The Mag: Warm Ups Over

[Adonis]

~The Mag: Warm Ups Over~



~Intro~


Now that we got round one and the heavy no-shows out of the way. I expect the rest to smooth sailing with potentially only one more no-show the entire way to the finals from here on out. We have a very even mix of talent remaining in the tourney, from here on out, every single match will be damn near a 50/50 prediction. Shit's bout to get Kray. We got a guest feature from the ever elusive certain as well as predictions breakdowns and no show shines.

Leggo!!



~Feature Artist: YC the Cynic~


http://i.imgur.com/ZoXr0Yh.jpg



YC The Cynic started out as a teacher of hip-hop. I'm really unfamiliar with this guy honestly, but I felt I this mag needed an actual feature artist as I did none last week. Anyways, he taught kids in school about hip-hop and writing and how to write less commercial and more conscious. He's from the Bronx, so that fact that I know who this guy is should say something considering the amount of people who spit out there that I don't know, not to mention I'm from Killa Kali and don't typically love the NYC music scene these days. In any case, this guy is more topicalists a la cunninglynguist than he is a rapper. He is very conscious and has spurts of alliteration that just kill the game. I don't think he'll ever truly blow up, but I do think he'll produce some truly amazing tracks that are filled with meaning and metaphors to chew on. Enjoy.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oASMtu4Z86w

[Adonis]

~Round I Battle Reviews~

Pent uP edges out MMLP

Pent uP – “Most prey WERE a predator first”? Not sure, but that sounds more natural to this non schooled human. The flow and cadence or tempo of this verse from start to end is unparalleled. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and concept. I'd say the concept was mad obvious by your closing bar, but, even if you omit that section I feel the concept is evident because you gave many details and examples eluding to your concept. Meaning, you executed at a very, very high level. The only down side I really can pull out of my ass is, the concept given the image was not super original, but the verse is simply solid writing. In any case, I think this was one of the better verses of the round. Nice start to a tourney, another very competitive match coming your way. G/Luck.

MMLP – Powerful verse in all honesty. I think you could have taken this concept in several routes ranging from vividly grotesque basically explaining how gross humans are, to the more sentimental route which you ultimately went with and did so wisely. This verse has a sense of human nature to it, like it's a real person and shit. I sympathized for the young lass, though I do not share her love of not eating meat. I am full on carnivore and proud of it. Not sure of your background, but I'm going to assume you also eat meat, which makes this verse even better in my eyes. You created a character and gave her life from thin air with a stroke of the keys. You gave me a connection to her and built a story around it. This was a solid verse man. It's a shame you lost, I think you could have snuck out a couple more wins at least, upsetting some on the way. But that's how the chips fall some times.



Argh dominates 2Tripple0

Argh – Good to see the dove take flight. I enjoyed this read. I think you could have matched the topic better had you focused a little extra time on actually letting go of the wheel, or letting go of the girl. Instead, you focused on holding onto. I know I'm not nit picking here, but that's that. I liked the ending though, it was more open ended then most would choose to write, but I for one don't mind drawing my own conclusion as long as you set up the rest crisply, which you did. I could feel this mans sorrow, loved the images you painted from the color of lips stick to the scent to the laugh. You built a woman using others as examples, you gave a connection to the main character and added that heart felt longing in the mix. Top notch verse I'd say. You are not up to snuff, or what I would normally expect from you, but considering you've been gone a year I'd say you are well on track already. Next week will be a much tougher match though. Good shit.

2tripple0 – IDK man, I can't say much about this one. It seemed with even less direction then normal bro. I want to give you advice but I have a million times over and you seem to not care, just want to write how you write and that's it. Which is fine, as long as you don't mind losing each and every week.



Mr. J squeaks by Bags

Mr. J – Man, so this was a bit of a play off of what he did, problem is it really aint about shit. I would say yours is more fitting then bags considering this is a topical tourney, but his had far more substance behind it. He had the better lines, though they were direct disses at you which puts him at an unfair advantage. You went the route of braggadocio almost, not fully swag and flow, but closer to that then topical I'd say. In the middle, nearing the end, you began crafting a particular style that worked quite well. I wish you would have kept going because you were hitting stride before you bowed out. The style I'm refering to is this sort of metaphor placement, “5'7 red head, how odd I feel” and “Blue, grass greener”. All in all, if I can be honest and blunt, a rather lack luster showing that got you the W because yours was more topical then not, but I too would have given Bags the win based on pure entertainment alone.

