I am The Saurus, a battle rapper & poker player. AMA!

Those familiar with me probably know me best for my work as a battle rapper, as seen here. I have won some of battle rapping's most prestigious events, twice. In 2006 & 2008 I won Scribble Jam, which for 11 years was the biggest battle event in the world. In 2006 & 2007 I won the Jumpoff World Rap Championships with my esteemed teammate iLLmacuLate.

I have won countless other battles/tournaments and have been regarded as a pioneer in the art of battling as it has made the transition from freestyle to a primarily written dominated era of battle rap. I also have an EP available for download both on iTunes & at http://TheSaurusWins.bandcamp.com And for the last 10 years I have been a full time poker player.

Feel free to follow me on twitter as well as my facebook fanpage for future updates on all shows, battles, tournaments, new music releases & more. check out some of my new music.

proof

Thank you. I look forward to answering whatever questions you may have

Comments: 478 • Responses: 96  • Date: 

cheddacheesemusic40 karma

Well hello sir. My only question for you is ... when are we going to kick it again my old friend!!?

TheSaurus83117 karma

You BETTER be at WD4 bro. I miss hangin out with the Gawd. Holler at me fam

cheddacheesemusic11 karma

I won't be there unfortunately, but I'm thinking I might take a trip to California again sometime so I'll let you know

TheSaurus8317 karma

hell yeah lemme know fam. Youre always welcome in Cali

TheSaurus83128 karma

This is gonna be dope!

KoNy_BoLoGnA15 karma

Did you ever battle eyedea (RIP)?

Do you ever get angry at shit people say about you during battles?

Thesaurus is the coolest rapper name ever, illmaculate is a dope name too though. I don't want you to get too cocky.

TheSaurus83111 karma

never battled Eyedea unfortunately. He was a huge influence

Im at the point now where nothing bothers me at all in battles. If someone brings up my dad disrespectfully I just think less of them as a human now

KoNy_BoLoGnA4 karma

Also could you brag a little? What's your best line/ battle you've ever had?

TheSaurus83115 karma

best battle was vs DumbFounDead I think

slave_to_technology22 karma

Hey Pete, just wanted to say that I respect your business and your grind. Been watching since the WRCs. Just a couple questions:

  • how much weed/oil/wax do you go through on any given day?
  • if you could get one beat from any producer today, who?

TheSaurus83119 karma

I pretty much strictly smoke wax now, i just reload my micro G maybe 3 times a day to stay vaped. Take a dab or two throughout the day as well.

Alchemist is THAT DUDE

boxjohnson18 karma

Have you ever done an online text battle and would you admit if you had?

TheSaurus83120 karma

hahaha yes. I have. Way back in the day

BelieveMeOp11 karma

How good/bad was it?

TheSaurus83125 karma

I destroyed the guy lol

FlashbackFM14 karma

[deleted]

TheSaurus83118 karma

One of the best battles to show someone unfamiliar with the scene is Kid Twist vs DumbFounDead because it just has a universal comedic appeal. If they like more "rap" type stuff then Pass vs Hollow for sure.

My favorite battle that Ive done is probably vs DumbFounDead, maybe Hollohan as a close 2nd because that was my first trip to Canada. And of course the first jumpoff final in vegas

My favorites in DF are Unan, Eurgh & Cruger of course, Soul, Deff, Matter, Shuffle T & Marlo

boxjohnson14 karma

Rematch Mac Lethal for a stack of flapjacks?

TheSaurus83114 karma

only if it gets that many views

ChaseMooreMusic13 karma

wait i do have a question actually. you had said to me once that taking LSD opened up your mind to be able to freestyle as well as you do. can you explain and expand on this?

TheSaurus83131 karma

as a youngster i did hella LSD lol. Honestly it just assisted/fried my brain into looking at things in a different context to the point of where I basically processed everything backwards when i would freestyle. Id see the punchline/payoff line and then I would just sort of subconsciously rhyme myself to that point almost on autopilot. Shit was fucked up haha

Brandoyopie9 karma

I'll be bringing a couple questions, feel free to pick and choose if you don't want to answer all.

