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View Full Version : AOWL SEASON 3 MAGAZINE — EDITION 2


Certain
03-04-2014, 08:07 PM
http://i.imgur.com/uAJesXX.png
Season 3, Edition 2


Let's Do It Again
INTRODUCTION by Certain


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sogcfbqvsw


Hello, friends. Week 1 is in the books, and it was a very good one despite 14 lame no-showing assholes. Mostly, Witty is the worst. Anyway, we're here for Week 2. we have a tremendous magazine lined up for you here, with extensive help from oats, big baby and sacrifice to make things more interesting. The topics are close to my heart, song lyrics that I picked because I think they will make for great topics. The songs in this magazine all feature lyrics used in those topics. Anyway, we've got a lot to offer you, though an audio section is not part of that for the moment. Let's get on with it.



WRITER'S BLOCK by Certain and oats
We trade secrets on topicals vs. stories and more.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKgj1FNToWY


CERTAIN: Hi, oats. I'm not going to call you a professor like Vulgar did because it's really sunny in Hawaii and I couldn't get the ice off my windshield today. So fuck that. Anyway, I'm writing the battle recaps at the moment, and one of the things I'm noticing is that in every battle that pitted a story against a topical, the story won. I've heard for literally an entire decade that stories always beat topicals, but back in 2005 I won an RSTL title and defended it numerous times with nothing but topicals, just to prove a point. Where do you stand on the issue?


OATS: It's hard to argue the general trend, which appears to be slightly favored towards storytelling at the moment, but it all comes down to individual preference and performance - preference of the reader, and performance of the writer. I tend to be a little bit more critical of stories, not exactly sure why, I just feel like it's really hard to do without leaving holes in it. Plus stories tend to orbit a single idea or twist, and if that's not done successfully it just comes off as corny or flat.

Topicals have different challenges, but it seems to be a more forgiving format, in the sense that not every idea or line has to be a winner for it to end up lingering with the reader. If anything, all you need is a couple really good insights or provocative thoughts and it can turn the tide in a match. The problem is, how many people are truly original enough to consistently interest people with their observations and descriptions?

To be honest though, all of this is somewhat new to me, these distinctions between topicals and stories. How exactly do you define the two?


CERTAIN: I think the general line is how definitively you are sticking to a plot. For instance, sacrifice had a loose plot this week against Frank, but mostly he was portraying (metaphorically) the collapse of a world. So that might be seen more as a metaphor. I've never been much of a fan of the word "topical" to begin with. It's such a weird word.

I think the key that a lot of people need help with is making a non-story-based verse (itself a clunky if clearer term) as gripping and evocative as a story can be. You did a great job of this in the first round of The Winter Topical, against uh-oh. One of the keys is to not be afraid to use storytelling as the base. Ultimately, writing is all about telling stories, even when we're explaining concepts. When I would write papers in college, I often led with anecdotes before delving into argumentation.

I guess mostly I think specificity is the entire key to good writing. So if you're vague and fumble around or generic and boring, you're not going to pull in the reader. But that same thought process can limit us. Not everything seems to work in this genre of poetry. How often have you come up with something that you want to write but simply can't get to work in rhyme form?


OATS: I agree, the terminology sticks only by precedent at this point, I was never too fond of any of it; to me it's just a verse. In any case, I'd say there are two things that are distinctly difficult to do well: dialogue and characterization. Dialogue almost always fucks with the flow or pushes a clunky rhyme (or just really awkward sounding conversation), I've rarely seen it done seamlessly. People probably disagree with me when I say it's hard to flesh out a character in rhyme, but to me it's a matter of space. In a typical verse, there isn't enough space for the full complexity of a human. Pancake comes to mind as someone who uses details well to build a fuller character, but even then I feel like you can only afford to make a two-toned person, which usually equates to someone with two seemingly contradictory traits that are somehow reconciled by the end of the verse. Hardly the depiction of a real person, just shades of one.

Of course, both dialogue and full-fleshed characterization can be done well to improve a verse, I'm just saying it's tricky, and most people (myself included) tend to fail more often than succeed at it. Then again the only way to get better at any of this is to do it more, so I wouldn't be discouraged to try, just something to keep in mind is all.

As someone who writes for a living (albeit not in the badassery of a topical, unfortunately), are there things that come easier or harder for you? Broadly, where do fiction and nonfiction complement each other, and where do they collide?


CERTAIN: I think versatility is my strongest suit, and I usually am experimenting with things these days when I write. But I can agree with you on both dialogue and characterization as difficult factors, and I especially agree that El Pancake is the best we have here at developing characters. There was a little-read verse in the Writing Challenge League in which he completely inhabited the writer's voice of an Asperger's patient awaiting murder charges that was brilliant.

I'm pretty comfortable with dialogue because using quotes is such an important part of my actual job, but I think a lot of people (including professional writers, especially on bad TV shows) put too much exposition into dialogue. And if there's one thing that I see a lot of writers struggling with, it's figuring out how to balance exposition and nuanced writing.

A lot of elite writers want to show those talents and don't want to erect signposts and guide readers through a story properly. That actually comes back even stronger to our discussion of story verses against more introspective or argumentative verses, though. It's easier to create signposts naturally in a story verse, but when we write introspection, we need to be mindful of the fact that the reader doesn't know all the gory details we're writing about unless we tell them.

How do you balance subtlety and making sure the readers are getting the full picture?


OATS: At the risk of taking the gray road here, it all depends on the individual verse. Some content requires more elaboration and guidance than others. Your example is pretty on-point with the more introspective style - if there aren't enough details to anchor the reader into a real, genuine feeling, it becomes generic fast. On the other hand, explain every single detail, the verses loses any sense of style, and it becomes entirely dull.

I remember I wrote a verse a while ago that adapted the Friends, Romans, Countrymen speech from Julius Caesar to make it about the death of hip-hop, and I thought I left more than enough hints to make that clear, but when the votes came in not a single person got it (one person got close I guess and thought it was an ode to Tupac). I didn't mind losing to the inferior verse in all honesty (at least eventually), but I was left with a lingering annoyance that nobody seemed to get it. It's hard because "getting it" is as much the writer letting the reader in the loop as it is the reader being able to be in the loop, so you can do all the right things and still be unsuccessful with people.

My basic belief is that the reader should be the one creating, and that it's the writer's job to point just enough light into the right corners and hallways to lead them. To be more concrete, I try to explain references that aren't readily recognizable - I know I hate half reading/half googling. They don't need a comprehensive wikipedia entry, just the basic feeling you're going for. If you need to be an expert on something to understand a verse, it's not going to work.

I subscribe to the idea that simplicity is beauty, and that the ultimate aim of artistic expression is to be widely accessible in the sense that, even if I can't connect at all with the reality being portrayed, there's a core truth to it that resonates. It's probably how most of us enjoy this genre. When I first heard Illmatic, my life was surfing, diving, and learning to play ukulele (about as stereotypical as it gets, now that I think of it), but the nostalgia of Memory Lane, the swallowed frustration of Life's a Bitch, those were concepts I could relate to. The first rap album I owned was Strictly 4 My NIGGAZ, and I think it's safe to say I was not the intended audience for that title, but those broad feelings of being angry, cocky, grateful, whatever, were all things I could understand in my own context and experience.

I've probably gone a bit off the rails here, but to answer your question, it all comes down to what you're trying to do with the reader. If anything, err on the side of clarity.


CERTAIN: That's very much where I stand. And I think that shows when anyone reads either of our writings. It's partially been imbued in me by my journalistic background. In editing, I strive for what I have categorized as the three C's: correctness, consistency and clarity.

I try to let those broad principles guide my writing in all formats. That's the reason I write in complete sentences even on a rap message board. Especially when writing competitively, it's important to find that balance between expressionism and entertainment.

Anyway, it's been enlightening talking to you, but I'm still a little bitter that you are in Hawaii. Then again, I just looked up the weather there and it's apparently raining. Sucker.


OATS: Appreciate the conversation as well. For your information, the rain here is quite warm and pleasant to be in. Enjoy wearing socks to sleep.



THE INTERVIEW by big baby and dull boy
I am not so sure dull boy was involved in this interview, but you be the judge.


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


Bb: well, first week you said you would write, but ended up no showing, thoughts, comments?

dull boy: lol.

bb: that isnt really a answer but, ill take it. Many consider you a top tier, despite not really battling or showing prowess other than in the OM, why do you think so?

dull boy: Jesus doesnt exist. He's a counter culture idiomatic figure.

bb: ok. How about you answer my questions? Alright, lets do this.

dull boy: sorry, I'm drinking. lol. I promise I'll answer your questions. sorry, I have no motivation for this at the moment

bb: despite the showing and noshowing and it being so early into the tourney, who do you think has the best chance, name atleast 5

dull boy: I don't even think I know 5 people on the site to begin with. But ok here goes my list
1. Jack - He has a great chance because he posts nice stuff.
2. Pancake - He is a mod and could edit votes so he definitely is a force to be reckoned with

bb: Be serious, this is going to be posted.

dull boy: oh no. Ok well, ZYG, Oats and Vulgar are OM heavyweights so I'll go with them. Along with anybody else that writes, I suppose.

bb: Remember when fig no showed me because he's a piece of shit?

dull boy: Fuck fig.

bb: Based on your persona and recent depression, how much of a chance do you give yourself to commit suicide?

dull boy: lol. Well, it's not my depression. It's the irrevocably satisfying entailment of the post-modernist way of thinking that deludes initial conduct. You see, when nothing makes sense, and sense making is really made into nothing you get a puddle of self-fulfilling non-fulfillment. You take certain instilling and turn them into prose, but the feeling of satisfaction evaporates due to diluted entitled righteousness. Nothing makes sense. Nothing matters. I want to eat myself or drink myself into a coma with a kettle pot to talk to, pot.

bb: that was deep. How often do you think of suicide

dull boy: Socrates once said "I know that I know nothing." So, nothing.

bb: that didn't make sense.

dull boy: You'll understand when you're older. I'm just better than you.

bb: I hope to be as good as you one day. What do you think about Certain? Is he running this league to your taste?

dull boy: He seems like a cool guy. He seems pretty neat. I don't know. I don't really know him. I dont really know anybody. I don't even know myself. I don't even know you. We don't know ourselves.

bb: Well, this interview is wrapping up, anything you'd like to say? That sounds cliche and lame. Matter fact, lets finish this up with a question. What do you think about the recent Winter topical finals? Lars vs dead man

dull boy: life is meaningless. But good luck to both.

bb: jesus.

dull boy: doesnt exist

bb: stop

dull boy: the universe doesn't.

bb: wow

dull boy: an expression that means nothing. What's hope?

bb: Thank you, dull boy.



