WEEK EIGHT MAG: A SIGN OUT HEARD AROUND THE UNIVERSE

[Adverse]

INTRO:
Hey guys it’s been a good week, it seems like we’re hitting our stride finally. Only one no show on the record and votes were looking good. A wrench got thrown into the mix when our undefeated champion Universe signed out. That shook battles up quite a bit and honestly opened up a lot of doors for other battlers. Excited to see where we go with it, there’s a lot of directions to go and things are as competitive as ever.

NS SHINE:


[QUOTE=Universe;798522]The Follower: Origin of a Monster

"I hear them,
The sound of your feet
As they pace
The creeks on the wooden floors
that speak of you"

- J. AnnRey, 'Lost at 3am'

......


Rancho Cordova, California - 1954

My thoughts were unraveling... As a scared child who is intertwined with death
I've always expected a nightmare in the flesh would get me while I slept
Hanging on by a thread... Fast forward gives us what we asked for
Half passed four I heard the monster creep in through the back door
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, its image left me in anguish, torn
Between a rock and a hard place - Intimidating in every shape and form
In a state of horror, those tattooed muscles nearly soaked my underwear
Was unfocused yet aware of footsteps slowly coming up the stairs
"You'll be silent forever and I'll be gone in the dark" he whispered all strange
Then vanished without a trace, a ski mask left behind in the hallway
Wasn't something I could explain; Three holes, fabric black as a hate crime
I stared at it, petrified yet infatuated at the same time
It painted a scar on me... Unable to bare it I sewed the mouth shut
Stowed it in a box for years and never once opened it up
Started to exercise, getting buff - Found my soulmate I suppose
Kathleen had a 9 year old son, Joseph, and I loved him like my own
She was my home, my humble abode... We were nothing crazy unusual
Unlike weight lifting routines we didn't work out; I'd love to say it was mutual
But I didn't save funds that were suitable... Guess she found a dick she preferred
Yet if you listened to my words you'd know she kicked me to the curb
Left on unfamiliar terms... I was invested but guess who lost the deposit?
That thought process made me grab the ski mask from a shoe box in the closet
Wiped dust off it and found the gun; I hadn't begun to prove it works
Closed my eyes and a few dispersed when visualizing what I'd do to her
Plans weren't a huge concern, there's no doubt that I had to get it right
I just wanted to scare the living daylights out of her in the dead of night
So I headed by her home while out of vision, being quiet as I browsed
Watching her go about her business from the ravine in behind her house
Waited for lights to turn out and curtains to be drawn over glass exits
Pulled on the ski mask right before I jimmied the lock to the back entrance
Careful not to track steps in, floor passed inspection - I've come prepared
Head weaving tales of this tight-knit family as I creeped right up the stairs
Felt like a creep staring at Joseph... Taking masks off are a cheap unveiling
Something beneath the sheets was flailing as I watched him between the railing
I must've seemed like I was in jail... My brightest moment was his darkest hour
I peeked into Kathleen's bedroom - She was asleep with her boyfriend's arm around her
Found it odd that I thought of my mother... Call it childhood withdrawal
Then I heard the sound of Joseph's voice filter in from across the hall
He muttered something through clenched teeth, like a mantra never released
I went down the corridor to the bedroom, curiosity got the better of me
"You'll be silent forever and I'll be gone in the dark" he repeatedly prayed
He needed the phrase; the worst part was he said it to keep me away
What happens when you become what you're afraid of? Don't we grow from what we witness?
Don't we all do this? Isn't that the ultimate coping mechanism?
Fear breeds like bacterial binary fission, yet the target's not certain
It isn't nature or nurture - What frightens us determines who we are as a person
I'm a father for better or worse... There's no option to ignore age
Altering my face, I took off the ski mask and dropped it in the doorway
An inherited rage; A chain without links brings you straight to the brink
I left without incident; These things don't always end the way that you think
Not everything turns to murder... Torture is bloody and rape's gory
But this was never going to be that - This was a coming of age story
They say we all reap what we sew, so I’m a frayed intricate loop knot
Joseph will pick up the ski mask shortly and place it in a shoe box
He'll become what he fears, a timid psycho; Broken is how he'll spend his life
In infinite fights until fatherhood, a vicious cycle with no end in sight
If you've never met your role model, how can you say you're your dad's height?
Cloaked in responsibility, the dark corners of the mind illuminate with flashlights
Days are a mask; Nights are filled with fear you vacate in a past life
I hope he doesn't stray from the track... But two footsteps do not make a path...