Bags – Bags goes hard though. Why you gotta spit my lovely name out of your mouth with saying x0x0 afterwords? I thought you liked me, at the very least envied me for being a handsome fuck. Ah well. This verse had me laughing though. I'm not in the battle scene so I'm not sure of what is played and what not, but that line about hyphenating the last name killed this. Also liked the ten steps stomp but I'm willing to bet that's played the fuck out like your lose anus. I liked this read though in all honesty. You touched on the subject of fagot topicalists and bitch shit they write about. I agree, hate them too, but when you write so damn much eventually we all fall into the trap and write that gay pop. But I felt you said things many of us topicalist vets have thought a million times over. Bags = Voice of the People.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdbJNg2dsng





Witty Eliminates Pharaohs Army

Witty – I liked the ending, how you told the reader plainly to go back and read the start, it almost humanized the read, gave it your voice personally I'd say. This read was fun though man, it was in line, though not as good, as the verse you dropped a while back about a kid reading books and him just explaining all the possibilities. The way you directed the concept gave you a wide open array of shit to talk about which only helped the pace of the read. I'd say your counter part had a slight edge on use of topic, but that was his only edge. The rhymes were fluid, though nothing really jumped off the page other then that Pun line cause it made me chuckle, Dream big my friend, dream big. This was a solid verse though. Literally zero misteps or hiccups, nothing I can say truly needs fixing with out me nitpicking.

Pharaohs Army – You hit this topic perfectly no questions asked. The read it self was a bit slow, but you kept it moving as best you could given the choice in conceptual route. You executed at a high level considering there are zero questions to be had about what exactly you tried to convey. Not sure what Manhunt is though LOL. I think if were able to stretch this verse out and utilize more examples and mix in some metaphors and a bit more detail you could have had something here. But as is, this verse was just too short for my liking. I normally prefer the shorter verse over the longer one, but this just didn't have enough excitement with in it to fully engross my mind. It read a bit monotone if that makes any sense? Not sure why, because the verse really isn't bad at all, it was just not flashy in any way I guess.



Frank Overpowers GrafX

Frankie – Nice story, but the wording was just missing left and right for me man. It felt forced, like your trying to use bigger words for some reason, but half of the time they read not necessary or missused or out of place all together. The read was cool though, you had many instances of specific detail highlighting images. The story was actually very captivating for me, but if it weren't for the poor choice in word here and there, this could have been a top verse of the round. Most of the other verse this week had some sort of deeper meaning while you went pure story-telling. While this was a nice change in pace for me reading wise, it still simply felt like it was missing something. That and the obvious, I don't think you made this story your own enough to garner true consideration for verse of the round. Decent read though, as I said, highly captivating.

grafx – I liked the concept, the opening and closing bars about feeding the mind. I didn't particularly like the route of putting down humankind, though rightfully, for there misuse of school, drugs and athletes. You touched on many subjects and did so effectively, the issue I have is it has been done a million times before this read. So it read a bit stale for me, still was enjoyable though. Voters did get this one right. I don't know how rushed this verse was, but I see signs of a solid writer mixed in with room for improvement. Keep at it bro, look forward to reading more shit.



GodComplex Defeats Slecht



GC – I believe the fatigue is showing. In honesty, not a huge fan of this one though technically it's not a bad verse, just not up to snuff if you know what I mean? You attacked the concept early which is a sign of writing on the fly, this also hindered the structure and scheme as well. The opening image and metaphor of “four elements split, nuclear/drug reference washing us down the drain = Pangaea split is just a solid thought my friend. That resucitating a hero is a solid image too. This verse actually grew on me as I began deciphering, but that's your style, story telling and captivating. BUT, first read I didn't like the flow of it what so ever because it read choppy at parts, a bit discombobulated and directionless. You did formulate a solid concept and executed a sense of understandability on my part, just not as clear as can be. Give me quick feed on my no-show win against frank in poetry week 2 if you got a second.

slecht – Nice few couplets there. Nothing jumps out at me though and least of which is the concept. I think you missed an oportunity to fully flesh out a solid idea. In the end, you went with a simple homage poem on photography. The writing I did like the “Siler Clouds” as I took this as them cotton balls I see directly after the actual flash. A+ on that description. I'll add that I realize either you were lazy or didn't have time or unsure about your opponent not showing (which now that I think about it has not had a no-show in about 40 straight matches, I'm going to confirm this... Godcomplex confirmed at least 28, fucking wow!) Sorry Slech, I'm mad spacey some times. As I was saying, the writing itself showed promise but didn't have the proper room to fully breathe. Hope you sign up in poetry league, I'd like to battle you.




