AOWL MAG WEEK 6: Midseason Review

[Split]

AOWL MAGAZINE # 6: MIDSEASON REVIEW EDITION

WE DID IT FOLKS. Fifty percent of the regular season down by the time this week has come to a close. AOB's upstart writing league, with a mix of good luck, good timing, and good members maintains the momentum from its highly-anticipated opening week to this day. Props, bros. Shout outs to @Genocide and @King Keith for keeping this running smoothly.

Down to business.

Originally Posted by OM FEATURE I: "A TOPICAL ABOUT TOPICALS

Lars, Flo Real, Objective

What does it take to gain your fickle respect? I’ve chopped and I’ve changed what I’ve written. I’ve spent innocuous days lost in dismay plotting away with the ink in my pen. Just when I think that I’ve met your insurmountable standard, there’s always something that’s said that has me doubting it. Answer me. What is it you’re looking for? A verse with mechanics, or simplicity? Good old stories of personal anguish? Do you prefer to be challenged, given something to think about, or have predetermined analogies to sum up what’s written down? I’m stuck. I can’t figure out what it is that you did. Excuse my belligerence, people, but I’ve tried every trick up my sleeve…

I mount and I heave..
Each page represents progression, sessions and hours wasted,
I hate to admit that sometimes feedback feels like sour hatred.
The writtens are dominated, agitated to reveal constipated lyrics,
It's apparent I'm fathering shit, but it's not related to adopted critics.
These cynics diminish my attempts as I replenish a writers ammunition,
a conidition where you envision lyrical superstition with a snipers precision.
Doubting concepts and visions; ''these bars is forming a prison of projects,''
Architects of words swore to fulfill designs only to form a line of objects.
To be honest.. How I can harvest confidence when I tried my hardest?
Chained to change but I restrain my range and connect to darkness.
A black hole of thoughts obliterate the skill to set it straight when I'm full of rage,
my will to write will never fade, but this curse is tied to an evil plague.
Let the Flo' demonstrate the rod and fear of elitist neglection;

I sweat blood and tears when I deliver all you bigamists perfection
Then get high on bongs and beers an sliver away to deal with your rejection
Your speculation on my peices is nothing but pinickity attempts of subjurgation
A violation of the perfection that should be hoffin - prickly vets take 2 new skill with suffocation
coughin - as i sit here smokin constant, contemplating what yall want from this drop
do you want wordplay, simple concepts or artistic visuals like those melting clocks
I can give you persistence of memory - honestly i can give you Salvador Dalí
But when I do I want the feedback to match not ones opinon that all you sheep rally
around and pretend like the echo your creating is actually your own unique sound
I just went to great lengths to provide art most you can do is tear my peice to the ground
or did i astound but dont just copy two lines that you found and say this is my favourite
fuck i hate it - that aggrivates me - make your opinons seperate - one like an one slating it

.I.. WEEK 5 MATCH REVIEWS

Championship Match: Frank strikes down Zygote 10-4 in epic clash of styles.

Classic here. On one hand you had Zygote who has syntactically strong wording and a flair for innately powerful narration, coming up against resident Champion Frank, who tends towards the poetically lyrical- though his verse this week was a shining example of why 'poetic' doesn't mean every story's all rose-tinted glasses.

Both writers exemplified their styles this week, which worked to their fullest advantage.

Zygote told the story of 'dehumanization', and traced the ironic relationship of protecting ourselves from becoming 'dehumanized' by rapid technological growth, while also distancing ourselves from nature. This was an excellent angle, and really played into his syllable and vocab heavy interweaving of multis and schemes.

Originally Posted by Zygote

The claim is recombinant DNA will overwrite inherited diseases,
But the risk of selective eugenics similar to genocide increases,
In addition to the biodiversity risk of chimeric creatures, invasive species created by recombining heterogeneous regions.
Deep into abyss, we are peering into the uncertain future that exists,
Support technological advancement but be aware of the risks,
We need greater regulation to ensure that ethics persist,
And not profit seeking innovations like RFID chips and commercial GloFish.

Frank, who used the actual topic as a chorus, broke the story up into bite-sized sections, used a lot of figurative language and artistic license to tell us the story of a promiscuous kid. Frank's language was apologetically abstract, which I think is dope, and his mix of short bars and lively rhyming showed panache.

Originally Posted by Frank

Willy was known for his illustrious service
All succumbed to his purpose
The 8th wonder smug in the surf with a love of inserting his cum in a cervix
Squirting his slush and deserting. Fuck a rubber. He wasn't perfect.
Willy was a Sperm Whale. Half ton. Half worthless

Featured vote:

Originally Posted by cakecakecake

I've got Frank.

