SS Mid-Playoff Mag - COMPLETED

[oatmeal]

Intro

Damn, halfway through the playoffs already. Only 4 remain, and competition is getting tougher. It’s been smooth sailing so far, though we suffered another no-show last round, which is shitty. But 2 no-shows in the big picture aren’t too bad, since I know everyone will be showing from here on out. For the most part, the semifinalists are the expected bunch, aside from wild card Krytical, who put on his best performance to date in his win over Nahlidge. Beta’s improbable run met a memorable end in a great match against Brandon, and Black made Bong quack uncle. Shit’s on the home stretch here, and it’s gonna get doper!



Poll Review (pause)

Nahlidge-3
Black-2
Oatmeal-1
Brandon-1

Nahlidge took the poll with 3 votes, which I found pretty natural as he’s an accomplished audio head. Black’s organic written rhythm had him nipping at the heels in the voters’ eyes, and Brandon was insultingly tied with me, which was a bit of a head-scratcher since Brandon has some dope ass songs on RB. What can you do.


[youtube]zZ9CA2qB-5Y[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Week in Review...
by Trajik

Brandon vs Langy:
This battle was like watching Jon Jones vs Rampage Saturday night. It was the best Rampage, I mean Langy, that I've seen, but Jon Jones, I mean Brandon, was just on another level. Simply untouchable. The improvement from Langy has been impeccable, but Brandon is consistently top tier. Langy dropped a nice piece about a man coming up and making some mistakes, and I couldn't tell if he died at the end, was a little confused there. Brasov dropped a great piece that would make for a stellar song. Filled with nice wordplay and multis. Good battle for sure.

Krytical vs Nahlidge:
Nahlidge dropped a piece with nice multis and killer imagery. With a concept that was hit or miss with the voters, change and family ties, or seemingly cutting the family ties. Krytical dropped a piece to wow the readers, using the tree in the picture as a metaphor for the characters growth (hope I got that right,) some great multis I found unexpected for him and an overall great drop that led to yet another upset. So I dub thee "The Upset Kid."

Oatmeal vs Trajik:
Unfortunately, Trajik lost this battle long before the verses were dropped, as he got too inside his head. Believing he could never win. However, the piece that he did drop, taking the picture and writing about a legendary statue with the power of good and evil seemed to sit well with the readers, feeling it was well done, though incomplete. Oatmeal dropped a very nice piece, seeming to be concluded open ended until the end of the piece was he put a pretty little bow on it, thus appeasing the readers. This was a piece about two monks (?) who discussed and pondered god, asking many questions until the ending when some questions were answered with opinions.

Black vs Bongkers:
Black dropped this killer piece about zombies, as a metaphor for the... Human condition, I think that's a good way to put it, or how poorly we live, as a species. Amazing piece, metaphors, great rhyme scheme, littered with imagery... Another too notch piece from Black this week. Bongkers no showed, unfortunately robbing us of a great battle. However, I highly doubt that the outcome would have been different. Sorry Bongkers, I don't mean to offend, you're a great writer and I believe it would have been Botw but Black's verse was pretty untouchable.


[youtube]_swy30HN-98&feature=fvst[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Battle of the Week

This week, we had a lot of blowouts, but none of them really told the whole story. Each battle this week had it's gems and it's short-comings, but overall, this choice was hard for Oats and myself to make, but this was the decision that we both made together. Firstly, I just want to say a big props to all the drops this week, it was a good week, one of the best all season...and it should be that way, so good shit. Beta, you dropped a hell of a piece against me man, I was definitely feeling it and many people even noted that your drop was good, so take it or leave it, mad respect dude, I appreciate you showing and doing your thing. End of the week, my verse was the better of the 2, but the battle was much closer than the votes made it seem and that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Props again to Beta!

