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View Full Version : AOWL Magazine Week 4.... "Long.Live.The.Writer" Edition.


King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:42 PM
AOWL Magazine presents....
"LONG.LIVE.THE.WRITER."
***WEEK 4 Edition***

http://cmsimg.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CD&Date=20130107&Category=FSVIEW0107&ArtNo=130106017&Ref=AR&MaxW=300&Border=0&Take-ASAP-Rocky-s-1-Train-you-will-not-regret-it

Welcome once again to another special edition of the AOWL magazine, "Long.Live.The.Writer". It's championship week as the league begins to rev up towards what looks to be an exciting couple weeks ahead and this week kicks things off. Our first championship match features two of the remaining unbeatens, we will look into that and the other match ups in this weeks predictions. Also, we recap week 3, in which we witnessed pohfig once again pull off a last vote victory. We got your interviews, open mic features & Split drops some extra tid bits. Buckle in & let the sounds of A$AP Rocky guide you through this weeks jam packed edition. Holler.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BysVzAnR9MY



OPEN MIC FEATURE #1

"Brainstorm" written by Camp Bell

im bout to take the image of a villain wit hatred in em
who cant contain the viciousness of my aimless vision
its cloudy overhead and about to be raining diction
in methodical exchanges between my brain and digits
which ends up a dangerous explanation in a range of
writtens..
this could get insane in minutes as i engage my business
so these fakes can witness a great, with crazy swiftness
i just want to exchange my gifts, take the cake im given
wasted off jays of piff, take me to the stage, im chillen
im all in my phase, invader zin on that space invader shit
now its an invasion of these lames thats into anus tasting
friends..
i hope the gates of heaven bend cuz satan wont let em in
im in the basement on that cellar tip, elevating my lettering
patience is irrelevant, creating greatness is the evidence
be amazed with my elements or encased in aggressiveness
face lifts and necklace slits that'll spray sick with elegance
placement..
texting bomb threats to iraqi vets, a sect of saddams kin
...disrespect in vivid threads, matching stitch off Tron fits
check my drop in, its fresh as the black and red lebron Xs
i wanna be where accidents happening is prominent actions
i call it the projects..


What the readers are saying....

Split: "Multis were perfectly unforced at the start but content was lacking. I know u got it in u. Keep keyin."

PURE ENERGY: "You have many good ideas, but should stick with a concept expand on it and then move onto the next one with more fluidity, imo. Nice drop overall, Camp."

Zenland: "I honestly thought this was definatly a dope concept of just brainstorming and the flow of this was good as hell man. I kinda wish I would have thought of this idea first now lol. But definatly a good job broheim."



WEEK 3 RECAP


Vinzr serves up a thrashing in debut win, 7-1, over Aesthetic.- A well written verse can go a long way to getting votes & Vinzr (1-0) wrote up a solid piece that gave him his first victory in his debut, 7-1. Aesthetic (0-1) was dominated, also making his debut & will seek to recover this week against Split.


TYSON makes a statement over Red glare, with a 6-0 knockout.- This is the TYSON that many of us will see this season. After a week 1 no show & a break away from the league week 2, TYSON (1-1) served up a masterful KO victory over Red glare (1-1) who some would probably say didn't bring forth his best effort. He has a chance to take a step up this week against Vator while looks to continue his surge up the ranks against Vinz.


Mike puts a halt to The Vator's hot start, with a 5-3 win.- The Vator came in off to a solid start to the season, & one win would have put him in a contenders match. But Wrecka decided to start a streak of his own. In what was a really a toss up battle, Mike Wrecka (2-1) was able to snag the victory from Innovator (2-1), which gives him his first loss of the season. Mike now jumps into a contenders match this week while The Vator looks to get back on track against Red glare.


zygote impresses the voters once again, with a 5-2 win over c.d.m.- You can say V has had it tough for the first 3 weeks as he suffered another disappointing loss to zygote (2-0), who earns a #1 contender match this coming week. The Fastest Writer alive quickly dropped a verse and many of the voters were in favor of his piece, though c.d.m. (0-3) put up a respectable fight. It's only a matter of time before Veritas catches fire. We will see what happens this week.


One last vote decides another match for Genocide, in his 5-4 win over Camp Bell.- Most would have predicted this to be a one sided match but it certainly wasn't the case. Genocide (2-1) once again had to watch as his battle was decided on a final vote, this time in his favor over Camp Bell (1-2). Despite the late surge, Geno got his second win of the season and a spot in the contenders match. Camp Bell decides to take a break this week, but will be back in action next week.


pohfig pulls off a stunner in a classic throwdown over dead man, 5-4.- This must be a possible string of what is to come this year for pohfig (3-0). Last week, he nabbed a tie breaker vote to sneak by Genocide & once again that was the case in this bout. dead man (2-1) & pohfig both but up spectacular verses & the votes went back & forth until the 9th and final vote came in. Many expected dead man to be damn near unbeatable this season but no one expected pohfig to surge this quickly. The win gives pohfig a title shot this week. Can he pull off another solid victory?


