The Summer Fucking Classic X
Intro is not needed. No one reads intros. You pieces of shit don't need me to say a bunch of dumb hype shit, this is THE. SUMMER. CLASSIC.
It hypes itself.
Some ground rules....
Rounds will have some relatively hard limits, to help voting go along mostly. In round one, you can do 12-16 lines. No more. No less. I know People are eager, but we need votes and steam to keep things going so let's save the long line limits and going HAM for round 2. In round 2 things will go to 14-20, round 3 16-22 and so on. The finals will be a HARD limit at 30. No more, no less. I am not babysitting, if you clearly aren't participating in voting say goodbye to your spot. I'm not making link limits or anything. Just be mindful, you're all grown men.
Battler Profiles by Larson Mynd
Steve Fox aka DLB was one of Netcees early prodigal sons. He was accepted here as a young scallywag and took his lumps as well as anyone could back then. There was a time when he really showed a marked improvement to his battle bars, coupling fresh ideas with harsh wording and mixing it up with some funny personal shit. Theres surely questions to be asked as to how well he will adapt to the current climate given his time away, but that also applies to quite a few of those involved. He caught a tough draw in Round 1 of the most recent Fight Night vs. Neighbor which may not be the best indicator of his skill given the keystyle nature of things, but it at least showed me enough to believe he’s capable of putting together concepts on short notice and eagerly participating in text battles again.
Zuch - One of the few to make the jump across from UPN back to NC after thinking text was dead for 5 or more years solid. He’s spent a lot of time out of the game prior to the pandemic happening, and that could prove a factor, with him seemingly knowing more about putting a hole in one in golf these days than the current trend for gun bars. Believe it or not, I remember Zuch from my early RipTheMic / LyricalWarzone type days and he was good back then. I’ve followed his progress in the UPN tourney and the NBL here, more out of nostalgia than anything, but he has a refreshing style and it will be interesting to see how he fares against some of the guys we have that he’s less familiar with nonetheless.
Victor aka Hush aka the self-made thousandaire that didn’t actually make the money himself to be truthful, he won it on a scratch card before riding round on a mall cart and posting pictures of himself. It’s been a hot minute since I saw Spictor taking this thing serious, the last I recall he was dating a 14 year old prom queen and sharing pictures of her underage looking ass with her and him surrounded by love hearts, dog noses and SnapChat filters. Does he still have it? I’d like to think so. I don’t believe it goes away, and a motivated Vic is a dangerous one because dude can clown the fuck out of you if he chooses. He could be a dark horse in this tourney as some may sleep on him with him having been out the game.
Wanderer - Wanderer has kind of gone under the radar here for some reason, losing close battles he could easily of won with one more haymaker. The immediate one that comes to mind for me to as his recent battle with Flow in the NBL, because that shit was close as fuck. Wand has the wording and ideas to fuck a lot of people up if he can just add consistency to his arsenal also, I think if he learns to put together sections of verses where he’s hitting back to back with hard punches, once he gets to snapping he can be a real threat to his competition. If he can eliminate that inconsistency and bar out on his opponent for an entire verse, he will be a threat.
Destroyer - Desmond Troyer has to be involved in this, he’s a staple of the text battle community here at NC and will no doubt be one of the oldest combatants also. He has a solid run in the NBL of recent, narrowly missing out on a shot at the champ in a close battle with Flow overall. I like Des’ versatility in that he has a variety of different types of punches he utilises rather than feeling like some of the formulaic writers that tend to favour a certain single style of execution for every other bar. I like that Des has a mixed bag between the more comedic and personal bars to go along with wordplay and gun lines etc, he’s a well-rounded writer in that sense and capable of beating a lot of the field on his day.
Bomb Bard aka Killing Spree - I actually fuck with KS more under the Bomb Bard guise to be truthful, he seems to have eliminated a lot of the more corny stuff and instead honed his wording and execution so that his punchlines land with more sting than they did previously. Spree is another RB head, though he’s long been established here at NC as a mainstay also, and he’s adapted well to the styles used at both sites, serving him well as he has an eclectic mix of styles and different jabs at his disposal. The most recent evolution of Spree is arguably the best we’ve seen him, for my money at least. Long may it continue.
Schism - I’m not as familiar with Schism as I am some of the NC and UPN names involved in truth, but from what I’ve seen so far Schism is a returning RB head who’s been out of the game for a minute. I peeped his NBL battle and his wording is still relatively sharp, I enjoyed his concepts and ideas also so if he can iron out some of the kinks he had in the execution he might pull a few upsets along the way. Again, ring rust may play a factor here, as mentioned for a few of the returning battlers involved, he’s one I believe will improve as he progresses in the tournament and the competition is ramped up a notch.