I've read both verses a number of times. Neither took the route I expected. Both related tangentially. I enjoy Zygote's verse. I enjoy Frank's verses. Something I cannot place turned me off from the intro of Zygote's. But it rounded out. Frank's command of flow and strong shortness is second to none. I try to emulate a lot of shit he writes. He's dope. Stringing together dope rhyme combos with meaning, he did that. He had more personality. Zygote's verse is something I'd call dope in the OM because it is dope but would have trouble expounding on why. Because it's good, but it didn't strike me. Frank's verse did. Both writers wrote well, but I think Frank took this. Other than Black/dead man, me, me, me, and me, he's the best. Voted without preconceptions.

You both are lovely, better writers than I.

Adonis violently climaxes over Mike Wrecka in a close 8-3 back and forth


PAUSE.

Nah wait, Adonis literally wrote pr0n for his piece that bended genders he had many readers inquiring after his sexuality. Which means you're reading wrong. Anyways, both writers are known for adhering to strict structure with emphatic multisyllabic rhymes that drive the verse along, with imagery and visceral detail at the forefront of their styles. Adonis's subject matter, while disturibing, gave him a slight edge because it forced readers to look at the topic in a serious light which negatively impacted Mike Wrecka's verse.

Originally Posted by Adonis

When allowed – Lungs will open wide for Oxygen,
Or the throbbing member injected like collagen,
back to gasping...Eyes swelling with tears,
I beg “mercy”!!! - In French he just says “cheers”,
“You're welcome my dear”. Then shreds my brassiere,
He gnaws the areola until skin is pierced,
“God if you exist, please take my life...
I pray to die” . - Ironic because, I'm the prey tonight.
Legs agape – pounded severely,

Wrecka, who IS NOT MIC HE'S MIKE, wrote about zombies with an interesting light tone in a dark atmosphere. I really enjoyed this verse because it really caught a rhythm halfway through, and also used some great imagery that made for a pleasurable read- even dipping into the horrorcore genre towards the end of his verse.

Originally Posted by Mike Wrecka

I hear clawing and scratching, she wont stop attacking,
take a look at the window and decide to start packing/
randomly stacking, acting like im taking a trip,
yell to my wife, love you hunny, be home in a bit/
maneuver then slip, full of emotion and rage,
as it becomes clear to me that ive broken my legs/
im hopelessly dazed and somewhat confused,
as my neighbors shuffle over and treat me like food/
they are ravenous, body becomes cavernous, im not ready,
to watch my intestines get slurped up like spaghetti/

Featured Vote:

Originally Posted by Innovator

mic.

usuall dopeness you come with. thoguht this was outstanding...for some reason the first line stays with me..i dont know why.
it not really something outragously dope..infact its pretty simple....it just set the tone for me...and you never let that die
through out your piece...i thought that was a strong point for you. felt like you could of made the story a bit more compelling..
thats the only complaint.


Nis.

its apparant you alot of writing skill..you have this very technical flow to your stuff...like its very percisioned lol. thought this was no
exception. great imagery tbh, i thought that was the biggest thing i took from this..and its fitting i mean the route you took with the topic
begged for some dope imagery and you didnt disapoint. felt like you stumbled a bit here and there but not enough to effect your piece
that much...


overall

mic created a scene of horror and shit..while adonis seemed to approach the topic with a more cerberal aspect. pyschological even.
i gota great sccenerio and vibe from one..and some great imagery along with some impressive mechanics with the other.
great battle folks i know i say that alot but its the leagues fault..in the end tho ama go with adonis on this one..she dropped a solid verse

adonis.

Witty lays the indie-film shillelagh smack on nO gOoD's combat helmet in a 7-2 clash


lel I'm terrible at these blurbs sorry you guise

This was a surprising match to read. nO gOoD's one of the dudes that undersells his abilities, and Witty is so modest that most people don't realize he's champed a shitton of leagues and tournaments.

NG came with some trill ass ritten wrapz about war on every front and from multiple viewpoints. Fantastic job describing a cast of characters in order to tell a story... almost like that one movie with the piano scene. Some ones gotta know what I'm talking about. his verse did air on the simplistic side, but the story was moving enough to give his topical some real weight. Still could use some light poetic touch to make every line more direct and effective.

Originally Posted by nO gOoD!

I dream of a cool breeze through trees, curb appeal.
thickets with a picket fence, a subtle urban feel.
my babies playin in the yard. dressed as cops n robbers
what good is livin life if you never stop to bother
to smell the roses? Appreciate everyday of your life,
I'm just an ordinary man who needs a date with his wife,
family campin trips, planing shit, lacin beats in the basement.