Frank cruises to an easy victory over Zenland, 7-1.- When the dust cleared & the smoke settled, Mr. Cherry stood with just one scratch & his eyes set on his next goal: the AOWL Championship. Frank (3-0) increased his voting edge this season to 16-1, and dismantled the up & comer Zenland (1-2), 7-1, and now seeks to continue his dominant string in the coming title match. The Zenmaster couldn't match the creativity of Frank though he put together a pretty good piece. With two losses in a row, he looks to get back into the win column this week against rival bleak.



A Word With The King: Discussion with Camp Bell.


KING KEITH: As always, introduce yourself to our readers, homie.


CAMP BELL: yooo, its the rhyme messiah aka mr. fuck yo style, the boy, CAMP!


KING KEITH:Also known as Wax Melts, right? Where the hell you get these nicknames from and how did the name "Camp Bell" come about?


CAMP BELL: lol word, wax_melts is my twitter handle, my nickname on the streets is Wax. iono, my big homie gave it to me when i was a youngin. Campbell is my last name, just split it in two for
the site...thought i was being creative


KING KEITH: Your name only makes me want to eat some soup to be honest, idk about how creative that is. Ha. How long have you been writing & is this your first time doing topicals?


CAMP BELL: been on/off since 09...lol soup...yes, this is my first time actually in a topical league, its a challenge cuz im way more interested into doing flex drops or a battle here and there


KING KEITH: Fresh on the scene. We're now entering the fourth week of the league. What is your take on it's management, activity & how do you feel about your progress so far?


CAMP BELL: I think you guys are doing an awesome job managing the league. The topics and matchups are on point. I've actually opted out this week to focus on the Ultimate Writer tourney but I'll be back when that's done. I think I've done better than I expected myself, the topics are tricky at times but its all a challenge I'm willing to accept. I'm actually impressed with the activity thus far, with it being topical based.


KING KEITH: Okay, so last week you lost a close one to Genocide, 5-4. How did you feel about your topic & what did you think of the results/critique?


CAMP BELL: I actually like the written topics rather than pictures. Words are so broad and gives us writers a better perspective IMO. Geno is a great writer, I actually thought he would've came better than he did but respect nonetheless. As far as critiques, I like to be told what I can improve on, the biggest one I think was to just focus and not be so concerned with the rhyming aspect. The results were accurate, I'm not one to take an L and cry about it. Let the voters speak, feel me? So big ups to geno for the win and I'll be back week 5, BTW...this weeks topic was dope as fuck!


KING KEITH: Nice, nice. Now this week features the first championship match of the season between pohfig & Frank. Who do you think will get the title? And aside from that match, which match ups are you looking forward to & what other predictions you have for this week?


CAMP BELL: Ooh, I think the boy frank may take this. He's a force. Matchups to watch out for? I'd definitely have to say frank vs genocide would be classic. But its strange to try and pick a match with it being topical, the battlers aren't really trying to snatch each others souls, feel me? Its more of who's writing is better, which makes this interesting. Its aside from the norm we know as "battling" predictions? I'm taking this whole shit over son! Lol JP none right now, just hope everyone shows up and puts out their best work. Oh. Add me for week 5 fam!


KING KEITH: Genocide is actually battling zygote in the #1 contenders match this week, lol. S'all good though, and I got you. So that ends our discussion for this session. Any shout outs & final thoughts you'd like to share, spill it.


CAMP BELL: S/O to knux left peck, I'm sure you don't get as much attention as the right one does, so...here's to you buddy! LMAOOO and also to the mods and Admins who make it all possible. Special S/O to the weed man who keeps the loud packs on deck, which helps me focus on writing! "Ask not what your league can do for you...but what you can do for your league" #waxout

King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:45 PM
SPLITS CORNER


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvr2e5MtHE


A Little League Reassessment

Yo. Here we are about four weeks into the season, and I just wanted to take a moment to give a brief rundown on some of the new faces around the league..


Representing the ISTL

We all already know Kuja, Aesthetic and Coup.. but some of their fellow battlers have decided to try their hands at AOWL's league, so welcome!


patrown - I believe Patrown was a newcomer to the ISTL, at least that's what their Tourney mag says. He's a writer rapidly elevating, I can tell from his verses, so it'll be interesting to see how he does in the momentous AOWL already a third of the way through its season.

Ink - also known as Inkwell. Ink is a powerhouse. I don't know how else to put it. He has unorthodox rhymes and a natural touch for scheming, and his records from past seasons prove it. Very fresh approach, and a quality voter to boot.

IamBenT - is it I Am Bent or I Am Ben T? I gotta know. anyways, I know dude battles but I literally couldnt find a single topical. welcome to AOWL tho.


It'd be dope to get any number of Scrolls, Cigma, Shadow or CK here, too.. though if they come back im sure the ISTL will follow right behind.



Representing SV

Red glare - don't sleep on Barakon. one of my favorite writers from SV, glad he made the trip over. he's got a good grasp of mechanics and wording and shows great potential. he's not a noob either. also, he's even younger than me (not as young as Prophet). He went decently far in the SV playoffs and could've gone farther if he hadnt taken a no-show win.


Representing the R.H.Y.M.E.

Adonis - adonis hails from the exclusive/ elusive PR, known for their incredibly deep talent pool that seems to usually b frozen over with lack of motivation. dude's got skills, but from the one verse ive seen he needs more clarity in his writing. we'll see, old veterans always get back on tempo very quickly


also like to welcome Pryde , even though im pretty sure he's a Netcees/ AOB head. never seen him compete in a topical league, only text battles. good luck, b.



