LA Magazine: ...:::WWC Mag. Volume 8:::...

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Topic Ratings Printable Version Translate Topic

What’s good everyone. Before
we begin, everyone who participated should give themselves a pat on the back.
Thank you for your participation and I hope that these little topical exercises
prove useful in keeping your pen game on point.

Seems each week WWC records
are being smashed, and this week was no different. Count it, a total of 13 verses 9 votes submitted. A special shout out to the people
who submitted votes and didn’t even drop a verse in this week’s challenge. Great
show of support everyone! Now, let’s get on to what you came here for!

This week’s topic was that of
an empty stage with a red curtain backdrop, and a spot light on a microphone,
all surrounded in pitch black. I felt this was another topic that was simple on
the surface, but with a bit of creative writers ingenuity could produce an
extremely deep and meaningful topic. Let’s go see if I will be proven correct!

The Rap Daemon 
"I never earned living
it, but when spitting it contains
So much fortune, people
listen, entertained
By my struggle, but not the
same way pricks would be a pain
Amused by my problems, nah,
they're wishing to obtain
Knowledge about me 'coz they
bare an interest in my name
Always felt small, but now
I'm the biggest in the fray"

The Rap Daemon told the story
of a person who is used to getting the short hand in life. Picked on, disrespected,
maybe pushed around; This character found his weapon through rapping on a mic.
I feel that music is a powerful tool because there is little in the world that
can be so scary to overcome then standing on a stage and putting your music out
there for the entire world to critique. If you can accomplish that, then you
are empowered to face the bullies in your life. 

DjFlame 
"But their faces are so
violent and I'm remaining way too quiet
I'm praying to be lifeless
though I know my days are finite
Forgetting why I'm here, and
my flow stuck and gone
My spitting ain't revered,
and they don't love my song
Think "oh shit I'm in
the clear" cuz I froze up too long
But then I hear a whisper in
my ear, the show must go on"

So Dj wrote from the
perspective of a person steeping out on stage like a deer and headlights trying
to overcome stage fright. I have a performed myself several times just at small
local events and I can certainly relate to overcoming stage fright. This verse
was extremely well composed and has those human elements that I think we can
all feel. 

Smoothtung 
"Wanna cry on this
stage but decided this wasn't the time nor the place..
I'd like to escape but I sigh
and remain in a quiet disdain like I fell in a trance..
I wonder if anyone here is
aware that the guy on the stage is a shell of a man..
I remember the day that i
spent at the beach.. watching the rain as it fell on the sand.."

So in this verse the
character is really struggling with the way he internalizes and sees himself as
a person. So much that he wonders if the outside world can read it like pages
in a book. He too is trying to find release through that mic, but afraid to let
go and open himself to the world around him. If I could lend a little bit of
advice going into future weeks, I think you would be well suited to give more
attention to each line and even out those syllable counts. You have the
concepts grasped, but your flow and syllables just need to be dialed in a bit
tighter. But that’s what these challenges are for, simple improvement. 

Spume corrupt 
"Got warned I’d “catch
fire” with the flames I sent
Stacked it higher, damn str8
just to make em bent
Thought I could rock shit
live, they’d be caving in
Tried to hide in gameplay,
but that’s a lame defence
Not helping me now, laying on
the pavement dead"
 So this was a tale of a
rapper who recklessly got on stage and dissed the wrong person, even after
being warned. Some rappers these days need to understand the consequences of
going after people in their music. Even if the artist don’t come clapping back,
it could be a crazy ass fan waiting for you outside the club. You just never
know. This was a quick, but nice scribe here Spume. 
Daydizzle09

"When you call me a rapist,
its ok you Zeus
Apollo Creed a gape into your
tooth
Jazzy Chain riffing always
making a fool
By the way, are you still
dating smooth?
he gonna be biting at ya
taint for food
You hate Day? Thats great,
that makes two"

So, as expected (lol) we get
another CHAIN diss. Dizz stays at CHAINS neck. . well, like a chain hahaha. . I
mean, I don’t know if these disses are going to award you any wins, but the
obvious is that it’s just an open opportunity to take jabs when you can. Hey
man, that’s the game. Lord Puente 
"Mother rose showering
storms
Hurricanes morph empowering
her
Reminding us we’re birthed
from earth
Without her we are lifeless
forms

