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Old 03-21-2015, 07:15 PM   #1
Certain
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Default AOWL SEASON 4 MAGAZINE: Playoffs!



Crunch Time
INTRODUCTION by Certain





We're here for the playoffs. Thanks to Adonis for the help. Let's do it.


Season Recap
WEEK 12 BATTLES by Certain





Fuck. OK, let's ignore this ever happening.



TOP 12 VERSES by Adonis and Certain
In the past, I've done two verses per regular-season week. But the madness of the past two months has left that impossible. So Adonis and I picked one verse per week to highlight.





Week 1: CopyPat
Look, this is pretty much peak CopyPat. He took a brilliant approach to a weird picture topic and out-comedied Pinot Grij, who himself is a master comedian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CopyPat View Post
Collecting ammo and clips, plus at least 3 weapons
Mess around and get hit from the trusty PP7
The tux is 3 piece dressin up to greet these felons
So fuck the easy setting, gimme a test for real
Difficulty set for skill, cause I’m literally dressed to kill
Pretty with the sex appeal.. is Natalya Siminova
You know I’m bound to bend her over
Found in prison holed up, but she isn’t a horrid bitch
Cause she’s simply gor-geous
And those 64 bits give them titties more lift

Week 2: Witty
This Irishman wrote about Snow White and beat a very strong effort from Soulstice. The battle was one of the best of the season, and Witty came out on top because he was so clever and fluid.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Witty View Post
People weep, begin to pray, as many others leave, disillusioned
This confusion makes her mind take a leap to a sick conclusion
Day crawls to night, trees seem to be gaining in height and menace
She finds a crevice, somewhere she can lay and wait for the fight
Relentless, as she aims for the right place to ignite the blaze
That excites her senses, staring through the haze of her mind
Pensive but patient, as she gathers herself, with a glint in the eyes
Envisioning this bitch's demise, within a litany of bigotry, lies
And misery as any remaining sympathy dies, now is the time
Inside the house, the clock strikes on the hour and chimes

Week 3: Certain
Burritos are fun. This one beat NYCSPITZ in a close contest, as it wrapped (get it?) into a tale of appreciating the small moments in life.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Certain View Post
White rice at the start. It's softer, absorbent,
for when they don't drain the beans, which is always annoying.
Half pork, half steak — I'd get double but can't often afford it —
plus they give extra when you smile to impart your enjoyment.
Picante y maize, en español to command some respect
from that old Mexican lady who rolls with the hands of a vet.
Gracias. Grab my basket, plus some cash or a debit,
then sit down at a table, quickly unwrapping my heaven.

Week 4: NYCSPITZ
This battle, which NYCSPITZ won 7-2 against dead man, probably was the best of the season despite a challenging topic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCSPITZ View Post
a grazing antelope's ears prick as Adam turns his jeep's ignition
It's all the tiger needs -
he kills, then chews the guts' pink white pieces of ribbon
sensing Adam the beast locks him with a quizzical gaze
this young human's animal is strange, roaring at its minimal pace
is he...inside of it?
the tiger turns, having seen many odd things upon these shimmering plains
with one look back; he trots toward Cliff Valley - and shortly quickens to haste
for minutes - a huge bluff's shadow reveals caves before the light's renewal
and hyena ***kles morph to defensive growls in the wake of this unlikely duo

Week 5: dead man
This verse about loving food was my favorite of the season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead man View Post
bloodletter compulsions. red and silky and warm
if we film it its porn. dripping as the camera records
indulging in juices for 20 minutes or more
let it fall, Berlin wall, lick it off of the floor
sacrificial at its source like crucifixes or swords
delicious as dinner at any Hilton resort
craving endlessly from Ashland to the sands of Milan
grease and oil like standing near a tanning salon
thicker than tomato sauce but half as exotic
its primal eroticism. animal process. collective hunter-gatherer conscious

Week 6: Dominate
We see a few gladiator verses in these leagues, but Dominate's was excellent in short-verse week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominate View Post
Blood stained the arena’s floor. Cato’s tunic was soaked with sweat.
He was tired. Exhausted. His sword moving slower and slower yet.
His opponent stepped, red plumed helm framing a contemptuous sneer.
The spectators’ deafening cheer was punctuated with heckles and jeers.
He circled his foe. Searching for weakness, observing his pose.
The soldier sprang! Metal rang as scythe met sword, turning the blows.
Woodchips flew from Cato’s shield as he parried each vicious cut.
Sidestep. Spin and thrust. Peddle back... He wasn’t quick enough.

