MC Battle Blog

(“This is what I had to deal with during this interview. Chew your fucking food, Mac.”)

Kansas City Native Mac Lethal took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some battle related questions, strictly of the goodness of his heart. Well, that and because I bothered him about it constantly for several weeks, but whatever.

Mac discusses old school topics, such as his performances in the early Scribble Jam battles, before touching on Grind Time, the new age form of rap battling. Mac touches on who he feels is overrated in Grind Time, his widely debated battle with Okwerdz during Scribble ’04, as well as his return to battling in the near future. It’s a must read!

Q: After destroying everyone during the 2001 Scribble Jam battle, you got to the finals to face AdeeM. It seemed like you kind of ran out of steam and the crowd kind of turned on you. What are your thoughts on this battle and both of your performances?

A: I think I could have won. I literally had to take a really really really bad shit, and refused to use the restroom at Annie’s. There are several other interviews where my utter need to blast an Illmaculate sized turd (not a diss) out of my anus was documented.

Q: Were you depressed after having such a dominant run only to get to the finals and go home the runner up?

A: No, everything happening now is because of the run I had in 2001.

Q: The next year you won the 2002 finals, but not before controversy arose. Legend has it that Dos Noun was none too happy about you advancing over him in the earlier rounds and voiced his opinion about it throughout the rest of the event. After you defeated Majestik Legend in a very one sided finals match, you called out Dos Noun to settle it once and for all. Can you please give your side of the story to this sequence of events?

A: I think I felt like Dos had a line that overpowered any other lines we exchanged through-out the battle. And people were pissy that he wasn’t advanced. Perhaps because everyone else in the battle was wack, and Dos should have appeared in the battle more because he was more entertaining? Either way, I brought him back on stage because I didn’t want to walk away without giving him a chance. Then the crowd cheered for me to take the trophy back.

Q: Do you feel you won the first match between you and him?

A: I won the match of life between me and him. Kidding, I don’t know, or care. No.

Q: What happened with the famous gas mask trophy? Is it sitting somewhere in Dos Noun’s closet or did you keep it?

A: I definitely kept it. It was decided by the crowd for me to take it back.

Q: Do you have any interesting Scribble stories that the casual battle fans wouldn’t know about? Or maybe some fun inside info or funny anecdotes?

A: 2002 and 2005 (whatever year I battled Illmac), I was drunk and didn’t plan to battle until the last minute. So those were technically both completely unrehearsed and very dull performances. I have also never watched any clips from either of those years. From ANY rapper.

Q: Approximately how drunk were you during your 2004 Scribble run?

A: Wasted. Kinda sober by the end.

Q: Many people feel that Okwerdz deserved to advance against you in the first round. Do you agree?

A: Yes.

Q: When you battled against Illmaculate in the finals, he came out to a strong lead, with you beginning to close the gap as the match went on. After a while it seemed like his relentless approach was wearing you down and it became clear that 2004 was definitely his year to win. What are your thoughts on this match?

A: I think I quit battling in general halfway through that match, because I realized yelling at a 17 year old about how wack he was, even though I thought he was really good, was silly. So Illmaculate effectively ended my battling career. I got my Eyedea line off, and it’s been over ever since.

Q: If you could rematch anyone from your battling history, who would it be?

A: Hollow da Don. (Ed. Note: I have no clue when Mac and Hollow allegedly battled.)

Q: I’ve noticed that you vary your setups to your punches quite a bit in different battles. For instance, sometimes you’ll have a very specific and coherent setup like, “Those orange clothes man, they’re not too hard/ You look like a thugged out crossing guard.” Whereas in other instances you will use a setup like, “Mac is the iguana” and “I’m like a ninja turtle!”

Are the more unique and odd setups on purpose or were they all you could think of at the time?

A: I should have never done that style. It really ruined battle rap. People think it’s acceptable to not be able to flow when you rap now. It’s not true. And I can actually flow in pocket, and rhythmically. I just wanted to stand out because the Eyedea/ Freestyle Fellowship style battling was very dominant at this point.

Q: Alright, switching gears, it’s quite clear that acapella written battles have become the new rage, replacing good old fashioned freestyle stage battles with beats and mics. What are your thoughts on leagues like King Of The Dot, Grind Time and Don’t Flop?

A: It’s definitely advanced battling. Now, whether or not it’s going to plateau like freestyle battling did is yet to be seen. A lot of the people who are great at written battling seem to be regressing and not doing it as actively. Either that or Dumbfoundead needs to make a new appearance pretty quick here, so dispel me losing my mind.

Q: Is there a part of you that wishes events like Scribble Jam, the Superbowl battles and other stage events would come back?

A: No. I don’t. They are classic events, and the essence and passion died out long ago. The ONLY thing interesting that could happen, would be for them to bring the champions of the past 10 years or whatever back, to battle written style. But I doubt some of these cats would be interested in doing it.

Q: Recently you’ve made it clear that your battle blood lust hasn’t been fulfilled and you’d like to come back to the scene via Grind Time. The opponents that you’d like for your first match back are Iron Solomon, Conceited or Locksmith. It’s very clear these are battlers who take themselves seriously and are not fond of the idea of harboring a loss on their record. This is evidenced by Iron and Conceited being so selective with their future opponents, as well as Locksmith regularly doing promo battles. Can you expand on why you chose these opponents as well as how you think you match up with them?

A: I think I would ruin them. They are trash.

Q: Who are your favorite Grind Time battlers?

A: Iron Solomon, Conceited and Locksmith.

Q: Do any Grind Time battlers come to mind as overrated in your mind?

A: Iron Solomon, Conceited and Locksmith.

Q: How about underrated?

A: Iron Solomon, Conceited and Locksmith.

Q: Where do you see battling headed in the next couple of years?

A: It depends. If Iron Solomon, Conceited and Locksmith decide to get into a 4 way murk fest with me (no homo, just in case), I definitely think we could further advance battling, and really solidify it’s place in the world.

Some new blood needs to come out though. Like, the new Dumbfoundeads, and Madnesses and Thesauruses. The kids that are just billions of years ahead of their time. The problem is, people follow the archetypes of Iron Solomon, Conceited and Locksmith. Fucking advance the sport god damn it.

And for the last time, find me a fucking opponent that makes sense.

Mac is scheduled to battle Dirt Bag Dan at Grizzlemania 2 in Florida over Labor Day weekend.