Mascara cascades down the high slopes of my mother’s cheek bones.
She is in complete control as blue streaks flow down the make up breaking up the peach tone.
She wipes her sleeve and weeps discretely by the 3 feet stove.
A petite soul - whipping up a massive Thanksgiving feast for a family of behemoths, in fiend mode.
She blinks, releasing rows of morose into a greased hole.
A shallow casserole bowl - her grandmother bought with a red cents at an antique show.
..
My 8 year old nephew slices and dices celery like a mean green machine - clean blow – he debo’s the celery into tiny pieces and pours butter by the heap; slow.
..
My 7 year old niece goes and cracks eggs, beating the yolk into a yellow cream float -
My mother greets folks with kisses on each cheek; directing them to their seats,
Mopes - as the cuisine glows in the clear oven, on 360 degrees –
Soaked, marinating in her grandmothers secret recipe, the Turkey wings roast.
My brother Joe had just gotten out of jail after doing 12 years for robbery -
It looked like my mother had seen a ghost.
..
She cleans her hand and squeezes Joe; eyes laminated, leaking loads,
His delinquent clothes - clinging to his creaking bones - she let’s go – he reeks of rose.
My 16 year old sister thinks she’s grown - feeding her 1 month old baby-food at the dinner table to keep him composed.
He cries out of hunger; my mother, cries out of grief - both secreting a mote.
..
People have drove from the east coast to taste my mothers stuffing; her seasonings known.
My dog whimpers at the edge of the kitchen for a piece; he pleadingly groans.
Puppy eyes; extremely difficult to say no too once they’re seepingly gross.
She adds parsley, raisins, to the stuffing, mixing, sweepingly, choked -
Cough-like, convulsive, breathing, her eyes bleeding, she boasts –
“This stuffing is to die for” her eyes red –
Allergies? Could it be smoke?
“I put my blood, sweat, and tears into this meal" – she say’s dripping into the cuisine on the stove.
Pleasure and irritation in her eyes - she proceeded to toast, teary eyed
She gleamed as a host.
When my brother Joe came back from Jail, he had tear drops tattooed;
mother asked ‘’what’s the meaning of those?
And Joe said
“I’m forever crying inside” his eyes watering like a crease in a hose.
Her eyes lubricated,
The dishes saturated,
She reached for a clove -
And peeled another onion, shedding tears - completely at home.
Happy Thanksgiving
Writer's Block
written by oats & zygote
Oats: Zygote, good to see you around again. The NC faithful were worried about your livelihood for a while there. For those not familiar with you, the way you write and your post-a-verse-in-an-hour signature, how would you describe your style? About how long do you spend writing a verse?
Zygote: Hello Oats. I'd like to describe my style as a straightforward and coherent one. The time spent varies, mostly it depends on how good my initial idea was. I've often thought about deferring my uploads until the last moment, but it seems unnecessary. It's easier just to upload it straight after it's finished. The most amount of time is spent planning what to write about. I spend a lot of time writing non-rhyming dot points containing themes and whatnot. A far lesser amount of time is spent actually writing it by comparison. Do you find it easier to write (either this or in your blog or in your professional life) if you have a clearer idea about what you want to write about in terms of themes, overarching concept or purpose?
Oats: That's a good question. I think different mediums yield different processes. For topicals, and definitely for nonfiction, I feel like I need to have a solid backbone to it, a central feeling, purpose or message I'm trying to convey. When I have the free range of writing fiction, I tend to enjoy the chase, allowing myself to get distracted and meander, since that's more true to how I see the world. But topicals don't permit that sort of approach to writing. It'll make verses ramble on, and the best ideas tend to have a high degree of self-containment. Plus, the practical purpose of writing a verse that isn't so long it'll discourage people from reading it never hurts.
Which makes me think - to what extent do you think about your audience when you write a verse? Like, is there any conflict between what you want to write and the fear (for lack of a better word) that something else might have more appeal to the voters? I don't think anyone would accuse you of ever dumbing down your writing, but how much headspace does the audience occupy when you write?