Razah Eliminates Innovator


First time I can read both verses on one page of the monitor, that's what's up.


Razah – Not very good man. I liked the ending, seemed like a slight at myself or your field in general I guess. Rhymes as always had rhythm, nice change of pace from the past 6 or so verses I read before your feed. You were obviously lacking in the concept department and apparently struggled with the topic, which is a shame because I could have slayed it. Less motivation I guess because you are capable of writing a concept art while still utilizing your knack for structure, though these types are far from between. Look forward to your verse regardless, it will be to the point and crisp.

Innovator - WTF was that? Not much I can say man, the rhymes weren't even on point on point. Chuckled once, but mostly seemed low brow to me and I'm really not into this. I know you didn't try hard, but I think if you took this angle of fun and allowed that whimsical write for you, you could be onto a style matched with your awesome stoner powers and create some trouble for the rest of us.



Pinot Grij Dispatches Brokenhal0



Pinot – First off, horrible choice in character name, Jared will forever ever be a pedophile who enjoys little kid porn and slangs foot longs for a living, (pun intended). When the plot began to unfold though, from when the whipper snapper entered the ship and saw the real god and savior “The Ultimate One” began explaining what he's doing there. I'm not gonna lie I got a bit pumped up. Fucking Saturn Slam bro. You created this dream scape, not overly specific as far as scenarie due to the action you had to set up. All in all though, this verse was dope. Purely on a technical level, I didn't love it, I felt like the schemes and end rhymes were all obvious and telegraphed, but the fantastical story was clearly the main goal. I saw what you posted in the discussion forum about the ending. I will say it didn't feel added and tied the entire verse together nicely, loved the word play as well in that line. No real negatives, not as clean as I'm used to from you, though, as I said, this verse wasn't great for the usual reasons. You had fun while writing, and I had fun while reading. Thank you sir.

brokenhal0 - WOW. I liked the ending about the allegory of the cave because I caught that reference, but the verse is a bitch to decipher my friend. I enjoyed the read, though feel it wasn't executed well enough to fully grasp, though I think that's what you went for. I'm not sure if this is your usual writing style, but I see some highlights within this verse that you def can build on. From what I can understand, this verse was about time, actually it was about a lot of shit. You mentioned the river a lot, but attempted to connect some dots with youth and death and mother all as metaphors. I don't get the overall concept, I must admit, but I won't cop out and not take a stab at it. My best guess is you wrote about the world in darkness, you in darkness, floating about this place and seeing all the evil, waiting the light to shine so you can see it for what it really is, which is where the allegory came into play. In a sense, this verse conceptually has so so so much fucking promise. I just think you bit off more then you could chew, attempting to tackle this massive concept in a confined space hindered the thought process and ability to execute. Either way, I enjoyed the read and loved trying to decipher. Hope you stick around and I get to read more work, you intrigue me.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrho8YBOK80






~Round I No-Show Shine~




Cimmerian – Wrote a complete verse in under twenty lines which is difficult to do, let alone do extremely well. The thing you did well was the poetic nuances and mannerisms of style. That vivid and specific diction that weaved a story of mourning (Thank god you spelled that correctly) and loss of life. I took it as a Grandparent, which I found slightly weird considering the photo was a child, but that is nitpicking at it's finest because all in all this read was highly enjoyable. From the opening lines about crackling bacon to threading needles, you were able to compact a very many detail in such a confined space while simultaneously building not just a character, but more of a connection and emotional bond. This is a perfect verse regardless of length, no fat could be trimmed off. Cheers.