Witty went the fuck in. The bolded quote is probably my favorite quote from any battle thus far. Dude's normally pretty menacing lyrically, but this was some final form shit. Also the story was captivating, and though it was a little bit anticipated it was executed with finesse.

Props on a very, very solid battle.

Originally Posted by Witty

The lone toll of life's bell, ringing; a bittersweet chord
He weeps for his loss, discreet, sore, and tossed
On grief's heap, as deceit sweeps forth the dross
Washed up on pity's beach, bored, and lost
The love he reached for, out of sight, feet tore and soft
Walking on jagged stones, talking in manic tones
Boxed in his tragic home, where life stopped...
Turned to nothing...it's damaged, blown
To smithereens, now his riveting and vivid dreams
Are all he has, he stands shivering from rivers, streams
Immersed and soaked by withered scenes

Featured Vote:

Originally Posted by Frank

No Good, this was a simple, all american tale - and it registered with me because I'm aware you are a ex soldier. Daps on that. This had a Simpleness to it that reminded me of Forest Gump writing letters to Jenny. You know the scene in the tent, and it's raining and Forrest is just recounting everything for her in a really simple manner. I'm not sure how much effort you exerted writing this but it didn't feel contrived, in other words it wasn't well planned. I could freestyle your verse. Know what I'm saying? It wasn't technical. The charm comes from your real life time as a soldier that trenscends the screen and adds a real life element to your piece. If somebody else wrote this piece, I'd probably say O.K. Alright. Next. You seem like a happy go lucky kind of guy and I read your from an audio background, so you may be able to make that verse come alive with your rapping abilities. Unfortunately, this is a text site. You need concrete content. This was light and could be swept away in one fail swoop. Your verse was like a house of straw. A wolf would blow it down. The section where you talk from the perspective of a female was ehhhhh. Men should not portray little girls, Unless they are that good. All in all. It's your first week Cadet. Show and prove. You spelled diary wrong. Witty, this felt like a diary entry more so than your opponent who labeled his entry Diary of his dreams. The writing was composed and tailored. I thought some of your transitions were crafty. Like the smitherans section. I thought the writing was simply. Not simple like your opponents. This is a fine line between SIMPLY and SIMPLE. Ponder that. Vote goes to Witty

Patrown hammers a hangover into Mac, 9-1


I thought it was really interesting how votes went on this battle... PCB and Frank both dropped ether votes and sometimes the first polarizing vote can swing a battle to the extreme.

Mac struggled with variety in his vocab and rhyming.. story was more solid than most gave it credit for, its just there were lines that didnt make any sense where it went into a tunnel and dropped the call. According to sources, English is not his first language. Cosigned that writing topicals in another language is ridiculously hard, keep at it, b.

Originally Posted by Mac

i born in a world where misery and pain reigned in the humanity
the demons managed to control their souls, led them to insanity
money is vanity, the economy and politic was already forgotten
taunts & threats all over the way of the society's actual problem

Patrown showed a more sure-footed direction and a less robotic rhythm. Also had some really tight multis and interesting/ symbolic imagery. Patrown emerged the clear winner here.

Originally Posted by Patrown

a galaxy forms an iris with hints of color surrounding
molding a new existence born in a stellar foundry
when fusion lost its fight against the forces pulling in
the stars alter their courses, new ones are born and ends begin

Red Glare sends ZenLand to the hospital with some pretty srs abrasions and possibly a busted rib we're waiting on the MRI 7-2


Enjoyable match-up, both writers came with mostly flaw-free verses which are always the best to look at, two writers clashing in top form.

ZenLand has been adjusting his style, and really went for multis and rhymes this week. It almost came off as too sing-song for me, too tryhard. According to his verse post, he keyed it as he didnt have time to write which might have played a factor.

Originally Posted by ZenLand

Where we mourn in grief and get scorned and teased and torn to pieces,
Born to breed and once we've bore a seed we're forced to leave
In morbid defeat restin in the scorchin heat,
The beginning was fertile now we're swimmin in circles,
The more we preach the more we lead to the core of deceit where more of us bleed,
Now we're trippin on hurdles trying to maintain,

IMO Pancake was spot on comparing Red Glare's piece to Black 2.0's style... in fact it took all of my self-control to not grant hiim another VOT. Blackery evident in the fragmented phrases, divided multis and strong imagery that lacks any real structure but still works together as a whole. Not what I'm used to reading from him, perhaps it is merely an evolution of style. AT WHAT COST MY FEATHERED FRIEND. It was an okay verse that took a really safe and proven-effective OTC route.