Cashius - Camishius has had a tough run of late competition wise, the loss to Neigh is a recent one that remains in memory along with the first round exit in the UPN tourney but I expect him to do far better here than he showed there. The guy is a RapSearch legend from way back, having beat just about everyone on his day, and no one will be sleeping on Cash here for sure. The guy is dope. He has a very personal heavy style and is capable of executing his angles well, while also having the somewhat added bonus of there being relatively scarce personals to use against him outside of his losses. I expect Cashius to be around come the business end of the tourney and that’s where he’ll also be at his most dangerous.
Orc - It was good to see young Debbie O’Brian return from his leg injury and make it home. I’ve seen him back battling regularly of recent, the picture battle against UserName in the NBL was dope all round, and I’m sure Orc will be looking to cement his legacy here by taking some huge scalps along the way. It will interesting to see how his style fares as in his more recent battles he’s reminded me more of DrunkFuGrip to be honest, which is meant in the nicest way possible, he seems to be in a rich vein of form where the concepts are just hitting him effortlessly and most, of not everything, are connecting right now. He will be a difficult one to topple if he can maintain this illustrious form we’ve seen from him in recent weeks.
Zelph - The former cop himself steps back into the NC ring after leaving to join some URL Twitter League gun bar bullshit?! At least, that’s the last I heard from him. It’s good to see Lippy back though for real, if for nothing more than jokes about his facial deformity. Nah but for real, Zelph is a big character on the board and had managed to defeat Resin M-I-C in an upset so he definitely has it his wheelhouse to take a scalp or two here. I’m not as familiar with how well he did in the Twitter League, or how some time away may have affected him stylistically, so that remains somewhat of an unknown quantity coming into this but he will certainly know what he has to do in order to win.
Neighbor - The current NBL champion throws his hat in the ring for one (final?) hurrah. I hope it isn’t his last, but his involvement certainly has that feel to it. Neighbor is a veteran of 10-15 years at this shit off and on, still proving he has what it takes to best anyone on their day. If you were around to see him take apart KungFuGrip in their picture battle, that was very surprising to see even given his stature (to me) and I’ve known of Neigh since his RapFlava.com days so I don’t say that lightly. Neigh is very motivated right now and that all bodes well in his favour here. He will be tough to beat and only grow in strength the longer his tourney run lasts.
Adverse - I’m more familiar with Adverse’s work in the GWL topical league than I am his text battling prowess, I have come across him in the 1-2 Punch last season and NBL recently. If anything Adverse is well rounded in both areas, which is almost a throwback to my youth when that was considered a factor in who was dope in both fields - it wasn’t “enough” to just be considered good in one of them. I like that. I saw dverse has been active all over the board in recent months, beating out Forkz with ease and his 4-2 record in the NBL format doesn’t do him justice I feel personally.
Coop - I actually fucked with Coop’s negativity magazine hard tbh, he was out to catch all them feelings and I respect the grind. I think stylistically he has a good footing, his wording mostly is on point to me and he’s in that old Jabari Black type mould for me with his shit. In his NBL verse against evaD he was a little inconsistent maybe with a couple of misses toward the middle of his verse but overall he has the execution down and if he can couple that with his concepts he will bring some heat. I like Coop’s uncompromising style, he likes what he likes and doesn’t pussyfoot around in that regard, I don’t see him pandering to what he thinks people want to see and that same blessing may be a curse for him actually - but I don’t think it will phase him at all.
Aero - Aero is another long time NC Neanderthal, one of the best looking to boot. No homo. He had a good showing over at UPN in its opening round where he drew a short straw in facing both Cashius and Blue Bayou in a three-way battle. He may not have come out the victor in that particular one, but he showed enough promise for the UPN heads to have had him ahead of Cashius in that battle which is no mean feat on its own. Aero has been around a long time actively doing this and will be aware of how strong the competition is, I expect him to do well even with the field being so stacked.
Allen Knight - Allen arguably has the most harsh wording of anyone around doing this. Period. All of his lines are cut-throat and to the point. I haven’t peeped his most recent battle against Adverse in the NBL at the time of writing this, but he had a solid showing vs Bomb Bard the week previous and he remains a serious threat with his wordplay heavy style, AK won’t be caught sleeping on anyone here. He’s a former multiple time champion both at NC and outside of it, if anything he is one who will have to watch his back because everyone he faces will be gunning for him at 110% knowing how good he can be.
Plot - The Australian alcoholic bar tender secures a spot in the Summer Classic off the back of his 1-2 Punch and NBL runs this year. Plot has shown a marked improvement overall, most recently destroying (un)Incredible in a complete shutout. He might not be one of those names you’ll expect to see up there competing for the top honours every time these things come around, but he’s got a few scalps under his belt and on his day he can upset quite a few heads. Don’t sleep on Plot because he will turning up with everything he has regardless.