Tyson – So, first off, thank you for showing. I realize I took jabs at you about not showing in last mag, and though you didn't vote, at least it's a step in the right direction. As for this verse. I enjoyed the story and insight into a real topic, one which I was unaware of, so thank you for enlightening me. I think you wanted to go vulgar with the imagery during the rape scene, but didn't know how far to take it. It read like you had one foot in the water and one foot out. I would have liked you to go full on grotesque, though I hate reading that shit, I see the art in creating something from nothing. I liked the beginning, there wasn't huge character build up, but you gave us background into the remorse and guilt one feels while slightly touching on the pain of HIV or whatever was contracted. I think if you had built on the vile scenery as well as the emotions of the main character in the beginning this verse could have been far better. But, I must add, the rhymes were not as complex as can be and the flow was wavey in spots. But you did have some very fluid couplets as well. I can tell you don't come from the poetry background, more of a hip-hop/rap background, it showed in the style. I liked this verse, but feel like you need to create a better work of art conceptually in order to beat Razah.


NYCSPITZ – I will begin this with a word of caution in regards to the, well, wordy choice of phrasing. It was tough for me to get through because of it, and though I enjoy it, I realize I'm weirdo and not the typical voter. With that said, I loved the read. This inner look of man it seemed. I enjoyed the concepts you built around. From the flickering light and dancing of flies, you worded that shit and made it poetic as fuck man. From the stoking of souls flames to that finale of rope dangling to snapping with no gravity and hope or passion or growth floating, just out of reach. This verse contained a lot in a small space. You were detailed and had a clear focus on writing about ones inner self or soul. Decent read, you have produced far better, but still, not bad at all.


Dead Man – A verse about shooting up, I liked it for it's brevity actually, but as a full length verse not so much. The writing style was a bit off for me, I mean the cadance of the entire thing. As a story it worked fine, but aside from the story, just viewing it as a rhyming work of art, not that great. I guess I'm nitcpicking in reality though because every word was not just relevant, but vital to the concept. The way you wrote it was slick, it was like a slow reel movie or flip book, just kept pealing away at the outer layers as you inched your way to the finale and reveal. I really did like this verse. Had a sense of inner turmoil though you never even gave me a character. You gave me a powerful image of a guy catching his fix, I think more metaphors tip toeing around the obvious could have elevated this verse into another realm, but you did what was needed in order to secure a win.

Diode – Verse was not posted but was sent to my in box. I can not feed as it can potentially be used again.

VividlyVague – I looked up Stuart Sort because I didn't get the reference and came back with Utilitarianism. Good reading on that subject, thank you. As for your verse, it def seemed on a lower level of skill then you are capable of, but it still wasn't bad. You touched on many subjects and I know you accomplished what you set out to do because I feel I fully grasped what you were writing about. The veil over the eyes, from forced news coverage to multimedia addictions. You Attacked a very broad subject, though zero points in the originality department as this concept has been done to death. I will also say you didn't add a veterans twist to spice it up, you went pure writing style, showcasing your self over some gimmick, and I think you did well. Enjoyable verse, not great, not bad, somewhere in the middle.

Pie - Verse was not posted but was sent to my in box. I can not feed as it can potentially be used again.


Soulstice – Nice few couplets about man dreaming of remaining a youth I guess. I liked this but felt it was a bit short to really beat out some of the longer more polished verses of the round. Still, the writing style is yours alone and you already come out swinging following a long hiatus from writing. You knack for poetic nuances is evident, the way you write just resonates in me, drawing some connection until the concept just jumps out at me. Most of the time I'm left deciphering it because you write more open ended then obvious, but I don't mind that. It gives me a reason to read it over and over. This read as a tune up, precursor if you will to round two. I expect fire works, though as a piece alone, this was not a bad read at all.

[Adonis]

~Dream Battle – Top Two Verses of Round~

Submitted by Pinot Grij
01-11-2016
Rd. 1 Winter Topical II


http://cdn1.thecomeback.com/theapparty/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2014/04/ultimatewarrior.png

I’ll take the Intercontinental Belt back. Take it back to Parts Unknown. Load the spaceship with the rocket fuel. Then load it with the Warriors.”

- The Ultimate Warrior

Jared loves astronomy and professional wrestling
Two topics with no common ground, you’re probably guessing
With his telescope, he held out hope as he checked out the moon
That its celestial dunes were some kind of extraterrestrial ruins
Until that one night, he glimpsed within the moonlight’s glorious bask
Upon its rocky surface, there emerged the Ultimate Warrior’s mask!
Once the euphoria passed, he watched with a gleam in his eyes
Like a beam in the night, the mask whimsically careened through the skies
It was the Warrior ship! Jared thought, “Is this really happening?”
And like some astral dream, he was pulled in by its tractor beam
Through sliding doors he made his way to the ship’s command center
Then gasped, all the crew mates were his favorite dead wrestlers!
Macho Man, Eddie Guerrero, Owen Hart and Rick Rude
The British Bulldog, Mr. Perfect - now there was a slick dude!
There the Warrior said, “We never died, Jared, this was our destiny.
To protect Earth from subterranean aliens who are great at wrestling!
That’s why I had my vessel bring our sport’s most massive fan
To give you a front row seat to our huge event at Saturn Slam!”

