95
Bars/Wordplay 10
“Remember when AI crossed Mike out his sneakers, It seemed so much worse because we ain’t think Mike had a weakness, Off of that one move AI got his fame, They forgot Jordan had 35 and still won that game.” Mook’s pen always was the Michael Jordan of battle rap, and it probably still is to this day. Mook has never been outclassed in a battle, and along with performance it’s really his pen that made him the logo of battle rap more than anything.
Delivery/Performance 10
"Smack called me I was getting some head, he said we got a victim and it might involve you gettin some bread, I said word?, I jumped up I pushed the bitch off the bed, I said whenever wherever tell me who he's dead" Mook’s presence on stage is something to marvel at, and this has sustained over time after building his name from the earliest DVD days. Mook’s delivery absolutely annihilated opponents in the mid 2000s, to the point almost all of them likely regret they stood in front of him. However his longevity is what’s most notable about his performance as he’s demonstrated this ability in recent years as well, obliterating two legends that were far from undefeated but had never been beaten so soundly all the same. It was Mook’s slick delivery that separated himself from Weezy & Young Hot back then, and it was the sheer power of his performance that dominated Iron Solomon & Loaded Lux only a few years ago, thus Mook is the prototype for what you look for when it comes to a battle rap delivery.
Originality 10
"Ever since a baby I had a sense for the gravy, my sis had to pay me, just to sit by the AC, fuck you think I'm crazy" Mook transcended battle rap entirely in the mid 2000s, making the DVD game a hot commodity all the while gaining hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube which at the time was unprecedented. When you hear people call him the logo of battle rap it’s because he made it what it is today, and he should be honored for putting a spotlight on the fundamental essence of Hip Hop that for awhile had been long forgotten.
Versatility/Jokes 9
"But his right hand man Sam, damn, that was a travesty. I heard the DA jogged his memory so fast he was losing calories, they had him sketching pictures of *****, like he was in an art gallery, I heard when Sam sung he indicted the whole Galaxy" Fire bar but versatility isn't his best quality, simply because he sticks to what he does best. His overall flexibility with his voice can allow Mook to stretch his performance and be humorous when he wants, yet the reality is that those moments are often vague and only for a moment, whereas he’s never really gotten a strong ovation for anything more than spitting that real. With that being said it would be nice for him to switch it up from time to time, as even though Lebron slam dunks it’s still nice to see him hit a step back 3 every now and again.
Freestyle/Rebuttal 8
"This my coat? ***** robbed me? Stop lying, y’all ***** stole it off the ground when I put it down to get it popping, well since y’all got it here, for the last 10 years, I’ve been meaning to get some house keys out my pocket" Crazy moment but another quality that Mook isn’t particularly known for, and for no other reason than he simply doesn’t care to try. Always sticking to the script Mook has never been known to improvise, which is perfectly fine and has been all the more effective for him throughout his career. The flip side however is when you have a Hollow, Clips, and Dizaster who can play DEFENSE as well as offense, then Mook and Lux look rather one dimensional in comparison. Once again no different than the NBA, if you’re one of the best scorers of all time than you’re still a legend, but you probably shouldn’t be considered the GOAT if you aren’t sound in every area.
Impact/Brand 10
"The crown only belongs on my head, but I'm a take it off for a second, and I'm gon let you wear it for a minute, but now you gotta wear all the negative shit that come with it, now that you got that on, a million battle rappers got your name in their lyrics, cause this thing they got on your head, they all trying to get it, picture every mistake you made getting blown out of proportion, a thousand tweets a day fans telling you that you lost it... then every week, it repeats, it repeats, it repeats, they can't wait to catch you by yourself in the street.... gotta watch where you eat, fuck, shit, park, sleep, you can't get drunk at every place you that, I'll give you a day with that, you'll be begging me to take it back, give me my shit" As the logo Mook’s impact is undeniable, and he should forever be on the Mt. Rushmore of battle rap for all that he’s contributed to the sport. Considering his reputation however you would think his name would be more marketable in the mainstream, yet to date he has had only marginal success and hasn’t really made the worldwide impact that he’s truly capable of. Meanwhile even in the battle rap circuit, his own Dot Mobb apparel doesn’t even have a fraction of the demand that Hollow’s LOM Clothing has, which begs the question if he really is still the biggest battle rap star in the world. Nonetheless as a name/brand he’s without a doubt still in the top 2, therefore he deserves a 10 in this category without needing any more of an explanation.
Views/Numbers/Multiple Formats 10
"You see that fake shit, I might not ever be adjusted, I might never ever get to blow, who knows, ***** fuck it, but unlike you, I'm a always stay true, to the ***** that I fuck with, I guess I'm stuck with what I'm stuck with, because i don't suck dick" Although it would be nice to see him expand his brand to other markets more often, Mook has done numbers on different platforms (Lionz Den, URL, Total Slaughter), and has done what he’s always done every single time. The current state of battle rap honestly was built on the insurmountable amount of views that Mook accumulated in the early days, most notably with his footage with Serius Jones that is easily one of the most watched battles in history (no disrespect to Don’t Flop, but we need receipts). Furthermore with all the unofficial links it’s hard to say but Mook may be the only battle rapper to legitimately go diamond (at least in the states), yet more important than the numbers themselves are the significance behind those views, in regards to all that they meant for battle rap in general.
No Stumbles/Chokes 10
Always has stayed on script and has never lost his place, Mook is truly one of the few who have never stumbled which separates him from almost everybody. Although considering his style he’s inevitably less prone to slip up compared to the likes of Hollow & Clips, it’s still an unquestionable challenge to get all the way through your verses even when rehearsed, as proven by the 95% of battle rap that has stumbled at least once in their careers. Mook isn’t one of those people however, which gives him a rare 10 for this highly significant category.
Stays Active/Consistency 8
"I know I said I'm retired I apologize to my fans, but for 25 grand I figured you'd understand" Perhaps the most notable chink in Mook’s armor is the fact that he’s simply not active enough, and as a result his resume pales in comparison to other top tier MCs who all the same are hardly as accomplished. Jae Millz, Loaded Lux (twice), and Serius Jones in his prime are all undeniably good competition, yet for the most part that’s where it stops, in which case people have been asking Mook to test his skills more often to which he’s rarely obliged. Knowing your worth and holding out for money is one thing, but compromising your legacy for immediate compensation is entirely something else.
Bodybags 10
"With this paper, I ball like Rafer, Skip to my Lou, stomp his gums out hope they don't stick to my shoe" Despite, or in coordination, with his questionable resume Mook has an arrangement of bodybags to his name. From Weeze to Solomon he’s dismantled more than a few, however none more notable than his infamous performance vs Young Hot, in which he single handedly defined what battle rap was to look like moving forward. Almost a decade later Mook outclassed Lux and had Hammerstein Ballroom shaking, literally, a phenomenal representation of battle rap at it’s finest once again, and this time all the more significant as the entire industry was taking notice. The fact is however that Mook has the skills for even more bodybags to his name, and hopefully he fulfills that potential more often in the years ahead.