Zygote: Cool! I think about my audience an awful lot while writing. That being, trying to win isn't very fun, I think about the audience in a non-competitive way, it's more of an experimental way. Hopefully, without sounding arrogant, I kind of understand the paradigm and the dominant writing culture here, so if someone really wanted to they could try to write in that similar manner week after week to attempt to attract the maximum amount of votes. But for me specifically, when I think about the audience it's all about trying to take the audience somewhere, and trying to get that message across. A good example, is the recent contest against Dominate (which was a perfectly valid result) - I had seen a 4 corners documentary about prostitution in Pakistan and it's link with heroin importation from Afghanistan. Basically, the idea was that the lyrics of yellow brick road mirrored this social justice issue. However, my writing was too unclear and not strong or interesting enough to correctly engage the audience on this issue. So yes, thinking about your audience is a big factor. In fact, it's probably one of the most important factors to consider when writing. Hypothetically, you could have good writer but if they have an incompatible audience the outcome will be bad.
Oats: It's hard to disagree with what you said here. I'm a believer that reading and writing are joint ventures; the writer writes, and the reader attributes value and meaning to it, making both parties part of the creative process. At the same time, I never want to let that interfere with what I want to write. An example for me personally would be my last topical match here against Soulstice. He deserved the W, but I'm glad I wrote what I wrote - had I gone another route, perhaps I could have ended up with the win, but I doubt I would have produced something as personally meaningful. So it's a balancing act, and one that never ends I'd imagine.
You mention the scenario of a "good" writer being incompatible with the audience. What makes writing "good" in your eyes? With such a distinct style, have you ever found yourself in a place where you and the audience were incompatible?
Zygote: A good writer must be a good thinker. Style is immaterial. Almost any self-developed and authentic style can be a good writing style. Good writers answer questions as the audience is asking those questions. Good writers think about what are the best words to elicit particular thoughts and emotions. My top 3 good writers are Pablo Neruda, George Orwell and Kurt Vonnegut. Vonnegut has a nice bit about writing fiction – something like ‘every sentence should either advance the action or reveal character motivation’ & ‘give the reader as much information as possible, so that they could finish the story themselves if cockroaches eat the final pages.’ For good nonfiction writing, accuracy, clarity and conciseness are probably the most important. Then again, good anything is subjective. So there are a lot of variables. There is a lot of individual difference. What’s good to me might not be good to you.
As for being incompatible with my audience, yes I've made that mistake before. It's been from a lack of understanding of my audience rather than having a rigid or distinct style. On this website I don't think I've been incompatible with the audience, either in a previous AOWL season or on NC 1 (can't recall) I wrote about mesons in detail, and that wasn't received well, but the lack of audience engagement has always been from a lack of flair in the submission rather than the choice of subject matter. You can make boring stuff interesting if you write well enough. On this website, a good deal of flair in your choice of multiple rhymes goes a long way.
Oats: I like that, they answer questions as the audience asks them. That's a great way to put it. What are some of your favorite books? What are you reading right now?
Switching gears, you were arguably the top performer during the entirety of last season. Then you vanished for playoffs. Perhaps you've addressed this, but to sate my curiosity, where were you? Does the fact that you would have likely been one of the favorites to champ the season weigh in to your motivation at all this season?
Zygote: Here are three favorite books for each genre; Breakfast of Champions, Portnoy's Complaint and The Salmon of Doubt (for fiction) - and My Voice will Go with You, Mein System and Origin of Species (for non-fiction). Right now I am reading some books about Australian constitutional law.
Only arguably the top performer because you and Certain were also arguably the top performers! I was in PNG, it was supposed to be for longer but such is life. Favorite tags don't factor in at all, records and such don't matter. I am primarily motivated simply by the process of writing itself. Interesting topics help too! What motivates you? Do you have any particular regular breakfast or interesting morning routine?
Oats: You know, I'm the only member of my family that hasn't been to Papua New Guinea. And Australia too, for that matter. One day I'll make it out there.