Week 1 Rewind
BATTLE REVIEWS by Certain
The first week had plenty of intrigue and plenty of no-shows. Here, I rank every battle from best to worst and provide commentary on each verse, with more commentary on verses dropped by Thursday and those that were no-showed.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S09F5MejfBE


1. Frank beats sacrifice 11-1. | "Things Fall Apart"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK! The tally doesn't support the tag, you say? Well, that happens sometimes. It seems to happen a lot for Frank, who has plenty of blowout wins against great writers to his credit. One thing Frank does that maybe not enough of us do is he comes up with general themes he wants to touch on and then molds them around the topics, instead of starting with a blank slate. I've advocated for the blank slate approach for my entire topical-writing career, but Frank's passion for his topics shows. This week he wrote about baseball because it clearly has been on his mind, and he built up this culminating scene in which the player's mom gets kicked out of the game right as he's up for the game-winning broken-bat sacrifice bunt. And I don't think it's any mistake that he went for the sacrifice bunt given his opponent. Readers really connected with this verse more than they did with his opponent, topical luminary sacrifice. But I think the problem people had was the straight reading given to sacrifice's verse. He wrote a half-narrative look at a collapsing society, and most people seemed straining to connect details of a plot. I can understand where that need comes from, to a degree, but I think that approach to reading was taking the verse at its face value too directly. sacrifice seems like the type who will build off what he learned this week, though, and his mechanics, diction and instincts are so strong that no one should count him out of the title hunt if he sticks around. No one would count Frank out, either, especially not after this statement victory.


2. Diode beats neutral 6-4. | "The Idiot"
Man of mystery neutral brought a verse that only furthered that description. The diction and rhyme schemes were very good and occasionally memorable, but the whole thing never quite connected. He wrote a verse steeped in Indian culture, and I appreciated the singular reference point. It was a very professional-feeling verse. And the first two stanzas worked, but the third failed to connect any dots. Instead we were left floating in a tantric trance, meditating on how exactly this verse related to its topic. Diode also was pretty loose with his topical relation. He told the story of Hector Salamanca, a character in Breaking Bad. Mixing easy-to-decipher Spanish into the mix was a nice touch, and his storytelling was very smooth. That earned him the win.


3. Ink beats YDK 9-8. | "Dead Souls"
YDK finally sat down at a computer to write a verse, and I think it showed. His writing in this and his recent verse in Open Mic was more polished than what he offered last season, particularly mechanically. There were some solid turns of phrases in there, too, but the thing holding him back continues to be cliché content. He took the topic a bit too literally here and, instead of deconstructing it, simply diagrammed its meaning. The emotion of his writing was evident, and this definitely was one of the best verses I've read from YDK. But generic introspection tends to fare poorly against storytelling, which is what Ink brought to the table. He created a bit of a red herring by focusing so much on this rickety plane that brought a couple to America from the third world, then flipped it nicely into a story about how their American dream was shattered by near-slave labor. But there were concerns about his approach to the topic and its directness, which led this battle to being tied until I broke it at the deadline.


4. Vulgar beats King Ra. 5-0. | "The Double Helix"
I wanted to give this topic to two veterans, and Vulgar and King Ra. were the perfect fits. And Vulgar tore into this with gusto, writing one of the five best verses of the week. He told a story about genetic altering and covert organizations and everything in his wheelhouse. And his lead character's name was Trevor, which was perfect. King Ra. made the decision to counter by expanding on a Season 1 verse. I've never liked that strategy, and this example left me a little lost even though he wrote very well.


5. El Pancake beats maths debate 6-0. | "The Invisible Man"
El Pancake wrote a really good verse with a very literal take on the topic. Then he deleted that and wrote a story about a girl and a boy and love because he is El Pancake. And the thing is that both verses were great and completely different. I would like to have seen which would have won in a battle against themselves. The original verse felt like something ZYG might cook up, but the second hit with some real emotional resonance. The rhymes in both were very complex, as El Pancake is wont to use. But I liked the second because the ending was a bit of a surprise but not at all a twist, in which The Invisible Man was not our protagonist but quite the opposite. The inversion was a really nice touch. But I probably preferred the literal first take because it was more out of El Pancake's element. maths debate wrote a solid verse but ultimately would not have beaten either of El Pancake's efforts. Few would. His rhymes were solid, but his take on the topic left a little to be desired.


6. ZYG beats Exoduzt 8-2. | "The Stranger"
So of course ZYG posted the same day topics went up, but I'm kind of proud I made him take seven hours to come up with a verse. Part of that probably was his desire to come with something really fierce. And he blew me away with this take on, in his words, "ABSURDIST SATIRE: THE MODERN GOD AS A STRANGER." ZYG's style can leave some people cold, but he pulled out all the stops for this verse that was right up his alley conceptually. He hit on a wide variety of topics in discussing God's increasing irrelevance in a modern world and did so with tongue planted in cheek. The best part was that he kept his mechanics tighter than he often does, although he loosened up a bit and let himself get too wordy later in the verse. There was a point in the verse where I was questioning the relation to the topic, but the ending really tied it together well. Exoduzt didn't stand much of a chance against an all-out ZYG here, but he did drop a nice verse about a father-daughter connection. The emotion was strong, but the big twist in the story seemed too unexplained and trite. His mechanics were strong, though, and I look forward to seeing what he does in future weeks.


7. Just Write beats Objective 6-0. | "Freedom in Chains"
This was Just Write at his very best, which is to say speaking plainly and telling a story. El Pancake said it was the best he's read by Just Write, and I'm not inclined to disagree. What makes this verse so good is how straight-ahead it is from the very jump. Just Write isn't worried about shocking you or wowing you as much as telling you the story. It reads like what the narrator naturally would be telling people about how he ended up on death row. There was some sloppiness, but in its way, that can add to a verse (see Frank). The emotion was blatant, and the verse felt very authentic. The real issue to improve on is how obvious this take on the topic came across. It was very much the easy route, and Just Write will need to show more creativity in bigger matches. But Objective kind of went off the wall this week. I actually liked his verse quite a bit, but he probably knew he would lose with it. He basically appeared dead-set on testing voters as much as possible. The take on the topic was creative, but it probably was too creative.


8. timeless beats dyedinthewool 5-0. | "On the Road"
Two centered verses! I kind of hate reading centered verses. But I really liked reading timeless' verse this week. He approached this topic from the perspective of a turtle (more accurately, probably, a terrapin or tortoise) crossing the highway as they are wont to do in Maryland. So that resonated with me. Moreover, it's kind of a great twist on this topic as a whole because, who's on the road longer than those turtles? I'm all about topic inversion. Anyway, the writing here was dramatically improved from what we last saw of timeless, when he went by Mordycai. But the next frontier is, with mechanics largely in check, to make it more engaging. Even big moments, such as the death of a brother, never quite felt big and emotional enough. dyedinthewool said she felt uninspired and rushed, but I only came across the latter point. Her wording was very nice, subtle and unique without feeling overdone. Unfortunately, she didn't have the concept to compete here with timeless' very clever idea for the topic.


9. Clockwerk beats WZA 10-3. | "Blindness"
I am under the impression WZA has little or no experience topical battling, which showed. But his Open Mic chops showed as well. Though his verse lacked creativity in its straight-forward approach (made especially obvious by an explanation preceding the verse), it also had flashes of great potential. The flow reminded me of Rakim's early-1990s style at points but fell to sloppiness too often because of miscounted syllables and overly slanted rhymes. Taking the topic of blindness and turning it into a human slavery verse was not a bad idea at all, though some of the overstatements ("the universal weakest race" and "it's a fact that man is a servant for galactic serpents") cut into the point. By the end, he had something going, and if he polishes his word choice and increases the complexity and stability of his content, he might be a sleeper playoff contender by the end of this season. Clockwerk, meanwhile, proved more experienced. He took the victory because he wrote with more polish and a better grasp of the fundamentals of topical writing. He told a dark story about incestual love, but he was a bit too murky in the details and development and maybe not enough in the sordidness of the passion. There wasn't a whole lot that stood out about this verse, but it did serve as a nice introduction to a writer who could go somewhere in this league. The raw talent is there, though more focus would be appreciated. An argument could be made that Clockwerk did not relate to the topic enough, but he tied it in toward the end.


10. Totoro wins via Alphabet no-show. | "Parade's End"
It's so very like Totoro to tell a beastly 600-word tale about shoguns and Japan and sword fights and brotherhood and masculinity and predestination, post it five days before the deadline, talk a little smack and hype up the league and then fail to vote. But this was the best verse that didn't get taken to votes this week, and I have no reservations in saying that. Totoro went all-in, and my biggest qualm is that there were times when the action got a little confusing. But the point of the story remained true, and his lyricism was sharp enough despite giving it a little breathing room in favor of storytelling. Alphabet no-showed even after saying Thursday that he wouldn't.


