There was no way this endeaver was about to end on a sour note. Props to hdub for kicking it off and sustaining almost until the end. The entries were late, but I didn't think that was grounds for dismissal. After all, it IS the final round and I don't think it's unfair for the cats that made it this far to have a lil extra time to submit their entries.

So, I'm really excited to post up this last and final round.

First we have Shakeet Lohk Em whose lyrical skill can't be denied and whose steady incline and improvement during this competition has been remarkable to say the least. The track is hot y'all.

Then we have Prolif who has consistantly blessed us with ill drops and who still holds the KOTR title. This cat is smooth and gifted.

This is the finall y'all! Please show your appreciation for this event by posting your votes/comments.

Here we go.


Shakeet Lohk Em

Dreams/Windstaff

http://myspace.com/shakeet

Through the years we were treated so second class/
City school teachers playin parents while our seconds pass/
Hope the lessons last, past 2:45/
When we hit the street and put our life on the line/
Was good at English, excelled in arithmetic/
Bust since I can remember, yo I always had a rhythm tick/
And through my filaments/
Of pens I would write light so bright, I kinda lost sight of my mental gift/
Fights at home and pop lookin for a segue/
Through all my drama, I stopped writin for over a decade/
But last year I got back on my diesel/
With Picasso poetry and the world as my easel/
See, I'm 25, and I've been writin since 9/
When I first say my daddy sniffin on them white lines/
I come from real life, not no hood pantomime/
Where most would stand and analyze, I react cuz I'ma get mine/

Throughout all my crazy life, I never changed/
And though sorrow still remains, the kid Ralph still the same/
But not a day go by I don’t feel the pain/
So I’m real till the grave…/

Relax shawty, yeah you got your channel right/
Live and Direct broadcastin like your satellite/
I handle mics in the same way that I battle life/
No holds barred and stomp it out with an anvil’s might/
This mammal’s tight, ain’t got time for yall capybaras/
Copycat rats, style drier than the hot Sierra/
The Oxy bearer; fresh air to the rap asthmatics/
When it’s just some rancid acid/
Just bein candid, see lyrically the kid's King Kong/
The speech raw, the book of Revelation is my theme song/
I’m religious ‘bout my craft, an Art Monk with a wind staff/
Bringin hurricane change to give my congregation whiplash/
And lift lads like a Heineken six pack/
When they listen to my gospel wearin helmets with chinstraps/
I’m so sick, the grim reaper wear a mask around me/
Disinfect his robe, and get some R&R down in Maui/
It’s so contagious when I spit, It’s a pandemic/
Mass clinics, from my heat thats whiter than a grand wizard/
And centers on whoever think they competition/
That's like sayin, niggas pickin grapes from out of Martha's Vineyard/
Don't box me in, I 'on got no priors/
Shakeet more than "conscious", I'm straight from The Wire/
So for ANY cat who feel I ain't no ill emcee, come see me and I will eat thee/
Discharge you through my feces, flush you live on stage or even tucked behind your p.c./
So please see The Light and chill like Common did/
You ain’t built for rappin homey, keep your office gig/
I’m Cairo laden how I cycle the cadence, and lipo my pages/
Slicker than some bald tires hydroplanin/
It's Pharoh Sha from the Valley of Kings/
With a golden abacus to keep the talley of things/
And, sad to say, yall ain't addin up/
How you figure cuz you rhymin bars you think that's enough/
Yall got Sean Kemp conflicts, underachievin/
Guess ya moms never told you, you a blunder of semen/
Wonderin even, why'd you ever mutter a reason for slumberin season/
Slayin cats from breakadawn to thunderous evenins/
I'm so gifted, a victim of my rogue physics/
With no limit, I'm more than prolific/
I got your heart like when the sodium rise/
I'm the EPITOME of dope, call me Opium Prime/
Transformin what you wish for to what's happenin/
An emcee to split the Red Sea for Pan Africans/
I’m religious ‘bout my craft, an Art Monk with a wind staff.../