--We Watch--
Power poles torn, ripped
& thrown
Ceilings float exposing domes
Hopelessness burns devouring
souls
Cowards roam scouring homes"

LP took a very interesting
approach to this week’s topic drawing from his own personal experience of
surviving Hurricane Michael. From the sounds of it, you made it out o.k. and I for
one am really glad to hear that LP. As a fellow Floridian and having a tree
fall through the middle of my home during a Hurricane, I know firsthand how
these storms can come through and completely turn your life upside down in one
night. R.I.P. to all those killed by Hurricane Michael.  

Sammy 
"You know what, though? life
is like a paper-cut.
rushing to turn our pages.
rushing another day cause....what?
"better"'s a page
away. Im stuck...in this charade. aww shucks.
I love it when they read my
piece. From narratives to soliloquy.
What they don't know
is....It's a piece of me."
 Sammy gave us an amazing ode
to WWC. I see you homie! I like that you took the time to touch on how intimate
these rhymes are as they do serve as an extension of ourselves. Always elegantly
constructed your style is yours and yours alone Sammy. Even if I tried, I doubt
I could duplicate your personal touch on these verses. . and that’s why they
are so enjoyable. 
Crimson Juice 
"I'm the next up to
approach this open mic,
I encroach like water does a
dyke,
As the tension within me
begins to spike,
Its now i want to turn n take
a hike,

I look around the audience I
hear no sound,"

So Crim, it seems that you
struggled with the topic this week. Sometimes, you just have to look around it
and draw a concept from maybe a different angle. It could have been about a Comedian
who never made it to the stage because he’s lying lifeless in his rehearsal
room from a coke overdose. . .  or, it
could have been a Dictator who was assassinated before stepping on stage to address
his country. . . . hell, if you get stuck on something, throw me a pm, ill help
if I can lol . .  regardless , you delivered a more solid verse
then you give yourself credit for. Nothing worst then anticipating being the
next act, especially if the person before you killed it on the mic and now you
have to follow that act. I really wouldn’t be down on myself had I dropped this
verse, but the fact that you were uncomfortable with the topic can be seen a
bit in the verse. 
Concrete

"applause from hundreds or more in wonderous awe
had a hunger for more, extemist type, feel the might
the kingdoms meanest knight to ever yield the mike
dealing strikes, rappers fear me now, I'd tear em down 
swear them out as I hear the sound of a cheering crowd 
sincerly proud, I'll have my part of the black art
avant-garde, bar for bar the avatar of a rap-star "

First off, I just want to say
I have never really seen the word “finite” used. . and this makes the second
time I have seen it in this week lol. . but moving on from my ramblings.
Concrete gave us the story of an aspiring rapper that sort of visualized
himself conquering the stage just to get stage freight and never even go in
front of the mic. This verse contained some dope multis going off at a rapid
fire pace.

The Law

"It's a painted picture of sheep, with immediate laughs
Behind the wool their just hyenas in obedient packs
I gave them what they wanted, a history full of jokes
a filmography of comedy and a few were meant for hope
I lied to myself, bringing joy to those under the weather
Ignoring the noose tightening every time we smiled
together"

Glad to see Law drop a verse this week. The highlight was
those perfectly timed multiples and nice punches throughout. The verse was well
composed and worded so meticulously that it simply rolled off the tongue with no hiccups or stumbles.
I hope to see you in the challenge more in the weeks ahead fam. 

New this week, I wanted to
give the top 3 verses of the week a little more shine above the rest. Remember,
this is for the people by the people. . and the PEOPLE have spoken. I present
your WWC Week 9 Top 3 verses.  

CHAIN 
"His brain was a gun and a larval host
of substance
The reason that the culture
...started re-adjusting...
The standard, and gave other
artists his instructions
Following the leader with the
dark skin on their Grundig's
Gave us all a template over
Marley Marl's production
Jazz musicians riffin',
bothered like curmudgeons
Wouldn't recognize it as
their offspring, so reluctant...
To give it any props but the
market wasn't stuck in..."