11. Vividlyvague wins via Verb no-show. | "The Sound and the Fury"
I said in my predictions that this topic was so very fitting for Vividlyvague, but then he dropped a verse that really wasn't his normal stuff. It appears our bombastic over-writer has grown a bit in months between seasons, or at least he offered a different showing this week than what I'm used to. Here he took a really great approach to the topic, giving us insight from what appears to be a policeman but is, in a twist that was well-foreshadowed but still unexpected, a police dog. Verb apparently was in the hospital? Rejoin us when you're better, friend!


12. patrown wins via Aesthetic no-show. | "One Lonely Night"
Yes, it was only about 20 lines, but for patrown, that's a full verse. And it was one of my favorites he's authored, at least for half the verse. patrown used this topic to discuss a lonely musician who played for the late love of his life. The way he described the heartfelt music pouring out of an apartment building and into the streets was beautiful. But I wish he hadn't ended it the way he did, with the musician dying. And I even wish he hadn't gone into so much detail about Susan, the dead wife, and instead furthered that image of the crowd gathering outside the apartment building to listen. Aesthetic got fed up with being trolled and stormed off, but he wouldn't have beaten patrown this week anyway.


13. Cereal_Killa wins via Black Glacier no-show. | "As I Lay Dying"
This battle almost didn't happen, and it wouldn't had Cereal_Killa and I not gone back about a decade. I'd forgotten what it was like to read one of his verses. It's dizzying in a way, not only because of the strange fonts he loves to play with. Cereal_Killa has always been a bit out there, which can be really fun. Here he wrote a story about a hawk picking apart its meal. The emphasis clearly was on metaphor, but I have to admit some of it was lost on me. The rhymes weren't particularly great either. I gravitate toward more grounded content, but this verse definitely held my attention, and I figure Cereal_Killa is shaking some rust off, too. Black Glacier claimed she would show, then didn't.


14. Innovator wins via Witty no-show. | "City of Glass"
This result was destined to happen. Innovator decided to stop himself when he realized there was no way Witty would show, but what he left us with was 15 really good lines. The introduction was a little rough, as Innovator sometimes gets a little lost in his poetic juxtapositions. But he had the starts of a really nice character sketch. My advice would be to build off lines like "Shes lost in the reflection of the puddles she jumps" and less on "a lover of jazz and a self proclaimed socialist, always pissed." The former is a gorgeous and original image with tight phrasing, while the latter is a bit of a cliché and focused too much on telling rather than showing. Witty obviously no-showed because he is Witty.


15. H4ZE wins via dead man no-show. | "Darkness At Noon"
H4ZE's profile says he's 14 years old and started writing seriously 10 months ago, and that actually makes sense in the good way here. I was in a similar place as a writer when I was 14, and by the time I was 16, I was on top of this shit. (No, I'm not going to be humble.) He took a very direct approach on this topic, writing about the end of the world. A more specific approach, defining a character and that character's personal interaction with this moment in time, would have strengthened the verse greatly. The rhymes were simple but present. H4ZE might be my top prospect this season, if he sticks around. dead man had the title match of The Winter Topical to deal with, though I would add that, as one of the very best on this site, he could have won this match with 30 to 45 minutes of effort.


16. Adonis wins via Soulstice no-show. | "Sons and Lovers"
As I have written before, Adonis is a hit-or-miss writer. When he's on, he's spinning beautiful poetry while not losing the roots. Here, I don't think he hit his mark fully. His take on Adam and Eve as a metaphor for relationships as a whole sort of hovered a bit and never quite found its stake on the front half of this admittedly difficult topic. When he connects his thoughts, he is a force. But this verse felt more like a warmup from someone who, to my knowledge, has not written much since last regular season ended. Soulstice said he wrote half a verse but then dropped nothing, which was a pretty big disappointment.


17. Greed wins via Dill Pickle no-show. | "The Good Soldier"
I didn't know what to expect from Greed (and to be honest thought a no-show would be coming). But he wrote a pretty solid introductory verse. Greed, formerly Pryde, is a battler by craft, and his style reflected that. He carried decent mechanics but forced sloppy diction at times. He wrote about a solider fed up with the war in Iraq, which seemed a little bit dated. But the ending tied things together pretty well, with his idea of a good soldier being the one who keeps quiet and follows orders. Mostly, though, Greed's first week in topical battling was defined by his very brief votes. I thought they conveyed his points, but he will need to develop them more. Dill Pickle expectedly no-showed.


18. oats wins via Rawn MD no-show. | "Brave New World"
Though oats seemed to be uninspired, the 12 lines he dropped didn't show it. He spent those lines defining a mother-son relationship and how we view our parents as so much more than humans when we are children. My assumption is that he would then have turned the verse into a story of a child leaving home and embracing the world. Rawn MD's no-show surprised no one, but he did provide an explanation in the Discussion forum (http://netcees.co/showthread.php?t=56745).


19. TYSON wins via Genocide no-show. | "The Trial"
With Genocide revealing he would not be able to show because of a death in his family, TYSON wrote eight pretty simple lines that had intonations of Christianity. I imagine this was not the start of a verse he actually would have used against Genocide.


20. Kyzo wins via ZeeDee no-show. | "Native Son"
ZeeDee never checked in. Kyzo didn't even want to be in the league this week. But he dropped a set of numbers and did his voting to get a victory.


21. Mike Wrecka wins via Split Eight no-show. | "Great Expectations"
This matchup failed to live up to its topic. Mike Wrecka submitted a verse by private message, which is an option if you think your opponent might no-show. Split Eight was busy attempting to fornicate with nerdy girls or not drinking with his friends.


22. Mr. J and dull boy lose via double no-show. | "Goodbye To All That"
I liked this topic and both of these writers. This is a shame. dull boy said he had written numerous starts to a verse but never was able to complete anything. Mr. J, who showed every week last season, simply disappeared on deadline day.



NO-SHOW SHINE by sacrifice
The rest of you got votes, but these guys deserve some extra feedback as well. A topical legend hooks it up.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0aP1wjOt7E


It seems to me that as penance for not voting last week, I would be best used to invigorate and enliven the voting/feedback practices of this site by giving those without feedback the classic Sacrifice vote. Some of you know me for this, many of you probably haven't experienced it before. These tend to take me a while, because my process is very much like my process was during my literature degree: read, re-read, think, re-read, write a little, re-read, then the full onslaught analysis. Many of my feedback methods are philosophical in nature (my other college degree being philosophy), so I tend to take apart the language a writer uses in order to squeeze potential meaning out. That said, one might find that my interpretation could be so far beyond the intended meaning of the writer... and some might find that absurd. However, the beauty of language, of poetry, and of this "genre" of writing in general, is that a lot of times, the hermeneutic "standards" are ever so "up in the air." And as a result, I might spend all of the time dwelling on a particular phrase in use, or sometimes even ignoring a lot of the piece and staying on the general level of analysis. My verses are also very much akin to my way of thinking in general, for thematically I enjoy using rhymes and concepts as both mechanisms for displaying a "grander abstraction" and a specific contextually driven device. As bias has then, I will pull meaning from your work that you probably didn't even know was there.

P.S. my ratings system is very arbitrary and driven by my feelings only... haha, don't take offense if you get a low score one week.


Vividlyvague's "The Sound and the Fury"

This piece gets better the more you read it; because it uses maybe one line aside from the ending to indicate the nature of the story. I'll start by saying, however, that there's something amiss about a main character such as this one with such an adept understanding of the moral implications of his actions. Perhaps this is the point however, and I'm willing to suggest alternatively, that the dog serves as a moral threshold, as it were, through which the themes are "played off of." The writing itself was crisp, though not technically savy or mechanically brilliant. However, not all good writing in this format has to rhyme 6000% of time. The structure was interesting, and perhaps speaks to the notion that a lesser creature thinks in such fragments, which lends credence to the idea Vividlyvague goes for here. Some of the devices used confused me in a lot of ways, because on the one hand the piece presents itself as a narrator speaking about an event. On the other, the narrator is the dog. If the former, than one can explain "Technicolor tints" even though dogs do not see in the kind of Technicolor that we do, because in any story, unless specified, the Narrator is basically God. Of course, Dogs might see just as much as we do and it’s simply a translation problem. On the other hand, the use of words like "bitch on the bus" and "endless retreats reliving the old" suggest very dog-like sensibilities.

"At work, I was a decorated oppressor.
At home I anticipated a vibrant forever."

Above, you'll notice the only real clue as to the nature of the character. What's cool is that reading back through after discovering this, other pieces of the puzzle become also clearer. But what makes this piece cool, is the connection between agents in a situation like this, whether a dog, a man, a robot or a pygmy. There is still something to be said about those that merely follow orders, despite the moral culpability at stake. It reminds me of a book I read about Nazi soldiers during the Holocaust. Many of them were so swept up in the fervor of their agenda that their brains were simply wiped clean of their moral sensibilities. Such is that "soldier" mentality. It's a shame this got slept on, because it's working on at least two levels of complexity, which I enjoyed very much. However, if you're looking rapid fire rhyme schemes and syllabic mastery, you won't find it here, and I imagine that would turn some elitists off.

6.5/10 - This number is arbitrary. But I gave it a 7.5 because I am one of those rhyme elitists, and I tend to alott more points to a piece that can showcase a rhyme style while adhereing to coherency in their narrative/plot/concept over all. Regardless, I enjoyed the piece despire all that.