Highlights


Just a few key points from last week...

VINZR comes out swinging with a strong win over Aesthetic, dude shows he's got the cajones- now just apply the talent.


POHFIG vs. DEAD MAN. clash of the titans. an incredibly close battle that could've swung either way, however Deadeth got a contender match despite the loss so no harm no foul.

Battles begin to even out.- the first two weeks had a lot of 9-0 and 8-1 victories, but this past week was much closer with many coming down the wire, decided by one or two votes.


so...


Who's Hot?

Not necessarily power rankings, but rather who of the upper-ranks of writers and who of the lower-ranks in the standings is hot right now. it's all about momentum.


UPPER

1. Pohfig

Does undefeated mean anything to you? Dude's nice with it. Consistently. Just snagged a win off of Black. He's a problem not for anyone- but for everyone.


2. Zygote/ Frank

Zygote has dropped both weeks within the first day of having topics, I believe. Zygote's an animal with his approaches- switching up his style at a moment's notice. Unfortunately behind a week in wins. Frank is also undefeated and deserves a mention. His verses have had some crazy angles and incredible metaphors.


LOWER

1. TYSON

Tyson wrote one of his best verses last week, and appears to finally be motivated to write for this league. I gave him an Aesop Rock track lol. But I see him getting a contender match soon- and winning in an upset. Everything's falling into place for him, if he sets aside enough time to write every week it'll work even nicer.


2. Rawnold

Rawn came off a no-show win last week, but also has been dropping well-developed pieces every battle. His loss to Innovator is nothing to be ashamed of, and he's also going into this week writing to a beat which is his specialty.




Voting And You

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


sup folks. let me start off by saying i realize everyone here's from many different leagues and has probably been competing for a long time. y'all been voting for years. however, there've been more than a couple comments about votes since this leagues glorious inception, and i feel like as a moderator it's my duty to throw y'all a bone and just illustrate what we feel constitutes a fair and thoughtful vote.


An Example of a Very Good Vote

pohfig 's vote on Genocide vs. Camp Bell, in my opinion, was a quality vote that not only was unbiased and fair, but also provided feedback to the battlers. this is ideal.

Geno -- This was a dope concept. I feel like the beginning dragged out the characterization a little too long - that would be ok in a higher line limit but I think the fact that this was a more confined line limit the story needed to pop faster. It wasn't too action paced but it did have some dope commentary behind it. The idea (really, the fact) of outgrowing the people you grow up with and how it changes you is super dope and something i've explored several times in verses - I find it very relatable. Flow was pretty well paced, some of the rhymes bugged me but whatever it was still dope. If I could change one thing I think i'd have the ending be a little more chaotic and a little less "this is what happens when.." Still a solid verse man.

Camp -- Very direct and borderline conversational. I liked that it was streamlined but at the same time you threw witted jabs about the topic. Some of the rhyming though, kind of got to me - felt a little forced, its weird. In a way it the (sometimes) awkward wording made it seem conversational but it still didn't really FIT for me. I think what I disliked about this piece the most is that you gave yourself so much room to say whatever and I found a bit of redundancy between thoughts and lines. It's like your idea was "this" so you incorporated "this" several times and just reworded it. It was a pretty cool drop but it felt a little bit sophomoric in comparison to Geno's

Vote -- Geno

He had the better rounded out verse in my opinion from concept to execution.


An Example of a Throwaway Vote

this was dope. dead was on some psychological shit and pohfig went into a storyline with
great descriptions and character. deads vocab and wording was verybstrong and pohfigs
storytelling and imagery were strong. pretty well matched but ima have to go with pohfig

vote: pohfig


Camp, you my boy blue but that wasn't a good vote. Though it is better than a completely unexplained vote by a longggg shot.



The Difference

An excellent vote looks at every applicable aspect of a verse- diction, flow, rhythm, how it connects to the topic, imagery, relatability etc. and judges each battler's verse on its own. From that point, the voter picks which verse he liked better and where it edged the win.

A mediocre vote shows that the person did read both verses. without explaining their reasoning, the person'll pick a winner, essentially "eyeballing" the battle.

A rubbish vote doesnt explain jackshit and the voter is usually hammered or on drugs, and therefore will be entirely discounted.



Important Note About Topics

As it was explained to me when I first started competing, the ultimate factor that determines a win- well its entirely up to the voter. However, it's generally considered poor practice to vote for the verse that "more perfectly captured the topic". The topic is supposed to be a mutual inspiration, not an end result. We wanna foster creativity, not stifle it

ON THE WHOLE. Voting has been excellent and very consistent with only a few *cough cough* people who choose not to vote on the three required battles. Keep up the good work, I was just trying to clear the air.



