Published in Pecado, Issue One 2006
Putting twelve of our hottest MCs up against each other on live radio, Word War One is a landmark in Australian Hip Hop culture.
SYN’s Wednesday hip hop night became a battlefield on 1 February at 9pm with the first instalment of MC battle competition, Word War One. The first MC battle to be staged on Australian radio, Word War One pits local freestylers against each other. Lining up for combat are twelve of Melbourne’s freshest hip hop talents.
After being selected via a rigorous audition process, these soldiers have battled it out on the SYN FM mics every week in front of a judging panel including MC Feva Pres, whose titles include Victorian champion of Channel V’s Aussie Friggin’ Hip Hop competition.
The show is hosted by Troy Leo – a member of Melbourne’s original porno funk hip hop crew, Scarz On 45. Taking an Australian Idol style format, the show features a different style of combat each week. Week one was a straight up battle, while in week three each soldier was given a randomly chosen curly topic to get his tongue around. Highlights were Anonymous’s rhymes on needing to take a shit when he can’t find a spot to do it, while Zany’s topic was ‘waking up for a midnight snack and nothing in there but the family pet’.
The show has generated debate about ‘crossing the line’ – how far is too far in an MC battle? ‘No one welcomes disses to family,’ says MC Zany. ‘I embrace line touching, just not crossing.’ Some of the Word War soldiers reckon racism is out of bounds, while others think it’s about context. ‘I don’t care if people are racist to me in the context of a battle,’ says MC Wansikse. ‘But if they take it to a general level, and it becomes more than personal, then that is not on.’
Still others, like Nektar MC, say all is fair in rhyme and war. ‘It’s a BATTLE. In the end I’m gonna throw everything at them, and I expect ten-fold in return.’
The Cavalry (sidebar)
MC Wansikse (1/6) has been into Hip Hop from an early age; his favourite acts are Talib Kweli, Mos Def and Method Man. A self-proclaimed funny man, his attraction to MCing is unexpectedly poetic – ‘Words are beautiful things. I love to capture people, and make them happy.’
MC Zany describes himself as ‘clownish and comical’, and got into freestyling for the theatrical fun of it. A born entertainer, he mixes humour with his passion for dark independent acts.
MC Anonymous brings a light-hearted touch to his rhymes. For him, MCing provides stress relief. ‘When I was younger I was really pissed off with life. Music is an outlet for me.’ A natural joker, Anonymous doesn’t take things too seriously – but just don’t joke about his sister.
MC Yaps is a born freestyler, and he just can’t shut up – ‘I spit rhymes non-stop!’ Along with his crew, the Microphone Addicts, Yaps loves to be surrounded by creative people and has worked with some of the most talented local underground acts.
MC Notion is all about emotion. ‘[MCing is] the best platform for expressing my views, emotions and feelings. I believe in relating to the music and being meaningful.’ Hailing from the South Eastern suburbs, Notion finds inspiration in Jay-Z and Mos Def.
MC Nikoteen is a born entertainer. The hip hop/breakdance fan smokes up the stage with his natural MCing abilities. His favourite album is Stillmatic by Nas. And no, he’s not a smoker.
MC Illuminate likes to speak from the heart. ‘I wanna shed light and have an impact on people.’ Inspired by Rakim, Immortal Technique and old school funkster Lou Rawls, Illuminate doesn’t like racism or personal disses. Would he die for his rhymes? ‘Depends on how they’re preserved.’
The smooth man from the South East, MC Ideal aims to be easy on the ear. The artist formerly known as Dollar Bill immerses himself in the local hip hop and urban art scene. His favourite album is Blueprint by Jay-Z.
The battle-ready MC Gzu Tek got his skills from childhood: ‘I was picked on when I was a kid, but I was not harmed by it – instead I worked out a way to turn it around and be able to diss people.’ From the playground to the stage, Gzutek is a devil on the mic and loves to return the heat.
He grew up surrounded by metal music, but MC Flushr is his own man. He knows what it takes to entertain, and loves being able to express himself on the mic. ‘I can say what I want. For me it’s more about expression than creation.’
A tough childhood led MC Coarse to choose rhyming over violence. He wants to inspire people and show them what can be achieved if they strive for what they want. ‘I’m the guy who wasn’t supposed to make it… and I’m doing it.’
Nektar MC is a diverse talent, combining his two loves – freestyling and urban art. For him, painting and MCing are ‘kindred spirits – the fusion of them creates a chemistry that is indescribable.’ Would he die for his rhymes? ‘Bloody oath!’