Greed's "The Good Soldier"

What is AWESOME about this is, even though the previous piece and the current one are from different writers with different topics, they are still, nonetheless, covering the same overall question. The psycho-social-philosophic (in the sense where an overarching duty is the justification for behavior as a soldier) is at play here as well, the difference is the dialogic narrative between the vet and the young soldier with certain opinions about the machine with which he's working. The machine being the politico-governmental machine (which is interesting, but we must divide the two entities). That said, Greed's piece was HIP-HOP; the flow was very buttery in certain sections, the content was also very direct; but that isn't to say he didn't shine with some figurative devices sprinkled throughout. I also have to mention the descriptive qualities of this piece; the beginning reminds me of the camera zooming in from the introduction sequence of a movie, perhaps the camera pans in from the clouds onto the city-in-motion (a motif overused, but nonetheless effective), you come to a soldier in a rather uncomfortable looking room of earth-tones and metal and plastic. It definitely set the stage for me. Then when the dialogue shifts to the "meerkat" we get a little propaganda, (not in a bad way -- merely someone's idea regarding the true nature of the geo-political/military agenda of the H.G.I.C. (the head government in charge), but a propaganda that isn't so uncommon, which suggests there is something compelling in the assessment; I happen to be sympathetic to this view, although I have tended more toward the middle on most things, due to my skeptical nature. When the dialogue shifts back, we get 2 lines from the Vet, which suggests his point of view does not require that approach to his reality; morality is actually rather like a coloring on the wall - a wall paper if you will, surrounding a room filled with necessity, duty, obligation, loyalty, belief-in-something, willful suspense of disbelief for a greater cause (I want to expand on this but I will not). But he doesn't need more than two lines to convey a powerful message - It is necessary I do this or I could die... etc.

Stanza 4 is dope, because it positions itself against that very decisive approach to duty - it suggests deceit and warns that fact; lies that program citizens into devastating situations. The "dollars to quarters" line wasn't the clearest of things, because relativity suggests that hotter and colder have no qualitative parameters, but I would venture to guess that warmth equates to life equates to goodness etc. But if I'm Hell, I don't want warmth. Haha. Then of course the end of the piece is what makes it so similar conceptually to the previous one in this review.

7.5/10 - This has all the elements that I can vibe with, and it reads very nicely in some sections.


H4ZE's "Darkness at Noon"

I know H4ZE said this was rushed, but I really liked it. It was a very straight-forward story about the last moments of life on Earth before an Asteroid blasts it into the Stone Age. At least, that is definitely the feeling you get from the narrator in this situation. Which, if you think about it, this is probably not far from what it would actually be like in the mind of someone facing their impending doom. A lot of insanity would certainly ensue, and it's clear in this piece that insanity does indeed take hold of many people. But the existential refocusing of the self during this time - the line suggesting that he probably saw it coming but didn't think it was a real potentiality in his life time; so distracted with his own miniscule agenda to not devote his life to trying to thwart it. The flow was nice too throughout the majority of the piece. When I read most of these I'm flowing them to a beat out loud a few times to get a sense of the flow. And for the most part this was buttery a flow as you can ask for through the majority of it.

I could spend an hour speaking on the reason why this scenario is always so compelling, and give movie references and literary references to other commentaries on this theme in various artistic mediums: but I think it suffices to say that this would be a dope track with the right music, it has the description enough to send us all in that frame of mind and it rhymes pretty well. I could also spend another hour talking about the scenario itself, but I think this one speaks for itself.

I would mention that if you keep writing crisp verses like this, you will be successful in leagues of this sort.

7.5/10 - I'm finding that getting an 8 in this arbitrary scale is rather difficult. Perhaps due to your busy week, more attention to detail would have spiced this up nicely for presentation.


patrown's "One Lonely Night"

This might be the best of the week from the no-show crowd. In my opinion, this has all the elements I like to read in this form of competition. Because it blends so smoothly the notion that these are hiphop-oriented (to-be-rapped) verses. But this also brings to the fore the other elements that make this a unique medium of expression and artistic value: that of beautiful language choice:

Digging in: the piece smashes together several themes that most of us can probably relate to. First of all, there’s the vigil-motif, of those the deceased leave behind, their need to remember and forget at the same time. There’s the idea that that goal is often too difficult to meet, and fate is often decided from that point forward. (Digression: I often find that things like free will and determinism are really behavior-specific, and because behavior is driven so starkly by the psychological state the particular person is in, the loss of a loved one can often drive one to simply accelerated entropy themselves! But of course, there are others where huge-psychic shocks decide their fate in a more positive direction. Regardless, I think that’s the nature of free will). Then of course, patrown mixes in the music-love metaphor very nicely, by focusing on music instruments, their instrumentation, their sound, and the sensory-imagery littering the beginning of the piece. Sets the stage for the piece, but is also an integral part of the layered metaphor here.

The length of the last two lines, and the way they distinguish themselves from of the piece I think has something to do with an interpretation gap: I see a couple possible outcomes, one; it suggests that the vigil-giver, the widower, dying, and sealing the deal in that sense. Or, because it’s wrapped in metaphor, it felt “like a curse” – and that really does drive the mind toward more abstract notions. Yet that curse is very much like the “fate-decider” from the paragraph before.

8.5/10 – Dope verse, strong and complex.


Cereal_Killa's "As I Lay Dying"

CK wrote a verse this week that I am spending a lot of time on. My preliminary thoughts are as such: Stop using ‘s after everything – ‘s is used in specific situations, not to denote plurality. That’s important, because in a medium such as this, the shit on the page is what we have to read, and if that kind of mistake changes meanings in your verse, it means your ideas were not conveyed the way you intended them. Anyway, with that out of the way, this presents itself in two primary “colors” – that of the “Emerald Grass” and the “A zombie digging his way out of a buried wooden casket” darkness. The introduction has some randomness to it, introducing some primary/important characters. Is Embers Rabbit a bird? Is Pigeon Hawk a bird too? It is unclear. But there are several words that incline me to think that way: nest/perched – but then the imagery shifts drastically, and it’s rather like the camera is pointing up at a butcher’s face, bringing an axe down on a creature. I really liked the “Dark, dark as the starch charcoal scent from an/Avantgarde market cast as merchants of Marxism art” couple lines there. I liked the way sounded, and it has a strange notion in there; that of Marxism art for sale in a strange market setting; which is both culturally ironic and politico-socially correct; Marx did have a very gloomy outlook regarding things like markets. Marxist economics is an interesting set of tinted ideological glasses. I’m not sure what is meant by “Veraguas vein,” so I’m really unsure what is being said in the final two lines. I’m not sure why every clause there is in quotes. And there’s an extra “ in there, so I’m not sure if more than just these few lines are supposed to quoted.

All in all, you’ll have to fill us in on a few things, or at least fill me in. But even though I had an interpretation issue with the piece, I thought it was well written in many spots. Typos, perhaps some spelling and grammar got in the way I think, just brush that stuff up.

7/10 – I had difficulty making sense of it in a few places. The language was great in most spots.


Adonis' "Sons and Lovers"

Ah, I usually enjoy the writings of Adonis. This is no exception. I think you have gotten better too, and it shows in your word choices, rhyming, flow, and what really stood out to me was the development of the metaphor in this piece. It was (if you’ll excuse me) a very sexual piece in many-an-abstract way, but also quite literally. The setting is the ever lonely Eve with no Adam, a description of beauty with feminine overtones… then when the apple of her eye is made manifest, all things begin to crumble, and the idealism of uninfluenced thought is penetrated by contrarian notions! Adulterers beware, it might be in your nature of be an adulterer. There is God, but there is also the Lover’s Bond – which brings this piece together as an ode to Love in a very cosmic way.

The ironic nature of this problem in theology and everywhere else is why it’s so compelling to contemplate. It reminds me of the problem of Evil, and the idea that a Good God could not create Evil because that would render null said “perfection.” This makes it abundantly clear that that is bull shit – really the motivator of all behavior is the social bond we feel between one another. Otherwise we are alone, which not only is impossible on the grand scale, but on the micro scale, often times a bad thing. The irony is deeper too, because such bonds create rifts, and those rifts often bring the destruction of the world. Think Helen from Greek Mythology.

8/10 - I liked this; it touched on a few important themes surrounding religion, love, evil, goodness and wickedness. This is a case where compelling concepts can make up for my preference for more rhyming.


Totoro's "Parade's End"

OK! So, I wasn't going to have the time to get into this very deeply, but then Certain highly recommended I do it. I would have done it, but it would not have been this focused. So, where to begin: How about HOLY FUCKING FLOW! The flow during this entire piece was absolutely bananas. It was intuitive, it had a consistent syllable per line ratio so it was easy to ride along to, and it was oh so very complex. Totoro, if you record your verses to beats, I have the perfect beat for this, it's one I made that went with it perfectly. Haha. But seriously now, why was this piece so dope? Well, aside from the flow, we'll start with the use of imagery to set scenes. Each time the verse breaks into a new stanza, even the time when there's an enjambment of sorts, the feeling shifts with it. The imagery is fast paced and beautiful, using the dust as a kind of stage curtain opening; After the very busy and nice introductory section, the dust settles revealing the stoic-in-discipline samurais. But what made this dope, is it turned hip-hop real quick. The language changes to some ill battle-type I'll slice your face shit, using the imagery/cultural frame to perform some acrobatics. As I was reading through this, I kept having to stop and reflect on the flow.

