Ya’know…it’s funny how just two months ago I lobbied the need for a name change around here. Since than there have been battles (and attempts at battles) popping up sporadically. It’s like a car accident though…it gets ugly and yet we all want to slow down and watch it as it unfolds. So with the resurgence of the battle scene I figure who better to chop it up with than the “new-vet” MiracleRic. Much like Bartek, Ric came into his own through the boards. Representing the new breed of rapper where laptops and Soundclick pages have replaced the notebook and cipher on any given block to a degree. This thundercat is an admitted shit-talker who’s in transition from being a “netcee”, to becoming a great songwriter. Let’s see what dude has to say.

YM. What’s good?

What's Really Good? Not Much, stuck in writer's block's clutch, losing my hot touch, to a cold stroke, losing focus like old folks, I hold hopes and faith, I mold dope and grace, my mojo potion is hustled at a slow motion pace, and then its packed in vials, fuck it, lets collab an call it blak and mild!


YM. Up until recently you were the reigning King O’The Ring, right? Gifted writer a lot of people respect around here on top of that. Do you think from that you might have influence over some people? Case in point last month’s tournament; there seemed to be some swaying of a vote on your part. A draw came about till one person started to voted one way and you “offered” your opinion as to why they should vote for another. Talk a little about that.

I remember the incident. I was really surprised that the person changed there vote. I guess I am somewhat respected by the battlers/MC's of the board I'm very vocal about my opinions and usually pretty neutral but if I disagree with a vote i'm vocal about it. I'm known to complain about the weakness of my own verse to folks. Zin and Frak like to mess with me and say I be pollyin' votes and I guess sometimes my opinions do influence folks so I guess it’s somewhat true. It doesn’t bother me because i’m usually vocal with the intent not to influence but to understand why someone thought this or that verse was hotter than the next and sometimes to show people what they’re missing from a verse.

YM. I’ve watched you for years and battling stands out as your forte, am I wrong in that assumption? Your wordplay is real intricate…it’s like you have a gang of books close by for some ill references. I take it being an emcee is more than just posting verses on the internet for you, yes?

I’m not sure if I would say battling is my forte but it's definitely a strong point. As an MC/writer my talents lie mostly in wordplay/clever ish, imagery/vibe and flow. As far as the references...it's weird, I used to think I was good at that but I’ve fallen off. It takes a lot of input of inspiration for me to get going nowadays. As a battler I think ima lil lax with the punchlines. I like the raw feel they can add to a verse and how a good punchline can appeal to anyone. As an overall MC, I still see myself as a netcee. I'm hard on myself, so until I improve things like my mic presence, cadences, focus and consistency I’m still just an aspiring MC. Don’t be mistaken, I’m grinding, in fact me and frak are gonna try and pump mixtapes out this summer on the beatjack tip. There are some other okp's I’m tryin' to work with...u,zin,aus,frak and I got ish to connect with...I wanna get at some bartek beats, and its a few lessonheads I had my eye on for a while for beats. So, things are looking up but i’m gonna stay hungry for a while.

YM. When did you decide hey…I want to be an emcee, than realize hey…I AM an emcee? You’re actually becoming a double threat in that you make your own beats as well, right? With all that how’s the transition from just writing to actually recording going?

I’m not sure of the exact moment when I just decided, "I'm gonna be an MC" but this board has had a huge influence on that choice. I started out with poetry/spoken word writing and posting. PSALM was the beginning of the rhymes for me and it just blew up from there and battling just called to me. I see myself as the playful yet philosophical, storytellin' yet shit-talkin' everyday type of MC. I wanna spit love-songs, I wanna spit street soundtracks, I wanna spit chill music and bangers, I wanna spit stories and concepts but I still consider myself a writer first and an MC second and i’m workin' on that. Writer's Block has reluctantly become a very close friend. So my plan is to write verses until it comes natural again and then move on to polishing myself as an MC. Beatmaking is even more challenging. I'll return to that once I heat up a few mixtapes. The transition from writing to recording is actually tougher than a brick mason’s hand. I'm improving and these beatjacks should help out a lot. After that, I think I will start taking things a lot more serious and network more and make good music.


YM. Let’s back track a little, the name Miracle Ric. There might be a few people who don’t know the story behind the name.

This name came into existence about 6 or 7 years ago when I broke my neck in swimming accident. I didn’t know I broke my neck for 2 weeks, some malpractice suits coulda been filed but I didn’t want any more drama. So, I eventually had to have surgery. Titanium plates and screws and fused 4th and 5th vertebrae did the trick. Even my neurosurgeon said it was a miracle my vertebrae didn’t slip and cut my spinal cord. Miracle stuck for a lot of people. So I just added Ric (Rick being my name) and that was it.