Right?

https://www.lamag.com/longform/in-th...s-of-a-killer/[/


UNIVERSE’S EXIT INTERVIEW

1. Well with the season seemingly behind you now, and a flawless record (7-0) some would try and tarnish what you’ve done with the fact that you had three no show wins and a DQ win but I think that’s a testament to your writing ability all in its own. How do you assert such dominance in a writing league?

People will lean on those no show wins to try and bring me down but the fact remains, I did my part. I was ready; I dropped on time and did the best I could with the topic. My job was done. These guys that couldn't be bothered were overmatched and they knew it - They bailed to save face, imo. Those wins are insta KO's and that's all there is to it. (I'll give my dude Scar the benefit of the doubt though... just this once.)

The DQ was unfortunate but that was just a case of Master Rock being kind of green and not knowing his way around the league. He learned the hard way though and won't make that mistake again I'm sure. He is probably the only guy I've seen improve on a week to week basis so watch out for him.

And I don't think I "assert dominance" for any other reason than I outwork everybody else... and/or maybe I just have a little better understanding of the technical mechanics behind it all. I don't know. I think I have a natural ability for storytelling but as far as this rhyming shit... I'm nothing special. I just want it more than my opponents and outwork them. When they are sitting on the couch procrastinating - I'm writing. Or thinking about writing. That's why I win. But at the same time, there is a ceiling there when you reach the upper echelon... So when up against the top guys it really just comes down to who has the best emotional connection with the topic on that given week.

Remember 'The Lady in the Attic' piece I dropped against you in the GWL? Literally the night before I saw an article saying how Bruce Jenner used to dress in drag and walk around his house at 3am when everyone was asleep because that's the only way he could be happy. I thought that was haunting af and disturbing on so many levels. Then the next day we got our topic which was some quote about "finding happiness" and voila... it just fell in my lap. The point is, when you're up against the best... a lot of it is luck.


2. It’s a well known fact competitors don’t vote like they should. How do you fix this in your opinion?

Introduce real penalties that take away votes from non-voters. People tend to only really care about things that effect them on a personal level so that needs to be exploited... without prejudice or mercy. Also, a judging system might work. A 3 judge panel where 3 random competitors are selected to judge a specific battle. This puts the onus on them and also makes it so they don't have to necessarily vote on everything, just what they are selected for. Like jury duty.


3. Who’s your biggest standout this season other than yourself? Biggest letdown?

fraze is the high point for me. He is such a talented writer and I saw that in his NBL run. I see him developing into a top threat and being up there with myself, you, dead man, and MMLarsP as a perennial topical threat from here on out.

Biggest letdown was the guys just vanishing after making an impact. Lucipher Howlz was dope but no showed against me and disappeared. Concrete signed out at 3-0 and never returned. He was a guy who could craft an impressive story for sure... like a Johnny 6 Feet junior. Hopefully we see him come back soon.


4. You’re a writer in its truest form; I was wondering if you’ve ever ventured into other forms of writing such as poetry, short stories etc?

Not any poetry. Well, this IS my poetry, in a way. (Where's your poetry book, btw?) I write screenplays though, and I started that as a hobby in college/university and it just sort of progressed as the right people started to see my stuff. I have a few independent films under my belt now including one upcoming indy feature film helmed by a talented director who was on the crew of Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal. I don't share specific details of that part of myself with anyone on here though because I don't want you animals to know who I am lol.


5. I commend you because not only do you write the max amount of lines each week, you also vote on everything. What was your favorite battle you read all year? Best individual verse?


First of all, max lines for you guys are min lines for me lol. People don't realize but the 200 line monstrosity I wrote is actually just me outlining a piece. I do it every week. I usually end up writing twice the line limit, if not more, in order to really get into what it is I'm trying to say. Only after I write it all out do I start to dwindle it down. It's just my process. I believe that in order to tell a story to people effectively, you first have to tell the story to YOURSELF. Once you know it then you can add all the little details and foreshadowing because you know where you are going with it - not just flying by the seat of your pants.