So yeah, the piece progresses, and this special attack being performed by the twins, is interrupted with a subtle shift again in tone and scene. It flashes to a memory for a brief second, in the mind's eye of Musashi... when he snaps out of it, and it's almost as if they were children playing all along. It was a very stark shift, and while this was written really well in alot of places, there are some rapid shifts and I can see how this would leave the reader behind. Each time I read it I'm having trouble counting the characters. There are twins, there is Musashi and Jin, there's Lord Ugbo - At first it appears the twins encounter Musashi and Jin, they fight, and the twins die. Then Musashi and Jin are called blood brothers, so I can't tell if they are the twins, or another set of brothers. It makes more sense that they are I suppose. Then there's a shift that makes the whole thing seems like the memory of a child, the whole thing in the imagination of the kids, and they return to the town, and the festival has changed, the festival that garnered so much imagination. Perhaps some metaphor for the state of Bushido. Then it appears the parade does come to an end, by the hands of two kids sparring. I don't know... I think this was written pretty quickly, and there are some details I think needed to fill some small gaps.

8.5/10 - Regardless, I enjoyed the flow, the writing was spot on, and the imagery flooded the scenes with beauty and fine detail.

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more totoro while I'm here!


Well, that's that... I wish I could have contributed more, but this took me long enough. Also, see below, I recorded my verse against Frank to a beat I made a little while ago. It's definitely rough and unmixed for the most part... I did it in my living room after writing these reviews.

ALSO: sacrifice’s verse from last week, in audio form, (I will try to do this every week for this section of the mag, rough recording in my living room, many fuck ups and whatever, but it was fun to do it. I'll probably refine this and turn it into a song for my album).

https://soundcloud.com/sacrifice/things-fall-apart-awol-week-1



Week 2 Preview
POWER RANKINGS by Certain
These rankings mean nothing and everything all at once. But mostly, they are an attempt to gauge who's hot. Non-voters need not apply!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkqjx6Gsh0U


10. timeless (1-0)
He had my favorite approach to any topic this week. His underdog label appears to be coming undone, and I expect him to be in top form by the end of the season if he sticks it out.


9. oats (1-0)
He was my pick to win it all before the season, but he said he was uninspired by what I consider a pretty great topic, and I'm not sure how much of that came from facing such a likely no-show.


8. Ink (1-0)
He took out YDK (who would have been No. 11) in the closest battle of the first round, but I liked the potential more than the verse itself. If he rounds himself into shape, he could be a force.


7. Vividlyvague (1-0)
Last season's dark horse knows the expectations are higher this time around. And he showed some real creativity and a tighter, different writing style last week. Mike Wrecka now looms.


6. Diode (1-0)
He used a foreign language the way it's supposed to be done, Objective. Diode continues to prove to good to be beaten even by writers with more advanced stylings. He knows what he is doing.


5. Just Write (1-0)
He gets bonus points for voting in every match and showed his wide range of storytelling talents in shutting out Objective. A win against the defending champion would be a nice feather in his cap.


4. Vulgar (1-0)
No one ever wants to face Vulgar. There's a reason for that. King Ra. pulled out all the stops and got blown out. Then again, Vulgar wrote about conspiracy theories. That almost seems like cheating.


3. ZYG (1-0)
Verse of the week? I thought so. ZYG showed his natural grasp of topical battling yet again with a deconstruction on God's modern value. Now he is in the favorite for battle of the week.


2. Frank (1-0)
After being shut out in the Season 2 title match and losing in the first round of The Winter Topical, Frank more than returned to form with a thorough beatdown of topical legend sacrifice.


1. El Pancake (1-0)
He won't drop from the top spot until he has at least one vote cast against him. His shutout against maths debate was vicious, and his battle against Just Write should be one of the best of Week 2.



PREDICTIONS by Certain and big baby
big baby is funny. I'm not. But hey, I went 8-1 last week on predictions in matches that didn't end in no-show. So you get funny and accurate together in a double set of predictions. Mine come first because I wrote mine first. Quote topics are referenced by song title.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKOngTfTMs0


Just Write (1-0) vs. El Pancake (1-0) | The Cure, "Disintegration"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK CONTENDER! Just Write has been one of my favorites for a while because he doesn't make anything more complicated than it needs to be. El Pancake has been one of my favorites for a while because he has mastered how to be complex for more than just to be complex. The stylistic clash should make for a fascinating battle, if Just Write can do what I nodded to in his battle review and come up with a less obvious story line. If he tries to do some introspection on leaving behind a loved one, which is exactly what this awesome song is about, he won't win. El Pancake is too good a writer, particularly on topics of the heart, to lose against that type of verse. This is a tough matchup for Just Write no matter how you slice it, but if he can be original and unique, the contrast could allow him to pull off the upset. Prediction: El Pancake 57-43.
BIG BABY SAYS: Interesting battle. El pancake delivers most beautiful verse to have ever been typed ever in the history of ever. He rhymes the quotes "Stay to the end" with something tear jerking. Every voter types "i'm actually crying" before casting their vote. unfortunately this works against pancake. He connects with his inner self so much he loses focus of the quote at hand and just write just writes stuff. Just write in a landslide 33-2. Certain and I vote for pancake because we understand his emotions. Pancake finishes league 9-1 before no showing the finals. Just Write makes intermediate run but loses to ZYG 3 weeks from now who posts a verse about midget porn detective case. It's HOF'ed immediately.


Frank (1-0) vs. Clockwerk (1-0) | Jay Z, "Blueprint 2"
It's a D12World reunion! I'm not sure Clockwerk has revealed his old alias, but I know he has mentioned his history on what was once the homesite for Frank (then i.E) and me (then Tha Talent). It suffices to say that these two have been writing on Internet text sites for quite some time. Clockwerk showed some storytelling experience last week but ended very weakly and didn't fully develop his narrative. He won't be able to afford any such slips this week because Frank is one of the best. But Frank does have a longstanding tendency of writing down to his opponents. He's much more motivated by top-tier rivals. Maybe his history with Clockwerk will motivate him. Either way, he enters as the heavy favorite. The topic is interesting and has a lot of room for missteps and cliché. I recommend both avoid writing about topical battling. Ask Objective how that tends to work out. Prediction: Frank 68-32.
BIG BABY SAYS: Frank starts the verse with a beautifully written intro. He quotes Neitszche and makes an idiomatic prose about the troubles of life and something about the abyss that no one understand but still nods and accepts it. He writes a staggering 453 lines for the battle and votes are extended 6 weeks so that everybody can read his dissertation on a jay-z quote. Clockwerk actually misunderstands the quote and pretends to be nas and DISSES Jay-z. He says the word nigga a staggering 82 times in a verse with 112 words in it. Its a nail biter as frank wins 9-8. Frank makes 14 threads in discussion as to why nobody votes and his verse should be featured in the NY times. Certain says he can make that happen because hes a journalist but certain shut the fuck up. Clockwerk fights for linelimit rule but its is waived due to Frank threatening to kill himself.


Mike Wrecka (1-0) vs. Vividlyvague (1-0) | Bruce Springsteen, "Adam Raised a Cain"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK CONTENDER! This topic comes courtesy of my favorite recording artist, so I had to give it to two people I felt confident would show and go hard. Moreover, these two were in for all 10 weeks last season and never met. The clash of styles is really cool, similar to Just Write vs. El Pancake. Mike Wrecka writes fundamentally sound, sturdy verses. Vividlyvague goes for the big bang but may have shown he's turning a new leaf with his Week 1 verse. The quote in play here has so many avenues to approach, but I think it actually works better for a big-picture story. I've seen Mike Wrecka handle big-picture stories in the past, though, and he's very adept at broadening his scope without missteps. Both of these guys were no-showed last week, so I don't have much of a grip on where voters might lie on their styles. But this definitely could come down to preference. For now, I'm thinking Vividlyvague is more aggressive in tackling the topic. Prediction: Vividlyvague 51-49.
BIG BABY SAYS: Vividlyvague uses his joker avy as a template for this topic. "DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW I GOT THESE SCARS???". Mike Wrecka votes against himself. Genocide makes a thread ousting Mike from his crew and mike retalliates with a coming-out-the-closet topical that is immediately HOF'ed for diversity purposes. Genocide isnt seen again. Vivid wins 6-2.


Vulgar (1-0) vs. H4ZE (1-0) | Bob Dylan, "Absolutely Sweet Marie"
There are some topics that I don't think anyone here could beat Vulgar on. He has such a unique style and set of reference points that if a topic falls to close, you won't beat him. I don't think this necessarily is one of them, but he easily could twist it to fit his wheelhouse perfectly because it relates to outlaws and therefore could be about Muslims or something. Vulgar loves writing about Muslims. I like this topic because it's very open for any sort of approach, stylistically. But I am not sure H4ZE has developed his own style enough to hang with Vulgar regardless of the topic. He's a talented kid with a bright future if he sticks with it, but he probably is out of his depths here as he would have been had dead man showed. The difference is that Vulgar never no-shows. Prediction: Vulgar 73-27.
BIG BABY SAYS: Vulgar commences the battle with a 14 syllable word no one can pronounce and then talks about travelling to Eastern Mongolia with his illiterate kangaroo companion known as Milo with eczema. He is instantly praised by pancake who uses the term "overarching theme" 9 times and sounds eloquent. H4ZE almost no-shows due to forgetting his password which is haze without the four. His verse isnt well written. Vulgar 7-0


Cereal_Killa (1-0) vs. patrown(1-0) | Eyedea & Abilities, "Man vs. Ape"
This topic probably wins the award for the most random song choice of the week. And it goes to two of the most unique writers. Cereal_Killa and patrown apparently go back a bit, which I did not know at the time but makes me happy to have paired them (unless they've already battled 10 times). I think both are fine writers, and this definitely is one of the toughest weeks to predict. The topic is such that it might be best to stay grounded in an approach rather than letting the mass conspiracies get away from you. Cereal_Killa doesn't tend to stay grounded but knows exactly what he's doing up there. patrown, meanwhile, tends to be too grounded. This topic will be a bit broader than his ideal scope. So I think it serves the purpose of challenging both. My guess is Cereal_Killa will be more up to the task. Prediction: Cereal_Killa 53-47.
BIG BABY SAYS: Cereal killa reveals through his battle that he is indeed homosexual with his changing of fonts and colors that mirror a rainbow. This creative outburst prompts other people to have the courage to come out as well. He starts dating bags. His verse, though, sucks. patrown writes a mural about his fetish for rabid animals. He outlines the adventure of a baby racoon living near a human trashcan. The demise of the raccoon is met by a rottweiler than got loose. It is very graphic. The thread is labeled NSFW. All said and done more people like the rawness of patrowns raccoon violence. Hush notices and challenges him to a horrorcore battle. A theme that is present for him. Patrown wins 6-0 and hush is ethered off the site. Aero makes a thread about it that gets 1.9k views. But 1,800 views are aero himself. Aeros pic is finally found. He gets ethered off the site via Bags homosexual roast thread. Cereal_killa tag teams as his partner. ITs beautiful and diverse. BOTW.