Originally Posted by Red Glare

apprehended, boxed or cemented, chopped in a desert
or Fed to the Crocs in the sewers where toxin is restless
fluorescent and present, detectives, hectic, paramedics
forensics, epidemic, megaphone message, we get it
the lieutenant is sweating, the snipers finger is shaking
he's visible impatient, cigarette ash, flickering pavement
it's those first few seconds where decisions are taken;
that make chain of events link together, twist with abrasion

Featured Vote:

Originally Posted by zygote

Zenland, only thing that would strengthen it would be to ease up on the rhyme schemes actually, sometimes seemed like they were just being put in there for the sake of it. E.g., the first two lines. Perhaps you are sacrificing coherence for increased rhymes. Enjoyed the "go to church line" good use of opposites to make an interesting phrase.

Red Glare, best part was the ending/reveal of the storyline concept it was a good twist ending. Only criticism when reading was repetition of phrases beginning with The, it's not a criticism like a technical flaw because it's correct writing, but it just gets repetitive as a reader to see so many The phrases.

Overall voted for Zenland.

Innovator gets tooled on by the King, 7-2


Dope match, Keith steps in to break up a threeway and ends up showing us all he still got it. DONT EVA SLEEP ON BARRY O. Inno had a cool verse too, IMO, but his rhyme scheme was awkward and limiting. I was impartial to the story.

Originally Posted by Innovator

Retrospect is death, looking back suggests weakness
Respect is just jest when there is no one to witness
Pride pushes impulse; he begins the showcase of colors
No place is safe when he bothers to spread his feathers
To impress is to breath and the air is so thick he chokes
But he’s blind to his shadows…in fact he doesn’t think that he boasts

Keith's verse was cool, sort of felt like half-applied on the philosophy end but it was really well put together once it got rolling. Cool battle.

Originally Posted by King Keith

Who rules the earth with an iron scepter?
.... Jesus Christ, let's not get too religious.
Man has taken over, we're vicious,
causing mass destruction in a matter of minutes.
Our traits surpass any species, we adapt to survive.
Quick to sacrifice our very own, subtract & divide.
Other creatures have challenged the throne only to fall in the end.
Wrath is ours to hone & consequence ours bend.

Featured Vote:

Originally Posted by Brass Body

Inno; you've got a very poetic style of writing. It's not really a style I can vibe from...but it's not a bad style either. Kinda reminds me of a Spoken Word somebody at a hip hop jam would perform. Like, Lauryn Hill for example. Or, to make a rap forum comparison, Fresh-A-Diddle. The wording was incredible, and diction was shockingly better. There was a lot f metaphor use, so though what imagery you had was ill, I'm a storyline kinda guy. So the depth didn't meet my personal needs. Overall, good read.

Keith; first two stanzas were really slow and kinda boring. But you started to pick it up in that third stanza and I felt my peepee tingle. Wording was nicely done. I could imagine a guy in the middle of a circus tent talking about his star act. The rhyme scheme, though I'd like more internal rhymes, it was still pretty dope. I liked the concept a lot. Felt it was fresh from what I'm use to seeing. Overall, started slow but you ended it on a good note.

Vote Innovator. His entire piece was dope to me to where King started off slow then ended dope.

Week 4 Championship: Frank vs. Pohfig

My apologies to @Frank and @pohfig for not reviewing this in a proper mag until now.

Topic:


FRANK went a similar route as M-m-mighty Mos Def, really insane off-the-wall metaphors and wordplay to do with mathematics. Some criticized the awkwardness of his take on the topic, and contrarily praised Pohfig's focus on narration and events. But I think everything worked perfectly in the context of the topic.

Originally Posted by Frank

Yeah I put on weight. Million dollars on me now.
Million dollars in 1 hundred dollar bills - 220 pounds.
Absolute value, is going up and down.
Thats just my .2 cent - nine pennies - one ounce.
10, 000 feet above the ground. Yeah I'm in your town.
Flying from New York to London younging. Yeah without a sound
Going 16,000 miles. Concord. I'm in style.
Due to the time zones, by the time I arrive home, I know I will have arrived home 2 hours before announced.

POHFIG used the beat merely as a cadence, but built a great story out of it, detailing a cityscape at the streetview and really perfectly placed all his inners. I wonder if PenT doesn't layout the schemes to his verses beforehand. Imagery and some dope quotables (Benjamins line>>>>) were the highlights and tbh I didn't find anything wrong with his verse. I ended up giving the vote to Frank for personal preference for his verse's style of delivery.

Originally Posted by Pohfig

That dealership steals - doing whatever to stack Benjamins -
they want that paper concealed from birth like black presidents.
That taqueria's the shit - the cook's a fat Mexican
who'll hook it up after hours with draft beverages.
There's a guy coming up who freestyles and raps senselessness
but I admire his work in the rest of the crafts elements.
It's not THAT negative - it's just some relevant facts.
There's a breeze in the air and women in flowy sun dresses and hats.