Favorite battle is tough because none immediately stand out. But if I had to pick, the best probably was Concrete and MMLP? Maybe? I thought they both brought it and had unique takes. MMLP and Mr. J was good too.

Best individual verse so far was probably MMLP's verse against NYC Spitz... or fraze's verse against Mr. J. I enjoyed yours vs. Scar too...


6. As you know I was sort of thrown into the role of league runner unwillingly through happenstance. I’d like for you to rate my performance as a whole. Be brutally honest I won’t cry....that hard.


Well you awarded Lars 2 wins in one week after claiming that you're "not Inno", but then gave in to his terrorist demands like everyone else, so that brings you down a few pegs lol... But other than that you have been nothing short of amazing. 9 out of 10. It's been a pleasure, sir.


7. Alright I’ll ask. Who’s next week’s champion with you out of the way?

fraze. He's got the It factor. As of writing this the votes are still 0-0 in his battle with Diablo, but I think he won that. Just barely, but he did. And unless he gets the short end of the stick it should be him and MMLP for the belt.

I can't wait to read that one.


8. I know this hasn’t been the most exciting season. Who do you think could sign in and change that? Or would it have to be a combination of battlers?

dead man. 'Nuff said. Bodey would be cool too. I miss her... A J6F return would boost moral.

I would like to see some NBL guys come over here too now that their league is over. Blue Bayou's here now and can bring it. Aero already writes topicals in his intros so he would be a welcome addition. Zuch would be a nice fit here as well.


9. That’s all I’ve got for you fam. Any last thoughts you’d like to share? Sorry this was more of a league oriented interview, we covered a lot in your previous GWL Interview though...

GWL was lightning in a bottle. It was crazy active and fun, and even though AOWL hasn't lived up to the aforementioned, it's still a breeding ground for some really good writers. I'll be keeping an eye on everything just as a fan and when I get settled I may pop back in for the playoffs.

Thanks for the interview, Addy. And thanks to anyone who read this far lol.

Ps. One of you mods can add my AOWL Champ status at anytime... :)


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QUICK PREVIEWS

CHAMP MATCH: DIABLO 3-0 vs MMLP 5-2
Great matchup here as well as a dope storyline. Student vs teacher. These guys are friends in real life but when the verses drop they’ll be as competitive as ever. MMLP has come on super strong this season and has shown some of his best writing. Lars is a bonafide topical legend and hasn’t showed signs of slowing thus far. I’d take Lars here but wouldn’t be surprised to see MMLP pull the rug out from under him. For now safe bet is Diablo.
WINNER: DIABLO 60/40

CONTENDERS MATCH: FRAZE 2-1 vs PHARAOHS ARMY 3-4
This battle is a testament to how weird Universe made the league by signing out. Both of these guys are coming off of losses (This is Fraze’s second contenders match in a row as he had to fill in for a freshly signed out Master Rock) PA has done some real cool pieces this season including his meta verse last week which was an ode to his opponent (me) but Fraze has been on a different level in his time in the AOWL with his only real slip up being last week. I think he has more to prove here.
WINNER: FRAZE 70/30

OBJECTIVE 2-4 vs BROKENHAL0 1-1
Both these guys showed a lot of promise this last week, Hal0 lost while Objective dropped a tough one against LLP. Hal0 has been the least consistent of the two and still has more of an unknown factor, his consistency is still in question. Objective on the other hand has seemingly gotten better by the week and shown a better body of work. I’ll roll with him here.
WINNER: OBJECTIVE 70/30

JESODIST 0-1 vs BAD LIEUTENANT 0-0
Well this is a fresh matchup. Never heard of Lieutenant but was happy to see a fresh name sign in. Jesodist is kind of a “pop in last minute and keystyle” guy who sometimes has good one liners but rarely makes it all connect together. Don’t know much about BL but his unknown is better than the product I’ve seen Jeso put forward so I’ll go with him
BL WINS 60/40

OUTRO:
I apologize for the rushed mag this week has been crazy. Here’s to wishing this week yields better results!

[fraze]

Props on the mag homie, thanks for keeping things going.

[Master Rock]

Madd props to Universe for shouting me out. I still want a rematch eventually, trust that I will be ready.

[Diablo]

didn’t read

dope mag

needs more Diablo