Week 7: zygote
He forced Witty to no-show rather than go against a verse about Irish pride. zygote is the best. RIP zygote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zygote View Post
We have been degraded and debased,
Dissuaded into docility, our name has been disgraced.
We must act with the greatest sense of haste,
The British armies are away, their navies are at bay.
The Englishman fights among the German and the Turk,
Our ranks are filled with volunteers, builders, fishermen and clerks,
We fight for every blade of grass, for every inch of land, for every speck of dirt.
Our true and beautiful country is the best upon this earth.

Week 8: Pent uP
This was a really nice meditation on heaven against a way-overmatched Storyteller (now Spoken).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pent uP View Post
What if heaven was invented by a new algorithm?
Neo with a keyboard creates the unruly and mystic.
Time created in cyber space that's smooth with the pixels -
animates the human condition in a matrix of lines and shades.
He's the ruler who's faceless, but white and gray,
speaking a coded language the ciphers rave.
Binary hailstorms influence situations as right as rain,
while terraforming the plain in the light of day.
The self-proclaimed protagonist in training just scribes away -
and even believes in the anxious mistypes he's made.

Week 9: zygote
Oh, you thought I purposefully was avoiding repeat picks? Nope, this season just had a lot of depth. zygote killed it here, mimicking UnbornBuddha's style to a degree but showing why he's better (with no offense meant).
Quote:
Originally Posted by zygote View Post
A CLS CRITIQUE OF FORMALISM/OBJECTIVISM IN COMMON LAW JURISPRUDENCE.

Justice should not be convenient.
Formalism is the rigid application interpretation of the law through precedent. In my view, this is simple expedience.
I agree with Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. who stated that, “The life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience.”
I will argue in this essay that reason isn’t always reasonable and logic isn’t always logical,
because regardless of strict formalism, during decision making our internal emotional calculus is unstoppable.
I will present three critiques; each addressed in order, one paragraph per idea that’s essential and central.
Formalism will be critiqued using emotional approaches from individual, theoretical and societal levels.

Week 10: Vulgar
I hadn't read this one at the time, but it's a really good example of the movement from Vulgar toward being more poetic and less esoteric without dropping his intellectual level.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulgar View Post
No note and no heat signature - safety measures we'd been barely concerned with
I immediately considered sending out a beacon but we were way off the search grid
My wife's voice flowed throughout the ship like a seductive séance - intangible verses
yet amply enchanting enough to cause a rise in my pants from the verbiage
My head wasn't hurting - just consumed by her soft, ambient purring
For god's sakes, I would've grabbed my noise-cancelling headset if I'd had but the courage
Was my wife abducted? The scariest thought was, was I a man who preferred it?
The sensors went off as something boarded the ship - had my wife managed deterrence?

Week 11: dead man
This was short-verse week, and he went over the allowed length (with permission from CopyPat). So I almost didn't pick it. But fuck, this was good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dead man View Post
love hurts and so does opiate withdrawal at noon
clearing out my throat so i can talk to a room
of absentees and silent, absent-minded recluses
preoccupying their uselessness. the wandering youth
so I'm talking to you. bar stools & Estee Lauder perfume
you're evidence in leggings, i've got nothing to prove
the happiness we sought is but a common pursuit
of a couple kids who rarely put their conscience to use
traveled half the world to rediscover some truth
all it gave me was a tolerance boost. vodka and juice

Week 12: Zen
Admittedly, there wasn't much competition. But I really enjoyed this uniquely structured drop by Zen, who won again by no-show.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen View Post
PRELUDE

Here’s her voicemail she left:

“CALL ME.”