Featured Cypher Post

Who's a doppleganger? I am! I lied. I'll double up and gang her in my van.
She's all worried, and nervous. Don't worry, miss perfect.
If you leave, I'LL get furious. Worse than...
you've seen. Digging your burial, cursing.
"GOD DAMN WHORE, I JUST WANT PUSSY. i'M SAD!!!!!!!!"
Bunch of a rookies. Desecrate your tombstone and spit blood on the back
Till the graveyard shifters are like ..
"holy shit dude, horsehead sacrifice?"
Don't look. It's a bat. To his forehead, afterlife. You're more dead. Faggot, DIE.
In a morgue. Legs. Hands are tied. Coroner, looks. Breath. "Savage crime."
Getting hooked. Meth, bandaged eyes. They're on my hooves. yet havent tried
To look in my basement. I got a wood bed. Appetite. And I cook dead mammals. LIVE
I won't even get caught. With my devious art. Plus look, your sisters a good sex alibi.



Split's Closing Words

Good luck everyone with the beats. Thinking we'll use one of Zygote's ideas for next weeks' theme. Godspeed.

Finally- Cashius Vulgar Objective Witty Orc , hope u guys join at some point in the season

King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:46 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQq5ZHUUpBU


OPEN MIC FEATURE #2

"Dissecting A Profane Mystery" (featuring Vulgar & Split) written by Nigma


Nigma:

I'm a cloak and dagger vagabond who shadow box in blackness with assassins thoughts
Last attacks have stopped, it's re-enacted mummification the way you wrapped in gauze
Planned combat with bars have trapped me
Use the hand of God to crack the padded lock
I'm past Islamic, stand in chalk and ink a magic psalm that plants a massive bomb
That latch to thoughts, evolving fast beyond the passive pawns and terrorists who stand in awe
Go grab and stab a happy heart till beats are bland, so bleak that raptures target memories
You're reading texts so deep that each could test the depth of seas cause E's the best in breed
Complex emcee, I hold my breath to breathe
Out-step the deadly feet of leprosy to rep the 3
Pushing prison pens, defeat means death to me
These bars don't cage me, nay they set me free
Conceived in thirty three degrees of darkness
Harness evil shards of steel and carve
With scimitars, I cleave apart the trees in Eden's garden, weaving barkskin sheets of armor
Separate species, artist with the heat of arson's
Beast of carnage, sharp as the teeth I'm barring


Vulgar:

Gentle people, pardon me for being partially sephardic
Forgive me for spreading mayonnaise on your soul mate's gonohrean arches
Life's an entrapment, and Sean Connery is heartless
He brought a knife to a lapdance during the bondage plea of Marcus
Aurelius, keeper of Rome, leaders of men or treasonous clones?
Hiveminds are interconnected stadiums, the Colisseum was a piece of the mold
And honestly, this bloodlust policy is just a leech in my lobe
coaxing out the most active senses sensing toxicity in civilian clothes
Modesty is hideous, subconsciously make pilgrimage to ghost towns
where confidence is transparent with each rhythmic sentence that's composed now
Limestone harbinger, Saxon shrubbery - pinecones, artistry, ask the Tuscan breed
You'll be the first to die a flowery death and the last to suffer me
Why attempt a late blooming career when most rose gardens are plastic fuckery?
Sound the drums and heed the flung debris, smoking alklaline laced tobacco
The pineal gland expands every time you touch the outer rim of nature's asshole
CIA forsaken Castros populate fields of judgement, but I don't even like to listen
Never forget 9/11, nor the law that genocide forms the price of biscuits
Drink your elixirs, cause every alchemist makes important life decisions
The lord of night's a Nordic knight who soars in morbid mite commissions
As sunlight pours out of his solarplexus, a corpse of bright hibiscus
All the ingredients that simply make a normal sight sadistic


Split:

On your mark, jetset, finish. Sip champagne from minarets in Minsk.
Kidding. Live by the gram and the instant. Smoked colors drip optical illusions,
Outfox McCloud with a cloaking switch flick cuz I'm a barrel roll enthusiast.
Switch, sideways flaring ginsu knife, hacks your shady moral penumbra. Splits you in eight hazy directions,
The corporate enema machine's fact sheet? Apathy, Contra physics and a list of effective sedatives.
Bred ten tenants deep like a logarithmic function. Fuck your edge in broad appeal.
Sepcious zeal wrapped in active product placement. Doubts, contorted hate, riddle-me-an-atheist.
I court the lucid dream of safety, death's forty night revolution. Pregnant influx of numbing uselessness-
Till then I'll smoke karmic butts under neon signs for imminent proof requests,
like whose culture will we pollute next? New Zealand, they're too sick of pretty environments.
Death's got my number for the fiftieth time, and ive a debt receipt for eons.
Catch me sleeping on it, stereophonic teaspoon of Zzquil and Keystone Ice party tonic-
rhymes are my anti-klonopin, ride Janice Joplin's sarcophagus red- 80 higher the limit.
Calvin and Hobbes skiddin visions- the slippery slope to conscience on the dike's Radio Flyer coffin.
At least when we died it transmogrified me to awesome.


What the readers are saying....

HelloKitty- "NICE."

Camp Bell- "yea, this was craaazy! no need for critiquing, im not even sure whos verse was whos! great shit tho yall!"

Zenland- "Some pretty dope shit fellas. Props on this piece. Dope flow and some mad content in here."

Be sure to check this one out & drop some feed! Pure dopeness!