Prolif

Many Mics

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=3909310&q=hi

verse1:
now when it comes to a beat or a freestyle, i give what they need now/
emcees keep my number in speed dial/
i’m the one they calling for hits/
and it’s like i rinse my mouth out wit soap, i keep some bars on my lips/
Prolif, tha regular cat, spittin’ on hetero-tracks/
and they gon’ take me off top – i’m like a federal tax/
and there really aint no com-paring him/
number one in ya’ fantasy - lyrically, i’m Shawn Marion/
born as the cat that could come through/
to give ya’ll a break from the norm of what rap has succumbed to/
no glassy chain or a flashy Range/
just trying to drop a lil sounds for some cash and change/
and it prolly’ wont sell, but i impact whole nations/
i’ll just spread my tracks around and ask for do-nations/
and naw i aint on no station – I hate radio/
but never stop ripping mics on the daily yo/

hook:
how many mics do I rip on the daily?/
many money, say me say many, many, many/
how many beats Prolif make on the daily?
many money, say me say many, many, many/

verse2:
I’mma separate the tracks from the bars, the wack from the raw/
the ill from those who just rap on a board/
and I’ont spit unless I’m reaching a goal/
cuz even Shaq and Kobe squashed it; on some “beef is old”/
but fa’ real, I say to each-his own/
cuz i’m skippin all ears for now, dawg i’m trying to reach ya soul/
I’mma mix-tape phenomenon; Prolif Extravagant/
i carry on trying to make it out this Babaloyn/
and on the youth, some giving it up/
cuz they still think that Jordans and a gold chain is living it up/
and I aint gon’ lie, I thought the same myself/
til’ I realized that living check to check aint the same as wealth/
and ya’ll rappers aint the same as me – ya’ll spit nonsense/
the difference is tha flow, tha skill, and the content/
Cochise back just to i stay on ya conscience/
now let’s take it to the hook, like I’m fishing for comments/

bridge:
and you don’t stop and you don’t quit/
Prolif Cochise bringing yall dope hits/
and you don’t quit and you don’t stop/
i’mma keep bringing ya’ll that real hip-hop/

hook:

verse3:
now verse 3 gon start like the first two/
but i’m running out of time, gotta rhyme fo’ the end of my curfew/
plus i’m looking for a girl wit virtues/
somebody I can bring home to fam, but still take her to church too/
a down to earth chic wit diverse views/
plus she stylish in tha ill shades, heels, and tha skirts too/
she gon know she dealing wit somen’ that’s off here/
when she comes to the crib and she’ont see nuthin’ but equipment and software/
Pro the first to write bars on a Treo/
and then put on a show once a week, i’m like Cos and Theo/
country dudes say, “da’ buoy is re-al”/
rappers guard ya deals, i leave egos scarred as Seal/
so ya’ll really can’t ask fa’ mo’/
tha’ boy’s been slept on – it’s that box spring mattress flow/
from NC to internatio-nal/
i’mma keep rippin mics til my casket close/

hookX4:

Can't "hear" right now ...

First of all -- PROPS to "the_best_part" for picking ^UP^ the ball and running with it the final round -- :)

I know hdub has a lot on his plate *personally* -- on the other side of his computer screen -- So waitin' around for folks to come thru was not on his agenda at this particular time -- ~Timing Is Of The Essence~

When things are done in a timely manner -- As scheduled -- Everything "clicks" like clockwork, and there ain't no problems.

But when the balance is thrown off -- And there's "no" communication as to why -- Then the ball can get dropped. So again, THANKS to "the_best_part" for finalizing this venue and bringing it to fruition

And thanx to hdub 4 creating this "Invitational (((AUDIO))) Tournament" venue in the first place. -- It caused heads to "S T R E T C H" beyond their comfort zones and show us what they could do when they put their minds, hearts & skills to it.

*

Aaaiiight --

This final round was hard as hell to judge -- And at first I was just gonna say: Fuck it! -- "TIE" -- *Case Closed* -- Because I truly loved both AUDIOS, but for different reasons -- And I didn't wanna pick one over the other -- *sigh*

I had to listen to Sha's joint at a friends crib, cuz my comp don't like Myspace audios, so it interrupts intermittently with buffering---CONSTANTLY -- Thru~out! -- *grrrrrr* -- (And Myspace is "BLOCKED" at my job)

I was immediately drawn in to the "Pied Piper" aspect of Sha's verses. -- (I'd follow that man anywhere as long as he flowed fa' me daily -- :P)

The thing I've noticed about most of Sha's flowz is -- They're usually based on experience -- (They're real) -- And there ain't much "Filler" -- He accounts for every word with skill and prolifics -- So his flows ALWAYS have "Substance" -- Meaty/Tasty substance that you can sink your teeth into! -- :9

And that's not just with his "Written Word" -- Cuz his (((AUDIOS))) are equally as delicious -- As noted on ^This^ thread.