Jared couldn’t believe his eyes - he swore never to blink
As he watched his former heroes all enter the ring
He saw Mr. Perfect grab his alien foe around its purple neck
And held it as it struggled to escape from the Perfect-plex
Macho Man defeated his opponent and after he pinned him
He put on his shiny cowboy hat and snapped into a Slim Jim
Ravishing Rick Rude faced a truly gruesome, heinous thing
But stole his girlfriend after he snapped him in the Rude Awakening
Then the Warrior took the ring in a 20-Man Battle Royale
And as the last man standing, he grabbed the mic with his patented growl
“I may be the champion, but I couldn’t win this match myself
I owe it all to Warrior Jared for reclaiming the Intergalactic Belt!”
Jared’s passion swelled, he couldn’t even fathom his fame
But he felt on top of the world as the superstars all chanted his name

It’s all a dream. Jared is a lonely boy clutching his only toy
An Ultimate Warrior action figure, his yard sale pride and joy
See, his brothers would beat him while his mom was at work
Those jerks took their anger from the divorce out on his self-worth
It was mean, his brothers put him in the Million Dollar Dream
But he wouldn’t fall asleep, they’d just hold it as he screamed
He’d think, “At school, when they pick teams nobody selects me.
I get beat up at every recess and nobody protects me.
Most nights when I go to sleep my stomach is empty.
If I died, I think everybody in the whole world would forget me.”
He held his Warrior toy and cried that night with hard sobs
His stupid brother had gotten angry and broke both of the arms off
So he looks upwards at the sky for shooting stars, he’s never seen one
And he dreams of escaping a world that will never let him be one


VS.


Submitted by Cimmerian
01-04-2016
Rd 1 Winter Topical II



http://i.imgur.com/i8glII1.jpg

6.12.94

Twelfth of June. I can still smell her perfume
Listening—bacon sizzling—morning cartoons
These technicolor memories adorning my room—
While the rain is pouring, this mourning's for you
The warm squeezes—melted me—grilled cheeses
The borders we worked around—puzzle pieces
Picture perfect—every day that the Earth twists
Flowers in the garden, calling me your Orchid
She could thread a needle in a blink of an eye
The same speed disease unraveled her mind
"In God's hands," but God damn, hers were all mine—
Those wrinkles and lines, reading a Wrinkle in Time
Art is from the heart, you said, bled so our eyes can see
Poems at the park, keys of ebony and ivory
Art is from the heart—bled so my eyes can see
This dear diary, my LeeLee is still alive in me.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdwPh_BMuj4





~Round II Predictions~


Tyson vs. Razah

I can only be honest here. I would favor Razah with out a penalty in his favor and now he potentially gets a three vote cushion right off the bat. It's going to be a very steep hill Tyson must trudge through in order to get the W. I know he can write a solid verse, but also know he isn't at that elite level yet. He has the potential to pen one of his best works and win, but I don't think it's likely. Razah will no doubt write his usual heavy rhymed short verse that cuts straight to the chase. So Tyson will need to write a full length verse and not have any real typos or errors in order to pull out a huge upset.

Razah 80%


Frank vs. Vividlyvague

Intriguing battle here. I think it can go either way, and if it weren't for a deep push on vivid's side in the AOWL playoffs I would be inclined to call this much closer. I do think Frank is the better writer, but I know Vivid is more consistent. However Franks best is better than Vivid's all day. Frank will likely write a story that will push the line limit. Vivid will just need to actually sit down, focus and actually write something to pull out the win. A lot to ask for just removed from a vigourous season/post season. I wouldn't call it an upset if Vivid wins because this really could go either way. Still, Frank deserves to be favored.

Frankie 57%


Argh vs. Mr. J

As much as I want to say this match up is great stylistically, I just don't see it. Both of these writers are extremely skilled and are each respectively, quite possibly, the two most consistent out of the field. The problem is, one seems dead set on quick writing in brevity while the other writes with extreme polish with a full body ;) of busty lyricism that makes the most mascuine of men salivate due to the sheer beauty posses. She writes ok too ;). Mr. J will need something more polished to edge this one out, and that's just not him.