A blur not from the eyes, yet confusion of his future
The cloudiness of life to thinks there’s nothing he can shoot for
His back against the wall, as if hiding from the fate
Whether not he’d close his eyes and climb the stairway to the gates
See the situation, of which he juggles through decisions
Dropping the ball of hope and struggles some with intuitions
Past mistakes in his life confine chances by prohibition
Weed’s the turn of his new leaf by a higher definition

*One-day, he’s on the corner running with his ace
Hit a lick for a 50-pack then dipped out of the place
Masking they use for skiing just to cover up his face
A couple blocks ‘way from safety and dude trips over his lace
Keep in mind, that it’s sunny outside, and full of traffic
The chasers hit the corner and shit’s bout to get dramatic
I tried to help him get up quick the moment quite sporadic
All we got is our 2 feet and they’re holding automatics*
[PAUSE]

See, he never had-much, street runner a must
Mother was just a waiter getting tips to table bust
Father was not a bother he blew away with the dust
Alone, cold to the bone, and no jacket for the gust
He learned to hustle and cuss, but neither his truest ID
Face to face with a buddy hooked up to the bluest IV
“Working” that occupation future success was unlikely
Wishing he could go back to kicking balls and sipping Hi-C

[PLAY]
*We’re standing up-now-bout to make a run
Me?… A lil’ shaky cuz they’re aiming up their guns
The niggas fire off, thus concluding all the fun
As my nigga lay here bleeding, pleading and feeling numb
The shooters grin, knowing they got pay back for the 50
Swiftly I call the ambulance and tell em’ “come here quickly”
Praying my nigga make it as the wait seems to get heavy
Stretchered out as they lift him in the back and then he left me*
[STOP]

Damn, he’s an adult now, got to get shit together
Truth was a sudden wind that lifted him up like a feather
Stress was his only shelter enduring the present’s weather
Flipping out over beef and smoothing it out into leather
Gathering plans to get back accepted into society
Applications writ n submitted commit sobriety
Impatiently waiting while hope attacks his anxiety
Grinding to the end of the rail oh well if denying me

…The blur is slowly fading away with the change
In vision, a premonition gained through broken shackles
Taking the time to understand a life once it’s arranged,
The better absorbing hits when shits about to get you tackled


good luck bro

vs.

http://i53.tinypic.com/29ys93p.png

Unknown
by Brandon Cee

I close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone…

Every love’s different, this lane is my place for joy
But nameless ploys fill the space between this faceless void
The chase is given up because the pace is behind
Seasons come and go - with seasoning the taste is reprised
Winds of change start cycles, hearts ache for the past
Clocks rewind, the sands of time form from breaking the glass
Cause these ceilings hide the feelings that I hate to be masked…
…but the screaming and the squealing left me vacant at last
I was open to the thought of being hopelessly broken
And still the pictures made me notice that my focus had spoken
I was going through the motions that I passively explored
Cause I saw the dust in the wind and it wasn’t Kansas anymore
It was practically a chore, meanings hit the back of my mind…
…and they attacked while I collapsed with every fact I could find
Grabbing the lines, I added on and subtracted designs…
…until the only thing envisioned was a laugh or a sign
It was fantastic, I crumbled and only managed to cry
But the average guy would never speak of his damage inside
Still, I actively try – searching for some pleasure and purpose
Knowing that the truth would set me free, but I never deserved it

Dust in the wind...

It’s best I didn’t know, I drank like boozin’ was great…
…and those single-barrel shots didn’t leave bullets to trace
Who knows what fate is…or how to test it with blows?
The complexion of my message had been reckoned with woes
I repented, took a second and then rolled with the keys
Only to see through every dose that I had chosen to bleed
I composed a piece of music and I labeled it “YOU”
Tugged the strings upon my heart and I played them for “YOU”
Everytime the hammer hit, then I was thinking of “YOU”
And “YOU” were the reason I believed I had a reason or two
But then you faded with the treason, nothing explained
I said, you left without goodbye while succumbing to flames
It wasn’t wished upon your soul, you had something to gain…
…but you never made it back and I was struck with the pain

Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea…

We grew in the same womb, you were buried alone
And I knew nothing, but hurt…the miscarriage was shown
I stared at my clone, ironic in the way that I tell this…
…but the spell has always held me and I had to expel it
Drops of water vaporized like tears of the sun
I feared the worst for your life, but NO years had begun
A memory that’s lost in the mirrors of fun…
...someone I never knew – a person that I dare to become

[youtube]CDwljEbaMRg[/youtube]


Verse of the Week

The reason this drop was chosen as this week's VOTW was quite obvious for the most part, Blacketh literally outwrote everybody this week and it wasn't an easy task, so it's props given where they are deserved first of all. Now, this piece was just a level above. From rhyme schemes down to the word choices, this piece was packed with everything you could want, leaving very little mistake, if any at all. Some parts not as strong as others, but as a whole, this piece was on point and well-deserving of this week's VOTW award. Congratulations to Blacketh, props on the drop my dude!

Zombie.

http://i55.tinypic.com/33besuw.png

yo -

.
.

worm-ridden rotten wood-panel carpeted shack,
rusty nails, sharper than tacs - calloused feet scarring & scratched
chipped paint, mildew stains, plaster, parted with cracks
from twitching claws inside these thinning walls - an army of rats,
follow the tracks .. skeleton key for gates, partially black
it's red, rusted underbelly, vomiting gnats -
coughing in hacks, smokes and coffee, filtered water and tar
ashtrays, empty bottles, stumbled walks to the bar..
from an outsider's perspective, it appears awful bizarre,
to see a zombie in a business suit and company car.
even swampland is gone - now it's a pit of powdery ash
lost prescriptions for xanax and a mountain of glass
towers collapse, inhale deep, feel the toxins absorbing
rockin' Gator boots for a night out, and Crocs in the morning.
monsters are swarming, scaly armor, shrieking away
fur caked with breaking scabs, leaking greenish decay;
there's no safe place to lay around & weep in the shade,
cause that smoky sky implies the willow trees are aflame ..
Dawn of the Dead is digitized in every media played,
all your porno flicks are really necrophilia, framed -
satellites, mechanical maggots, slowly eating our brains
just to make sure we stay obedience trained.
lightning storms, then metal rainbows of the steeliest gray
yet before a meal, we still believe in kneeling to pray ..
ingredients: pain, ibuprofen, chemical alchemy,
gold and silver filtered into it to lessen the calories,
everything's manipulated, life's molecular faculties
are compromised in our pursuit for intellectual mastery,
breathing all the oxygen, repossessing reality
looking dead as presidents inside the Kennedy family.

wretched insanity, open sores, spreading disease
body temperature in fahrenheit is seven degrees,
scene's like a gory game we played repetitively,
but everything's so Evil now, it made the Residents leave ..

take a second to breathe, search a term on Wikipedia's site,
see how we're killing ourselves - to live an easier life.







- Black

[youtube]GK9EmWZNPpo[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Krytical Mass

So Kryt, let's start this off with some current events. You've been having trouble operating AIM lately, should we expect to see you encounter the same kind of technical difficulty with your verse this week?


Lol…naw…Its harder than it looks. The “concept” was actually hard to interpret, but I’m good at finding my way out, And mmechanically I think i got it.


You've been seen as somewhat of an underdog in both of your battles so far, and have proven the odds wrong. Did you see yourself as the underdog? Were you expecting to make it to the semis?


I’ve been an underdog with every battle I have had, except the one with Lang and that’s because we were both new, and honestly I thought it was closer than the voters saw it. But I always expected to beat everyone I have faced. Some call it arrogance some call it stupidity…lol


This playoff season has seen some newer people come into their own, including you. Do you think you've improved? What kind of writer are you now compared to you when you first signed in?


I write way differently on SS. I have been through hoops, transforming my style from spoken word to this, and still learning with each verse.


You're going up against breakfast extraordinary Oatmeal, what are your thoughts on him as an opponent? As a man?


