CBL Mag 6-17-07 "Out Of Site, Out Of Mind"

[Robert Are]

Intro

Last week was eh. Some no-shows sprinkled in here and there, and some decent battles that went down. There wasn't even a mugshot...But what pissed me off the most was the voting! The champ match only got THREE votes! Some battles didn't get ANY votes until today! WHAT...THE...FUCK? Anyways, I know some of you are probably wondering where G-Rated is, well, I don't know, but I just know that as a mod, it's my job to do mags and shit, so deal with it. I've decided to let whoever talk shit about me. It doesn't bother me anymore. I'm doing my job.


But besides that; c'mon people! Recruit! I forget the number but we have less than 20 cats in the league. And do the math; if HALF of them no show every week, that's not a good number. I'll try and do my recruit thing but I can't do all the work.



Anyways, mag time bitch.

[Robert Are]

Battle Overviews

I swear, some of ya'll punch like video game characters.

...And that ain't a compliment

CBL Champ Match: 1. Illustration (9-2) vs. 2. Area51 (3-1)
- Decent matchup. Both dropped mediocre compared to what they can really do. Area dropped pretty played, as did Ill. But Ill had the less played verse in my and other votes (TWO) eyes. Another thing, this battle got THREE VOTES. Enough said. Anyways, Illustration ended up winning 2-1.

CBL Contendership Match: 3. Torment (4-5) vs. 4. Nostalgia (4-4)

- Well I must say, being in this league, you see alot of elevation. I've always thought though that Tor's been elevating quite well recently. He showed it here. Nostalgia abandoned his usual shit and came with some wierdo highlight/italicized shit that wasn't good. Tor still needs wording work, but he got this one pretty easy.

5. koke07 (2-1) vs. 6. Timberlake (1-0)
- Not feeling this battle at all. Niether had ONE decent diss in their verses as far a structured punch goes. Just not a good battle at all. Both need help on constructing a punch. Anyways, Timberlake won it with the votes.

7. Varcity (5-3) vs. 8. Sureloc Holmes (6-4)
- The closest battle of the week. Varc dropped alright, but I know and he knows he can do better. Sureloc dropped aight as well. It went down to the wire with votes, ending up 3-3. I had to close it and give myself the win only because I voted on other battles, which I really really didn't wanna do. See bitches, this is why you vote, so shit like this doesn't happen. I hope Varc knows, I honestly didn't wanna do that.

9. Tyme Lyne (2-1) vs. 10. Kufi Agitator (0-1)
- Kufi no showed.

11. Caleb Pratt (1-2) vs. 12. scoobykanye (0-0)
- Aight battle. Caleb needs work with concepts and whatnot, but he's got the idea. Scooby used to be better a while back, but he's fell off and needs the concepts and structure with his punches. This battle got ONE FUCKING VOTE...sorry to scooby and Caleb that there weren't more. Caleb won.

13. DJ Vegas (0-0) vs. 14. Young (0-0)
- Vegas no showed.

[Robert Are]

Power Rankings

lol. I just typed in Top 10...

...and this came up.

I was gonna do a top 10 but then everyone in the league'd be in it...and that's not the point of it, so...

8. Celeb Pratt
- He understands the definition of a punch, but needs mad work with concepts and the way he words 'em. I think if he's shown some real dope battlers in a wall of fame or somethin', he'll understand and elevate alot quicker. Beware of this guy in coming weeks.

7. Nostalgia
- I don't know what happened last week, but before that, Nos was doing pretty good. His concepts and wording need tweaking, but if he does that, he'll be good.

6. Torment
- Elevating. That's one thing I could use to describe him. The concepts, style, and structure of it all, it's all there. But his wording is hurting him on the punches. Keep working on that and you'll be dope soon enough.

5. Varcity
- He's got mad punches, but again, like Torment, his wording hurts the sting of said punches, and it happens alot. Also, I'd like to see him step outta the realm of the usual type punches he comes with.

4. Area51
- I didn't like his drop last week. He knows he can come better than that. I don't know, it's like he sees this league as a joke or something. Until he drops like I know he can, he won't champ this league.

3. Sureloc Holmes
- I don't want to make it seem like I'm being cocky by ranking myself this high, but honestly, the league is in bad shape at the moment, and I'd consider myself one of the better here. I just need to take more time on my verses.