ZYG (1-0) vs. oats (1-0) | Aceyalone, "Keep It True"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK CONTENDER! ZYG already has posted his verse, but I have not read it because I wanted to write this prediction untainted. This will be the case all season, I'm sure. This topic is a snippet from one of my favorite rap verses ever, which opens the last track of a woefully underheralded classic, All Balls Don't Bounce. I think these two gentlemen were the perfect fit for the topic because they are sure to approach it very differently. oats can outwrite ZYG most days in traditional measures because ZYG puts the emphasis on his content. But mechanics and diction are not enough to beat ZYG because he is so good at coming up with brilliant approaches to topics. It's on oats to find a counter that shows his own creativity. I think having already seen ZYG's verse could be helpful. Prediction: oats 55-45.
BIG BABY SAYS: ZYG posted his verse 12 seconds BEFORE the topic is up. He was so intrigued by the quoters name he rhymed it throughout his entire verse but only used alliteration that made no sense, example: "aceyalone accurate asshole asking andy anderson about alien anus" ZYG is commended for his effort. oats delivers the same monotone bullshit he usually does and mentions hawaii in there about 4 times to make sure you know he lives in hawai cause hawaii. Did you know oats lives in hawaii? yeah hawaii. Hey hawaii. Oats win Hawaii-2 Fuck you.


Diode (1-0) vs. Adonis (1-0) | Neil Young, "On the Beach"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK CONTENDER! This is the best topic of the week. Now that's out of the way, let's talk about these wily Project RHYME veterans going at it. Diode and Adonis were scheduled to meet up in Week 9 of last season, but Adonis had to no-show. Diode has not lost by votes in the Art of Writing League, though he has lost by no-show once and lost by votes in The Winter Topical. The reason is because he comes up with interesting takes on topics and delivers them without mistakes. His upside may lack with respect to other high-level writers, but he wins on the fundamentals. Adonis has a tendency, despite being a veteran, to let those fundamentals fade. So what does Adonis do here? He certainly can beat Diode if he's on his game. But I think this topic favors Diode a bit, particularly if he constructs an original story. Prediction: Diode 54-46.
BIG BABY SAYS: Diode creates a cleverly woven masterpiece about weightlifting and groin injuries through the existentialist crisis he is having making 250k a year while wearing his white wedding blazer while doing pornos with his muscles bulging. It is praised for its satire and creativity. Adonis sucks and is a girl and loses miserably. 12-0 Diode


Greed (1-0) vs. Ink (1-0) | The Who, "Behind Blue Eyes"
And this is my favorite song selected for this week. It's actually my second-favorite song ever, behind Led Zeppelin's version of "When the Levee Breaks." Anyway, this battle has the interesting sidenote of being a bit of a grudge match, as Ink was not too pleased with Greed's brief, controversy-inducing votes last week. I'm not sure how much of the motivation factor will play a role, to be honest. The topic is a good one, and it should be up Greed's alley because of his grittier approach. But Ink clearly is the more experienced topical battler in this case, and there are a lot of good avenues to explore with this topic. I expect him to be more creative in applying it and to write with more polish. Prediction: Ink 64-36.
BIG BABY SAYS: Nobody cares about this battle and both battlers get awarded a showing win. Certain implores it to be voted on, but the thread actually ends up having only 12 views even after its 17th week voting extension.


timeless (1-0) vs. TYSON (0-1) | Nas, "What Goes Around"
Here's one of the more interesting matchups of the week in that these two are in such different places. TYSON is a veteran who has shown what he can do in past seasons but lapses into frequent bouts of laziness, while timeless might be the hungriest writer in this league right now. The topic song is probably the worst chosen, but the topic quote is a good one with a lot of possibly directions, all of which focus on death. After seeing what timeless did last week with "On the Road," I definitely am looking forward to more of that creativity this week. But this topic feels more in TYSON's wheelhouse. I'm interested to see what his effort level will be like, ultimately, and I am not willing to pick him against someone I know will give it his all until he proves willing to. Prediction: timeless 54-46.
BIG BABY SAYS: timeless is still trying. Or is that breathless? Anyway. He sucks probably, but he is trying. He writes monosyllabic piece about the troubles of urban youth but rhymes gun twice in repeating stanzas. Certain points this out and 9 other typos. TYSON equates the rain as his semen and the sky is his penis, and "somebody dies" is actually a euphemism to 12 year old girls. Or so a voter (@ZYG) very cleverly notices. The voters are disgusted as he also makes references to YDK's new born. TYSON wins a lightweight nail biter 7-4 where the first 4 votes were for breathless/timeless/whatever but the last 7 votes were casted by no names. I feel very uncomfortable around TYSON as my age implies danger.


Pinot Grij (0-0) vs. fresh (0-0) | Royce da 5'9", "Death is Certain, Pt. 2 (It Hurts)"
First off, Death Is Certain is one of the most underrated rap albums ever. Anyway, these two newcomers make for an interesting matchup but one that fresh probably will be overmatched in. Pinot Grij is (no hedging here) the best natural storyteller on this site. He proved that in the Writing Challenge League, and he has a natural knack especially for comedy. fresh seems to rub everyone the wrong way, but I checked out the one Open Mic verse he wrote, and it wasn't bad. Still, it wasn't on the level of what Pinot Grij has delivered in the four or five verses I've read from him, and it's difficult for me to imagine fresh winning other than by no-show. Prediction: Pinot Grij 78-22.
BIG BABY SAYS: Both of these no 0-0 losers no show. Fresh's girlfriend dumps him. Pinot Grij sounds like a bitch ass wine.


Innovator (0-1) vs. Totoro (0-1) | The Clash, "The Call Up"
BATTLE OF THE WEEK CONTENDER! First, I anticipate both of these gentlemen making up their lack of votes last week and turning those losses into wins. I'm very intrigued by this matchup after what we saw from these two last week. Innovator only wrote the introduction to a verse, but it was some of the strongest writing I've seen from him. Totoro wrote one of the five best verses of the week, an epic imbued with his many talents. These two both have had lapses of effort in the past, but I'm hoping to catch them inspired here at the start of a season where they both could be playoff-bound. This topic works really well for some gritty storytelling, and that favors Toroto. Prediction: Totoro 60-40.
BIG BABY SAYS: Innovator, the girl/guy adonis/clone weirdo with his ugly rasheed wallace looking ass, vs the chinky eyed weird long haired new york underachieving college grad with a knack for astral projecting with fat men who smoked camel cigs named Bernie. Innovator tries to deliver a good piece but sucks because he is a girl. Totoro uses a lot of dialogue and in turn delivers a very boring verse as usual. Who the fuck cares about your big ass words you fucking vulgar clone who is into samurai porn. Totoro wins as usual 6-0 .


Exoduzt (0-1) vs. King Ra. (0-1) | Led Zeppelin, "No Quarter"
These two competitors wrote solid verses last week that got hammered by elite-tier competitors (ZYG and Vulgar). For Exoduzt, the process probably helped him get a sense of what voters here are looking for. He should be aided by the darker nature of his topic this week, though "The Stranger" easily could have registered on some nightmare fuel. Here we've got marching with the Devil as the theme, and it will be interesting to see if Exoduzt again takes a religious approach that didn't rub everyone well. King Ra. thrives on dark topics and should want to get back on the right track. But he also has shown a tendency to half-ass against unfamiliar or weaker opponents. Still, I think he will want to get on the winning track again here. Prediction: King Ra. 58-42.
BIG BABY SAYS: God who fucking cares. These two 0-1 losers go head to head. Oh shit king ras in my crew I think. King ra wins as our entire crew votes for him/her whatever 6-0 sorry exo you were a bitch on another site I posted on so fuck you I'm the motherfucking king around here.