This match unfortunately took place in the AOWL's weakest week, pulling a measly and unfitting 6 votes, which Frank won 4-2. Looking very much forward to their next match-up.

[Split]

.II.. PREDICTIONS

Brass Body (0-0) VS. TopicalDood5 (0-0)

Two newcomers. I know who Brass Body is, and I don't know who TopicalDood5 is. Votes were smart, names were stupid so both set off my established-writer-alias alarms hard as fuk. Be on the watch for a nice battle.


King Keith (2-1) VS. Tyson (2-2)

Both have put up solid verses in weeks past, Keith coming in off a hot win last week. He hasn't been too active as of late which usually spells disaster for A.I.M.Z., however he also has been incredibly consistent since AOB went up.

Tyson will bring very real imagery and a story that sounds like it could've been lifted off a newspaper and developed, but Keith's lyricism and generally more polished style will work wonders for him.
Keith wins 6-2


Innovator vs. Patrown

Innovator is a proven upper-mid tier in the league, taking some losses that were expected but winning almost every other. Patrown shows potential, though his overall drops aren't up to scratch to the quality of his individual lines. Innovator should take this, outside of a sleeper-match/ sandbagging by Patrown last week.
Innovator wins 7-0


**Kuja vs. Cereal_Killa** BOTW CONTENDER

As was mentioned in the Predictions/ Chat thread, this is a repeat match-up of RM's last Champ Match, which Kuja took 2-1. I honestly believe this could go either way, and obviously they aren't going to take the battle lightly.
51-49 Cereal_Killa


Objective vs. Ink

A cool match-up between two writers meeting for *I think* the first time. Ink is 1-1 and Objective has a no-show loss from week 1, but Obj definitely has the skills. I know Ink focuses more on the story aspect of his topicals, which is his strength and his weakness. I have Ink taking this in a very close one that doesn't get as many votes as it should.
Ink wins in a 5-4 photo finish


Frank vs. CakeCakeCake

Awesome, if this match actually goes down. Frank is the current Champ (though this isn't the champ match), and Cake has a string of absentee losses and questionable weekend motivation. I know Cake has a 100% winning record against Frank, which I'd put up to the quirkiness of Cake's characters and the freshness of his stories. Both strike me as short-story writers who have mastered rhyming, same with HelloKitty.
Frank's heart is in it, 6-1 victory



**Vinzr vs. Adonis** BOTW CONTENDER

Vinzr is undefeated, as is Adonis. Adonis has more of a *known* history as a writer, as Vinzr is either an alias or someone coming from the far reaches of the web/ past. Both have been coming into their own as of late but have not had the heavy match-ups they need to get them recognition and onto the power-rankings. Adonis has more advanced rhyming techniques and more original angles, but then again Vinzr might not have been reaching very deep into his bag of tricks. I predict an upset by Vinzr.
Vinzr takes it in a power move, winning 7-1



ZeeDee vs. IamBenT

Word, IamBenT dropped one of the best verses two weeks ago in his match-up against Ink and then no-showed the following week. ZeeDee had that very cool samurai-champlooesqe 50-liner before taking a no-show win last week. ZeeDee has a more traditional rhyme scheme but also ran into some word-choice and wording issues. I haven't seen enough from either writer to make a thoughtful prediction, but I think IamBenT's brevity is going to help him focus on the little things within his verse and scrape out a W for him
IamBenT takes it 8-5



c.d.m. vs. ZenLand

Veritas is one of the most highly regarded writers in the AOWL, and ZenLand had a lot of momentum in the beginning of the season before getting dealt some rough cards. Their records match, but I believe c.d.m. is going in with his typical "champ mentality" that's so characteristic of his trolling. ZenLand has the ability to pull out a win, no doubt, but needs the same level of focus c.d.m. puts in without seeming to try.
c.d.m. wins 8-5


Zygote vs. Pohfig

Heavyweight match-up. I don't feel like comparing and contrasting these two's styles would be beneficial, considering both have proved themselves threats at any given moment. The topic gives a fair amount of leeway, but neither struggle with topics. I believe that Pohfig will take full advantage of both Zygote dropping very early and come nicer with a more advanced plot
Pohfig wins 6-4


dead man vs. Witty

Now, Blacketh and The Witness are known to run leagues with impunity. I know Witty is busy, and haven't seen much of dead man lately. Dead man's style is better suited for helping pull a verse together, and if the content is fresh I see him winning over Witty with a verse with a more conclusive ending.
dead man wins 7-4 despite a good showing by Witty