2. Illustration
- He's the champ for now. And while he is the champ, I still feel like he's holding back and not dropping like he knows how. If he keeps at that, he'll get knocked off.

1. Transgress
- Probably the most complete battler here besides maybe myself or Illustration. He's an alias obviously. But I still have not a clue who he is. Anyways, he'll probably champ this league again soon if he stays signed in. (sorry Ill)


I only did this cuz I didn't see any 'top punches'.

[Robert Are]

Battle Matchups/Predictions


CBL Champ Match: 1. Illustration (10-2) vs. 2. Torment (5-5)
- Hmmm...I'm going to go ahead and assume that Ill drops like he's been dropping lately and that Torment will steadily improve and say that Tor can pull it out. BUT, if Ill can take it serious and come hard, he might wipe the floor with him. We'll shall see. And hopefully, this gets more than three votes.

3. Sureloc Holmes (7-4) vs. 4. Transgress (8-1)
- This could very well end up being the best match this league's ever seen. But that's only if both battlers want it to be. Sureloc is in other leagues and it all depends on if he'll take the time to write a verse that he knows he can. I don't know who Trans is, but I suspect that he's in other leagues as well. This is a very interesting match-up. Again, let's hope this gets alot of votes.

5. Tyme Lyne (3-1) vs. 6. Caleb Pratt (2-2)
- Tyme. Well...she needs alot of work on constructing a punchline. I mean, a decent punchline. Caleb drops decent punches and I think in time he'll be rather good. This is a toss up honestly, but I see Caleb edging it out barely since voters usually vote for Liyah no matter what how awful her verse was................Just kidding Liyah, don't 'freepost' me.

7. Area51 (3-2) vs. 8. Nostalgia (4-5)
- I'm sort of mad at Area. He just doesn't seem to care much about this league. And it makes me angry because, no offense to the other battlers besides a few, but he could champ this league rather easily if he took the time to. Nostalgia took a step back last week but let's hope he rises again this week. Nos can sting battlers, so Area needs to watch it. But, even if that's the case, Area is a more polished battler and even if he doesn't give it all, he should be able to take this.

9. Varcity (5-4) vs. 10. Young (1-0)
- Young is a newb to battling. So I'll keep this short and sweet. Varc wins in a landslide. Sorry to Young, but I think you knew this.

11. koke07 (2-2) vs. 12. scoobykanye (0-1)
- Koke is eh. Scooby used to be better like I said. But they're both newbs in the sense of the word. It's definantly a toss up.

13. khalidrocks (1-1) vs. 14.¤Glõ8ÂL¤ (3-6)
- Glo's a late entry. He JUST PM'd me. I mean, literally, right now. Anyways, like I said, khalid's a no shower/extension asker. If he shows, we'll see if Glo can pull something out. Actually, this seems like it'll be a mighty interesting match. Good luck to both.

[Robert Are]

This Week's Lesson



The Punchline

Punch n.: A line that disrespects someone.

Punches come in as many forms as there are literary devices. All of which, if perfected, can earn you respect. I’ll be going over most of the forms of punch lines and how to utilize them effectively. If you want help with wording punches, refer to my wording tutorial.

Clowning

Clowning punches take events and specific traits of people and turn them against an opponent. It’s just putting out jokes on another person’s expense. Everybody loves a joke though. If you’ve got em, toss em down…

I’v murdered u once. End of story. They’ll be no doubts in this thread
even doctors with accents’ll have no trouble pronouncin’ u dead
- Butler vs. cheemagun (10/19/04)

jay-z Lauren Hill an kurt kobane are similar to wat this thug brings.
cuz even MTVs been urgin ya Dell to do the unplugged thing.......
- Butler vs. John Hensley (10/29/05)

When clowning someone, it’s better to have a stereotype to go off of or some kind of fuel. More or less, if the reader can get an idea of what you’re talking about, then your clowning punches hit a lot harder. So in pic battles this may be all you see, while in regular text battles it isn’t so prevalent. In audio there’s a lot you have to go off as well, and hence, more useful a route to take. Don’t make fake lines, cause they just don’t hit.