WEEK 4 PREDICTIONS.


c.d.m. (0-3) VS. Mac (1-0)

What's the deal?: If there has been one valiant fighter this year, it's been Veritas, who, despite has yet to win, continues to battle on. This week he faces Mac who made his debut last week, a no show win over Dave.

Who wins?: We weren't able to see Mac at his full potential so this week will really give us an idea of how good he is. c.d.m. is no pushover. In the past two weeks, he has trailed in votes, only to make a comeback and fall short. It's only a matter of time before he gets his first win right? V can write. Mac's no show piece wasn't up to par. I see V making a statement right here. PREDICTION: c.d.m. wins his first match of the season, 7-1.


Nigma (2-1) VS. Rawn MacDon (1-2)

What's the deal?: Nigma is looking to get in a contenders match early in the season & a win here may just do that. He's coming off a no show victory while Rawn suffered a no show loss & is still searching for his niche in the league.

Who wins?: We've yet to see MacDon's best but this week may be just the chance to do so with instrumentals. He's not new to writing to a beat so the advantage is his for the taking. Nigma has impressed writers so far as the weeks pass on, so this will probably be closer than some would expect. Rawn, this is practically your week for the taking. You better pull it off. PREDICTION: Rawn edges it out, 6-4.


patrown (0-0) VS. ZeeDee (0-0)

What's the deal?: Two new editions to the league face off here. I'm certain both are not new to writing. We'll see who gets their first win here.

Who wins?: Don't know much about these two. Nonetheless it should make for an interesting match. This league is already deep & steadily growing each week. I guess I will take my chances with luck. Aside from hoping this turns out to be a good match, I'm going to roll with patrown here. Gut instinct. PREDICTION: patrown wins debut, 6-1.


Pryde (0-0) VS. Adonis (0-0)

What's the deal?: Another match up of newcomers featuring Pryde & Adonis. This has potential to be a good one & the winner will certainly start off on the right foot.

Who wins?: I remember seeing Pryde around on netcees (R.I.P.), even participating in it's topical league, but I never actually read any of his pieces. Both of these competitors are new here, so what they put up this week will go a long ways into showing where they are writing wise. Might be a sleeper match here but keep your eyes open. Rolling with lady luck again. What's the result? PREDICTION: Adonis wins a close one, 4-3.


IAmBenT (0-0) VS. Ink (0-0)

What's the deal?: This match was requested by Ink, a name I am familiar with but not sure if it's the one I have seen before. He goes up against IAmBenT, rounding off our astonishing 6 new additions in the league.

Who wins?: This match has to be a good one. Ink stated that himself & IAm are crewmates & this rivalry is not new. I'm expecting a close match up here. The winner makes their statement, while the loser looks to rebound the next week. Going to need luck one last time. PREDICTION: Ink wins, 5-3.


bleak (0-1) VS. Zenland (1-2)
What's the deal?: Another match that was requested. Last time we saw bleak around was a first week no show & it's questionable as to whether he will participate in this league beyond this week. The Zenmaster started the year off with a victory, but has lost two in a row of late.

Who wins?: How motivated is bleak in writing this week is up in the air. This battle was requested which would mean it should be a good match. While I don't trust that bleak will show, the Zenmaster will have to keep his guard up just in case his opponent drops a gem. Either way, The Master shall feel what it's like to win once more. PREDICTION: Zenmaster gets back on track, 6-2.



SLEEPER MATCH OF THE WEEK
Vinzr (1-0) VS. TYSON (1-1)

What's the deal?: TYSON got back on the winning side of things last week, with an impressive 6-0 KO victory over Red glare. Vinzr is coming off of his first battle of the season, which turned out to be a 7-1 stomping over Aesthetic.

Who wins?: This should be one of the highlight battles of the week. Vinzr made his debut & impressed the voters heavily while TYSON delivered a knockout, which is what we could expect from a writer who is becoming a top threat. While I expect Vin to drop a solid piece, I see TYSON beginning his reign right here. PREDICTION: TYSON wins convincingly, 8-2.


Red glare (1-1) VS. Innovator (2-1)

What's the deal?: We haven't been able to see Red glare at his best, and hopefully we will see something this week as he faces The Vator, who's surge came to a halt in a loss to Wrecka last week. Red was ko'd by TYSON.

Who wins?: I guess you can say this one can go either way. Innovator has been solid this season, even in his loss last week, while Red glare still seems to be searching for that gas pedal. Word around town is Red is a pretty good writer. Maybe the topics have been a bit challenging & difficult to write to, whatever the case is, I definitely see Red making a move here but The Vator shall prevail in the end. PREDICTION: Innovator edges Red, 6-4.


Aesthetic (0-1) VS. Split (2-1)

What's the deal?: Aesthetic took a beating last week against fellow new member Vinzr, 7-1 while Split received a no show victory . Both of these competitors will seek to start their engines as the season begins to pick up pace.

Who wins?: Aesthetic didn't have it together last week and will definitely need to improve quickly if he wants to earn a spot in the playoffs come season end. Split is no easy picking & he seems very ready to string together some victories. This is a one sided match up. Aesthetic needs another week or 2 to get himself together, I see 8 delivering a stifling blow on his way to the finish line. PREDICTION: Split delivers a knockout, 8-0.


