/INDIE SONG COMMERCIAL BREAK
The Underdogs
17. Witty
Netcees’ resident drunken Irishman. Much like trap I initially had Witty seeded much lower before a couple of people I asked advice from knocked some sense into me. He’ll let you know how good of a writer he is if you ask him. I wasn’t familiar with his work since on Netcees he’s pretty much just a Discussioneer and topical no shower but he apparently can back up the talk. Prior to starting this magazine I looked up his work in the Open Mic forum and I can confirm he’s pretty talented as a writer. He’s got a solid style with good rhyming and decidedly topical approach. If I was more familiar with his work or if he was a bit more active as a writer there’s a solid chance he could’ve been a higher seed. He’s another participant who I initially had serious concerns over whether he’d show consistently but he’s since assured me, in the way only Witty can, that he is serious about this competition. If he can get past the first round he’ll likely be matched up with dead man in a battle where his confidence will have to be proven out to advance.
from ‘The Post-Apocalyptic Struggle’
An Aboriginal tribe the only kid by her side, refusing to quit
Denying Lucifer's pit, determined not to loosen their grip
As demons close in, their might increases and grows
The people try to resist, but they're weak and exposed
Humanity weeps as the scarlet sky glows deep as a rose
Demons impose upon the last remaining men, castigating them
Raining disaster, rabid hate and laugh as they condemn
The beaten warriors fall to the ground, and pray to her soul
Tears create nutrition to awaken her, making her whole
As man and Earth reunite to fight the demons and beasts
The glow courses through the soldiers, as evil retreats
Blue skies break free, the gloom dies in the day's glee
Her smile is great, she's eating and breathing at last
She was always there to help us, we just needed to ask
It only took a tear, and now the World's First War's won
And man can finally reclaim the role of Earth's first born Son.
18. Vividlyvague
VV was assumed to be a Frank aliases for quite awhile and some users still think he is. I’ve personally decided he’s his own unique, special self. VV is a newer writer to Netcees but he acquitted himself quite well in the AOWL this season, making the playoffs with a bye as the #2 seed and making it to the semi-finals before losing to Frank. He is a strong storyteller with a couple of different styles at his disposal. He takes topical competition seriously and is pretty consistent as well. His writing in general is solid to good but he does have lapses where his wording can be a bit awkward and he isn’t a top tier rhymer, although he is solid. He’s pretty good with dialogue which can be tricky for some writers. He definitely has the ability and dedication to make it through a few rounds but he’ll have to improve as he makes his way through the bracket if he wants a serious chance of making the semifinals.
from ‘Mad Kid, Good City’
What wretched ratchetness this block holds
From the festered parentless to the pot hoes.
Enter stage right... a naive youth of whom the lot'd know,
Age ripe, but his noggin's old.
Smarts enDOWed, had that stock controlled.
Hood rats drooled for his mopping glow.
Prodigious nature labeled him 'who not to know.'
No Pops at home, a void his mom condoned,
For their better good... no use for Coppertone.
But the heat was exchanged for a lost mom tryna swap-up roles...
Almost tossed up hope,
As this is where the plot explodes...
19. Veritas
Legendary Scripts vs. Bags still gets talked about. Never read it. Must be kind of a big deal. Veritas’ writing is much like his boarding; you’re not entirely sure if he’s serious or playing some weird meta-joke on you and everything’s all a bit weird with flashes of interesting ideas. I’ve read most of the Open Mics he’s written in the past year or so and I’ll say he’s an uneven writer. I think if he’s given a topic and knows he could face Bags at some point if he advances he’ll sit down and write a legitimate topical and he may become a threat. As it stands now, he has some mechanical flaws in his writing but he has bursts of creativity. It will be interesting to see how he fares.
from ‘COSMIC WAR 4555’
Keep Mandlebrot mechanics in table top ceramics. While String theory of hammocks lie between liver spots and Chantix, scatter plot gymnastics tie a knot out of their caskets. Holographic fascist graphics blow colloquial gaskets, of their parochial antics…..but the nose shows Pinocchio tactics. My foes have sharp clothes with holes in their jackets.