*click*

She’s too busy complaining about who she saw when she went and bought cigarettes. Like, Audrey, Carmen, Pauline, and the rest. I listen to all her calls & her texts. She doesn’t even pause for a breath. All upset, she called Maury again, and now we’re going on tomorrow as guests.


Previewing the Tournament
HANDICAPPING THE FIELD by Certain
Where we break down each competitor and hope to be able to accurately add to 100.





FAVORITES

2. dead man | 8-3 record, one-time regular-season champion
Why he can win: dead man probably is the best writer in this tournament and has fared well whenever he's shown up in every form of topical battling. His writing style is so fluid, interlocked and polished that he can get away with more abstractions than anyone else.
Why he won't: He often goes indirect with topical connections, and he doesn't tell stories very often (or anywhere near as well as he writes abstractly). This means that he is at risk of getting out-approached and -concepted. Some people hate that, but it's all part of the competition. Also, he no-shows a bit too frequently.
Odds: 18%

1. Certain | 10-2 record, two-time regular-season champion
Why he can win: Certain was the most dominant figure of the regular season, before taking over running the league in a pinch. His 7-0 start featured all kinds of verses and efforts, and he closed the season strongly. He's uncannily versatile, has a great understanding of the audience and won last season's tournament.
Why he won't: He doesn't bring his A game as often as he should, and he sometimes fails to pull in the reader in the same way other top writers do. Also, he's running this tournament (and writing this magazine) and may not put enough time and thought into his verses.
Odds: 15%


TRUE CONTENDERS

5. NYCSPITZ | 7-5 record
Why he can win: NYCSPITZ won the Alias Topical Tournament, which was the last full-verse tournament we had here. He offers enormous scope and a weird blend of esoteric content, deep vocabulary and deft lyricism that no one can match here unless zygote or Vulgar decides to go all-in on rhymes. His best work is at an unquestionably elite level.
Why he won't: Too often, he shoots himself in the foot. His storytelling is often fantastical, which can be difficult to connect with emotionally. For all his skill, he can't afford to rush through a verse as much as others because of how broad his content is. And he no-shows a lot.
Odds: 12%

14. Soulstice | 3-5 record
Why he can win: Soulstice is a writer's writer. He offers so many complex layers to his writing that can be so enjoyable to peel back. He's fundamentally sound but often puts his writing on another level. He's a storyteller with a grand yet granular style of storytelling, often asking readers to find the big picture in the small details. His phrasing stands out, and he knows what he's doing.
Why he won't: He's the biggest regular-season underachiever in Art of Writing League history. The reason is threefold: He doesn't always try, he gets too aloof (read: boring) and highfalutin and loses readers, and he has bad luck.
Odds: 12%

10. Dr Dog | 3-1 record
Why he can win: The writer usually known as Split Eight has developed his style more and more with seemingly every verse, and he now knows what he's doing and builds themes into his metaphors to create gripping images. He uses phrasing, rhyme mechanics and especially atmosphere to create his verses and worlds. He also is a better storyteller than he gets credit for.
Why he won't: He can get caught within himself, not letting anyone into his dense verbiage. He sometimes allows his content originality to fall to the wayside in favor of unique tellings of old stories.
Odds: 10%

9. Witty | 5-2 record
Why he can win: Witty is one of the cleanest writers out when he puts his mind to it. He leans on crisp rhyming and clear writing with more than enough lyricism to keep things interesting. He's a bit of a traditionalist, especially for a guy who wasn't around for the early days, but his top gear is good enough to beat anyone because he does everything well.
Why he won't: He doesn't try very often, and he sometimes can put rhyming too far in the front.
Odds: 9%


