MCs to battle Saturday at WOW Hall
Musicians from the area
compete in the Better Than
You Battle for an $800 prize
By Ryan Murphey
Freelance Reporter
MCs from all over the Pacific North
west will compete in the Better Than
You Battle on Saturday for a prize pack
age worth more than $800. Local pro
moters Strange Folks Presents have
hand-picked a group of 16 competitors
from Eugene, Portland, Vancouver,
Wash., and other parts of the Pacific
Northwest.
Competitors include Sleep (of Old
Dominion), Illmaculate (winner of
Portland's Hip-Hop tonight battles)
and local artists such as Furious, Sapi
ent DZO and Philosophy.
- Until now, only a few smaller and
. less organized battles have emerged
from Eugene.
*. "We thought it was about time to let
Northwest artists strut their stuff in Eu
gene," said Phil Bauer, of Strange Folks
Presents.
MC battles pit two lyricists against
each another in a freestyle competition
and test their ability to come up with
clever rhymes off the top of their head.
Winning requires quick thinking, solid
rhythm and an aptitude for improvisa
tion.
Such competitions once took place
between two rappers in a park or on the
street, but as their popularity has
grown, the battles have transitioned to
the stage in what is best described as a
combination between a concert and a
sporting event
The 16 contestants will try to hold
their own through four rounds of one
on-one matches. The combatants will
be paired up at random and given two
chances each to impress both the
judges and the audience The winners
of each match will then face each other
in the following rounds until a winner
is decided. During the first three
rounds, competitors will have 30 sec
onds per chance. During the final
round, the turns will last 45 seconds.
But Hanif Panni, one of the three
judges at the Better Than You Battle and
a former DJ at KWVA, said it will take
more than jokes to win this competi
tion.
"This is based on skills and not
jokes," Panni said. "Punchlines are
good, but I want to hear something
fresh."
Both Panni and Bauer emphasize the
importance of audience participation.
"If somebody hits a line that's just
sick, 1 want the crowd to get crazy, but
if someone's not bringing the heat, I ex
pert the crowd to boo them just as
loud," Bauer said. "When the perform
ers can see that the crowd is reacting
they get amped."
Between a booing crowd and com
petitors hurling insults at each other on
stage, the contest could easily be mis
taken for a hostile environment, but
Courtesy
The Better Than You Battle will feature MCs rap-battling in 30- to 45-second rounds for
an $800 prize at WOW Hall this Saturday.
contestant James Baker, also known as
Furious, stresses that the event is all
about fun.
"On the mic, we'll be saying some of
the meanest things possible (to each
other), but later we'll be downstairs
having a beer," he said.
Baker said some of the MCs have
been batding each other for a long time;
and most are good friends.
Still, Panni is sure the battles will be
wholesome, cutthroat entertainment.
"If you like seeing people make fun
of each other, this is the place to be," he
said.
In addition to the battle, Portland
hip-hop crew sandpeoples will be per
forming throughout the night, and
giveaways provided by sponsors will be
available.
The Better Than You Battle will take
place this Saturday at WOW Hall (lo
cated at 291W. Eighth Ave). Tickets cost
$8 in advance and $ 10 at the door and
are available for purchase at WOW
Hall, the EMU Ticket Office and most
local music stores.
Ryan Murphey is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
WATCH
Theft and recoveries
The Department of Public Safety re
ceived one report of burglary, two
found property reports and one report
of a bike impound from the EMU. DPS
also received 11 reports of larceny and
five reports of bike theft: one from Car
son Hall, one from Hamilton Com
plex, one from Lawrence Hall, one
from Bean Complex and one from the
EMU.
Disorderly conduct
DPS received three reports of
disorderly conduct, five reports of a
suspicious condition, one report of
skateboard stunting, two reports of an
arrest, six reports of a suspicious sub
ject and 15 reports of vandalism: one
from Villard 1 Iall, one from the Lillis
Business Complex, three from the Mu
sic Building, one from Gilbert Hall,
one from Cascade 1 Iall, one from Ri
ley Hall, one from the Bean Complex,
one from the Hamilton Complex, one
from the Carson Complex, one from
Lawrence Hall, one from 11th Avenue,
one from Autzen Stadium and one
from H.R Barnhart Hall.
Sunday, May 23, 3:50 p.m.: DPS re
ceived a report of a water balloon
breaking a car's sunroof outside of
I I.P. Barnhart Hall.
Alcohol and drugs
DPS received two reports of a drug
law violation and 11 reports of a liquor
law violation.
Miscellaneous
DPS received eight emergency call re
ports, one report of urinating in public,
one report of arson, three reports of un
lawful entry of a motor vehicle and two
alarm reports. DPS also received two re
ports of criminal trespass, two reports
of a bomb threat and 10 tow requests:
two from the University Annex parking
lot, one from the visitor's parking lot,
one from the Pacific Hall parking lot,
one from the Johnson Hall parking lot,
two from the large Prince Lucien
Campbell parking lot, one from the
Alder Street parking lot, one from the
Straub Hall parking lot and one from
the Bean Complex parking lot.
Wednesday, May 19, 8:55 p.m.: DPS
received a report of a trash can on fire at
the Knight Library.
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