As far as motivation, it's hard to say. There are times when I just want to write rhymes, and often my best work springs from those feelings, though they tend to be few and far between. Next would be the topic itself. If I find a topic compelling or evocative in some way, it's much easier for me to get behind it when I write and push until the end. Absent of those first two factors, it would be the competition. If I have a shit topic but I'm going against someone I respect and admire as a writer, or someone who beat me before, it adds a new element of challenge to how I write. I become a bit more strategic, not only in how I approach the topic, but how I write. When I faced you the second time last season, for example, I purposely tried to have a rhyme-heavy, fast-paced verse, hoping it would create a contrast to yours that would edge it in my favor. Which it did, though it was a pretty debatable match. Point being, I wouldn't necessarily write the same kind of verse for someone like Certain or NYC or Dead Man - the talents of my opponents will definitely motivate me to up my game, especially if I'm not particularly feeling the topic.
My mornings are strange because my work schedule is 3pm-10pm, and I'm just now experiencing what a cold winter is like, so lately I've been sleeping in fairly late by my standards, getting up around 10 or 11. In the summer I was getting up earlier to go running, but outside is fucking bone-chilling nowadays, so I'm not into it. The first thing I usually do is clear the sink area - put dishes away, wash dishes, that sort of thing. Then I make coffee for myself and the missus, maybe shower if I didn't the night before. Once my coffee is set, I try to write for about an hour before I take my dog out for a morning walk. Then I come back, get ready for the work day, and cruise until I leave for the day, checking some web sites and all that.
Some of your signature OMs have been pseudo-satircal battle rap verses, which bounce between some sillier lines poking fun at the form and some legitimately dope ones. Did you used to participate in text battles? How long have you been on rap message boards in general?
Zygote: Writing battle raps are fun, my interest for doing it waxes and wanes though, unlike the topical ones which keep me consistently interested. The battle raps of canibus, big pun and ras kass are what triggered my interest in writing to begin with. I was on one different website before this called SvW.com (it is now defunct) - that was about 6 years ago, but at that time I was still learning the English language, I was much less active at that time when compared to now. Enigma was the top dog on that website. Thanks for the pleasant discussion. All the best! It's early but before we wrap it up, who are your picks for champion of this season? My logical favorite is Certain, but my emotional favorite is CopyPat.
Oats: Thank you! I enjoyed it. As for the season champ, I’m going to go out on a limb and say Dominate. Best of luck this season.
A Word From The King
As you all know, I am now taking full control of the reigns the rest of the season. With that comes a few changes. One of the most important aspects of the AOWL through the first 3 seasons, has been voting. This season, voting hasn't necessarily been as well as past seasons. And that's mainly due to a few of you not voting at all. I'm not going to list names. I've been very linient up until now. From now til the end of the season/playoffs voting will be enforced. That means you must vote on 3 match ups to be added in the next weeks line up. New signees must vote on 2 match ups to be added to the line up. If you win your match up but do not have ALL required votes, you will be given a loss. You can make up for it the next week, but be warned: the second time, the loss is pernament.
It's not fair to those who not only vote consistently & even those who vote on more than the required match ups, to do so while others are not contributing. Be sure to vote. Much appreciated.
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AOWL Power Rankings
This is the official Power Rankings. These rankings determine playoff seeding & who earns a bye. This is not the same as the standings. The standings rank every competitor by best record to worst. This system is based off certain factors beyond just wins: quality wins/losses, voting edge, strength of schedule & no show wins/losses. Win streaks help you rise up the ranks, while losing streaks can quickly drop you out. Any loss can be detrimental.
Now here are your top-10 competitors....
#1. Certain (6-0) Last week: W-Mr.J, 6-0. This week: vs. [2]CopyPat (5-1).
Last season's champ has tore through every opponent so far this season. He has shown an uncanny ability to produce top-notch verses week in & week out. He has a 35-11 voting edge, which includes 3 shut out victories. He has had the toughest schedule thus far as well which is further reasoning why he deserves to be at the top spot. He faces CopyPat in a rematch of Week 4's title, where he won 6-3. Will Certain continue his reign at the top?
#2. CopyPat (5-1) Last week: W-NYCSPITZ, 6-0. This week: vs. [1]Certain (6-0).
Copy has been one of the surprising writers in the league thus far. And that is not necessarily because he is new to writing at all; he is an Open Mic mainstay. But this is really our first hand seeing him competing in the AOWL & he has made his presence felt. He's beaten Pinot, Vulgar, Soulstice & NYC this season: all of those guys are elite writers. He's locked down the #2 spot on this list. A win in a rematch against Certain, and he becomes the new AOWL champion.