DARK HORSES

12. Dominate | 3-2 record
Why he can win: Known as a battler, Dominate came in and did everything well in five verses dropped in this league. He had creative approaches to topics, strong phrasing and rhyme mechanics and an interesting style in general. Clearly a veteran writer, Dominate showed little of the stiffness I've come to expect from battlers.
Why he won't: Everyone in the higher tiers has more topical battling experience, to my knowledge. And with that comes next gears and a knowledge of the audience that should help. Dominate also took some conceptual risks that largely paid off, but he dropped a battle against dead man mostly because his concept could not weather dead man's fluidity.
Odds: 7%

3. UnbornBuddha | 8-3 record
Why he can win: No one has improved as much since the start of the season. UnbornBuddha greatly tightened his rhyme schemes and figured out what kind of content works for him. He still goes big and philosophical, but it now is in a more approachable way. That's dangerous because it hits two audiences.
Why he won't: His inexperience in this form of writing and battling shows. He often will throw in a stanza or half-stanza that falls short of expectations, and he can get a bit too faux-academic in his stylings.
Odds: 6%

4. CopyPat | 8-4 record
Why he can win: No one rhymes on the level of CopyPat. He furthers that by writing in a style that maximizes those rhyming efforts. He's funny and clear and crisp and leaves all the complexity for his schemes. And his approaches to topics have been direct and therefore easy to identify.
Why he won't: His verses rarely move beyond the first layer. His direct approaches sometimes teeter on simple. His content almost always is simple. He doesn't stylize his phrasing at the highest levels.
Odds: 5%


UNDERDOGS

8. Zen | 5-1 record, one-time regular-season champion
Why he can win: Zen is on the top tier as a rhymer, very similar to CopyPat in that regard. (Their collaboration from a few months ago showed how similar their styles are.) He cranks up emotion more often than not but also can tell stories and get abstract. He's a very human writer, when he's at his best.
Why he won't: He does this to himself. So often, he'll take a strong start and turn it into a bad ending. He goes for humor but does not always succeed. He also accumulated that record without a single win-by-votes.
Odds: 2%

11. Adonis | 3-1 record
Why he can win: There may not be a more dedicated topical battler these days than Adonis, who gets drunk and writes and moves on to the next verse. I respect that mentality, and I think Adonis' surliness shows a competitive streak.
Why he won't: He seems to find his top gear only very sporatically and never in the ideal situations. He's written great verses but also written verses that were flat-out bad, and the remarkable thing is that effort doesn't seem to be the primary issue. Even so, his best work probably wouldn't beat the best work of the top tier.
Odds: 1.5%

7. Mr. J | 6-5 record
Why he can win: Mr. J is the consumate workhorse. He produces verse after verse, sometimes dropping a handful of lines in the Open Mic (as a cypher or a separate post) along the way. Everything is worth reading because he is a solid lyricist, and he occasionally reaches very high levels of thought connectivity that make his abstract verses excellent.
Why he won't: Too often, he's very opaque and not reader-friendly. He drifts into all sorts of corners when he writes, and that lack of focus often costs him.
Odds: 1%

6. timeless | 6-5 record
Why he can win: He's probably the most likely person to show, which is an important ingredient to a title run. He's improved so much over the past year or so, and he once in a while comes up with a verse that really grabs you and shows what he could be if he could get consistent and focused.
Why he won't: He still struggles melding rhyme mechanics with lucid and interesting content. He often seems to come up with a great start, only to let everything fall apart. He has a tendency to go for shock value, which almost never comes across well.
Odds: 1%

13. Defiant | 3-4 record
Why he can win: Defiant is one of those guys who has been doing this for a while and showed a solid grip on everything about text rap. He's a battler first, but he showed flashes as a topical writer this season, too.
Why he won't: His general competence isn't likely to be enough against such a deep field. He'll need major help from others with no-shows and half-assing. Even so, it will be interesting to see what he can bring if he really puts it all on the line. He has a reasonable shot in the first round if he comes with his best.
Odds: 0.5%



PREDICTIONS by Adonis
The occasional moderator and veteran competitor breaks down the first round, where the theme is Talking Heads songs. (Also, the song below is my favorite Talking Heads song and one of my favorite songs ever.)