Inno - Inno is another topical head making the crossover from the GWL topical league he’s more known for and into the text battle gauntlet. He’s had varying degrees of success, doing very well in the 1-2 Punch league where he went and champed before going 3-4 in the NBL at the hands of Orc in his most recent battle. Again, there’s been a huge upswing in his wording and execution of punchlines of late and it’s paid its due dividends seeing a different side to Inno few would have thought he had in him given his middle of the road man poem medium he usually writes for the topical leagues. Inno might not be a name you immediately associate with these things, but he is capable of beating those that take their eye off the ball for a split second.
FGR - aka Miracle, fresh off a picture battle with a resurgent Orc also which is no easy feat for anyone, Miracle is another of the RB crossover guys that had made a mark on NC this year in the 1-2 Punch league season. He has concepts for sure, there’s some minor issues with wording that could elevate him even further if he were to iron those out with easy fixes. I fuck with Miracles style of disses, he reminds me of Allen Knight somewhat in that regard and if he can shorten his lines up somewhat to make them feel even more direct he could be a problem.
Packed Graves - Packed is another RB crossover head here to try and solidify his spot with gorillas on The Lime. He’s shown a lot of early promise so far, particularly in his most recent battle with Enbombz and again is another dude in the mould of using personals and wordplay which make for a concept heavy use of stylised punches. I don’t know if he will be as familiar with all of the names involved, which might cause him some problems earlier on if he’s drawn against some of the lesser known heads (or Cashius) where personals are scarce and he’s forced to use more blanket punches - but against the established names he’ll likely have some shit up his sleeve to serve up some real dirt on them. Packed is cold.
UserName - It’s great to see a living legend like User still doing this, I can’t even lie, his wit and humour gives him a certain edge a lot of other battlers lack to their verses nowadays. The straight clowning style has maybe lost a little in favour of aggression and gun bars etc but I think User does a great job of mixing it up and when you couple that with his wording he’s very good indeed. User has proven himself time and time again against the best on the web, his most recent tourney run at UPN and subsequent pic battle here with Orc show me enough to know he’s not here just to take part. UserNeezy is BACK back!
Ryno - Ryzilla beat out Zelph recently in the NBL and has had a good recent run in both the 1-2 Punch League and the alias tourney (ran by Zelph) prior to that. His personal style and wording make him always a threat, another name with various scalps under his win column that might not be viewed as the serious contender he can be early on but people will take notice as the tourney progresses because he’s been there and performed when the pressure was on at the business end before. He doesn’t crack under the pressure and I don’t see him doing so here either. I think Ryno has a good chance of seeing this through to at least the final couple rounds.
Jayson Fresh - Fresh as the name suggests, different stylistically to what we’re used to seeing but that’s by no means a bad thing in my book. The most recent thing I had read from him was a battle orientated verse he went and dropped in the Open Mic forum, but I fucked with it pretty heavy and recommended people go check it out in a site wide mag I put together. I like Jay’s style, he reminds me of Schadenfreude somewhat in that regard (Hey, whatever happened to that dude anyway?) but I’ll be interested to see how he does in his run here. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him actively battling but that OM drop shows he hasn’t lost pace at all.
Incredible aka Unincredible aka he drives a skid steer on a construction site, his wife divorced him and he had to fight her for access to see his kids aka worst NC moderator ever. Nah fuck that, we’re not gonna do the boy Inc completely dirty like that but when you look around at some of the other names involved it’s hard to see him doing much more than just making up the numbers here. The field will be stacked, no matter which side of the tourney brackets he ends up on, and that doesn’t bode well for Inc with him recently being voted as a worst battle of the week contender by Coop in his NBL mag. I truly, and honestly, hope Inc proves me wrong and goes on a tear of the competition - it I don’t see that happening here. He will be lucky to not be substituted out to make way for someone else. I know Seth will already be considering it.
Letterman - Letterman is one of the few to make the jump across from RB to NC successfully, I fuck with his style and felt he did way better the week before than he did in his resulting champ match against Neighbor. That said, he’s been impressive so far, one thing that stands out for me personally is his heavy use of wordplay which I always view as a kind of RB style nowadays as many of the guys they’ve produced have a tendency to lean more toward a wordplay heavy centric style. I think to improve overall he needs to add some variety to his punches, maybe mix it up more between the aggressive and the comedic rather than rely solely on that one aspect, but he has been looking in good form of recent weeks and knows what it takes to win. The competition in this tourney is stacked and will be above and beyond what he’s used to having at RB though so it will be interesting to see how he fares if he makes it into the business end of this tournament against the bigger names.