#3- Witty (4-1) Last week: W-UnbornBuddha, 5-0. This week: vs. zygote (2-1).
I'm very impressed with Witty this season. In past seasons, he has been known for no showing heavily. Since he joined the league in Week 2, he has been nothing short of excellent. The Fox quickly ascended the ladder with two victories, then got in the title match, and has been the closest competitor to dethrone Certain. He rebounded nicely last week & has a shot to earn another quality win. Nonetheless, Witty has proven he is one of the best & should continue to remain high in the ranks if he keeps up the consistency.
#4- NYCSPITZ (4-2) Last week: L-CopyPat, 6-0. This week: vs. Vividlyvague (1-0).
NYC is another writer who constantly finds himself no showing a lot of matches in his AOWL history, but this season he seems to found some motivation to write, possibly due to his champing of the Alias Topical Tournament. He rode off that momentum by disposing his first two opponents by a 15-1 voting edge, then lost to Certain in a contender match. His writing has been off the charts, even in his two losses, but after suffering a blow against Copy, it's hard to tell if he still has that competitive fire to remain consistent. If he does continue to compete at a high level, he is definitely a favorite to become this season's champion.
#5- Mr. J (4-2) Last week: L- Certain, 6-0. This week: vs. Cereal_Killa (1-1).
What have we learned about Mr. J during his brief stints in this league? He is one of the most consistent writers, without a doubt. He definitely piles up the wins. Just as good as he is & can be, he seems to lose the edge in big match ups. In 3 of his 4 wins (one is by no show), he has a 17-2 voting edge in those victories. In his losses, including his recent loss in the champion match, he's been blown out, 12-0. This was the same case in AOWL Season 2. Mr. J has the capability to beat anybody, but he tends to shoot himself in the foot. I don't expect too much of that the rest of the season, as he continues to build up momentum for the playoffs.
#6- dead man (4-2) Last week: W-timeless, 5-0. This week: vs. Dominate (3-0).
He was AOWL's first champion. After two seasons of hiatus, he returned this season and so far has been off to a good start. He stumbled in the early going but has strung off two solid victories. dead man is one of the best writers, and it will be interesting to see if he could keep up this pace through the remainder of the season. A win this week against Dominate & he enters familiar territory.
#7- Dominate (3-0) Last week: W-Defiant, 7-0. This week: vs. dead man (4-2).
Dominate's rise into the top-10 is nothing to scoff at. Despite being known for being a battler, he has written very well in this league so far. He pulled off a huge statement win over zygote after a two week hiatus, then dismantled other fellow battler, Defiant. His writing has improved with each verse.Definitely one of the surprises this season. He has a chance to add another statement win to get into a title match.
#8- UnbornBuddha (3-2) Last week: L-Witty, 5-0. This week: vs. Defiant (3-2)
UnbornBuddha joined the league in the second week, racing off to a quick 3-0 start. He has since faltered against solid competition, losing to Witty & Mr. J. His writing has been pretty good, one of the more lengthier writers, sometimes a bit too deep for readers to try and comprehend. Another loss would probably knock him out of the top-10.
#9- 3PA (3-2) Last week: W- (NS) This week: vs. Zen (1-0)
3PA (formerly known as Johnathan Mercy) has been very quiet this season. Quiet enough that he sits here near the bottom of the rankings. He only has two no show victories & a non-quality win against asylum. He can get on track by beating Zen which would give him the opportunity to possibly get in a contenders bout. His writing has been solid, but it seems like he is holding back.
#10- Vulgar (3-2) Last week: W-Dove Dozer, 3-1. This week: vs. kannon (3-3)
After a no show & a week off, Vulgar returned with a statement, defeating Dozer, 3-1. Its been a slow start to the season for this veteran, but his return only indicates he will be back into the thick of things. He's not too far off from the other writers in the rankings. He'll need to put everything together though, as the competition is very tight & wins aren't guaranteed. Expect V to linger a bit higher here by season's end.
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AOWL Flashback: Season 3
"Journal Entries"
written by Zombie
JOURNAL ENTRY: 4/28/14
This is the perfect topic. It explains me perfectly.
