To Conquer Open Mic

[Angkor]

Originally Posted by Aero

Don't seem to go into topic pieces. A flex verse yea

...that's debatable. if we're talking "punchline" as an offensive prerequisite, then sure, thats true. but if we use it more as a "structural" entity then here's an example of "punchline" being able to work in a topical context:

Originally Posted by The Graffiti Artist

the naked wall called to him, in an instant, he’d jot a work plan
and after years of hearing the word CAN’T, he got his first can
he started at night…but embarked with a bright spark in his eye
that somehow allowed him to harness the light darkness denied
it was rationalization vs. his artist inside... armed with his pride
his brush offered a stroke of genius with the smartest of strides
‘God damn my hearts a bad guide!’ the kid scoffed with a smirk
cuz he finally followed the thing, and ended up lost in his work
he swiftly bathed the wall with paint, he smothered it with haste
‘n graciously gave it every shade, including the color in his face
it absorbed each drop like soil plains that been floodless fo years
he redefined the 3 primary colors…with blood, sweat, and tears
he fought thru the strife, paintin a name he thought up that night
wit that he didnt just personify the wall, he also brought it to life
tho his childhood curse was uplifted wit the word he had written
he wasnt content, with this person’s ambition it hurt to be driven
cuz he had perfect precision that could rival a surgeon’s incision
but the worst indecision when it came to his version of finished
yet people saw the worth he had given to the earth that we live in
nothin as influential emerged from a vision since birth of religion

this was Namix's The Graffiti Artist piece. It's not hard to see how his battle persona crossed over to topical as he has that setup-punch-setup-punch approach lol. But he made it work. More recent writers like Oats and Oxus has similar approach to topical too, imho (Though not as extensive or direct as Namix).