Argh 70%

NYCSPITZ vs. Diode


This will not be a friendly match. I don't think these two particularly like each other and they've made it known. I think I have only ever read like 4 of Diodes verses so I'm not the most qualified to predict this, he's a realitive unkown for me, but I know people seem to vote for him a lot so he must be decent and highly readable. NYC is a monster though. One of my favorites all time, though in the past year he's dropped multiple spots easily. He can destroy the best when they are at there best, but what I do know about Diode is that when the topic is right for him, he can beat you with a concept alone. I'm thinking along the lines of that R-Kelly verse whiles back. So this is a true toss up, but I think the favorite has to be...

NYCSPITZ 55%




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFsf7Rq4Ym8





Dead man vs. Pie

Dope battle here. This prediction is going to seem weird on the surface, but keep in mind that Deadman has a 3 vote handy cap he's dealing with. Pie is a talented writer. He penned some really good verses season one, dispatching some high level challengers. He's pretty polished, though that was a long time ago so it's more a shot in the dark this prediction. But dead man is dead man. He's not likely going to write, I mean actually sit down and write a full length verse. He's nearly guranteed to post the day of the due date in a twenty line key with pure athleticism if you will. He's not the hardest working writer, but he's one of the best on any site. A natural talent who has a penchant for writing verses that resonate with any voter. With that said, the 3 vote swing is key.

Pie 51%


GodComplex vs. Pent uP

Fire match right here. I'm excited to see if GC can produce his higher level works rather then his relatively quicker works. I think Pent is the superior writer, but he has faltered from time to time just missing conceptually. I think that can be attributed to his massive catalog of verses and him just doing something different then has previously. GC on the other hand, he's not a one trick pony despite what some may think. Last season of the AOWL he wrote some stellar stories, which I originally thought would be out of his comfort zone. He seems to have evolved at the right time. I know he's still likely fatigued, and that will play a huge factor in my prediction. But anyone who thinks this battle is less then potential BOTW is nuts. I expect a very long read on each side. Pent will need to beat GC conceptually because I don't think a man, or BE can beat him depth wise. Dude can pack in a humongous amount of reference which I for one love, its just more meat on the bone, but some may see it as taxing. This is a toss up.

Pent uP 58%


Witty vs. Cimmerian

Holly fuck at this battle. I think this will be the most entertaining of all and probably the fastest read of the round. I also think these are two evenly matched writers. Cimm seems to have a very clean style, both rhyme and concept wise. Meanwhile Witty is just a beast. His rhymes are as fluid as you will find on the net, his concepts are hit or miss, but far more hits then misses. Witty really is his own enemy at this point. Probably would be a favorite in any battle if had any sense of motivation what so ever HAHA, I keed, sort of. If Witty can produce a full length verse with minimal mistakes and solid concept, he should be able to squeak out a tight win against a 20 line topical with concept most would not be able to think of. It really will all come down to polish on Witty's end.

Cimmerian 55%


Pinot Grij vs. Soulstice

This is going to be a monster to vote on. I think this is as even a match as any ever. Pinot has a knack for producing off the wall concepts while Soulstice is just a writers writer. I think Pinot will garner the the vote for entertainment, but he's known for falling flat if the concept is a dud. Meanwhile Soul will get the seasoned poets vote because he's a pure writer, but he can be wordy at times, not only that, but he too can be his own worst enemy. He can think to deep or vague while writing essentially over shooting his peers, leaving them to formulate there own interpretation which can be bad for some of the readers. In the end, this is my BOTW vote and I look forward to it the most.

Pinot Grij 51%

[Adonis]

~Sizing Up The Competition~

Produced By: Certain



I haven’t written anything for a topical magazine in a while, so I figured I’d come through and size up the remaining field. Each competitor is ranked by a completely made up percentage chance they win the whole thing —and the percentages do not factor in no-shows.

FAVORITES

1. dead man | 19 percent
This field is too talented for anyone to be 1-to-1 or anything like that. But dead man has to be the favorite. He not only is a great writer, but also has set the palate of the Netcees’ voting scene. That makes him very difficult to beat even with your best verse. He simply can out-write anyone, even when his content isn’t on the same level.