I'm highly ranked.
I'm amazing. words are clean. my over-workings chronic.
flow is so atomic. and my cadence? certainly.
everything i wrote is flawless
any strain of lava zomb' creates is flowing hotness.
it's like gauge unloaded on em'
insane, atonement. godly.
some say a faint robotic, but I complain Im hercules.
I've mastered greatness. heard of me?
calculating emerging schemes. and every burst is toxin
I NEVER RELAX. I'll have you salivating. awesome
i'll activate a wordy scene through any range of optics
and relaxing's great, im busting through the ranks of any college
enunciating lanky rhymage, with slants you couldnt pay to write it
raced the hare & turtle, blindfolded, eyes closed
and still maintained the speed at supersonic
-end log
JOURNAL ENTRY: 4/29/14
and I mean its a bit ironic, the hare and the tortoise
a red herring for short. The phrase is just gorgeous
it was a saying with a page of components
saying in quotient, that you should still remain focused
even if you heavily outrank your opponent
Oh wow, my mouth faded a moment. Oh well.
I'm 2-0. I'll have everybody riding on my coattails. haha
JOURNAL ENTRY 4/30/14
Just Writes verse was fucking dope. Damn.
- end log
JOURNAL ENTRY: 5/2/14
Look, I didn't mean to be cocky, i really am sorry
i reigned supreme as a god, and mocked you as weakling. youre hardly
but in the evenings, i worry. but not about the league
i worry about me. I worry about worrying. I worry about dreams
if you don't win, zombie, they'll crucifix you
i'll just throw whatever together & pretend I couldnt get to it
im trying to relax. but i've gotten to a point
people expect stuff in my verses, and the work to be had
if hardwork beats talent, i guess hardworks my dad.
where all my talent seems superficial
my mind creates scenarios where i am caved
sometimes... I don't want to be highly ranked
- end log
JOURNAL ENTRY 5/3/14
but they don't profoundly understand how it is. absolutely no one does
if skill was a fountain jug, my will to give is the water floating out of it
pain's read out in scars, each day thuds intense mid-drift
where metaphors, melts my core, & kisses. my blood with red lipstick
and as I'm pacing, I could list the feelings that comes with greatness:
various nobs of patience, periods of ostentation
serious numbed sensation; fear to become complacent
nullify the nascent, buzzing. you could hear the drumming bass in
everything. my morning coffee doesnt even wake me up
as i'm unveiling scuffs. and morph into amorphous zombie
no one sees the work i emanate within
just end results when this savior shows up
relationships are a tease, and take a shit
because i'm flirting with failure so much
you're now witnessing the fluctuating collapse of my frustrating debacle
bankrupting my patience, as all you judge me and toggle your punctuating bravado
my mind equates it like math, if you add to what you have you're greater than that
but the faces that grasp at you, are obstacles that wait to subtract your molecules
cause the one thing you can't do when you're highly ranked is relax
--
to have faith is to have trust. and promise yourself to the water instead
when you doggypaddle you don't clutch hold of the water or you'll sink to its depths
instead you relax, and float. a vagabond. - a quote by alan watts
-end log
Week 7 Predictions
written by timeless & Certain
AOWL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: [1]Certain (6-0) vs. [2]CopyPat (5-1)
timeless: Solid rematch of Week 4's Championship match. I felt that copypat easily got outwritten last week, so I didnt vote in that battle because everyone else was voting for him. Dude is talented, takes great approaches to his topics, knows how to fill in all the seams properly throughout his verse to make for an easy going read. Certain is the same in a lot of ways though, and this should be a good match. He's also been on a roll, I'm sure its 10+ wins now dating back to last season, etc. Both are very naturally talented at writing, however, I feel like its going to come down to the take on the topic, and I'd have to give it to Pat for the upset. PREDICTION: Copypat, 55-45.
Certain: Yawn. I already beat CopyPat, and who wants to see a rematch? No one likes rematches. OK, CopyPat may be this league's most impressive competitor this season. I happened to catch him on perhaps his weekest verse. He's been funny and approachable and, of course, rhyme-heavy. These darker quotes don't ideally suit him, but I'm sure he can find one that he likes. Are we ready for a new champion? No. Fuck that. Prediction: Certain, 100-0.