So, just a fun fact, I ended
up posting a Mobb Deep video for this weeks first listen, but prior to that, I planned
on posting 'I Aint No Joke' by Rakim. Then seeing the fine print under the verse,
I was like damn. . . That would have been a super dope coincidence. CHAIN once
again puts that extremely fluent flow and nice descriptive wording on display
and produces another beast of a verse for week 9. 

Stalin 
"Standing on stage with hands
on grenades
Abandoned my faith to reach
fans with appraise
My landing was fate escaping
my amateur days
Planning to take this ride
til the crashing of waves
Actions I take until my
rapping is praised
Turning this impractical gaze
into actual plays
Sound click, a thousand hits,
til it's an average day
Dreams of cash in the safe,
my life is practically saved"

So in this verse Stalin
speaks of the dream of being able to provide for his family through the successes
of music, but it comes to a close as the circumstances around him seemingly
gets in the way of coming to fruition. It seems to be a common theme for a lot
of potentially up and coming artist that never quite hit that mark. Nice work
here Stalin. 

iLL Scripturez 
Abandoned & alone,
back when I was stranded in a home
Micro-managin’ the phone,
companioned with a tone
Couldn’t handle the control
it demanded as I spoke
Silence blanketed, disowned,
understandin’ was postponed
Expandin’ was a hope that
landed a syndrome…
Panic hit the throat at
random frantically I choke
Walls smotherin’ as my hands
begin to close, eyes flutter shut
Like suction cups stuck, mind
readin’ the manuscript I flowed
Whispers wisp like whips now
propaganda can unfold
This is it, cut on the camera
get it poppin’ like Fanta when its cold
Lime-light canvas, steal the
shine like bandits with a stone
Commanded but composed hit
all my grammar to the note
Word to Hammer, couldn’t
quit, never phantom or a ghost
Examined all the folks who
were now standin’ lip syncin’
A language that I wrote in a
dream then organically awoke
From my sleep & they
vanished into smoke…

iLL Scripturez has been one
of the most consistent writers in this challenge. I don’t think a week will
ever go by that he won’t be considered as a top contender to win any week he
submits a verse too. In this verse he told the story of a guy stepping on stage
to seemingly kill the mic, then he wakes from a dream and the crowd vanishes
from in front of him. Its not so much the concept, but more the intricately
weaved language and detail to placement and flow that keeps the reader on the
hook. And with that, i present your. . 

TWO TIME, TWO TIME, TWO TIME winner of WWC. . . ill Scripturez 

DayDizzle89iLL Scripturez 3
Sammy 2
CHAIN 1

Lord PuenteThe Law 3
Stalin 2
ill Scripturez 1

NeekStalin 3
Sammy 2
iLL Scripturez 1

CHAINill ScriptureZ 3
DjFlame 2
Sammy 1

Spume CorruptStalin 3
ill Scripturez 2
The Rap Daemon 1

SmoothTungConcrete 3
ill Scripturez 2
CHAIN 1

DjFlameChain 3
iLL Scripturez 2
The Rap Daemon 1
 Crimson JuiceiLL Scripturez 3
Stalin 2
CHAIN 1

DntplywelwitothersiLL Scripturez 3
Stalin 2
The Law 1
 ConcreteStalin 3
CHAIN 2
Sammy 1

 …:::Totals:::…iLL Scripturez 20
Stalin 15
CHAIN 8
Sammy 6
The Law 4
Concrete 3
DjFlame 2
The Rap Daemon 2

Week 1 = Nigma
Week 2 = Rhetorical
Week 3 = Spume Corrupt
Week 4 = iLL Scripturez
Week 5 = Rhetorical
Week 6 = Neek
Week 7 = CHAIN
Week 8 = Sammy
Week 9 = iLL Scripturez

Just a reminder that week 10
has been put on hold to give me time to write for an event happening on a
different site. I will be back next Monday with a new week and a new topic.
.  and I PROMISE the return of my video
review which will be narrowed down and focused on the top 3 verses of the week.
As always, thank you for all that each and every one of you do. I’ll see you all
soon . . same place different time!

Edited by rhetorical - 16 October 2018 at 3:00pm