Cred - The Gun Bar King returns to the fold after a lengthy absence! I’m sure his style will go over well with the current voting trends, Cred is very good at what he does best and has taken innumerable scalps already. The same questions will be asked of him as with some others in terms of how much will ring rust play a factor after time out of the game, but in Cred’s case he’s probably had the time to compose a hundred different new synonyms for guns we aren’t familiar with yet, rest assured we will soon find out what he’s calling his these day’s. You sleep on Cred, you lose. It’s really that simple.
INF - aka Tragic from UPN, even if he isn’t really considered a crossover dude as he was here already. Inf’s edit button is almost as infamous as the man himself, he’s capable of beating near anyone on his day - but by the same coin he’s almost just as likely to end up beating himself by way of a disqualification for editing his verse. Why he continues to do so is beyond me at this point, he’s a talent for sure, but a precocious one and only he really knows the reason why I guess. An in-form Inf is hanging with anybody on his day though, call him an outsider / dark horse / whatever you want to - the only one deciding how far Inf makes it here is the man himself.
Enbombz - The British are coming! Nah but for real, it’s been a minute since I last saw Enbombz around this bitch so waddup to him, hope he and his are safe. Enbombz has a strong run in the My Brothers Keeper tag tourney some may remember (and others will want to forget) but he has the concepts and execution down to make himself a threat here. The same question marks regarding time away from the ring may also apply to him, just as they do a lot of our list, and only time will tell how big a factor that proves to be. I think Enbombz is as good, if not better, than a good half the field on his day and this would be a big accolade to add to his resume if he can pull it off. I’ll be rooting for the lil homie in the absence of Flow this tournament.
Resin M I C - We haven’t seen so much of Resin in recent months to be truthful outside of his NBL return battle, but it’s hard to overlook a name that holds as much prestige as his. Let’s be real, he’s been there and done this multiple times over. As much, if not more, than just about anyone. Proving himself time and time again even when it wasn’t required. This guy is another returning legend, he’s beaten some of the best the old RBL had to offer; he’s sparred back and forth with the likes of Rudge1, he’s had classic battles against Fracture and even KungFuGrip during his BragginWrites/Netcees tenure and he ran through RMBVA also. Put some goddamn respect on Resin’s name. He’s built different.
Fracture - Let’s be real here, if you ask for a top ten all time list, you’re bound to see the name Fracture mentioned. There was a time he swept through the likes of B-Boys, RM and even UPN in their primes... and for that he will always be revered. I’ve always enjoyed the wit and misdirection Frac used so heavily, and there were signs of that Old Frac creeping back in in his most recent finals battle at UPN vs Adonis and Blue Bayou. That’s the Fracture we want to see. If he can get a few battles under his belt, I’m sure we’ll start to see him get into the heavy clowning steez we remember him for and it’s a wrap for his competition if we do because I think a motivated Frac is a dangerous one and my man feels motivated right about now. He is a very dangerous wildcard and you don’t want to be facing him in these opening rounds.
Ajax aka Adonis - This guy is another of my faves to make it across from UPN, always been a heavy-hitter and looks (as it stands) to be heading to yet another UPN tourney victory beating out Fracture and Blue Bayou to capture the title. This is no easy feat, both of those guys have a long list of names they’ve beaten which reads like a whos who of text in their respected eras. You know what though? Adonis also has a long list, from his own respected era, which I believe pre-dates even their own. I fuck with Adonis’ style heavy and think he has a little bit of everything to his verses. He might not be as familiar on a personal level with some of the NC lesser known heads, but if he makes it far enough to face the regulars with stories history - I think we’ll see him really come into his element and bring absolute fire. Adonis is dope.
Witty - aka The Witness, NC’s second favourite Irishman after Orc. Nah, we’re not gonna do Witty like that, Witty is more known for his topical verses than his text battles - even with him taking part in the NBL more so over the past twelve months. I was surprised to see how he fared actually, with him winning more than his fair share, but it’s going to be tough predicting him against some of the hitters we have up to bat in this tourney. There are some serious names involved all capable of beating anyone on their day, and as much as I would love to see the underdog Witty do it - even he must know his chances of success are remote here. No shade thrown, just straight facts. He would still beat Incredible though. Lol.