Mac vs. nO gOoD!

nO gOoD!'s verse last week would have bodied most of the league, but unfortunately went up against one of the best writers in the game. Mac caught a lot of flak for his wording and rhyming last week, but practice makes perfect (literally nowhere that holds truer than writing) and expect him to elevate fairly quickly if he's writing often. I think that nO gOoD! has this one in the bag however.
nO gOoD! destroys Mac 6-0



Mike Wrecka vs. Red glare

Mike Wrecka is #1 contender, and Red glare is undefeated when he is not drunk. Despite Reg glare's excellent record, I think he won't be able to put Wrecka to rest this week, considering his style has been fluctuating.
Mike Wrecka decisively wins 8-1

OM FEATURE #2- "Visitors", ill nik-A

Originally Posted by ill nik-A

Sometimes unplanned days go great, most the time they fail
there’s different ways to celebrate escape & toast to fine details
there’s no bad dreams at wakes & if provoked u bite your nails
saw the light that paved the way but a mother’s hope denied the trail
u have to cope & find your sail… the winds are blowing south
north is where u should be but self-pity’s sting’s not slowing down
violins make golden sounds… its melodies begging to follow
While enemies keep sending u their complementary bottles
Exemplary struggles, it’s the perfect way to initiate those in pain
substitutes are short term solutions but it alleviates most the shame
facilitate growth not blame, but u continue to point the finger
there’ll always be cold days but resolution helps u enjoy the winter
but when u avoid… it lingers, who listens when the ridiculed speak?
plus compiled issues are just life time subscriptions of difficulties
where do the cynical meet? The 13th floor’s vacancy troubles many
but luck isn’t an emotion & we all at some point will struggle plenty
every rubble’s messy, ask for the strength to pick yourself from it
or settle for indolence as betraying your abilities is also hell’s promise

[Split]

Midseason Assessment and Highlights


Well folks, it has been a very interesting few weeks here at the AOWL. Our inaugural season really kicked off with a bang, with high interest and an even higher member count. While my attention was mostly focused on the Open Mic at AOB for the first few weeks after the site's inception, it became clear that a Writer's League was necessary to the OM's growth and to recruiting new textcees.

We've had our ups and downs- from the incredibly strong Week 3 to the disappointing and magazineless Week 5. A few writers have gone missing and a few are just coming into our league, but it's clear that the AOWL is only growing stronger. Props yo. So, special treat, I've gone back and ranked *my* the most memorable matches.

HIGHLIGHTS


5. Week 2: Camp Bell vs. Genocide
http://artofbattling.com/forum/showt...OCIDE-WINS-5-4
@Camp Bell
Dope match-up here that showed Camp Bell can throw hands with the vets, coming down to the 5-4 wire in favor of Genocide. A great read from a veteran and a newcomer.


4. Week 4: IamBenT vs. Ink
http://artofbattling.com/forum/showt...MBENT-WINS-5-2
@Ink @IamBenT
A match-up from two fresh faces from the ISTL, this week 4 battle impressed voters around the league, and was one hell of a welcome battle.


3. Week 5: Witty vs. nO gOoD!
http://artofbattling.com/forum/showt...OPEN-FOR-VOTES!!!
@Witty @nO gOoD!
while nO gOoD! likes to play the "Im not that great card", both wrote excellent stories in a fine display of multisyllable rhyming and emotional foreshadowing. Another match between young and old (relative to writing history), and absolutely worth peeping my Gs.


2. Week 2: Mike Wrecka vs. Frank
http://artofbattling.com/forum/showt...FRANK-WINS-9-1
@Mike Wrecka
This was a lot closer than votes dictated, and both dropped fantastically original takes on the topic. Watch and learn folks.

1. Week 1: dead man vs. c.d.m
http://artofbattling.com/forum/showt...D-MAN-WINS-9-0
@dead man @c.d.m.
Can't tell you guys how much I liked this match. Most of us at the time were unfamiliar with both/ did not know their respective aliases, so this match really blew up out of the woodworks like a 15 megaton bomb. Dead Man won, but both established themselves as contenders in the AOWL's long haul, as well as perhaps dropping one of the best battles thus far in the league.

Midseason Writer Power Ranks


This is independent of the actual "Power Ranks" stickied in the forum, this is my assessment of the AOWL's 8 members who I BELIEVE are most likely to nab a spot in AOWL's 8-man Playoffs, regardless of record.

8. Vinzr
-Can you say "Consistent"? You can't argue with a winning record. Vinzr as of now has a perfect one, and never struggles with punctuality. Not too many spotlight matches as of yet, but don't doubt his ability to put up. win or lose this week, Im betting he makes it over more-established but less-consistent textcees.