His voice --
His flow~stream -- cadence -- & delivery
And the whole overall AUDIO was exceptionally tight -- *No Doubt*

There were no gimmicks -- Just voice~box to music -- And it worked perfectly!

I ain't sayin' there ain't room 4 improvement -- We can ALL get better with regular practice -- (and extra spit & polish) -- But the whole package he presented HERE was Awesome! -- And I think this is the "best" Audio I've heard from him!

*

Prolifics joint had me bouncin', noddin', tappin', smilin' -- (You would've thought I was havin' a slight seizure if you'd a' seen me) -- :P

I'd play his joint in my whip -- cruizin' down the boulevard -- LOUD AS HELL!!! -- *Rigorous Rotation*

There ain't no doubt he has his shit 2~gether with Audios -- (Combination voice, music, cadence, lyrics, flow -- ALLADAT!)

And it sounded to me like he had "fun" makin' ^that^ Audio -- Which is important to me -- Cuz that's what I do with "my" lil' audios -- I HAVE FUN!

Lif mos' def' has lyrical skills, and he flexxxed them abundantly in this tournament -- (Particularly on ^this^ joint) -- I was hella impressed -- *No Doubt*

*

As far as the voting is concerned -- My vote goes to Shakeet!

Luv'd them both -- *dearly* -- But I liked sinking my teeth into Keets tender T~Bone Steak -- Although Prolif's jalapeno/bacon cheeseburger was quite appetizing -- :P




(((Skeetin' Wit Keet))) -- :9

I give this one to Lif...

Not by a lot tho. I juss felt that his flow on this one was more... smooth. It wasn't more complex or more simple, but it wasn't as rough as Sha's...

And I dug the whole track a lil more. The only thing I didn't like was the hook, and the beat was a lil weak (I don't mean bad... but It didn't have a edge to it), but otherwise I felt it was better. More the MC's type I guess... cuz Sha was, as always, crazy lyrical... But lyrics aren't what hook me. If the voice and cadence keep me, THEN I'll listen to what you're sayin...

(Didn't like the way that came out... Cuz Shakeet had me listenin as well... But I didn't feel it the way I felt Lif's)

once i get to a comp where i could hear both...yeah, that's when i'll chime in...


<--get grown,bus!--


me and the fellas would converge and heat up some Hot Pockets in preparation for Rap City.© Roc

let's talk:
http://yukonmag.com

first i'll say that honestly this wasn't as good as i had anticipated, still good, just not as good as i was lookin for... you both sound so hungry, tho!!! its like, DAYYYYYYYUUUUUMN NIGGA, GO EAT SUM'N!!!

sha:
that second schpiel of multi-barred madness was, in the words of ol boy from x-clan, "vanglorious!"... i was like "damn, dude goin at it like da rza in 94 or some shit"... you handle more than your own on any track lyrically, though you had some spots where the delivery got choppy...

pro:
its weird hearin you rap over upbeat shit, yo... i think that was the first time i heard it... its good, i just hadn't heard it from you... "many money se' me se' many many many" was genius... didn't like the endin tho... maybe a quick dialogue before you/y'all started clownin mighta sold it to me... but after hearin the hook four times (tho it was hot) three more times with bland commical revisions kinda let me down... overall the track is heat, no doubt...

i divi it up at 8 to 9... in favor of prolif...

both showed up, tho i was hopin for a more potent, lingering round... prolif just had that structure and composition edge... tho i have my dislike about the track, the boy got skills... not to say sha doesn't... hell its the finals, ain't it??? but the composition... that influenced me more this time...

vote: pro

>pro:
>its weird hearin you rap over upbeat shit, yo... i think that
>was the first time i heard it... its good, i just hadn't heard
>it from you... "many money se' me se' many many many" was
>genius...

that's an established hook... pro covered it. peace


@}-,-`-

He looks determined without being ruthless
Something heroic in this man, there's a courage about him
Doesn't look like a killer
Comes across so calm, acts like he has a dream
Full of passion

i am caught off guard, suprised, blown away even, by the lack of comments in this thread. also suprised by the negative comments. but its a matter of opinion, right? i thought both of these songs were hot. both songs a good representation of why these cats are in the final.

something has changed the energy of this board, in general. not just in this tournement. i am more and more becoming discouraged to post and reply, participate, etc. maybe its just me, maybe others feel/notice it too. -shrugs-

anyway, lif and sha, nice tracks y'all. and thanks for takin the time and energy to produce.