3. UnbornBuddha vs. 14. Soulstice | No Compassion
This is the highest seed verses the lowest seed of round one which is laughable. In a recent league wide vote at PR, ten contestants voted these two #1 and #3 respectively to reach the finals. These two have been my favorite reads over the past two months or so and have each lit some what of a fire under my ass to try and make something of my every verse. This is a very tough vote, I'm sure it will be extremely close with the final tally being something like 3-4 or, Soul will flawless or lose a single vote. While Buddha has been dropping some very thought provoking verses to say the least, he has proven susceptible to certain shorter and to the point verses. Now, Soul can do those types, but in my mind isn't known for it. However, Soul has truly been in a league of his own the past 4 weeks destroying, and I mean DESTROYING highly touted competitors with ease. Buddha will need to pull a rabbit out of the hat for a victory. Meanwhile soul has been solid in recent history, but over the course of a the past two years has been prone to dropping a weaker verse from time to time.Prediction: Soulstice 68%


4. Copypat vs. 13. Defiant | Stay Hungry
I can't lie when I say I don't have much knowledge on Defiant other then a single verse, but I do remember the cadence and rhythm were top notch. I know Copy pat well enough to know he can obliterate any opponent easily or come up short given his unorthodox topic flips, subsequently dropping somewhat of a 'lame duck'. Basically, this battle is very intriguing and will be a clash of styles. One short with humorous undertones, the other will be some form of natural or older styled topical and will come down to preference. I studied up on Defiant and bit but mostly saw short verses that seemed tossed together in a rush without care and most were no-show quality. I don't know what Def can drop when he tries but I know what Pat can pen and that's why he's favored. Prediction: Copypat 73%


5. NYCSPITZ vs. 12. Dominate | Road to Nowhere
Dominate is in the same boat for me as Defiant as I have very limited knowledge other then his battling. I do know his topicals are usually straight forward and easy on the eyes. NYC on the other hand possesses the rare ability to actually win this entire tournament, and not lose a single vote just like he did in last years Alias Tourney. I'm not going to say that this couldn't go either way, but I am saying Dominate will have a slim shot at beating out a motivated NYC. Creating a motivated NYC, that's the real tricky part. Dom will need stellar execution along with a decent topic flip to run with Nik. Prediction: NYCSPITZ 60%


6. Timeless vs. 11. Adonis | Once In a Lifetime
Sup Bro. Timeless, let's make this one to remember in the end, but one in which I still narrowly make it to the next round. Actually this all reminds me now, I have been in some 10-12 Playoffs/Tournaments and that's probably on the low side. I am still yet to win a single battle after the regular season or in Tournament play. So by this nature, you have to be favored. Much like Chris Paul or Peyton Manning or people in the same vein, decent talent that never could get past that hump, Charles Barkley. I know I plan on writing something soon, and whatever it is Time will need some very solid execution to out dual me. Prediction: timeless 55%

7. Mr. J vs. 10. Dr Dog | Cities
This will be a fun read indeed. Not too long ago Mr. J was the champion on solid winning streak until he sort of dropped off the face of the earth. I've been away from AOWL for a while and not sure which MJ has been showing of late, but I know he's extremely consistent and true with to his strengths. Dr. Dog on the other hand was recently plowing down elite writer after elite writer for sport over at PR. He was crowned champ before disappearing as quickly as he came. This battle CAN go either way and SHOULD be close, however the lower seed will be favored. Dog can write with the best of them, and along with maybe 2-3 other people has a legit shot at winning the title. Mr. J will need to drop some heavy hitter verse to pull it out. Prediction: Dr. Dog 71%


8. Zen vs. 9. Witty | This Must Be the Place
This will be a very close bout and go either way. I look for the return of the Zen who was on the top of his game against the ever consistent Witty. There are very few things I'm sure of, but I am sure that given the track record of these two, we could literally have a double no show in the playoffs. Now, for the other side of that coin. Witty uses a similar style in each verse with liquid flow and narrative topic. His style is suited to beat various participants and I believe Zen is one of them. Zen was once heavy winded when it came to flow, compacting as many rhymes into a short space as possible, then he broke his back and just started what came and noticed he can garner votes with out having to try as hard because he's naturally talented. In any case this is a tough call be cause you to really do possess similar styles which will make this a toss up. Prediction: even.