Answer - Answer may be somewhat of a new name to some of these returning guys that aren’t as familiar, but rest assured Answer is fucking dope and you do NOT want to sleep on him at all. He is about to go heads up with the current NBL champion Neighbor and could well be the next NBL champ by the time threads go up (verses haven’t been posted at the time of writing this, no bias, don’t worry!). Answer will bar the fuck out on his opposition no matter the opponent, very rarely is he caught going light and that also adds to him being a fearsome competitor. His motivation here is unquestionable given his huge Summer Classic win and NBL runs, Answer could, and should, be considered a serious threat to take this entire thing. He is crazily good. --- JUST KIDDING HE SIGNED OUT LIKKKKAAAA HOE
Sinacog- Sin Tha GAWD aka AJ the Menace hails from Rap-Royalty.com. To be honest the folks there tell me he was once actually decent long before an epic loss sent him spiralling into the current religious zealot we all love. Their loss was NC’s gain I guess, Sin goes by several different alt accounts across different boards but is best known as Sinacog here (not to be confused with Sinnercog it course). The blue-eyes Christian dragon slayer is so revered he has his own shrine -cough- OM Forum thread to house his countless verses. It ain’t a thing for the menace to drop a hundo on you with gusto. He goes from 0-100 quicker than Barc when he’s a vote down. You don’t want these problems for real.
Veritas - Veritas vs Sinacog could have made for a fun sidebar battle actually, by some bizarro coincidence they’re both reserves here also. Both believers in the Christian faith, but where things get interesting is that Veritas is/was a psychologist and Sinacog has long been believed to have a mental disorder that has brought on this relentless religious expressionist. Could Veritas be the tonic to Sinacog’s holy water? I honestly have no idea, but it would be fun to see. Even if it doesn’t go down as part of the wider tournament.
Defiant - Defiant has been around for years. For some reason I always associate him with either no showing or posting up mad last minute. There’s really no in between in my mind with this guy, if he shows up he generally does well but more often than not these days that isn’t the case unfortunately. I think he would enjoy a run at this tourney, coming off the bench after some time out to see if he still has it to hang with the big dogs.
Ouch - Ouch is much the same as Defiant also, one where he undoubtedly had the bars in his prime when he was doing this damn thing weekly. Has he lost a yard of pace? It’s possible. He falls victim to the no showing pandemic that blights Defiant somewhat too, but in his last NBL battle he turned up and there were shades of the old Ouch I knew and loved in there - particularly with the 3D glasses line that I loved the concept of. Ouch is from that old skool mindset of throwing up the quickest setup to come to mind to get straight to the direct punch. I fucked with it, and have always liked Ouch’s haymakers, if he could put together a verse of consecutive bangers and show up reliably I would like to see him return to somewhere near full power here at NC. He has the bars, it’s the application he’s maybe lacking these day’s if anything.
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Throwback: Last Years Finals..
Allen Knight
take this war to ya fam..
face painted up, stick gotta extended long nose till ya mom knows vengeance
ur skull in my hand, smoke in the air & bones on bodies like a Papa Shango entrance
ur slut picked me ova u, i snuck her in hallways & banged her
crushed ur soul wen she went w/ her 'Gut Feeling' cuz it wasn't 'Always the Answer'
she gives handjobs for cash, w/ a gang of sluts that are hit & bummy
her teams the Footclan, they run the streets at night jackin shit for money
this faggot been smashin dudes for centuries, u a bum & queer
u go helmet to helmet so much AB would retire off the fact u used the same one for yrs
u in the finals composin the weakest trash, im doin ya tragic
ironic u & Beetoven had the same handicap but the shit u writes about to ruin a Classic
u cant avenge blues L & he knows it, guap wasted in his wreckless time
the verse u'll drop'll neva make Ryan Kerrigan about throwin money for a defensive line
u live life in closed caption, i learned sign langngue to bash clits
i perfected Readin Lips cuz ur moms pussy always whisperin for me to come smash it
i get it in w/ the ol girl u luv, sinning every night i crash her skirt
my dick & ur Excommunicated on a lvl so high before marrage i got bashished out the catholic church
deaf piece of shit...Listen, snitches out here get aired quick in the jaw
u aint no "Court Stenographer" but u write down every word & share it w/ the law
my bars'll muslim from spittin & i'll light u up w/ a shank
S'like a Harem, the site has a special place for bitches like u in the ranks
Answer
My team some savages, they’ll bust down ur fuckin door and get violent as shit
It’s Jumanji, u gone see Allen Parrish while a buncha animals run wild in his crib
Bring your whole team, I’ll murder AK and WHOEVER wants to reach for a nine
Anyone w/ a weapon gone be followin this fairy into a trunk.. Ocarina of Time
I’ll rape Allen’s slut in front of him & he won’t do shit about it.. don’t let it phase me
That bitch’ll be turning to Knight & crying before I smash like Brienne & Jaime
Used to fuck her on the daily - I remember feeling up her ass.. tits.. her legs, bro?!