7. ZenLand
-Zen is going places. Notably the playoffs.

6. dead man
-occasionally less than active, always manages to snag a spot regardless. also has been nice with it all season.

5. Kuja
- Kuja's got the walk to talk his talk, yo. Doesn't quite have the record, I still think he will

4. Zygote
-Zygote avoids no-showing by writing immediately when he sees the topic. Not only is this an incredibly effective scare tactic, but it also is an efficient way to keep his foot in the door. In an interview in Netcees' Writing League I think I said "the best way to earn a spot in the Playoffs is to write every week, no matter what", and despite being an unpolished writer I managed to do exactly that. Zygote will make it, mark my words.

3. Mike Wrecka
-A strong contender who has not been given his dues, Wrecka's been hot on the trail to the throne since week 1, and it's a matter of time before he gets a crack at it. Despite taking losses at some inopportune times, I see no reason why he wouldn't be a shoe-in for our top 8.

2. Pohfig
-no doubt Pohfig is a force to be reckoned with. When he wants to champ a league, he seemingly always does (check out this week's Interview with Adonis). And it appears he'd like to champ this one.

1. Frank
-Frank, our current champ, has shown more dedication and enthusiasm to this league than I've ever seen from him. Not putting him at the number one spot would be foolish considering his record and his dedication. Undefeated.



note: if I was going by potential alone, this list would be completely different.



OM Feature #3: "The Cold.", Whys Ways

Originally Posted by Whys Ways

Quadriplegics playing hot-cross Jesus
w/hop scotch genies, leap frogging demons
I'll eat your tots, teeter tottering thesis
Over a water logged allegiance of dry humor
Why you stare at my eye tumors? Wise loser
Nostrils can't catch the brute-ness I've fumed up
Remember us on your couch, mind's shroom-fucked
Nothing on, whilst our tongues down each other's tonsils
This is for the run-away points of a hundred convos
The war stricken environment of our beloved condo
Peep this chaos I'm melting in- day job of skeletons
Demoralizing oral hybrids hang off w/gelatin
Baller's blood boils to get the weight off then sell again
Tv clicker tour guiding our brain washed intelligence
My mind on vibrate as the skull shake
Was running outta steam then the cigs stole pace
Was going too slow to even pull brakes
Wasn't nothing to show for on this full plate
Whole weight nothing, Atlas, roll blades
Whole lot'a nothing going on behind this dull face
Been in this old cage, digging like mole caves
Don't matter what the toll say. Watch the coals blaze
As I burn bridges to stay warm on cold days
You must be retarded if you think I'ma fold ace
Garage shut- I like to sing
Rev the car up & die w/me,
..like the start of HotTub Time Machine
The stars just shine for me
I'm prank calling the hospital, insane golem
A-bombing as my Brain's thawing
Yo I hang-office space, talking in tank crossings
Blaze chronic in plane cock pits
This is to those Heath Ledgers trying to sleep better
The grief getters, scraping hearts on cheese shredders
Release setter, staining blood within each letter
At peace? Never.. This the cold.. Why you keep sweaters
The past? i pet it & nurture- blank out.. edited version
Lost my precious, that regrettable perfect
Can't even remember when my head isn't hurting
The moment our eyes touched was a special occurrence
Used to do shit to you while you slept like a medical surgeon

Cypher Post of the Week

Originally Posted by Figurative

Self inscripting artist, I'm a walking eisel.
A mind that traffics graphics to the static canvas that I often think to.
Dip my tongue into the photogenic essence
That i swing relentlessly at all the senses of my common people.
The cruelest evil came a creepin, left me image-less,
fusing in my pallet; mixing colors for my bristles tip.
Imagination set and established in steaks of gray,
forced to recreate this physical plane i can't envision with.
Amidst the hardship, the brush stroke strikes the plight of my mind.
My art sharpens in the heart of a stark darkness.
A carcass of work, fights to find an eye for an eye.
Exploiting life: these lands of milk and honey are harsh arctics.
100 trillion photo receptors, crafted in the cosmos,
and not one can bend any light the planets swallow.
Cynically diss existence that can turn on you rapidly.
Know these lands in their majesty's a mirage you can't actually see.

The Eightly Show
Welcome, to the 3rd ever edition of The Eightly Show, with your host Split Eight!


This week we'll be featuring league contestant Adonis!

Sup my man.
=Chillin, just voted on the Zygote/Frank champ match...good shit.

Alright, so to start off with some background.. your home site is ProjectRhyme, yea? How long have you been writing and when did you begin?
=Nah, actually B-boys was my homesite and it crashed. Then like everyone else from bboys we eventually wound up @ProjectRhyme and took it over. I only write for leagues, so I been writing for like 12 years but I maybe write 20 verses a year at the most including 7 years off in the middle.