AOWL CONTENDER MATCH: [7]Dominate (3-0) vs. [6]DeadMan (4-2)
timeless: Its always a clash of two different styles when you're facing dead man. His unique, savagely poetic approach to his writing is in a league of its own when it comes to rest here. Ive only read a couple of verses from Dom, but I can tell he's no slouch either, and well deserving to be in the contenders match. I feel that dead man is a huge fan of the topics this week and will be able to capitalize on it. Even though I got Copypat winning, I hope Certain wins just to battle deadman. Look for Dom to make it a close one though. PREDICTION: dead man, 65-35.
Certain: I love what Dominate has brought in his three weeks in the league. He's like oats, as I said last week, but he definitely is developing his own style, too. His vocabulary is deep. But he'll have to really up his content game to win this week. dead man has been a man on fire since he went short for the first two weeks. His style is so unique and yet honed that when he finds a topic he can dig into, he may be unbeatable. Giving him a choice makes him even tougher. Prediction: dead man, 57-43.
[3]Witty (4-1) vs. zygote (2-1)
timeless: Another great match. I don't know if these two have ever faced before but it should be a dope turnout. Expect a 13 minute keystyle from zyg about killing your mother with a magazine article thst reads of how foxes are assholes. Witty will probably write about a fox playing craps, making an asshole move and stealing a kangaroo from australia to fall in love with. I don't know, but this is one matchup I will be checking out. Witty has been on a tear lately so I have to give it to him. PREDICTION: Witty, 60-40.
Certain: zygote already posted, and while I haven't read his verse, I did see that he wrote about Ireland. And that's pretty much why I love zygote. He's always willing to take a risk, especially if it might stimulate his humor circuitry. But I really like what Witty can do with this set of topics. He's at his best in working darker angles, and he seems determined to actually do something on Netcees for once. So I'm going for the stunning upset that would put zygote at 2-2. Prediction: Witty, 51-49.
[4]NYCSPITZ (4-2) vs. Vividlyvague (1-0)
timeless: Another dope matchup dealing with future contenders. Vividlyvague has finally been reincarnated and is getting back into form. Nyc has been on fire lately, even last week I felt he should have won that battle easily. This is tough, I feel that both are starving, but vivid needs to get them wins up for the playoff race. I have to give it to vivid, hes probably a bit more hungry and less burnt out than his opponent at this point in the season. No offense spitz, you been the most consistent here probably. PREDICTION: Vividlyvague, 55-45.
Certain: This matchup was supposed to go down in the second round of the Season 2 playoffs, but NYCSPITZ got drunk instead. Well, he seems to be much more focused this time around. Vividlyvague is just now returning from death. NYCSPITZ with a dark-themed topic is tough to beat. Prediction: NYCSPITZ, 57-43.
[5]Mr. J (4-2) vs. Cereal_Killa (1-0)
timeless: Cereal_Killa will write a verse with text size large enough my cataracts can squeeze into, and everyone will vote against him/her. Mr. J will write about how he signed up to netcees with a mr. t account, but then quickly changed it realizing he was on an ultra serious rap website..and he will be voted against. Namix wins. 80-20. Nah but both are dope, but I think J will edge this ever so slightly. Cereal doesn't seem to have any motivation this season. PREDICTION: Mr. J, 65-35.
Certain: With all due respect, these two might be the biggest surprise champions in Art of Writing League history. That's a nice little point of intrigue here in a good matchup. Cereal_Killa has a tendency to overwrite (and to no-show). Mr. J sometimes doesn't connect well enough to the topic. These topics probably favor Cereal_Killa, but he's rusty. Prediction: Mr. J, 52-48.
[9]3PA vs. Zen (1-0)
timeless: If Zenland writes a verse like he did last week, then it will be hard for 3PA's weird robotic rhyme schemes and interwebbing mindfuck statements. I don't know about this one, seems like every battle this week will be decided by sudden death votes at 3am monday morning while King Ra. injects coffee through a syringe. I got 3PA here. He seems like a fat fuck. PREDICTION: 3PA, 75-25.