WHEW!! Every part of her BODY bring back some memories, must be Guy Pierce in Memento
My hitters will pump 30 rounds in your whole family tree if I throw them change
It’s hard to stop my dogs from lickin when I put a band on ya head, it’s a cone of shame
Watch this faggot turn into a straight BITCH when I shove a 38 down his fucking throat
Candy Cigarettes - when that stick’s in ya mouth youngin’s just pretendin he wants that smoke
Switch to Arson, blast the flamethrower til every inch of ur faggot face is blistered
You’ll have Burns all over your body.. u a walking wet dream for Waylon Smithers
How many figures you makin g? Cuz I’m bout to run your pockets & inherit mine
This gone be Inigo check for u.. if I see u got 6 digits on hand, u can prepare to die
Murder you in cold blood, you think you gone hear a peep from ya lady? Stop
All that hush money, she getting paid to act like she ain’t seein nothing like Jamie Foxx
Your ho into some freak shit.. whips, chains, on a sex swing actin unruly & testy
She do whatever I say when I pull her hair like she making Ratatouille w/ Remy
Answer won 7-5 in votes
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Predictions by Blue Bayou
Neighbor vs. Veritas
1 vs. 32. Ney Bae, the current NC league champion, has been on a tear since his return to the site. NC’s recent form, past accomps, and overall pedigree make him very worthy of the #1 rank IMO and he’s def a pre-tournament favorite to take it all. Veritas has a style all his own. Recently claiming he’s never actually lost in the discussion forum, V is someone who has never confirmed to the more traditional battle styles of others. Is his unique approach enough to cause the biggest upset in SC history? I highly doubt it. Neigh has a good mixture of nameplays, comedy, wit and gun bars and he seems hungry. I just can’t imagine Veritas style topping Neigh in any scenario.
Neigh 99/1 , 1% being he inexplicably no shows.
Wanderer vs Adverse
16 vs. 17. Easily one of the most balanced and competitive matches in round 1 (makes sense as they are middle seeds). I could def see this one going either way. Both have been very active in the league all season so rust wont be a factor. Somewhat similar styles. Ad had a rough start to the NBL season but has been on a solid roll as of late. Wanderer has been competitive week in and week out as well, and pulled off an upset of Barcotic a few weeks back. I think both are going to come pretty hard and at their bests, I do think Wand is just a little bit more creative and refined overall. I give Wand a slight edge going into it but neither winning would be a surprise.
Wanderer 55/45
UserName vs. Coop
8 vs. 25. Great to see User in this tournament. I’m sure most are familiar with him but for any newer guys who aren’t, User is a very accomplished vet that has champed various leagues and pic leagues throughout the years. User def has more of a comedic approach to battling, and will have some of the best wording this tournament has to offer. Only slight concern is every battle I’ve seen User do since his return is a pic battle, but I don’t see a reg battle being much of an issue tbh. Coop is an old school RB vet that has just recently returned at the right time as well. Probably best known for his hard ass voting since coming back lol, coop has put out some pretty good punches lately and has had a bit of time to acclimate to the site. On the whole here I think User’s effortless wit & comedy will be too much for Coop to overcome. Stranger things have happened, but I think User is a comfortable favorite in this spot to advance.
UserName 75/25
Resin M-I-C vs Dave
9 vs 24. Resin had been gone for a minute from NC but like a few others seems to have returned at the perfect time. Resin got to the Finals of this very same tournament during it’s inception over a decade ago, and is on the shortlist as the very best of all time to ever do this shit. Resin seems to have been a bit hit and miss in his first few NBL verses back but I don’t put much stock in that. He was dropping 20+ line gems last summer and could very well win this whole thing. Dave is new to me over the past month or so between here and UPN but I really like his style. I actually think he’s pretty underrated and if Resin sleeps it could be dangerous. Dave blends some good wording with cool concepts, but doesn’t have much of a pedigree on the site. I think Dave is a good writer but Resin is one of the very best concepts wise when hes on. I have Resin winning this provided he doesn’t no show or drop half ass. Should be a good read
Resin 75/25
Ajax vs Witty
4 vs. 29 – For all unfamiliar Ajax is truly a pioneer of this shit. He’s been around for over 20 years and is someone all the early and mid generations refer to as one of the best to ever do it. Someone very revered and looked up to as a writer. He’s also been putting out dope verses for the last month+ and just champed the UPN tourney over yours truly and Fracture. However I heard there’s going to be a recount. Ajax doesn’t have a the preeminent Netcees style but dope is dope and I feel like people are going to take a liking to his bars right away. Great wording and surprisingly really fresh cocnepts for someone that was basically on a decade long hiatus, Ajax is a threat to champ on any site. Witty is a very very good topical writer, especially when he’s blackout drunk, but its always a treat when he reg battles as well. Not veritas level but Witty has a unique style & has dropped pretty solid verses the past few SC’s hes been in. If he finds time to take a break from fucking his 19 yr old double G new gf I think he puts up an enjoyable verse. Overall tho Ajax has been on a tear recently and I see him taking this.