sacrifice (0-1) vs. Objective (0-1) | Common, "In My Own World (Check the Method)"
I had some fun with this week's topics, as you probably noticed. And I love Resurrection, Common's second album that now is almost 20 years old. This topic has all kinds of potential, but Objective is going to need to carve out a narrative-heavy story if he wants to stand any chance. He's a good storyteller and much-improved rhymer, but sacrifice is a legend on these boards for a reason. He should be able to take this topic in one of a wide variety of directions, as it's open and definitely allows for topical approaches. It will be interesting to see how the voting against him last week will affect his approach, but I suspect he has been in enough battles to not be too worried about a single match. Prediction: sacrifice 62-38.
BIG BABY SAYS: Who cares really. sacrifice delineates the difference between jesus christ and nudists. Objective writes about his sexual relationship with his PS4 and chess.com. Objective wins 5-2


dull boy (0-1) vs. dyedinthewool (0-1) | Nirvana, "Drain You"
I was tempted to put a battle of the week contender on this battle because I like the way both competitors write. dull boy is the heavy favorite here, if he shows, because he has such a strong grasp on this unique genre of writing. He also is like Netcees' very own Kurt Cobain, most likely to shoot himself in the head the next time someone nominates him for the Open Mic Hall of Fame. But that's his charm! The point is, he's really good at this whole thing and should be able to click with the topic. dyedinthewool definitely has the stylings to pull off an upset, though. She has a grasp of poetic diction and impressed me with her wording but not her content. If she does as promised and writes early and dull boy writes quickly and underestimates his opponent, an upset is possible here. big baby would laugh. Prediction: dull boy 69-31.
BIG BABY SAYS: dyed delivers a furby verse. With her big eyed sexual tit juice. I dont even know wtf dyed is if its a girl or a boy or a gay boy or a lesbian, or a tranny idk what the fuck. But their verse reminded me of a sensual dr seuss. Green eggs and damn. Dull boy asks for 19 extensions and posts a verse that doesnt rhyme in paragraph form. People say dull boy is very skilled but vote against him as he actually quoted an eminem interview in 2004 with Double XL. He is banned temporarily for biting and ends his verse with "lol" Dyed shuts dull out 5-0


maths debate (0-1) vs. neutral (0-1) | Ras Kass, "Reelishymn"
Alias war! This one is exciting because these two both had good, albeit losing, first week showings but kept their better-known identities secret. I expect this to be one of the best-rhymed matches of the round, as both of these writers showed very strong grips on mechanics last week. But they did not show much in the way of advanced topic approaches. This topic is a forceful one from a forceful rapper, and it will be important to find nuance amid the aggression. Ras Kass is so angry so often. neutral wrote at a more advanced level, but maths debate's style might be a better fit for this topic. This is one of the tougher predictions, but I'm siding with the seemingly more experienced writer. Prediction: neutral 52-48.
BIG BABY SAYS: math actually draws his verse and posts it. He draws a flip book of his wife exploiting him for child support money. These two 0-1 losers go head to head as neutral surprises everybody with a dead man esque verse. The votes are going his way but everybody forgets that its ACTUALLY a dead man verse. Pent uP enters the thread saying deadman shouldnt be HOF. Dead man says "who made those tags, step up" big baby delivers a funny speech. Pancake tells everybody hes pregnant. Bags shaves his beard. Math still loses 0-4


WZA (0-1) vs. YDK (0-1) | The Beatles, "Yesterday"
I saved the best band for last. And I pitted the three-letter guys against each other. I considered doing an entire Beatles quotes round, but I figured that would rub some people the wrong way. WZA and YDK had similar issues last week leading to their losses, both taking overly direct approaches on topics and running into stories that drew more reader interest. There's no doubt that YDK is the more polished and experienced topical battler, but WZA showed a real knack for interesting word choice and a unique train of thought in his verse, despite the loss. YDK has a string of good verses now, though, and I'm going to go with him being more equipped to handle this topic. Prediction: YDK 59-41.
BIG BABY SAYS: After being embarrassed and losing the first rounds these losers go head to head in a bout of nobody cares. This is the least viewed thread but each view actually had a vote casted. Nobody breaks down the verse and only a name is casted. Certain implements a nazi rule that your breakdown has to be atleast 2 sentences long. He is demodded for abuse of powers, but later regains them after paying for the site for the next 12 months. WZA wins the battle of the three letter names. lol @ "random" yeah right fag.



Saying Goodbye Again
CONCLUSION by Certain


Thanks to oats, big baby and sacrifice for the help. Let's have another great week, guys.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3ms70RLDsc&feature=kp

Just Write
03-04-2014, 08:17 PM
Again, dope mag guys. Thanks

PancakeBrah
03-04-2014, 08:22 PM
big baby is so kwazee!

another stellar magazine. it's obvious you take these seriously, which is appreciated. or you enjoy it, which is even better. the writer's block was again the best section (my two mentions increased its swag three fold) and big baby's dash of personality and satire was a nice addition. it kind of sucks writing these long mags and only getting canned responses like 'this is dope' or 'awesome' but this was both. i did the same for five mags then ran out of steam to do the final mag of the winter topical; if you can keep up this level of work throughout the season it's a commendable accomplishment. keep up the great work.

Zen
03-04-2014, 08:23 PM
Props. The interview was probably the best one I've ever read.

Vulgar
03-04-2014, 08:30 PM
Jeez, you guys put in work. Thanks for the read.

Many roflz were had big baby

PancakeBrah
03-04-2014, 08:37 PM
"He is instantly praised by pancake who uses the term "overarching theme" 9 times and sounds eloquent"

lmao

i need some new key words

StarFaggot
03-04-2014, 09:16 PM
Yo this mag is excellent. Lol'ed at 1,800 views by himself. I am going to delve into topicals you guys are serious. Props

big baby
03-04-2014, 09:19 PM
This is superbly written. I specialize in writing things really fast with a high approval rating. Not tooting my own horn but, rather certains. The focus it takes to write this is actually scarily impressive. I didn't read like 25% of it, meaning I read 75%. But, the amount compared to what I wrote (which I thought was alot) is actually almost overwhelming, though he had time to write it beforehand, just shows the amount of dedication it takes. His writing isnt funnny, as he pointed out, but its insightful. The oats section was very well written, though a bit odd. I also like oats dedication as well. This thing is cool. I think people should take about 3-4 minutes of their time to just show what part of the mag they liked and discuss it. IT doesn't take much as certain asked me to do something and I complied because hes cool and I want this to thrive.

Ink
03-04-2014, 09:21 PM
this mag almost inspired me to write a topical for this week

Eŋg
03-04-2014, 09:40 PM
ok because of two of the responses already:

well i sat down to read oats/certain's section with a cup of tea. it should really be food but i chain-smoked too many cigarettes today and my appetite is lost. it was really very good. two perceptive minds discussing the paradigm of topical writing -- topical? i enjoyed the brief semantics. the interview was funny. the first response caught me off-guard and i almost laughed out loud a few times to myself which is ridiculous. and gay. i skimmed the reviews because i haven't even read all the verses this week but they were solid. certain does a good job of flattering a writer without lavishing praise (although he does sometimes), and encouraging the fledglings to flap their wings. or for talented guys falling short of their potential to find their form. or something. idk. saving fice's section and the rest for when i don't have a dull headache.

great mag tho.

oats
03-04-2014, 10:03 PM
another top-notch mag, thoroughly enjoyed the certain/baby breakdowns, good mix to have together, I hope that remains for future mags. I love these because I can never read them in a single sitting, so when I need that extra boost to finish my verse I can come back. A couple notes:

1. I wasn't uninspired, just busy. I plan on finishing the verse eventually.
2. I intend to vote against Pancake just to see his power ranking fall. Haters gotta hate. But after he's no longer number one I'll cheer him on.

NYCSPITZ
03-04-2014, 10:06 PM
Lmao nice ...

Fice send me that beat u thought went w the verse homie, thanks!

NYCSPITZ
03-04-2014, 10:06 PM
Big baby is racist yo, the fuck

Nigga wack as fuck at runescape

PancakeBrah
03-04-2014, 10:08 PM
2. I intend to vote against Pancake just to see his power ranking fall. Haters gotta hate. But after he's no longer number one I'll cheer him on.

And the Complete Breakfast tag team is dissolved without fanfare.

What a sad day it is.

Mike Wrecka
03-04-2014, 10:09 PM
this is dope

Mike Wrecka
03-04-2014, 10:10 PM
awesome

oats
03-04-2014, 10:10 PM
And the Complete Breakfast tag team is dissolved without fanfare.

What a sad day it is.

Shake and Bake will come back, more delicious and nutritious than ever

oats
03-04-2014, 10:14 PM
also, if I may add, a small suggestion could be to put power rankings in the preview section, so like #5 so and so vs. #10 or whatever.

e11even
03-04-2014, 10:16 PM
BIG BABY SAYS:

The best thing to ever happen to an AOWL mag. EVER.


Great addition to the archives of AOWL awesomeness. I intend to read this entire mag twice. And I don't read at all.

Certain
03-04-2014, 10:50 PM
Thanks, guys.

BIG BABY SAYS:

The best thing to ever happen to an AOWL mag. EVER.

Even you.

Fig
03-04-2014, 10:56 PM
Good work men

except big baby, who I no showed out of spite

But the other contributions were beyond words

Makes my wanna.sign in but, cmon.

Certain
03-04-2014, 11:05 PM
also, if I may add, a small suggestion could be to put power rankings in the preview section, so like #5 so and so vs. #10 or whatever.

This would be confusing when actual rankings come out. I will do that with actual rankings when the are released in Week 6.

dull boy
03-04-2014, 11:24 PM
Not amused, big baby.

I appreciate your efforts, Certain.

Certain
03-04-2014, 11:27 PM
dyedinthewool should change her user title to "Green eggs and damn."

Certain
03-04-2014, 11:30 PM
I'm going to start recording the audio sections on like Wednesdays or Thursdays, and they're going to be their own posts (in this thread), and they're going to be inspiring and neurotic and weird.

Diode
03-04-2014, 11:30 PM
big baby da god

best prediction ever

Adonis
03-04-2014, 11:38 PM
@BigBaby da god though

I read like half his shit so far including the slight at me dude is boarder elite
sacrifice Thanks for the feed although the concept was superb the execution and overall verse I thought was subpar
Certain A great league run masterfully and prompt shall inspire the demons...props

Rawn MD
03-04-2014, 11:48 PM
i have signed back in

i have got my no show out the way

i ahve sold off all seroquil so it did not reach therapeutic lvls

and i would have administered an LD50 of Huxley's Soma if it werent for irl craziness

i am back

and good mag btw

Certain
03-04-2014, 11:52 PM
i have signed back in

i have got my no show out the way

i ahve sold off all seroquil so it did not reach therapeutic lvls

and i would have administered an LD50 of Huxley's Soma if it werent for irl craziness

i am back

and good mag btw

I picked that topic with you in mind. I thought you'd be able to do something great with it. You instead failed me.