Just Begun
CONCLUSION by Certain


Thanks to Adonis for the help. And thanks to everyone who is committed here. Everyone checked in, and I hope everyone shows. I wish Pent uP, Vulgar, zygote and a few others had signed up for the playoffs, but we never get everyone. For now, we're just starting.


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Old 03-21-2015, 07:35 PM   #2
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Old 03-21-2015, 09:10 PM   #3
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News of the Week!!

RZA Says ?Once Upon A Time In Shoalin? May Be Released Commercially After 88 Years | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales | HipHopDX

Wu Tangs final Album “The Wu – Once upon a time in Shaolin” release date set.

Rza says...

“We thought long and hard about whether to defy art world conventions and transfer all rights to public release to the buyer,” Cilvaringz continued. “But we genuinely felt that a swift public release after such a radical concept would neutralize the statement we are making. So we decided that the right to release the album would be transferred only after 88 years have passed.”



That's right, set to be released in 88 years to the public. Read the article, pretty insightful.




Battle Reviews

Final week of RHYME before hiatus




Week 7 Battle Reviews


Interim Championship: Certain vs. Pent uP

Certain
– Hmm. Not really sure where to go with this guy, I don't want to seem false so I will just outright say I don't particularly like this verse. For starters, the flow seemed less purposeful then what I'm used to from you; more aloof and less critical. There were even some lines, the first bar is a prime example, that just read as a bit stretched in the back end. The imagery was nice, you even added a bit of emotion in the beginning with the still born section. Then the chase... Before I go to far I will add that I liked the idea of having two stories, (in this case two seperate universes split from the still birth.) told at the same time broken up by stanza's. I feel like using that sequence gave life to this verse, it was just a different way of approaching this topic or timeline/s, adding a bit more precision. As for the story though, I can imagine a women thinking of her child, her dead child, as a convict. As a father and a horrible son myself, I would never nor my mother, even though it would ring true, think of me as a convict or trouble maker. It's just not the typical or natural thought process of a parent, or in this case, nearly a parent.

Pent uP – hmm, not positive the grandmother passed, but either way this was a verse of reflection and a eye opening conversation between the main character and his Grandmother. It seems she had a stroke a few weeks passed and is barely telling the boy, adding in his flaws. One line that stood out was... “like you have a full head of hair and feel that one unseeded strand” … As I went back to find this line I came across the true meaning of the conversation between grandparent and grandchild, she was preparing him of the days to come. This verse, for the most part actually, had a weird flow that didn't contain exact rhymes but danced around them. I guess it was more focused on slant, but even then, just wasn't hitting pristine. As for the story, I liked it's inward look of a soul and his realizations. There were some lines that were very impactful and some that weren't, but ultimately not much fat can be trimmed off of this. I enjoyed the emotion you chose to paint with and enjoyed the wordy choices that gave this verse extra depth. Solid read. I will say it was not on par with last week and is not one of your better verses in recent memory, but that doesn't mean this was a bad one.