YM. Lastly, you might’ve caught April’s YM where I was doing some lobbying about changing the name of the Freestyle Boards to The Speakeasy. Without the political correctness, what’s your opinion of the boards?

I think the speakeasy would be a more appropriate name because the freestyle board is most definitely more catered to poetic types than to us verse vandals. I like to dabble in poetry myself but not as much as I used to. I enjoy reading a lot of folks, particularly those who flaunt they skill in ill imagery. I feel like I neglect my more poetic side at times but it shines thru many of my rhymes. The boards are kinda strange right now. A few new talented cats around on both sides of the Poet/MC spectrum but it seems the usual suspects I check for aren’t posting as much and many new MC's get discouraged easily (some for very good reason). I think the board was more cohesive at one point and I think some egos are in need of deflation but overall I don’t have a major problem with it. I don’t like the decline of MC's b/c this is how I got my start but maybe that’s a sign to do something about my hunger and eat. Feed Me Seymour!


Good lookin Blak

THE IRON FLAG IS UPON YOU...

blk
---------SIG-----------

once i figure out how to keep a sig and not have all chopped up whenever i respond to a post.


http://ryanavery.com/musick/

Very nice interview and the swimming accident?? Damn, man I know you're grateful to be alive!!! Great interview as usual, Blak!
~~~~~~~~
if you like my poems let them
walk in the evening,a little behind you

then people will say
"Along this road i saw a princess pass
on her way to meet her lover(it was
toward nightfall)with tall and ignorant servants." e.e. cummings

---------SIG-----------

once i figure out how to keep a sig and not have all chopped up whenever i respond to a post.


http://ryanavery.com/musick/

Your magazine interviews just keep gettin' better & better, Blak -- *No Doubt*

And yes, Mr. Rick is indeed a miracle~man -- :P -- ;-) -- :9

(All that and a bag of Fire Hot Cheetoes) -- *chuckles*

you can keep this month's issue ...this mofo ...giving us some 'ol miracale ...story bout how he was in a wheel chair and the preacher touched his head ....and he walked and said i'm healed ....lmwcsao ****that's laugh my wheel chair story ass off****

Hate is the way we show love ....my mans you know i got love for you lil homie .... thanks for think enough of me to include me

lmllnhao *laughin my lucky limber neck having ass off*

*drives by zin on the motorchair*

you ain't lucky- you're neck's limber cuz you got no adam's apple

just say no, this cat came in the thread, read the interview...and the replies and then talked shit, LMFAO

i always wait for your responses.

because i've come to expect them to be well thought out minus any pretense. straight forward & bold but with tact...not to be confused with caution but rather a balanced respect.

which is what this interview showcased as well.

i'm gald your spine is still strong.

---
www.sheflypaper.com

thanx ms. lips

*stretches back*

i gotta get my reply game back, i depend on ya for inspiration

gasp.

---
www.sheflypaper.com

I'm trying to improve the whole YM experience...lemme know if i should stick with the original format. ric, thanx for being the guinea pig for this. click on the links.

pg.1
http://img225.echo.cx/img225/5716/ymxiv0tk.jpg
pg.2
http://img225.echo.cx/img225/1059/ymxiv27dr.jpg

---------SIG-----------

once i figure out how to keep a sig and not have all chopped up whenever i respond to a post.


http://ryanavery.com/musick/

thats kinda tight yo, i likes

me likey.

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www.sheflypaper.com

good to read you, sir.

Pink Panther as part of your avi...whats the connection?

blk

---------SIG-----------

once i figure out how to keep a sig and not have all chopped up whenever i respond to a post.


http://ryanavery.com/musick/

none at all for real, and thats snagglepuss

i dunno, as a kid, cartoons left a heavy imprint on me

and i kinda adopted the smooth silliness associated with snagglepuss

plus, i used to always say "stage left even"

*shrugs*

snagglepuss...that;s right...thanx for playing.

blk

---------SIG-----------

once i figure out how to keep a sig and not have all chopped up whenever i respond to a post.


http://ryanavery.com/musick/

...been on here a while as a lurker and an active participant and for whatever reason i never checked these anchored yukon mag threads till today

many props to yukon for setting this up- what an ill idea

i really like the way it looks on the page too- you should post that first next time cause i just read the interview in the post then i saw it in mag format

great interview

many props to ric as well for trying to succeeed as an mc in every aspect (a rhyming rennaissance man), for giving a very honest interview, for coming back from the dead, and especially for having the cojones to step in the ring with me when i called him out ;)

looking forward to next month's issue yukon!

HA! M Ricky str8 out a marvel comic book! it has been a pleasure to see and hear you grow (by leaps and bounds) as an emcee. now all you gotta do is get to miami and help me bag some of these dimes, i cant get em all.

miami full of mamis

i aint single no more but i got u on the wingman tip

Nicely done, Blak. I like the layout too...

Ric, you acquitted yourself quite well in this interview.