I actually still remember when i.E told me about this guy he'd been talking to about battle tips from RapBattles named MC Greg Braid E.

Rawn MD
03-05-2014, 12:00 AM
bro one in the same

and i had great plans

it was going to start with like

...his blank face mirrored that of his watch
zero hour, the terror of the end and his start...

and so on

but damn kidnap/abduction/psych ward robbed me

always next time

timeless
03-05-2014, 12:11 AM
Good shit sirs. Wild length to it, read half so far. Dope music selection. big baby on some shit lol

dyedinthewool
03-05-2014, 12:20 AM
dyedinthewool should change her user title to "Green eggs and damn."

Lmao that killed me. This magazine was too awesome yet again thank you for taking the time at all!

big baby to clarify I am a girl and nothing in between dr. seuss thank you for the laugh I needed it like you won't believe.

This was entertaining and great guys kudos :) <3

YDK
03-05-2014, 12:34 AM
arrgghhhh that 11 spot haunts me still :/
and fuck you big baby, i'll fuck you till you like it faggot :)

dope as mag again guys thanks

Certain
03-05-2014, 12:35 AM
El Pancake, I should have used your avatar's lyrics as a topic this week.

e11even
03-05-2014, 01:00 AM
arrgghhhh that 11 spot haunts me still :/
and fuck you big baby, i'll fuck you till you like it faggot :)

dope as mag again guys thanks

No one can out-one-liner Mike Tyson.

YDK
03-05-2014, 01:07 AM
whatchutalmboutvivid

e11even
03-05-2014, 01:11 AM
writing with a side fruit loops. something great is bound to happen when infused with childhood bliss.


YDK Iron Mike da god.

patrown
03-05-2014, 01:25 AM
such wisdom

Just Write
03-05-2014, 02:01 AM
Yo i just finished the mag as a whole. Big baby's a funny motherfucker lol

The math and dyed predictions were megalulz



P.s. 1000 post shout out... sup

Cereal_Killa
03-05-2014, 05:34 AM
"despite 14 lame no-showing assholes. "
Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhhuh

More more more

@sacrafice

Yeh they're vultures..


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c254/ce_real_killa/505b04db-0650-4938-ac31-02f75ae0ffa3_zpsdbff5bec.jpghttp://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c254/ce_real_killa/82bfe9f7-b036-4ec1-90cf-902acede9511_zps6c4ad2a6.pnghttp://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c254/ce_real_killa/fdcc99ef-356c-45d0-9034-efba26568391_zps988a3786.jpg

Cereal_Killa
03-05-2014, 05:59 AM
Also..

Have you ever seen a mag like that.. back to back..

+


@sacrafice


This is the track i based it on
..
(Cat Steven's - Moonshadow)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPazGVuBXmY

http://earthengirl.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/harvest-moon.jpg

--------------------------

Umm double take on the break downs..

NICCCCEEEE

Geno
03-05-2014, 08:46 AM
no shows galore
this league needs an enema!

Certain
03-05-2014, 06:02 PM
I need someone to do a "Top 10 Reasons Rawn MD Will No-Show" for next week's magazine.

Adonis
03-05-2014, 07:25 PM
10. Too high
9. Drunk as shit
8. Shroomed out
7. Molly up
6. Was chillin wit da dealer all night
5. Ecstacy is so crazy
4. Out of drugs and just cant write that way
3. Too drugged up to write
2. I lost my spoon
1. I accidentally broke my sweet bong, when I woke up in jail I quickly realized I wasted my life, so I just got high to forget about the problems. To top it all off its now the weekend, lets all get baked

dead man
03-05-2014, 08:14 PM
fantasmic

Mike Wrecka
03-05-2014, 08:55 PM
10. Too high
9. Drunk as shit
8. Shroomed out
7. Molly up
6. Was chillin wit da dealer all night
5. Ecstacy is so crazy
4. Out of drugs and just cant write that way
3. Too drugged up to write
2. I lost my spoon
1. I accidentally broke my sweet bong, when I woke up in jail I quickly realized I wasted my life, so I just got high to forget about the problems. To top it all off its now the weekend, lets all get baked

boo

Adonis
03-05-2014, 08:58 PM
boo

Are you really dissputing these reasons?

Not a great list, but all have been posts by my friend as an excuse.


Some times facts dont make the dopest Movie, so we "Remember the Titans" the fuck out of it for entertainment value

e11even
03-06-2014, 02:48 AM
Certain i have a certain concern i'm certain you have an answer for. PM?

Certain
03-06-2014, 02:49 AM
Certain i have a certain concern i'm certain you have an answer for. PM?

You didn't send me one.

e11even
03-06-2014, 03:09 AM
Well now I will !

Certain
03-06-2014, 03:46 AM
Well now I will !

Apparently, you won't.

e11even
03-06-2014, 04:36 AM
BIG BABY SAYS:

The best thing to ever happen to an AOWL mag. EVER.


Great addition to the archives of AOWL awesomeness. I intend to read this entire mag twice. And I don't read at all.

Just had a second lol fest. Damn this mag was good.

Witty
03-06-2014, 05:40 AM
Hi topical people.

Zen
03-06-2014, 07:15 AM
Witty, I've been worried about you. I was pretty positive you joined the IRA after the government assassinated your cat :/

Witty
03-06-2014, 08:01 AM
Witty, I've been worried about you. I was pretty positive you joined the IRA after the government assassinated your cat :/

No sir, I am going it alone....picture Bruce Willis in die hard then multiply the bad assness by 100....That is me.

I am a killing MACHINE.

RIP Dave the cat tho, I miss him.

Zen
03-06-2014, 08:12 AM
No sir, I am going it alone....picture Bruce Willis in die hard then multiply the bad assness by 100....That is me.

I am a killing MACHINE.

RIP Dave the cat tho, I miss him.

Dayum. I picture you walking with a knife gripped in your teeth as you walk through flaming hot coals covered in glass while BAREFOOT just to kill some muthafuckas. May the Fox be with you.

R.I.P. Dave.

Witty
03-06-2014, 08:27 AM
Dayum. I picture you walking with a knife gripped in your teeth as you walk through flaming hot coals covered in glass while BAREFOOT just to kill some muthafuckas. May the Fox be with you.

R.I.P. Dave.

That's exactly what I was going for, you are a gentleman and a scholar.

May the Fox be with you too my friend.

Diode
03-06-2014, 08:51 AM
Are you really dissputing these reasons?

Not a great list, but all have been posts by my friend as an excuse.


Some times facts dont make the dopest Movie, so we "Remember the Titans" the fuck out of it for entertainment value

don't do dis

Witty
03-06-2014, 09:04 AM
don't do dis

Fine, don't say hello then.

Don't even care.

....

:'(

Just Write
03-06-2014, 10:16 AM
Dayum. I picture you walking with a knife gripped in your teeth as you walk through flaming hot coals covered in glass while BAREFOOT just to kill some muthafuckas. May the Fox be with you.

R.I.P. Dave.

While in a kilt

Witty
03-06-2014, 10:25 AM
While in a kilt

Yes!

Zen
03-06-2014, 10:26 AM
Lol Witty is now Scottish too. Awesome.

Witty
03-06-2014, 10:30 AM
Scottish people are just Irish people in dresses.

Srs tho, they really are the same people, the scots originally come from Ireland.

Exoduzt
03-06-2014, 10:40 AM
Oh shit king ras in my crew I think. King ra wins as our entire crew votes for him/her whatever 6-0 sorry exo you were a bitch on another site I posted on so fuck you I'm the motherfucking king around here.---big baby

lmfao

Zen
03-06-2014, 12:00 PM
Scottish people are just Irish people in dresses.

Srs tho, they really are the same people, the scots originally come from Ireland.

Well, now I feel stupid. Fuck both of you :/

Certain
03-06-2014, 12:03 PM
Witty's stupid, not you.

Witty, I bet a fox killed Dave. Then a trapper killed that fox to make Baron Mynd's hat.

Rawn MD
03-06-2014, 12:04 PM
Horrible list tbh

Witty
03-06-2014, 12:12 PM
Witty's stupid, not you.

Witty, I bet a fox killed Dave. Then a trapper killed that fox to make Baron Mynd's hat.

Certain you do not want war with me.

Why do you say such hurtful things?

Come at me if you wish, but I would not advise it....I know many forms of hand to hand combat, Bruce Lee once said I was GOAT....so I killed him with my bare hands.

Foxes don't like Goats, Certain.

Zen
03-06-2014, 03:00 PM
Witty's stupid, not you.
Finally someone rational shows up.

Just Write
03-06-2014, 03:05 PM
Scottish people are just Irish people in dresses.

Srs tho, they really are the same people, the scots originally come from Ireland.

Thats why i said that lol. I have irish backgrounds in my family

Witty
03-06-2014, 03:10 PM
Finally someone rational shows up.

Shuddup Zen!

Witty
03-06-2014, 03:10 PM
Thats why i said that lol. I have irish backgrounds in my family

Respect.

Zen
03-06-2014, 03:22 PM
Shuddup Zen!

I'm not scared of you!! While you were away me and the Fox became bffs.

big baby
03-06-2014, 07:44 PM
Witty if u dont read what i wrote for this mag then we not friends

Cereal_Killa
03-08-2014, 09:41 AM
Certain

Predictions incredible..

Frank
03-10-2014, 02:18 AM
Official tissue