20. CopyPat
Rhymes for props. One of the most prolific writers in the Open Mic forum, you know what you’re getting with Pat; ridiculous rhyme schemes and entertaining content. He’s branched out here and there with some more ‘topical-ish’ type drops (‘Bottle Cap Blues’ and ‘Better Days’) but for the most part he’s a flex/swag and flow monster. Therein lies the low-ish seeding. I initially had him close to the Top 10 but after some consideration and input I dropped him to here because I’m not entirely sure if a topical setting plays to his considerable strengths. If this was just an open-ended competition where participants wrote what they pleased he’d be much higher but for right now he has to show and prove he can step out from his comfort zone and be a topical force as much as he is an Open Mic one.
from ‘Flows For Dayssss’
i absurdly blurt a word or 3 then end ya life mercifully
my sentence like curvin these, im bendin mic's cursively
ya deaded like murdering. forget it tyke.. ur deceased
my thread is like pure disease, posting potent phrases
members try urgently hoping folks could save em
but they only hope deflated when i dopely wrote this statement
Pinochio is waitin and he mostly grows impatient
cause if you keep tellin lies
then his pokey nose inflates until mc's tell it right
i beat fellas like its an Anderson Silva match
rappers try to step but bananas is in they path
thats just a thing we have..that means u straight slippin slide
i be just straight kickin rhymes, see this leg twitchin? Die
21. oXus
I had a tough time seeding oXus. I’ve liked everything I’ve read from him (quite a bit, actually) and he seems to have a good reputation as a writer but he just doesn’t write much. With a small sample size to work with and the fact he’s not an overly active poster I have some reservations about him showing consistently. This may be completely unfounded, who knows, but it effected his seeding. His calling card is his grasp of the English language and his wording/phrasing. He’s got a strong sense of rhyme and his content is usually very solid. I could honestly see him making it quite far into the bracket and pulling some ‘upsets’.
from ‘Reset.’
Reset. Sex is secondary,
don’t waste Time: It wounds all heels, see even second’s heavy.
Reveal depth as elementally as a sentry to his own thoughts can,
but don’t force, man, traded drunken overhands
(with no over-the-shoulder glance) to be sober, thanks;
swinging anachronistic aluminium blades made from soda cans,
For how long do Novas last? I’m sorry, love, I lost the buzz
& never wanted to hold your hand, it was just a Freudian trance.
Don’t feel there’s ever been much to owe to chance,
so load your own arms and do a fucking Cossack solider dance.
22. Just Write
In reading the Sign Up topic for this tournament and participants subsequently posting how they think the seed will shake out it seems I have a slightly lower estimation of Just Write than the general consensus. This isn’t intended to be a slight; the quality of this tournament and slight differences of opinion will cause some people to slide more than anticipated. Just Write is one of the writers who, for some reason or other, I haven’t read too much of but in preparing for this magazine and reading a shitload of Open Mics I have to say I’m impressed. He had a couple drops I didn’t care for but when he’s on his game he has strong eye for schemes and wording. If he’s focused and drops to the best of his abilities he’s an upset threat, much like the entirety of this bracket.
from ‘the game of love’
Love.. is a voidless emotion,
Ive sat here poised and toyed with the notion
That maybe it's the thought of love..
...that's poison is potent.
I'm hopeless..
Hopelessly lost, hopeless in thoughts
Hopelessly hoping it was all worth the cost
Tossing and turning, yet yearning for love
A church on the hill, a silloquette of doves
Ive hugged this pillow tight, thoughts of you
on a yatcht at noon. Coffee for two
23. Mike Wrecka
After champing the entire Writing Challenge League, Mike had a very uneven and unexpected AOWL season. Although the fact he was moderator of the league may have had a detrimental effect, he still underperformed in relation to expectations. Mike is true topicalist; he knows how craft a story and often takes unique and surprising routes with the topics he’s given. His actually writing fluctuates between good and above average. He makes his bones by being more creative in the overall approach rather than purely outwriting his opponent. If he had performed like expected in the AOWL I think he’d be in the upper half of the bracket, but this is very much a ‘what have you done lately’ hobby and he’ll have to correct his path. He has the topical chops to do so.
from ‘How many lines till you understand who I am?’
being on top of the world, is a difficult thing,
forced to endure the attack that every day brings/
so if it seems im alright, cause im covered in ice,
it only means that you value something, other than life/
take a closer look, my life is an open book,
dig a little deeper and see just what these vultures took/
truth is im diminishing and nobodies listening,
they just cruise on by, and see me glistening/
when they should be petitioning, how much more can I take,
inside I feel shattered, im starting to break/
contemplate and decide, im not even alive,
flooding whole cities with the tears that I've cried/
sometimes its implied, that none of its real,
but the inconvenient truth will soon be revealed/
when im gone, im not gone, for you its much worse,
im a glacier of ice melting, cleansing the Earth/
24. Fig
The Churro of Peace. I’m a fan of Fig’s writing and he’s elevated as of late. He reminds me a bit of Split Eight, although they do have their significant differences. Despite his boarding persona, Fig writes in a very poetic style for the most part with strong vocabulary. He’s got a good rhythm and wording to his pieces as well. Doubts about him consistently showing hurt his seeding, as did the relative lack of production in comparison to most of the writers in the tournament. He’s got a tough draw in the first round against big baby in a matchup where both competitors could no-show, or create the single most unique topical match I’ve seen. There’s a solid chance Fig turns some heads and makes people realizes his boarding persona is backed up with some legitimate talent for writing. big baby vs. Fig could be the best matchup of the first round if both show.