Delayed Punch

Delayed punches are more of a structure thing than a different kind of punch. The main thing it’s giving is a dramatic pause within a punch line. If you’ve got a strong, concise punch, don’t want to mess with the wording, and need to extend the line, this is a good option. However, if the punch is weak, this is going to highlight that weak punch in the verse similar to how a beat cut would on a track.

And there ain’t no debating it…
If you were God…
…the whole nation would be Atheist
- wizerd vs. Black Ice (9/18/04)

its the old head. LM, rhymes hot and the hardest.
Gods .gif to text.
...in the form of a snapshot of his garbage.
- Butler vs. LM (10/22/05)

Concept Flip

Concept Flips use slang sayings and idioms as a base. Any word with multiple meanings is a target for a concept flip. Both sides of the phrase should make sense, similar to an ambiguous picture (two faces / a vase).

Your still a semi-vet Kal. Trust me, I'll ruin ya face.
an throw a left-right combo Fort Knox'll use on their safes.
- Butler vs. Ex Kal (12/06/04)

Haven’t read him in a while, call it a sin…
Ain’t spit a dope verse in so long…
…een his shadow quit following him
- wizerd vs. Butler (11/25/04)

This is the most common form of a punch line, so it gets abused. Just make sure what you flip it to has a fresh feel to it and try not to stretch it too much. The concepts on these really make or break them.

Exaggeration

Exaggeration is pretty self-explanatory. It takes a general idea and blows it out of proportion. These have been around since the beginning of hip-hop, so to use them effectively you’ll need a good spin on things.

Lemmie clear things up. Im gonna pound this fool.
an I’d sprint circles around his blood. but there aint no runnin around the pool.
- Butler vs. John Hensley (10/29/05)

like you couldn't remember, when i speak, bullets will simmer
get hit so early Rich, I'll turn ya morning wood into splinters
- Butler vs. Richard Corey (10/06/04)

Bury the myths, ain’t a drunkard but I’ll carry the 5th…
N make you hit the ground so hard the Earth’s polarity shifts…
- wizerd vs. Raw Scientz (05/01/02)

Generally these lines are structured like “you’ll get so many ____ that ____.” If you can get a different variation on that general structure, then you’re going in the right track. Either that or it really does need to be dope.

Imagery

Imagery comes in two forms. One’s pretty basic and you need something pretty much revolting to do damage with it. Punch imagery is a lot more effective than just some random disgusting picture. You want to start off with something you can flip to make a nice line out of it. Imagery is a huge part of topicals, not to downplay its battle effectiveness, but a topical without imagery is very bland. Point blank, if you’ve got the adjectives to put a good picture in someone’s head, do it, but do it with some style and creative merit…

you damn flake, i gotta backhand that'll make ya fam shake
'n batter ya chest until it yields a shortstack a' pancakes.
- Butler vs. Mets (11/16/04)

i got a vault of caskets, all the cushions are red...
fuck sendin flowers...
...i’ll plant a rose bush in your chest
- wizerd ~ yze ki (7/01/06)

I’ll grin at the meat, watch your jaw clinch as I eat…
Rip your flesh off till your whole body’s sportin the skin of your teeth…
- wizerd vs. Butler (11/25/04)

Adjective choice really is a key part of imagery. If you don’t pick the right words or use bland descriptive terms, it ruins the line. If you can fit your adjectives into the rhyme scheme, then that’s a plus. Try not to overdo it too much in battles though.


Nameplay

Nameplays are pretty self-explanatory. Take the name of your opponent and flip it into a concept. It’s really just a sub-genre of wordplay. Do note most nameplays have been used unless your opponent just started out, so if it’s way too obvious, just don’t bother.

My newbie-murder tactic’s simple.. I Punish all the bullshit
‘n dropkick until they can’t decipher log from woodchips
- Butler vs. Logical (10/27/04)

I reiterate most nameplays have been used. I used to hate when people flipped my name cause it was ALWAYS the SAME flip. Some people who had never seen it before thought they were dope. Everybody else discounted the line period cause they’d seen it too. Just keep it fresh, which is a good general thing to do in hip-hop anyways.