Everytime that hdub has posted the weekly tournament thread -- we had a whole week to peek -- listen -- & respond with our final votes -- (A full 7 days)

This thread was posted "Tue May-09-06 10:49 PM" -- Not quite a full three days ago.

Come on now sis -- Give folks a chance to do whatever they need to do -- And then to decide between the two.

I don't know if voting is even an issue now -- But listening and coming up with verbage that compliments or fairly critiques the (((AUDIOS))) sometimes take time -- Especially with these two dynamic dudes.

Folks might just wanna say summthin' else besides: "This was tight/nice/dope! -- My vote: _ _ _ _ _ _ *Whoever*"

I'll be jumpin' on the bandwagon this weekend with my vote & comments -- Hopefully others will be also.

Sha

Oh boy, It's like Holly Berry Vs. Buffie The Body...er well that's probably not the best comparison I could come up with but it does convey the dilemma that this final presents. I will pick but give me a moment to get my shit together. Oh boy indeed.

vote: prolif

prolif: liked the beat a lot. the snaps in the background had me laughing for some reason. you seemed really comfortable on this track, the sound quality was good, and everything mixed together very well, which is what gave you the edge in my opinion.

shakeet: i liked the track a lot, especially how it transitions into the second verse. lyrics were cool, only thing that threw me off a bit was that the flow seemed a bit choppy to me, maybe like it was being read. thats pretty much the only reason i had to not call this a tie.

good stuff

@}-,-`-

He looks determined without being ruthless
Something heroic in this man, there's a courage about him
Doesn't look like a killer
Comes across so calm, acts like he has a dream
Full of passion

alright y'all. we need to wrap this up. at my count it is tied, but there are two comments saying they will come back and vote later. well, later is here. 7pm central time 5-17 its gettin called.

Sha: Lyrics for days…but since this about HOW the lyrics are presented. You have as someone else stated; that RZA style. It was choppy with the beat and with too few change ups to your flow.


Lif: Sounding more polished, the “swagger” aspect gave this tune the edge. It was easier on the ears, Lif…you know what you can do w/your voice.


Vote: Lif

You guys are part of the “Talented Tenth” around here, this soundclash was for the most part celebrating what it is we do. Lif, you building a nice little Freestyle Board resume. King of the Ring, this tourney…I take it this is more than a hobby for you,huh?

Congrats to both…

<--get grown,bus!--


me and the fellas would converge and heat up some Hot Pockets in preparation for Rap City.© Roc

let's talk:
http://yukonmag.com

WOW! Prolif, that was B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Had to go Gwen Stefani in here. I must say that, was some next level there. Keep doing you daddy!

its a wrap. congrats prolif.

This indeed has been fun. It truly has. And I've found alot about myself in how I wanna deliver to the masses what I write down. And in the end, that is what this forum should be about. imo Helping each other along. And I appreciate all the feedback, positive or critical. Cuz the worst thing is, when people say nothing. I hope Hunter does this again next year. I know he's reading. I see you. lol Prolif man, you already know. What's up with my beats tho? lol Blak, you too already know. What I liked best is everybody who participated came with their heart. And can't nobody tell you you're not an artist when you come from your heart. Word. *steps off of soapbox*

<--get grown,bus!--


me and the fellas would converge and heat up some Hot Pockets in preparation for Rap City.© Roc

let's talk:
http://yukonmag.com

this whole thing was a great idea...big ups again to dub for hosting and t.b.p. for taking over at the end....cats pushed each other from the jump and some good music came out of this.....i also thought the collabs were good additions....this tourney was just an overall solid contribution by the fam....thanx errrrbody for peeping, critiquing, voting, etc....

<----- my phone


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/lifthalegend_music.htm

"No one is smarter than anyone else, they just know more" -- Brian and Brandon

and the addition of the producer's forum was like a 60 in flat screen house warming gift... i'm tellin you... if you ever said to yourself,"damn, nigga du always on the boards" get ready to see a lot more...

not to mention, we got moreto look forward to from each other cause we know more of the capabilities everyone has... this makes for some fierce collabs/tracks/experiments in the future...

we wanted to build and over the period of like three months, that's exactly what happened... i done already moved in and claimed my bed, yo...

over and out
du

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww . .!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
vote . .? i gotta check again

@}-,-`-

He looks determined without being ruthless
Something heroic in this man, there's a courage about him
Doesn't look like a killer
Comes across so calm, acts like he has a dream
Full of passion

Anticipating Game Theory by The Roots~