from ‘Reality of Language’
Microclausem. Dew embedded webs glimmer idle.
Gossamer sonnets rocketed hypersonic. Spurned style.
Wildly slung. Im finely tucked in a pocket.
Then tightly clung writing's rungs. Climbing up to an object.
Sought a wondrous finding. Inside me, lightning struck lightly plucked.
The rise was inspiring.
I forgot where I was.
It didn't matter
25. Zenland
Zenland loves to partake in the use of illegal narcotics and he’s not shy about it. A dedicated topicalist, Zenland actively participated in this season of the AOWL and I thought of him as one of the more underrated writers in the league, voting for him a few times in matches he lost. Lately he’s been experimenting with different styles and subject matters and I think there’s a strong chance he’s better for it. He’s got good scheming and rhythm but sometimes his approach and methodology for writing topicals can be a bit hit or miss, with him sometimes being too vague for his own good. Guaranteed to show, he’ll put up a fight with anyone he’s matched up against. The question is if he’s elevated enough to make a dent in a competition as stacked as this.
from ‘biPolarland’
Deep breath. Take it. Regrets, face it. I sleep best wasted. Jealously is bred in me especially when it's left tainted from desperate dreams. Everyone else it seems is jaded. I guess it's just me left in these restless sheets. Fuck this. I sound like a cry baby. My life lately has been time wasting around lines saying, " I think I've found a nice lady. She's even a dime." Maybe I fall to quick. I'm sick of all this shit. "It's all right baby." Shut up bitch. It's my fault I'm crazy on the cusp of fits. I've had enough of this - pause - I'm pacing like a dog with rabies and I'm lovin it. McDonald's bitch. Bonkers; crazy. I ponder, I'm thinking, I'm the moniker of hades. Arnold praised me after I shot Sarah Connor in the face hee hee.
26. Objective
Objective, much like Mike Wrecka, performed very well in the WCL but hasn’t done too much since. His latest Open Mic was released in early December and he didn’t participate in the AOWL for any extended period of time. He’s a solid topicalist, respected within in that section of the Netcees community. I personally faced off against him in the WCL and came away impressed. He’s capable of writing in length with good content. He’s got a pretty standard structure to his verses with a nice emphasis on internal rhymes. If he was a bit more active prior to the start of this tournament he would’ve likely garnered a higher seeding.
from ‘Desperation’
When he wrote songs she got lost in the melodies,
he played with her senses channeling creative energies.
The tunes would guide her to a world void of things,
it'd conquer her soul as if it was attached to strings.
They got connected through this common passion,
but the absence from eachother craved an reaction.
Their souls intertwined and created an unbreakable bond,
it's amphetamines strong; when she sings heaven respond.
But eternal paradise is such a mythical place,
once reality hit the universe seemed to be out of space.
And the love that they had suddenly craved for a change,
and the opposite person came off as morbid and strange.
As they drifted apart they tried holding on to a sinking ship,
hands secured putting zippers to shame, but it's all just a trip.
When their lips touched it sealed shut so lies could be freed,
a bit much for ripped love, but it's what both of them need.
Afterall... It's just emotional greed.
The Wildcards
27. Coup
Another writer I’m not overly familiar with, not even reputation-wise. I faced him in a topical match in the BA which took several months to finish due to lack of votes. He wrote a solid verse. I don’t have a large sample size to draw concrete conclusions but after reading through his Open Mics it seems he favors a shorter lined verse and his rhymes seem up to snuff if not spectacular. I do apologize for the lack of familiarity; it’s bound to happen with pool of writers this size. Show and prove.
from ‘Crucible’
Been down on my luck for me to just
Just too much truth for me to what ?