Personal

Personals are right in front of you. Anything the board in general would know about is fair game. Avatar, location, pics, RC’s chin, J-Nyce’s plastic glocks, or even a beef thread can be the basis. These can hit really hard long as its fresh to the board. It’s not so effective to just bring something up. Personals need to be coupled with a flipped concept.

based on that last match wit Prospekt?.. i'll pummel this "veteran"
cuz dood's been havin' trouble beatin' kids i have trouble rememberin'...
- Butler vs. Fracture (10/13/04)

Good luck trashin my rep. Clownin my skills. The style that I’m reppin
I’m really just waitin’ to hear him diss the crew that he tried to get in.
- Butler vs. Lieutenant (12/01/04)

your like 30! 'n never stepped in the booth
i mean,
u got clogged arteries.. who's blood flows better than you..
- Butler vs. Richard Corey (10/06/04)

Try to stay away from really discreet shit. People won’t know what you’re talking about, you’ll get pissed about it and end up explaining the punch, and that just makes the line look worse. Use your setup to tell what the personal is, then flip the personal with the next line. That way there’s no need to explain the punch, because it’s right there in the rhyme. Just make sure you don’t completely give away the punch before you throw it. You can easily avoid that by having a fresh flip.

Recall

Recalls take a phrase and double meaning off of it for two lines. Most end up being kind of a one-up thing, but with a bit of wordplay, they can be dope. It’s not my favorite method, but I’ve grown so accustomed to seeing them, they just played themselves out to me. Though *I’M* not real fond of them, other people might dig them and I am not the God of Hip-Hop, so I acknowledge their existence.

...Read the ranks. Circled over whichever rappers got doper.
only circle over Imp gon' be the flight pattern of vultures....
- Butler vs. Yung Impression (1/13/06)

Paper or plastic< Either way, understand im implyin a bag.
n when im finished...? dont matter. yall still gon' see Implyin a bag.
- Butler vs. Imperial (11/05/05)

Try to stay away from making it a one-up. Make sure the diss is clear and don’t stretch the double meaning too much. If it isn’t really creative, it’s going to take away from the verse. So on this one, I know I keep using the term, but on this one ESPECIALLY, it had BETTER BE fresh. These started in 2003 and every kid in the world threw them in a month. After that month, I really have despised anything that wasn’t just sick.

Wordplay

Wordplay is a delicate thing. If it isn’t perfect it’s not usable; if it is perfect, AND original, it’s dope. This is more of a text-specific skill that would generally go unnoticed in audio, and it’s been abused. Anything that isn’t two words or so is played now, but a good wordplay punch is going to be #1 in the mag if a solid one got thrown that week. It comes in a two forms: homophones and word fusion. Homophones are pretty much picked to death now, so stay away from them. Word fusion combines two or more words into one English-defined word, and then relates both sides of the pun.

i dont wanna sit thru ya garbage bars. it gets nothn but worse now.
cuz by the time Def enzyme gonna hav mine breakn his verse down.
- Butler vs. Pharoah Def (11/12/05)

Courts adjourned. Your wack. n I hault weak text.
so whetever bullshit u trial wind up in a short recess...
- Butler vs. Twisted Flowa (09/17/05)

The props u get for ya corny wordplay? John won't be gettin here
cuz the Globe's divided by Terror. An all i see in Hemisphere.
- Butler vs. John Hensley (12/15/04)

I’m lethal, hangin Scientz spread eagle…
Cause Titanic’s the sixth sense, icy dead people…
- wizerd vs. Raw Scientz (04/03/02)

The biggest problem with wordplay is a lot of them are creative, but don’t really diss anything. Sometimes I still like them, but MAKE SURE it’s PERFECT. Stretched wordplay is the most annoying thing in text. Another thing, visual wordplay was deaded in 2002, don’t use it anymore… it was wack to begin with.



Class dismissed.

[Robert Are]

Outro
- Well, sorry for the short mag. I did it out of nowhere, so excuse that. And for those of you wondering about punches, READ THE LESSON DAMNIT! It's there for a reason. I want to see you guys elevate. There will be a mugshot this week unlike last week. Matches going up now. And another thing...

VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Area51]

cool mag
and what can I say.. I'm lazy

[Caleb_Pratt]

Hey Area in BX some think I might lose to TCalico aka Caliho.......LOL, Smh!!

[Area51]

you've got that one I think, although I can't really remember any of Calico's verses that well

[Illustration]

Calico is mediocre at best Caleb..just dont go after him for the 'calico' nameplay...just do a little research and merk him...

At least I got Profitcy this week...hahah