Boredom (0-0) VS. Kuja (1-1)

What's the deal?: Boredom is making his debut in the league & not much is known whether he has ever stepped into the topical realm, though he does battle in the AOBL. Kuja is making his way back into the league after a one week hiatus, and the question is if he is ready to step back in and compete on a high level.

Who wins?: I'm expecting Kuja to show this week and get back on track writing wise. This should be an easy victory unless Boredom shows us something grand & unexpected. It's instrumentals this week, so maybe B has an advantage. I see Kuja's storytelling shining here. Real bright too. PREDICTION: Kuja wins 7-3.


AOWL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
BATTLE OF THE WEEK
pohfig (Platinum) (3-0) VS. Frank (3-0)

What's the deal?: pohfig was no showed week 1 & for the last two weeks has pulled off back to back last vote victories. The gauntlet continues this week, as he preps to go up against Frank who has a 16-1 voting edge so far this season.

Who wins?: This should be another classic throwdown. Frank hasn't disappointed this season, proving to be a force thus far. But is he prepared to win the title? pohfig has defeated two of the best writers this league has to offer in narrow victories and if anyone is ready to make a statement, it's him. How much does he have left in the tank? The ripples of the results shall be felt. PREDICTION: pohfig becomes first AOWL champ, 7-5.


AOWL #1 CONTENDER MATCH
zygote (Platinum) (2-0) VS. Genocide (Titanium) (2-1)

What's the deal?: zygote just two weeks in has already made an impact & looks to continue his streak going up against Genocide, also fresh off a victory, a close one against Camp bell. This match has possible title implications, pending on how the title match goes & the winner will be first in line for a title shot.

Who wins?: These two are heavyweights. It seems zygote has yet to really give us his best work so far this year, though he has cruised to victory in his first two matches. Genocide has been a bit up & down writing wise, some even say that he's yet to reach his potential. So it comes down to who here will bring it? Will zygote finally give us one of those deep thought provoking pieces or will Genocide regain his form & a possible title shot? All unbeatens eventually fall. PREDICTION: Genocide pulls through, 5-3.


AOWL #2 CONTENDER MATCH
Mike Wrecka (Titanium) (2-1) VS. dead man (Titanium) (2-1)
What's the deal?: dead man suffered a close loss to pohfig last week & a shot at the title, but he can regain his composure here against Mike Wrecka, who has won his last two match ups.

Who wins?: Wrecka is gaining momentum & now he can further rise with a win here over dead man. Wrecka faced off against Frank week 1 & took a loss, so it'll be interesting how he fares once again against another top writer. dead man will no doubt be looking to bring it this week, so this match has the makings of being one of the better this week. Who to pick? One vote was the difference between dead man being in a title match & possibly remaining undefeated. Mike comes with it but I see dead man regaining his momentum here. PREDICTION: dead man takes the victory, 6-3.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coW0SVEm_E8[/url]


NO SHOW LOVE

Once again we show some love to those verses that got stood up. (forgive me for the breakdowns. I know it's not as thorough as you all would probably like.)


Coup

Give ear all ye seekers of Truth:

The world lies to you, up is down and down is uppish
Spinning the needle to displace YAH's compass (vanity)
Twisting His laws to which is taught for the righteous
All the wicked are lost to false light to be lifeless...
Staring at empire for knowledge
Appealing to man's image as goddess
LO! The world languishes and fades away
Broken is the everlasting covenant made
Of the Just One, of the Mighty One of Ysrael
(Why are we so miserable ?)
You cannot discern from the left nor right
Truth is far removed, in utter darkness night

Truth is a Rubix cube. Hmm, how should I put it ?
It's confusion to whom who have no rules to use it
Wear ye the breast plate of the Sovereign Armor
Eyes on the signs, and solve it with the Solver
Flee the devil and resolve not to be bothered
Keep the law and hour, be Honored by the Father
We are fake toward our brother for shallow bling
Wood and Stone know not of His eternal things
Who is like unto YAH, the Mighty one of Ysrael ?
HalleluYAH, bring Psalms as songs to sing
Who sits on His Right Hand still, called Prince of Peace ?
Remove vanity far from thee, lest you forget your Maker
(Therein is His hand angered)

Oh vain man...can the pot say to the maker
Why hast thou made me so ?

This goes out to ones whos eyes open some to hear
To your ears that answer cries in sight of there peers
To all, even the ignorant willing of that Serpent deception:
A truth has kept to His calling, sent by an accession
Care not for any opinion of man nor his decisions

Coup drops his signature style here & doesn't disappoint. His rhyme scheme is pretty sweet & the content solid. The topic he got this week was perfect for him to write to and he most certainly did a great job.