Did you choose your name because of your alleged sexiness?
=Haha, indeed I did. Also my name is Adan, pronounced "A Don" so that too. But I will post a pic, on phone now and don't got it.

In your opinion, what is the greatest strength and greatest weakness in your writing?
=Greatest strength is diversity with topics. I pride my self on being able to write about anything. Greatest weakness has been flow. Although that's what PR says, I say my greatest weakness is writing like I rap.

What was your opinion of the experimental topics last week? Any type of topic you'd like to see us try?
=I loved the beat thing, actually that's the only reason I came here. I got wind of it and never heard of anything like it, so yeah, here I am. I've been collecting images of book covers with dope titles or covers and would love that. Also the quotes this week is cool. I got many ideas won't bore you now. Later

**Editor's Note: strongly considering the book cover idea, please send topic suggestions to my PM Box! :) **

On a similar note... how do you feel about the way the league's being run so far this season, and is there anything you'd change?
=I've been here a week so IDK to be honest. I would change my record to 10-0 if I could change anything though.

You won last week with a decisive 7-0 victory, how do you feel about your matchup this week with Mike Wrecka?
=Yeah, 7-0 is unheard of in any league so I'm proud of that. I love the verse I wrote this week. I posted too soon, wish I wated for minor touch up as well as not enabling my opponent to play to my weaknesses in said verse.

Any predictions on how the Champ match will swing? Anyone you think is a threat to champ the league, that others may be downplaying?
=Just voted, so won't sway. Pohfig is a truly elite writer and if he wants can win any league at any time. Also Blacketh, forget his name here. But dude is ill. Don't know anyone else.

Explain to me in exactly six words why bitches ain't shit but hoes and tricks.
=Fucking, sucking...taking dicks, only. Big??

You can change any celebrity's voicemail message to anything you want. Whose is it and what do you change it to?
=Lil Wayne...he's supposedly on his death bed right now, I don't believe it but, it would be....weezy F baby, I'm fucking Baby...yes homo...I swear he's bye.

Boat shoes are for faggots. Discuss.
=Nah, I live in killa Kali. Boat shoes is the new trend. You ain't cool, unless you pull a hoe in boat shoes.

THANX FOR THE INTERVIEW. any closing comments or shout outs?
=I have hiigh hope and want to be the end of season champion...so you, behind the computer screen. Remember. VOTE FOR ADONIS!!!

No Show Love
**COMING AFTER DINNER CUS THE DINING HALL CLOSES AT 7 SORRY**

Closing Thoughts


Thus concludes the Midseason Review edition of the AOWL Magazine. Hope you liked it. Next week will feature round two of writer bios... and that's all I can tell you. Good luck with your matches!
SPLIT OUT

[Fig]

Didn't think anyone paid attention to the cypher posts. Good job on the magazine.

[Cereal_Killa]

man awesome read top to bottom.. entertaining the whole way and thourghly enjoyed this..

..
@Kuja look at the predictions ;)

[Ink]

Kuja vs. CK should be interesting.. A storyteller that rhymes vs. a rhymer that tells stories...

[Split]

Originally Posted by Figurative

Didn't think anyone paid attention to the cypher posts. Good job on the magazine.

thanks man. the cypher thread is where talent is born.. i never sleep lol

Originally Posted by Cereal_Killa

man awesome read top to bottom.. entertaining the whole way and thourghly enjoyed this

thanks for peeping friend, glad to have you on board

Originally Posted by Ink

Kuja vs. CK should be interesting.. A storyteller that rhymes vs. a rhymer that tells stories...

lmao better than my whole prediction

[King Ra.]

Great work @Split. I liked the way you put everything together. Dopeness.

[Mike Wrecka]

dope job split. great read

[IamBenT]

fantastic and fun read man! love what you are doing with this!!

[Inno]

this was good taking a shit material.

because of this..my bm was awesome

[Ink]

^ lol... why is there no "like" functionality here!

[TYSON]

Not commenting till u give no shows love!!!!

[Atheist]

Awesume mag, altho I have to correct you, was Ck who won 2-1 =-) most slept on final think ive ever known lol

[dead man]

stellar work folks.

wax song was dope. and i lol'd at the frank / sportscenter photoshop.

MUY BUENO

[Cereal_Killa]

Originally Posted by Kuja

Awesume mag, altho I have to correct you, was Ck who won 2-1 =-) most slept on final think ive ever known lol

:)

Respect..

[Zen]

Dope mag @Split...but for once can you predict me to win haha. But on the real great job man

[Brass Body]

Dope mag.