Ajax 70/30
Aero vs. Zelph
13 vs 20 – Oh boy, what an entertaining first round matchup. Former tag team partners pitted against each other and a huggggge contrast of styles. Aero is conceptual fire when he’s on. Honestly one of my favorite wit writers when he’s actually trying and active instead of trolling or recycling. Not sure Aero’s interest level in battling at the moment but he ALWAYS comes hard in round 1. He was real dope in round 1 of the UPN tourney against me and Cash (minus one bar that is up there with Kungs AEIOU level of cringe) and i expect no different here. Zelph is someone everyone at NC is very familiar with. Known primarily as a gun bar writer, Zelph is capable of delivering some solid personals as well and his wording usually is quite good. This is a classic comedy/wit writer vs. gun bar/meta writer. Personally I prefer Aero’s style, but the overall board might prefer Zelphs. Should be a fun read
Aero 60/40
Fracture vs Inno
5 vs 28. Same story. I’m sure 90% if everyone here is familiar with Fracture, but for those newer guys that aren’t frac is the best of the best and someone many ppl multiple generations would nominate as the best ever. It’s really good the UPN tournament happened because frac has been writing for the last month or so and rust won’t be a factor. Incredibly creative witty style and he knows how to word his punches to hit. Who here doesn’t love Inno? He does A LOT for the site and while hes’ a better at topicals then reg battles, he’s not to be slept on. As much as I love Inno as a board member and person, I really don’t see any realistic way he hangs with frac. I can see this battle being a lot of generics vs generics and frac wins that 10 times out of 10 imo. I expect Inno to have a few cool bars but Fracture will surely overpower him in this one
Fracture 90/10
Letterman vs Packed Graves
12 vs 21. Very intriguing match-up here for round one. Quite similar styles and I think these guys are pretty familiar with each other from other sites over the years. First off, Letterman has been dooope in the NBL this season. He seems to not be going overboard with the wordplay’s as he once might have on RB, and its really helped him. I’ve been very impressed with his creativity and fresh concepts. Wording is solid enough. Packed Graves is another vet that has recently returned but has had time to get a few battles under his belt. PG has a lot of accomps and wins in his day. He knows what he’s doing and seems motivated. Off the top I feel like he’s maybe been over doing nameplay’s recently, which mayyy be a concern here as Letter nameplays are quite overdone, but PG has definitely been dropping some bangers. This is a close call for me. I’m going to give a slight od to Letterman because I think his his highs will be higher and both are usually pretty consistent. No result would would shock me here tho. I think letter would win 6 out of 10 so that’s how ill call it.
Letterman 60/40
Orc vs Plot
2 vs. 31. Orcster. The handsome Irishman might be NC’s most dominant battler in history. Accomps for days. Orc has fantastic wording, a jokes style, and has never been one to let text politics bother him. Orc is def one of the early favorites to champ this whole thing and has the talent to do so. Plot has been on NC’s for years, and has always been pretty solid. I can’t recall where he came from originally. Anyways similar to UserName, there is a slight sliver of concern because orc has pretty much only been pic battling recently, but that’s all it is, a sliver. Plot will prob have a decent verse but I expect Orc to have prob the top 3 punches of the battle and cruise here. Prove me wrong Plot.
Orc 90/10
Ryno vs Zuchie
15 vs 18. Very cool match here. Teach me how to Zuchie is another new member to NC coming over from UPN. This guy is funny man. He’s also the heart and soul of The Tropics and the MegaBowl never would’ve been possible without his leadership. The one full verse I’ve read from Zuch was pretty dope minus a few played ideas. He has great wording and his comedic style I expect to win people over quickly. I’ve known Ryno for yearsss now and battled him 48594759303 times. Ry’s a really good dude and has dropped some jaw dropping bars over the years. Pretty gun bar heavy style, but has some solid wordplays and nameplays mixed in to make him well rounded. This is a great contrast of styles and one I could see going either way. Don’t see too many personals getting dropped in this, so it will likely come down to who has the more enjoyable generics. Zuch has said he’s hungry, but Ryno never no shows and always shows up. I’m giving a very slight edge to the 15 seed here but wouldn’t be surprised if someone went crazy here and swept the votes. Good luck to both
Ryno 55/45
Allen Knight vs. Enbombz
7 vs 26. Man good matchup here. Enbombz has only recently come back so I really do get the seeding, but he is not your general #26 seed talent wise. Allen Knight has been on NC since the NC1 days and is one of the few people with 100+ wins (sup bro lol). AK is a good dude, and one look at his profile you’ll see he has as many accomps on this site as anybody. Very wordplay heavy style, but he usually incorporates the wp’s into good attack lines and joke bars. Enbombz has been pretty impressive since his return and is def a talented writer. Seems to have a pretty meta/nameplay heavy style of what I’ve seen, all of which have been impressive and pretty fresh. AK is for sure the favorite, rightfully so, but man he better not sleep here. Allen got all the way to the finals last year and i do see him winning, but if he gets lazy and Enbombz puts in work I could def see an upset happening. Gotta go AK here tho
Allen Knight 65/35
INF vs FGR
10 vs 23. Cool matchup here between two primarily wordplay guys. FGR has really impressed me this year man. No joke. I nearly thought he beat Neigh in their NBL battle (if I’m thinking of the right opponent), some of those concepts were FIRE. FGR has good creativity and concepts, wording maybe a little convoluted at times, but he’s good. INF has been in great form recently and has won mad shit over his years competing. INF has some absolutely demented bar of the year type lines on his resume (shrimp over the glass, panama canal). I also think he’s smart enough to take notice of some of the comments recently calling him perhaps too wordy or obscure, so I expect him to find a balance without losing himself. I’m excited for this one. Should be good. I think INF is a little better overall in all key areas, but FGR is a very interesting sleeper that could step up in a big way.