Certain: This is a very cool match up. Three-Planes-Aligned is a tour de force who for some reason always seems to get the best from his opponent. Zen doesn't try all the time, but he's always an interesting read. If they both come out aggressively, this could be a very good matchup. Right now I've got to lean toward the writer who is more consistent. Prediction: Three-Planes-Aligned, 62-38.
[10]Vulgar (3-2) vs. kannon(3-3)
timeless: Vulgar is one of, if not the best writer in this little tribe of writers we have here, in my opinion anyways. He reminds me of a slut's handful of NYCSPITZ and a dog food bowl of Certain. I'm waiting for kannon to drop an audio one of these weeks, hopefully this time. To be honest I haven't heard any of his shit, but his taste in music is fucking disgusting judging by the mixtapes he puts out. Hes a damn good writer and I wouldn't be surprised for an upset but I still got Vulgar. PREDICTION: Vulgar, 68-32.
Certain: Here's my pick for battle of the week. I don't think kannon gets enough credit here. He's taken a couple tough losses. Vulgar, though, is very tough to beat under any circumstance. Here he gets a set of topics that play well into his writing style, and he gets a choice. Prediction: Vulgar, 53-47.
Dove Dozer (3-2) vs. timeless (3-3)
timeless: I'm not sure I've read anything from Dove, I feel like I have but I don't know. I probably should to see what I'm up against. I already posted my verse, and I don't think anyone will actually enjoy it as much as I did. Best of love to the Birdman. I got him taking this 100-0 because I used dialogue. PREDICTION: Dove Dozer, 100-0.
Certain: They've already posted! Both of them! I haven't read a word, but this battle is interesting because these two are pretty inconsistent. Sometimes they show they can beat just about anyone. I'd say Dove Dozer is a bit more polished and timeless more creative. Prediction: timeless 52-48.
Defiant (3-2) vs Unborn Buddha (3-2)
timeless: Unborn seems like an inbred from RR with his awful long bar style. Reminds me of Frank, only Frank makes it work out. I really dug his verse in week one for some reason but I haven't gotten into his shit since then. Defiant has good ideas and impulses within his writing. He has the knack for forcing words to get his bars more adjusted, but I think he's really been gripping his stride the past week or two, and is starting to settle into his own. I got rebel over peace. PREDICTION: Defiant, 60-40.
Certain: Here are two Art of Writing League relative newcomers who have had mixed results. Both are a bit unrefined in their approaches. UnbornBuddha is more the intellectual type but can be alienating, while Defiant has a more traditional style but hasn't shown elite-level ability. Prediction: Defiant, 54-46.
Greed (2-4) vs. Storyteller(0-1)
timeless: I like this match up a lot. Two completely different styles, yet similiar in the storytelling department more so. I haven't read anything from Story aside from last week but word has it he's pretty dope or something rather. I feel like he still has some rust to peel off, but I got storyteller taking this. Dont be surprised if greed comes out swinging urban tales with a lock in a sock. PREDICTION: Storyteller, 55-45.
Certain: This one's a strange clash of styles. Greed is a great rhymer with a style married to hip-hop more than most. Storyteller can put together some interesting thoughts, but he needs to slim down his writing style. Prediction: Greed, 57-43.
Frank (1-3) vs. theMuzzl3 (1-2)
timeless: Frank's style is so weird that it's almost as it Muzzle has been taking notes from francis' archives. I dont know, its probably the long bar enthusiam from both. I think muzzle will take this at the buzzer, at the end of the first half. Then frank shows up at the deadline with a 48 line verse using the same rhyme scheme describing muzzles musical career. PREDICTION: Frank, 80-20.
Certain: I don't even know how to offer a prediction. If Frank shows up, he will win, which is what the number is based on. Neither of these guys may show. Prediction: Frank 100-0.
In closing,
Apologize to all for the tardiness with the magazine. With that said, everyone gets a 24-hour extension on match ups this week. I'll explain why during the weekend. Anyways, big thanks to Certain, oats, zygote & timeless for their contributions in this magazine. I wasn't able to fully do what I visioned with it, so hopefully this suffices your needs. Good luck to all competitors this week in your match ups. This is The King, signing out. Holler.
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---- Heard this movie was EXCELLENT. Check it out. I'm sure it's worth the watch!!!