I think your mechanics are good, struggle with holding a concept, and a little soupy with milk. As a man…That’s still up for debate…lol


Who do you see making it to the finals, and eventually winning the season?


I can’t see black losing…Brandons good but the way black had been writing I can’t see him losing with such good mechanics and a well thought out concept like last week and the week before.


Any more comments, shout-outs, shit talk, do it here.


Yea gl. Shout out to dub v, my nigga mook, ron ron, Thomas, ja-dub…naw jp…hopefully i see ya'll next season, and ya'll better respond when I OM this shit up after the season. peace.


[youtube]JZ6-FYAngvc[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Goodbyes
by Gwap

Good Riddance!

I mean....

Good Writtens!..


After the 2nd round of the Playoffs, we had 3 people who put up some great verses to compete.... and then Bong.... haha, naw but it was another really good week overall and unfortunately 4 more people bit the dust (rug munchers), but lets get to these guys who put up a hell of a season worth of material..


Bong: Lets just get this no showing prick out of the way, only thing this guy is good for is playin online poker, and doing hookers & cocaine.. which was the reason he no showed this week, he back home broke, wit a bloody nose, smellin of cocoa butter, covered in glitter... naw but in all seriousness I hope to see bong back next season and to show up more, dude always shows up with a dope verse when he drops, his multis and imagery are prolly his two best strengths..

Trajik: Now lets get the sour puss out next, this guy couldn't keep his head up if he was fuckin a bitch on a tight rope.. jp lol.. Trajik knows he does need more confidence, hopefully he can get more of it in the off season and come back next season ready to put all his skills to the test, he wasn't too thrilled with the pic this week so kind of threw him off in his match, well.. that's the reason he gave for being so wack, its like when a friend of yours or someone you know starts telin a story of how they beat up 10 people at once and everyone looks at each other knowing he/she is full of shit and you just all let them tell the story anyways for shits, we kind of just let Trajik make that sad excuse and pat the lil fella on his back n send him on his way out of the SS playoffs, through the woods, and to Brandma's house he goes....... to bake some cupcakes and cheer Brandon on... haha, naw you know I'm just kiddin wit ya Trajik, you have improved a lot this season so you should be proud my son..

Nahlidge: This guy is a good writer, so you would think this guy's verses wouldn't need Krytical attention, and wow were we right.. cuz that Krytical attention just got his ass benched kid! haha.. naw but shit don't even have a ton to joke about with Nahlidge, I mean we could make fun of his strange facial features, or his wack tracks, or just his overall kodak moment of a failure by losing to Krytical jp lol, and I'm kiddin Kryt!.. Nahlidge put up some nice verses through out the season and even beat out one of the main favorites of this season, Token. So with all that said, I hope to see you back next season Nahlidge..

Beta: Well, this guy prolly has improved the most this season, has been putting in a lot of work even outside of ss, dropping a few really nice pieces in the OM, he had a tough competitor to beat out, Brandon, put up a good fight but the voters leaned in Brandon's direction.. hopefully your sailor ass doens't get stuck on Gilligan's Island or some shit, I just hope the rest of the sailors quit making you walk around holding their pockets and trading you off for cigarette butts, I guess Lang just likes to make everybody happy, god bless is lil heart... hahaha, all jokes all jokes homie, great season overall and hope to see you around next season, keep droppin in OM and elevating brodiddley..


Okay folks, there you have it, feel free to punch each of these members in the face on their way out..