INF 65/35
Cashius vs Steve Fox
3 vs 30. Cashius is one of my personal favorites and has likely been the single most dominant NC2 era battler on the site. Cash seemed to come under fire in a discussion post calling his lines to long. Sure like Neigh or Answer they can certainly be long, but his wording as far as im concerned is elite. He paces his bars just fine for a longer writer, has 3 to 8 syllable multi’s that are always strong, and words his bars to HIT. On top of all that conceptually he’s top 5 in this tourney and lost a dope nailbiter to Answer in last years SC. Otherwise he might be defending champ right now. I’m vaguely familiar with DLB. Steve Fox had a pretty cool verse last week in the NBL and that’s the only thing I can recall seeing from him. Other then his aggressive callsouts of Barcotic haha. Could put up a fight but if Cashius is hungry in this tourney he takes this for sure
Cashius 90/10
Destroyer vs Jayson Fresh
14 vs 19. Man I hope Jayson shows. Him and I had an epic 40 line battle a decade or so ago on NC1 where he dropped his memorable pussy spreads to bone like stage 4 ovarian cancer bar. But he might be 25% for showing since NC2 has been going. Jayson has as much creativity as anyone, but he is someone I’d call hit or miss with some questionable wording from time to time. Tough to know what to expect from him honestly, might drop the verse of the entire round, or be crazy rusty or no show. Des has been in great form in 2020, producing some great verses in the NBL getting him into 2 NBL contendership matches. Des uses a lot of humor and wordplay in his verses, and he’s usually never stale. Wording isn’t elite but it’s good enough. Even if Jayson shows I see Des edging this one due to consistency, but this is a very cool matchup.
Des 60/40
Hush vs Schism
6 vs 27. Hush is also someone that would be in the conversation for NC’s all-time best. There’s no denying the pedigree. Hush has a lot of notable wins and become a pretty chill dude over the past lil bit. He’s been hit or miss to me in what I’ve seen lately but he does seem active and motivated lately. If Hush is trying he’s a threat to absolutely anyone in this thing. Quick wit, hard to the point punches, usually some good personals and gun bars. He’s well rounded and an NC legend. Schism I am only recently familiar with. I did see him link a battle to 2013 on NC’s so he’s def not knew. He had an okay verse in the NBL battle I read he was in. Perhaps an upset of rd 1 if Hush gets lazy and half asses? I don’t see it tho. I expect Hush to come with it this SC and make a run. Goodluck to both
Hush 75/25
Cred vs Bomb Bard
11 vs 22. Like this rd 1 battle. Cred is dope, straight up. He’s had some incredibly impressive verses over the years and has earned his moniker as NCs Gun Bar King. Over the last year though Creds biggest enemy has been himself. He no shows more then he shows at this point. I think he’s a pretty busy guy in general so I get it, but I don’t know what rust factor might be in play here. Bomb Bard is my fellow drunken washed up hockey buddy who I like as a writer. Bomb is creative and has had some dope concepts over the years. Knock on Bomb is a lot of the time his wording ruins his good ideas. He ends up turning a potentially dope wordplay into a choppy wtf delivery , probably because he was drunk. What I like about Bomb Bard when he shows is he puts effort into his verses. He’s usually always making an effort to drop personals which I appreciate. And they usually hit pretty good. I’ve got cred winning here if he shows, but Bomb winning with an agrressive personal verse and a cool wordplay or two wouldn’t shock me. They both might no show LOL. Should be good
Cred 60/40
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Later gators
Big shout out to Blue and Lars getting some content together QUICK. These will probably expand and be doper in deeper rounds, but this seemed like a lot to digest for 32 battlers. Next round will maybe have an interview, the usual top punches/reviews and more in depth battler profiles by me, some highlights and such.