Nigma


As Above, So Below

It started in darkness
Heart rhythms faster, arms begin to chatter
Wish for thoughts to advance on further, but it is
hard to imagine when your target isn't matter
Mind harnesses unlatching apart into fractions
Chartered to blast from the carcass I'm trapped within
Travel the path of dimentions like fractals condenced
I'm endowed by the methods of Astral projection
Scowering texts till I've mastered the lessons

Now I confess what I found, in this testament

My soul shivered out and ascended
And a force pulled me forth with no remorse
A soaring ghostly aura floating north
I bore a golden cord from my former spine
And while the cord survives my forms alive
A warning stripe to adorn my mortal life
As I rise the darkness warms up bright
Achieve this soaring height and see a door
knock knock
Percieving motion it opens wide, escorts me by
Astral eyes are swarmed by brightness
My arrivals dwarfted beside this formless light

I shared a wordless conversation
With this merge of God and Satan
I observed with flawless patience
And I learnt how chakras sacred
I saw mistakes through my designers thoughts
Saw the flaws in all apocalyptic Mayan faults
Was taught how night evolves despite its costs
How it gives rise to light because the night needs dawn

I saw the iris in the Eye of Ra
Look on to watch me rise and fall
In my time to drop I felt alive and calm
Inspired and enlightened by my higher calling

Nigma is making a name for himself in this league & this piece was just another in his rise up the ladder. Another religious-like approach but a much different direction/perspective from Coup's. Imagery was very apparent & seems to be the key in his piece. The poetic smoothness of his lines (another similar attribute like Coup's piece) led to very good transitions. Another well written drop.


Mac

I gave up hopes of ever becoming sober
trying to quit drinks made me a frequent smoker
My weak willpower determined i wasn't strong enough
and due my anger issues i had to keep distance from everyone
I lost everything, there was no reason to keep drinking
but I had to compensate the fact I was still breathing
The alcohol is the fuel that keeps me drinking more
i can't answer questions as my mind's never clear

I can't focus on anything, i get distracted easily
all mondays i wake up in a bar without my shoes & money
My wife left me and took the children without any warning
i refuse to give her my properties & the lawyer keeps calling
I decided to gather forces and stay sober for a long time
and reach the happyness mountain I could never climb



It's been six years since I had a drink
i have a job, family and now i can think
Then suddendly I got an anonymous call,
saying that my mother crashed her vehicle into a wall..
I assisted to her funeral then went to a bar pain
woke up in the monday with nothing.. once again

Mac made his debut though he was no showed by his opponent. He posted this piece in the OM section & got mixed reviews. The talent is most certainly there & maybe the topic was a bit challenging. Nonetheless, I'm certain he will use the critique as fuel to putting together a better drop than this one. The story was pretty good & this may be his best attribute. We will look forward to his coming work in the weeks to come.


Split

I think I met a girl with the most iridescent eyes,
In the setting sun, they only seemed to intensify,
She seemed beautiful but even then I knew,
It was true thst beauty will only grow old and die.

As if the world slept behind those streetlights that night,
We both climbed aboard the same train, same time.
in the way you'd remember in old age a pair of pretty eyes,
autumn's ides, and dead end intersections-
She walked down the tracks' curves,
riding parallel lines, turns without direction,
Sat next seat over, the stare of a scared girl,
And without a word drank the silent air of the world

It's the masterpieces never painted that hang heaviest,
Novels untyped, untitled, fighting out of every sentence

It was the clearest haze I ever fell through,
And I say that to tell you that it's the last one I ever want to see.
Knowing she could look over but never did,
I believe to this day I dreamt up those eyes as a kid,
Never believing I'd find them half-asleep and eclipsed
By the quietest journey I'd ever take.
But by the time i reached out to hang onto her hand
She had slipped into the deepest sleeping trance,
Into a quiet calm that'd never come back

Love or an angel, unearthly or faithful,
Ill never explain how that gaze became a sort of prayer

The blind lead the blind through a parted sea of destinations,
A line with many stops, and none to feel safe in,
And some have gotten used to looking past,
I've lost her glimpse, the purest truth in nothing,
And that's enough reason to never look back

Split is underrated & can be dangerous in this league. While this piece doesn't fully display his max potential, it still was a solid piece. His schemes weren't complex but executed fairly well here. Split also does a great job of weaving words together to bring out imagery or emotion. As with the other no show pieces this week, this had a poetic feel, and this style may be used plenty throughout the season.

King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:48 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkB19I0OK_U


A Word With The King: Discussion with Mike Wrecka.


KING KEITH: First off, introduce yourself to our readers.


MIKE WRECKA: Sup, Im Mike Wrecka aka the Platinum divisions #2 contender.


KING KEITH: Haha. Great mention right there. Speaking of which, how have you been feeling with your progress thus far this season?


MIKE WRECKA: well 2-1 is a good start. Oddly enough, I feel like my strongest verse was the one I lost. Last week I was disappointed with the way my verse turned out but I somehow got the win. I think Innovator had even more of an off week so ya I got lucky. But im bringin the heat this week for sure.


KING KEITH: Well this week you most certainly have to bring it, going up against dead man, who lost for the first time. I'm sure he will be looking to redeem himself. And losing two in a row seems something he'd unlikely do, but due to the competitive nature of this league, who knows what will happen. With that said, how do you feel about this weeks match up against dead man, being that a possible title match is within your reach if successful?


MIKE WRECKA: dead man is the best writer in the league imo. but I feel like when I write to my full potential I can hang with anyone and I really enjoy facing off against the best writers and seeing how I stack up. Motivates me.


KING KEITH: You've been doing this thing for a long time. Can you tell us a little summary from your early history up until now with writing? And is there anything you plan on doing or are doing outside of forums with writing?