2. Pinot Grij | 13 percent
Pinot Grij is the best storyteller — comedy or otherwise — we have on this site. His problem is he sometimes shoots himself in the foot, either by being too weird in his humor and disillusioning the more stubbornly serious voters or by seeming disinterested in the entire competition if he doesn’t like a topic. My feeling is he has something of a chip on his shoulder after finishing as runner-up in the Alias Topical Tournament.

3. Pent uP | 11 percent
Netcees’ first great topical champion has a fierce competitive streak. He just also sometimes runs out of time to show it. Pent uP has developed a very versatile style that often helps him counter opposing approaches. He’s conceptual smart, very experienced and out to remind people how good he is. But he’s also probably somewhat rusty, and his habit of forcing rhymes can be more obvious against opponents with crisper diction.

4. NYCSPITZ | 10 percent
His ego and eccentric unpredictability rub some people the wrong way, but NYCSPITZ can write. What’s more, his bombast and combination of lyricism and intellectualized flourish hold strong appeal with many voters. He thinks big, then executes big, which tends to be the favored approach in tournaments and especially championships.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03qj4RC_I7w





TRUE CONTENDERS

5. Cimmerian | 8 percent
One of the greatest Open Mic writers in the history of text topical writing, Cimmerian is known for very short verses with abstract focuses. He can out-write anyone, but the question becomes whether he can write with the completeness and conceptualization required in a tournament like this.

6. Frank | 7.5 percent
When the Art of Writing League first launched, Frank’s style was favored by voters. He told bombastic stories with ridiculous continuation rhyming, and a league that didn’t value polish as much as creativity and vibe fell in love with his work. In the past two years, that hasn’t been the case, and even when he wins, his verses often are criticized more harshly because the standards in voting have changed. It’s now on him to prove he can hang with a more literary group of writers, and I know he can. His talent is enormous.

7. Soulstice | 6 percent
Soulstice sometimes steps on his own feet. He’s one of my favorite writers on this site, but he shoots for these expansive watercolor canvases and does not always keep his reader’s attention. That’s why the Short-Verse Topical Tournament, which he won, was perfect for him. It reeled in his tendency toward losing his reader with details.

8. Argh | 5.5 percent
Known to Project R.H.Y.M.E. members as B.E, Argh is a very experienced topical writer with a distinct style. She is polished, literal and pedantic about making sure her verses are smooth on both edges for some reason. She tends to focus on characters more than anything else, and she’s very good at capturing small details. I don’t really buy into the idea that being on a new site would affect her writing, but it might affect the reception of her writing, for good or bad.

9. Godcomplex | 5 percent
This seems way too low for the defending Art of Writing League champion, but the competition is much tougher in this tournament than that one. Godcomplex, formerly UnbornBuddha, is a very unique thinker who does a good job approaching topics. His writing has smoothed out considerably, but he still falls into the trap of abusing big words and trying too hard to sound smart. Still, he has the hot hand at the moment and has beaten plenty of very good writers.


DARK HORSES

10. Witty | 4.5 percent
On talent alone, Witty should be five spots higher. Rhyming comes naturally to The Witness, our Irish fox. But showing up doesn’t, and neither does consistent content quality control. So sometimes he’s done in by his habit of rhyming for the sake of riddling.

11. Diode | 3 percent
I have no idea how rusty Diode is right now, but I do know that he is a veteran in every sense. His style is from a past era, replete with more simple but stable rhyming. He has a great grasp on how to approach topics, and his content usually is strong enough to beat better writing. He would be a very plausible semifinalist, even though the championship seems lofty.

12. Vividlyvague | 2.5 percent
I had a hard time with this one because the last verse I read by Vividlyvague was so mediocre. That’s the thing with Vividlyvague, though: He’s ridiculously inconsistent, in every way. When he puts real time and effort into a verse, he can move up a tier with solid rhyming and ridiculous creativity. Too often, he comes up with an idea that’s way too big and writes it quickly. But he has that dark-horse threat feel to him.

13. Razah | 2 percent
I’m not quite as familiar with Razah as the rest of this field because he became active as I pulled back here over the last year. But I read a few verses to brush up, and I found a writer with a competent skill set. He didn’t wow me at all, but he seems to be good enough to challenge an elite writer if he comes up with the right idea, which is not something everyone can say.