Your Papi,

Gwapfather
[youtube]-lrVO3pPDP4[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Semifinal Predictions
by Gwap


Brandon vs. Black:
This is gonna be super duper fuckin close, but I think Black will edge it out, if both drop their very best, I just think Black is slightly better then Brandon at this point, however Brandon has shown some really great work in the playoffs, has been real consistant, but so has Black, his verse against me was one of the best all season, his verse last week I haven't fully read, just skimmed through but looked pretty dope as well, either way a championship calibur writer will be making the finals

Oat vs. Kryt:
Kryt has ended up on the right side of the prediction I had of him this playoff season, he's either hit or miss with his concepts/verses, hits alot more then misses, but does miss at times, but has come up big the past couple weeks, I don't think many of us would have had Kryt picked as a semi finalist this season before the start of the playoffs, so props on that Kryt.. Oat is a beast, all though he's got all these english degrees n shit n teaches fuckin kindergarden, so you gotta wonder if this nutjob has a screw loose jp hahaha.. naw but oat knows how to write very well, so his mechanics are usually always on point, I think only one of his losses arent from a no show, dude has put down dope shit when he drops, I think we all know this.. n as much as I hate to tell ya Kryt, I think Oat is gonna get it, maybe its best for you since I thought you were gonna lose the first two weeks and pulled off the wins lol..

[youtube]APw9ES0JpZo&ob=av3e[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Quarterfinal Thoughts

Last round continued to add to the playoff narrative in fine form. One Cinderella story came to an end while another bumrushed the ball, as Beta and Krytical lost and won, respectively. I have to say, both had dope showings that showed glimpses of the potential these two have yet to tap into. I was particularly impressed with Kryt, who sculpted a powerful metaphor and handled it with delicate authority. I’m def not sleeping on him, he can bang with the best of them.

I think both matchups are gonna be dope as fuck this week. First, you got a true clash of the titans in Black vs. Brandon. Brandon was the man to beat this whole season, streaking through almost every week as champ. On the other hand, Black was Waldo, showing off his stripes every so often. It’s the former season champ vs. the uncrowned king, and should be one for the ages. The other match, pitting myself against Krytical, should prove to be an interesting clash. This was supposed to be a rematch between myself and Token, the sequel to our Legendary battle earlier this season. But Kryt beat the man who beat the man who beat THE MAN, and did so convincingly. I hope we both step our games up to another level as to match the quality of the other semifinal soirée.

But the best story taking shape from this year’s playoffs is the bright future of SS. Luminaries like Brandon and Black will be the centerpieces of our next seasons, but guys like Beta, Krytical, Trajik and Gwapfather will be formidable contenders sooner than later. Just another reason why SS is by far the best league on the site, great talent that continues to grow and evolve. I’m excited to see how the progression of others affects mine, as steel inevitably sharpens steel.

-Oats



[youtube]fhEDI4zURx0[/youtube]

[oatmeal]

Outro

That’s all she wrote! Another round of unquenchable, impregnable, ferocious topical action. Only 3 more battles left until we all begin to wander the halls of OM in the purgatory that is SS offseason. So enjoy it, you ungrateful ingrates!

[The Gwapfather]

I'm gonna get on the good bye section soon and get it to you asap, but lol @ naming me a formidable contender wit cats who never even champed like I did jp lol.. naw but shit who knows maybe Kyrt might champ soon (mean mugs Oat).. I hope you guys check out my new piece in OM soon n leave feed though, its my best work yet, it's called "Humaliens".. ANYWAYS, nice work on the mag, other then the couple things that need to be edited in still, shits dope.. good luck to Black, Brandon, Oat, and Kyrtical...

[trajik]

Nice mag so far! Good work everyone. I'm gonna miss SS til it's back... OM has nothing on SS.

[Mr. Black]

dope! much thanks for the votw nod guys.

who's the interviewee?

[Express'on]

Only 2 more battles to go Oat...lol

[The Gwapfather]

^word I was thinkin "3? does he have some special battle at the end? haha" forgot to say something, thats funny though, oats be high n shit.. but yo Oat, I'm workin on the good byes now, almost done, I'll send em via a pm soon..


EDIT: Good byes are done and sent to Oat..

[oatmeal]

3 battles meaning 3 total battles - 2 this round and one in the final. Reading that again, it really didn't sound like what I was trying to say lol

[oatmeal]

Krytical, you really need to figure out your AIM situation dude lol. Go on now