MIKE WRECKA: Ya ive been writing forever. Started posting online in like 99 on a few different EZ boards. long bar was the style back then. I also used to record songs and write lyrics for the studio. That made me go to short bar style and I was invited to NC's by Genocide after I had taken a break from text. Used to only do battles and thought topicals was about unicorns and fairies. lol. eventually i realized that topicals is basically the same as writing Open Mic pieces and grew to love it. Offline I wrote movie and music reviews for a major newspaper here in in New York for a while. Huge circulation and my words were being printed all across the metropolitan area but it was a non paying gig so I gave it up. My next endeavor is getting this childrens picture book i wrote published.


KING KEITH: I wish you the best on that right there. Definitely a huge step forward if it goes down. We have our first championship match of the season going down between pohfig & Frank. What are your thoughts on the battle & who do you believe will win?


MIKE WRECKA: should be epic. there's no callin that shit right there. could go either way.


KING KEITH: How about this weeks lineup? Any matches you have your eye on & who are some of your winners this week?


MIKE WRECKA: Zygote vs Genocide should be insane. Their style is extremely similar. the two writers with the best flow facing off. cant wait to read it.

C.d.m vs whoever - his verses have been so dope but he's faced such stiff competition he hasn't had a win yet. but ya hes gonna rebound.

and ya Vinzr impressed me last week lookin forward to seeing if he can duplicate that effort.


KING KEITH: We're four weeks into the season & it has been one of the more active leagues that the net has to offer. What is your take on the league thus far & anything you think should be added or changed?


MIKE WRECKA: Im proud to be a part of it and its definitely the best topical league on the net. You and the other mods have done a fantastic job with the mags and staying on top of everything. If you continue to engage it will continue to succeed. I wouldn't change a thing.


KING KEITH: That's word right there. Appreciate your time with the discussion, this marks the end of it. Any shout outs or final thoughts you have, feel free to share.


MIKE WRECKA: no doubt, big up to everybody that actively participates and votes in the league. Shout out to you Keith for all the work put in, and ya my bad for not being funny for this interview. people are comical as hell in these things but ya I just keep it real. and p.s. im reading everyones verse to the beat so it better flow to it. don't be scared to write to a beat. embarace it. pz.






Well that's it for this weeks edition of the mag. Apologies for the tardiness. Better late than never (word to @Snoop). Promise the next one will be much better and on time. Shout out to Mike Wrecka & Camp Bell for the interviews this week. Shout out to Split for the extra help with the mag. Shout out to all the newcomers in the league & all those who continue to participate in the league. We are the dopest out right now. We are running shit. And we never die. Long.Live.The.Writer. Holler.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87pq7BUBY5M

King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:48 PM
Enjoy niggas. Holler.

King Ra.
03-07-2013, 11:49 PM
Rankings & updated standings will be posted tomorrow.

Pent uP
03-08-2013, 12:20 AM
COTDAMN that was a dope mag

who the fuck u guys been feeding frank to make him 16-2 in votes?

Inno
03-08-2013, 12:35 AM
another great effort duke, people still say duke right?

TYSON
03-08-2013, 01:50 AM
"Aesop rock lol"....for real???? Nigga for real????


Lol j/k...but yo superb as always. AOB TOPICAL LEAGUE>>>>>>>

and I feel y'all on the voting dilemma. I too will step it up.

Split
03-08-2013, 01:52 AM
Word good job keith

Darth Yoda
03-08-2013, 02:00 AM
I liked!

Nigma
03-08-2013, 02:05 AM
First of all, wtf is up with the ASAP hype? Is he that good? I mean I just saw Vinnie Paz and Ill Bill for $20 and this homie is rollin into town charging $70?? Worth it? I think not.

Dope mage btw

IamBenT
03-08-2013, 08:59 AM
Fantastic MAg!

Love the break downs and the ASAP tunes!! hahaha sweet shit!

Zen
03-08-2013, 12:14 PM
Dope as always good shit. Lol at bleak being my rival. He's good people I have no rivals

Sn00p
03-08-2013, 02:29 PM
King Keith, you're really running this league in a way that makes me feel all bad about my running the AOBL.

King Ra.
03-08-2013, 03:42 PM
@Snoop you shouldn't feel bad, man. You're running what? 2 tournies and a league to the best of your ability. By yourself at that pretty much. You know what, I'm no longer participating as a competitor, and I have time on the weekends & after work during the week to lend a hand. I'm down to help you out, homie. Just give me the word.

Sn00p
03-08-2013, 04:03 PM
@Snoop you shouldn't feel bad, man. You're running what? 2 tournies and a league to the best of your ability. By yourself at that pretty much. You know what, I'm no longer participating as a competitor, and I have time on the weekends & after work during the week to lend a hand. I'm down to help you out, homie. Just give me the word.

Nice. I'll definitely get back to you. :)

Red glare
03-09-2013, 03:21 AM
nice read.....saw adonis around.... waiting for SV to start again

Frank
03-12-2013, 02:48 PM
Mag was crazy late. Kinda lost interest.

Mag goes up with Matches.

That's how you increase revenue.

King Ra.
03-12-2013, 05:52 PM
To be honest, if votes were to finish on time, then the mag would be posted at least a day later. But shit, the voting takes too long. What can I do?