Truth. I see it in the young; once is too much
First of the month fixed on the third of the slum
Birth of the jam praised the Lord of the gun
Lead of the lamb slugs the life of the man
In the breath of the lung is the voice of the love
The days come when the void of the dark
Will point to the noise of the light
The joy in our joint, smiting the knights of the night
28. YDK
It sucks that he has to be seeded this low but sometimes that’s just how the cookie crumbles. I used to dislike YDK’s writing but he grew on me during the course of the AOWL. He either improved or I started to like his style after repeated readings. He gave Frank a run for his money in one of the longest matches I’ve ever seen in a topical, which is a feat unto itself. He’s got a poetry background but I feel he actually does a bit better, for this site’s standards, when he fleshes his ideas out a bit and explores in depth, as he did with Frank. He made the playoffs in the AOWL and showed well. In a fair world he’d be given a better chance for success with a higher seed but the devilish fact that the competition is stiff strikes again and leaves him with an unenviable position. He’ll write his ass off no matter who he faces, I’m confident in that. An upset isn’t out of the question but it’ll be difficult.
from AOWL Week 6 vs. Frank
Incapable of facing the facade and the flaws,
Ignoring questions and suggestions, dodging them all.
Is it true love? Is divorce even an option?
Of course,
The coarseness of the beaten path is often left forgotten.
Yet its all for nought;
awful distactions plague and mock an authors thoughts.
He's lost in moments, where to hone it,
he must focus on the tone he sought.
A spoken truth, art; prevalent among those known as composers of plots.
But as a rose grows from the pavement; it still shows that the root will rot.
A weak base meant the speech faced criticism and backlash,
And with a cynical take on the rap he decides to trash that.
Scratch it and step back,
Let the piece lead him to where his pens at.
Started as a love story; ended as a brag track.
"...the fags wack!"
Is all he can finish with as he sees a verse that he laughs at.
29. Adonis
Same situation as with YDK but to a lesser extent. Adonis was a mainstay in the AOWL throughout the season and contributed to the success of the league via his consistent showing and contributions to the discussion threads. He’s a good voter as well. He finished 3-5, though, and I felt his verses were a bit uneven in terms of wording. He did have some highlights, such as shutting out Zenland. He has talent but the downward pressure of the competition left me placing him here.
from AOWL Week 6 vs. Zenland
The courts only see the problem, never the reason,
He's fifteen and piecin', a rep together with ease, and...
He's bouncing house to house...System owned,
Thick skin grown as a family he's never known,
Little Daniel, a handful, such a problem child,
While his friends aren't different in their styles,
Each with a bad heart, his good if not for a murmur,
Born in the dumps and that was just a precursor.
30. Innovator
He finished 3-3 in the AOWL with a no show win. The other two were against YDK and breathless who also received lower seeding. He has a decent reputation as a topicalist but his performance has been uneven as of late. He has a knack for wording and imagery, and his rhymes are well crafted.
from AOWL Week 7 vs. YDK
The breeze from the east, the clouds west of the sun
The tide crashing at peace. Time with no pendulum
A santum for us, wed swim until our arms went numb.
Your Skin glistened.
And we fornicated as sin wished it.
Two misfits persistent in each other reflection
Perceived love perfect under the waves positon
A current so insistent and a rip tide convincing
The Long Shots
31. symetrik
A sort of unknown, at least to me, who participated in some weeks of the AOWL. I remember liking a couple of his verses in the league more than most. He often employs weird structures and wording, something I can appreciate.
from ‘Colour of Foundation’
(wake up!)
trench war politics, bricks to keep the stench in,
high school hiding spot, where kids would learn to French kiss,
and sip up off of the liquor drinks to stagger from establishment,
romanticizing sex with every chick they've ever had it with...
32. breathless
He had a rough start to his AOWL season but he eventually picked it up and made the playoffs. I think voters took some time to get accustomed to his style but eventually he had a relatively successful run in a pretty stacked league before running into NYCSPITZ in the first round of the playoffs. As a newer face to netcees he faces the problem of lack of recognition, and although he has some good qualities as a writer it may be too much to overcome.
from AOWL Week 6 vs. Mike Wrecka
An over the top underachiever
with nowhere to stop, and nothin to believe's there.
Once I leave here, with God hot on my heels it'll be fair.
I can feel the evil clutch of the devil tellin me to beware.
But fuck it, I haven't listened since I hit the level that I think I'm on.
Rock bottom, crushin gravel with my genius palms.
On the brink of reachin beyond but never stickin my neck out.
Tryin to keep positive, but honestly, I'm a wreck now.
Want the real truth? Ready for some feels dude?
Well, you came to the wrong guy. What a shame, for a long while.
I blamed all the songs I've made on this strong grind.
It's the way that's wears away all these lost rights.