#1 Contenders Match: Millz vs. Soulstice


Soulstice.
– That ending was soooo strong though. Vivid verse, both in hues and scenery. When I read the “rational boy would do, volunteer in a old folk home” line, can't lie I audibly chuckled. This verse was a bit choppy though, it seems like you were cutting full sentences short and finishing them as the starter for the ensuing line a bit more. I'm mean, you always have one, maybe two, which I never truly like, but this verse seemed like you did that a bit more. It was a very enjoyable read though. You hit details exactly when you needed. From the auras the kid sees, to the reaper look, to the way the soul reacts to being taken. To put it simple, the verse was just a clean read straight though. Other then the broken sentences there were no missteps or hiccups at all. And again, that ending just capped off emotion beautifully. His feeling of “I'm ready, won't fight the reaper” to him seeing her pain and fearing reaper. Dope imagery.


Millz – Solid verse that played to the topic very well, but the writing itself I didn't like, and for one glaring reason. Half of the verse were sentences broken into two lines which always throws flow off drastically for me. It never fails when I see that style, I always have to go back immediately and re read it because my brain doesn't get it at first. So the flow lacked to say the least. I did like the flashing imagery, the ball park and fishing. I wish you went into either more detail of those two instances or maybe added one or two more memories because the verse seemed short. I also didn't fully get the “let's play two” reference. And fuck the CUBS! Lol. I will say you had great character build up, but with all that build up, I still didn't get that necessary whiff of heartbreak with the closing lines. All in all, solid verse, but you've done much better.



Timeless vs. UnbornBuddha


Timeless
– Cool points for mention of the Phoenix tattoo visual, suicide girls is where it's at bros. There are a few spotty word choices. Namely “I packed MY bags for ME” repetitive and not necessary other then rhyme scheme. “Makes me feel happy”, very remedial work here, there are so many glowing and descriptive ways to get this point across. The ending was glorious though. I feel like you've been using the same 'humorous finale to a somber verse' style quit a bit. Well I do appreciate the lighter side of topicals, this particular verse was still primarily focused on the roller coaster that we call relationships. This verse was very straight forward, no underlying metaphor for me to grasp, just a narrative of a continuous back and forth. Solid verse, but I just need more meat, depth or metaphor for me to get fully submerged into this world you created; which I hate by the way, brings up awful feelings and memories of the past that I out grew with loved ones.


UnbornBuddha – Props on the Xibalba and it's doorway 'Milky Way' reference. One of the reason you have quickly become on of my favorite reads is the knowledge you transmit over. I love reading obscure articles on anything ancient, religious or future and just love to learn in general. I wish I knew this early on, but as I recently discovered learning is actually rewarding to me, I enjoy reading your work. It also helps that I get what I would like to think of as most of the references, but I'm not afraid to go and look something up either. I liked the way you incorporated poems and verses, it humanized this verse for you personally, at least that's how I took it. I assume you are talking about 'trying' to appease for votes, and I feel like I noticed that over the past two weeks. Almost like you trying to get yourself out of this style and you succeeded, only you lost. Now you are here, doing what you do best and won with ease according to voting tally's. That first stanza though, so powerful. Image of blackness, no god, no anything, just a void. This verse as a whole is a strange concept to me in which I never truy pondered. It's sort of like the Akashic Records in a sense, knowledge and choices being passed down to races and children and all fates being linked some how by the choices we as individuals make. “We animal doctors”. Dope verse, I can pick this apart six times over and literally give you a mag worth of feed. Always a pleasure. Side note, it's rare that I read a verse and never think about flow and jazz, but you accomplished that feat. With that said, I noticed you did this short rhyme scheme structure inside of lines more then once which I love to use if I can. Example... “Armored weapon/Armageddon”


Vulgar vs. Devoid of Orbit


Vulgar
– I can't imagine anyone in any era saying the upset putrid mood scene. Ironic though; there was some fine written story telling in the end. Not RHYME wise, but novel wise. “The ones who could hold the world in their hands, but would burn it to ground” Dope and fitting. The character build up in this story is just massive, there a some very particular details, an entire world and life created and invested me into and I'm only half way through. Thus far, “Mythical Rooster” is still plaguing me. I can't lie, the overall concept and take on the topic is eluding me unless, which I know I'm wrong, it has to do with civilization being categorized and lumped together, the boy being a host for humanity and the rooster being, IDK? Rooster is sound thought and reason, trying to be better and constantly awakening the half of society that will listen. This boy sounds like the Devil also, a very smart devil. I have absolutely zero complaints about this verse. You gave me a deep concept to ponder and decipher using crisp mechanics that are overlooked in my case due to the fact that the story did read very natural other then the one I pointed out earlier. This verse was simply entertaining and I fully enjoyed reading it, especially the first halfs character build up. Precision work that helped hoist this verse to the upper rungs of elite.