CINDERELLAS

14. Mr. J | 1.5 percent
He always writes something worth reading, even if it does not always make sense. Mr. J struggles with the content side, coming up with original approaches to topics and executing real stories and on-topic concepts. But he’s a born lyricist whose flow can win him a battle against lesser competition.

15. PiE | 1 percent
It has been a while since I’ve read anything from PiE, but I remember his work. He had a penchant for weird gimmicks, particularly with formatting, that I don’t expect will impress anyone. But he also had a solid, smooth writing style that could do some damage. The problem is, he’s facing dead man.

16. TYSON | 0.5 percent
Three years ago, Tyson was capable of crafting decent verses on a consistent basis, but his rust has been very evident in the years since. He rarely puts in enough effort to beat a good verse, and his style isn’t going to stand out from the crowd. Plus, I believe he enters Round 2 with a voting penalty.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiS_V7-FcGg&index=12&list=PLmN2QCD1ZM71fydWlCruDb6E0Mv5j6pIa





~Outro~


That's all I got for now. Next week I will not be able to push a mag out as quick as this. I'm actually out of town the entire week but I'll make it work in my down time in the hotel at night. Hopefully all you fucks show, if not, I hope you catch the HIV

Peaces

[Cimmerian]

~Round I Battle Reviews~


Cimmerian – Wrote a complete verse in under twenty lines which is difficult to do, let alone do extremely well. The thing you did well was the poetic nuances and mannerisms of style. That vivid and specific diction that weaved a story of mourning (Thank god you spelled that correctly) and loss of life. I took it as a Grandparent, which I found slightly weird considering the photo was a child, but that is nitpicking at it's finest because all in all this read was highly enjoyable. From the opening lines about crackling bacon to threading needles, you were able to compact a very many detail in such a confined space while simultaneously building not just a character, but more of a connection and emotional bond. This is a perfect verse regardless of length, no fat could be trimmed off. Cheers.



Thank you for the thoughtful critique. I interpreted the picture to symbolically represent that the child was dealing with the death of another, rather than death itself was coming for her. It almost looked like she was trying to seek comfort in that cloak while death's hand is literally over her heart. So, the verse was written in the form of the girl's diary entry dealing with the loss of her grandmother. When I was younger, I lost my maternal grandmother, Lee Sanner (we called her LeeLee) to Alzheimer's. So, I tried to incorporate some of the that loss into the verse.

Thanks for reading.

Cimm.

[Vulgar]

Impressive.

[Pinot Grij]

Great mag. I especially liked the parts about me.

My feeling is he has something of a chip on his shoulder after finishing as runner-up in the Alias Topical Tournament.

Interesting theory, but NYCSPITZ definitely outwrote me in those finals. My best work preceded the champ match.

[slech]

NICE MAGGGGGGGGGG

[Frank]

Salute

You guys deserve all the credit in the world for your dedication and commitment to Netcees over the last few years.

This magazine ends the debate for me over who is unquestionably the more talented mag writer.

Hands down

And its not even close.

[Ghost1]

I still think ur cute Adonis :)

[Flow]

Adonis Vividlyvague

Sorry guys. Had serious net issues recently. Its not in my nature to no show. Good mag though and enjoyable drop by vivid.

[Adonis]

I still think ur cute Adonis :)

You're compliments are verbal viagra. But your face is the reasoning behind morning after pill

[Argh]

Adonis Certain

From one former mag writer to another, bravo. The time and effort required to produce these from week to week is considerable. We'll see how things shake out in this tourney for me. I'm already pretty favorable (http://www.netcees.org/showpost.php?p=562197&postcount=32) among the other competitors.

[Witty]

Frank gonna Frank.

[PiE]

Thank you on your kind words.

[Razah]

Could've slayed the topic huh.. me too, I'm just not a bully.

Cool mag.

[MMLP]

Nice mag adon! kudos to pent up. I was happy with my show but was destroyed in votes lol soo, its hard to see where i go from here tbh!

[Witty]

Nice mag adon! kudos to pent up. I was happy with my show but was destroyed in votes lol soo, its hard to see where i go from here tbh!

We've all been there man, just keep writing and competing. You're a good writer.

[UnbornBuddha]

Nice magazine, and yes Adonis I have never no-showed for this site. I actually have only no-showed once and that was at Projectrhyme. But, that was due to circumstances beyond my control, it happens.
Thank you for your good work.

[Adonis]

Could've slayed the topic huh.. me too, I'm just not a bully.

Cool mag.

A+ post here