Devoid of Orbit – First off, what a eye sore of a text. It's not quite atrocious, but it is straining. I got the dog concept right up to the “weave store, screen door” stanza. Lovely subtleties thus far. Oh shit, cats... In the same vein I guess. Concept is ok, but the execution as far as hiding the subject matter was superb. The imagery's started as a Orphan Annie type Hard knock Life scene, then was turned upside down mid way. The emotion was conveyed and the flow was crisp. You kept a short structure effectively, which is the best form of structure in my opinion. The word choice was keen. You didn't go full blown Vulgar in using specific animal and cat language I would never use in real life and you didn't go full blown Buddha, packing tight knit concepts in the most wordiest of fashion, but you played the fence of the two. Using end rhymes that aren't common, which I appreciate on the highest of levels. I enjoyed this verse for what it was. Like I said, the execution of performing a fucking cat verse is hard to do, and you did it, but did it well. Kept the subject matter moving in a fluid stream of imagery and emotion well portraying enough imagery to keep the brain entertained. Two thumbs up.
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Old 03-21-2015, 10:52 PM   #4
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Awesome
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Old 03-22-2015, 12:28 AM   #5
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@Pent uP @Devoid of Orbit @Tali Rodriguez @millz @Vulgar

^ participants not in post season of AOWL
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Old 03-22-2015, 07:12 AM   #6
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Good mag man.
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Old 03-22-2015, 10:30 AM   #7
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yes

thank you @Certain and @Adonis for your hard work.

i smell a dope fucking playoff tournament.
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Old 03-22-2015, 10:54 AM   #8
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thank you from the bottom of my heart chakra
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Old 03-22-2015, 11:47 AM   #9
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Dope mag. Except the part with dancake. That section was trash
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Old 03-22-2015, 11:51 AM   #10
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Hey Mike remember when I soul-vanquished your entire ability to write

FUCK YOU MIKE
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Old 03-22-2015, 12:08 PM   #11
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Ur lucky u are my friend dancake cause if u weren't i would post a hurtful and witty retort
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Old 03-22-2015, 05:24 PM   #12
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Cool mag.
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Old 03-22-2015, 05:28 PM   #13
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Im just here to say.. That rza is geniously hyping this album. Very cool. Nice mag.
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Old 03-22-2015, 06:30 PM   #14
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I've already stolen it.
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Old 03-22-2015, 07:33 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Genocide View Post
Im just here to say.. That rza is geniously hyping this album. Very cool. Nice mag.
For sure. Dude originally said he was selling one master copy like an original painting and the purchaser can do what he'd like with it.

Whatever it sounds like, I will have already had too high of expectations and be disappointed

Kind of like Kendricks. I still won't listen, waiting
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Old 03-22-2015, 09:39 PM   #16
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Thanks and good luck to all participants in the play-offs.
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Old 03-23-2015, 08:09 AM   #17
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@Vulgar y u no topical???

:'(
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Old 03-23-2015, 05:51 PM   #18
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dope mag as always
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? subtly? what the fuck is a subtly? i dont know what that is. can someone help me out?
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Old 03-23-2015, 10:22 PM   #19
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Shut up @Soulstice if I don't end up facing you in the finals I will be gravely fucking disappointed

Fulfill your potential motherfucker
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Old 03-23-2015, 10:24 PM   #20
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that would be fun but also impossible
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? subtly? what the fuck is a subtly? i dont know what that is. can someone help me out?
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