  • If you had to make a top 10 list for battlers out right now, what would it be?

  • Do you have any battles that you felt you were robbed in?

  • Did the altercation with manik go any further than what was on camera? Was probably the biggest bitchmove in all of battle rap, catching feelings over such a non personal battle..

  • If you had your current frame of mind in regard to reacting to shock value bars, would you have reacted any differently in the 2v2 vs Po and Diaz?

And for everyone that is seeing battlerap for the first time through this, come check out more at /r/rapbattles if you like it. We've got a pretty nice community over there and it's only growing.

TheSaurus83114 karma

my top 10 changes so much, it isnt really set in stone. But it definitely includes Aye Verb, illmac, Hollow, Diz, Head Ice, Real Deal & a few other interchangeables

I thought I got jerked vs Jonny Storm lol. And Kase Won in Australia. And in the 2 on 2 GP finals

The drama from the Manik battle was deaded outside the venue immediately afterward. Everything's all good, it just got heated

My current frame of mind is no different now than it was then regarding bars about the deceased

Uza8 karma

Yo man, cheers for the years of entertainment. Your 05 Justice battle is probably my favorite of all time, and your Hollohan match is another I watch regularly.

Excluding yourself, do you have a current Top 5 or any match-ups you would either like to see or be in? Do you have a favorite battle of yours?

And who stole the tapes?! What did we miss?

Thanks man, your format is legendary, I hope you get a shot to two-time KOTD.

TheSaurus8319 karma

Current top 5 as of Today - Real Deal, Aye Verb, Big T, JC, Daylyt

I dunno who stole the tapes for certain hahahahahaha. We all have our theories tho

ajdellinger7 karma

There seems to be a lot more cohesion and crossover between leagues now, where there used to be a much clearer divide between the cats that battled at Scribble and the Smack crowd. If Scribble Jam was still around, do you think the battle scene would be any different?

Is battle rapping actually lucrative for the rappers or the leagues or is it still mostly just out of the love of the sport?

Are there any rappers that you remember coming up with or seeing that never caught on but you always enjoyed? Something like the equivalent of a "comedian's comedian"?

Thanks for taking the time to do this and thanks for the years of free entertainment, man. Looking forward to seeing more battle and more music from you.

TheSaurus83111 karma

I wish Scribble was still around, I dunno if much would be different as it would really just be another outlet for the better freestylers to compete in a dope tourney and win some good $$$

Very few people in the scene legitimately make an income from it. Its definitely more for the love than the money for most people at the moment, but with how the scene is growing there is definite potential

Aceyalone is one of my biggest influences and favorite emcees of all time and I guess he's relatively known but never on a mainstream level. Freestyle Fellowship as a whole I guess kinda fits there

Drew-Ed7 karma

Shouts from Manchester UK

How come you have never battled on SMACK/URL ?

TheSaurus8318 karma

Ive yet to be offered an opponent that Id have heavy interest in battling

Drew-Ed5 karma

Cool hope to see you back at Don't Flop again soon dude.

TheSaurus8314 karma

I'll be back ina few months!

Skadooshed7 karma

I just spent the last 2 hours watching your battles on YouTube. You're a motherfucking genius.

TheSaurus8316 karma

much respect, thank you!

TheSaurus8317 karma

Keep the questions coming yall. this is cool

BelieveMeOp7 karma

Thanks for doing the AMA: My question is simply, how did you get so good at rapping?

TheSaurus83113 karma

relentless practice & work and being lucky enough to be surrounded by some of my biggest positive influences in rap

nothings_epic6 karma

Hey man. I've seen every battle you have on youtube and follow you on twitter as a rap battle and poker enthusiast, and I own your album (it's dope). You were always a sick at freeing, and now in the new(ish) written format it seems like you get better every battle. Keep up the good work, the last few were amazing!

I want to know who you think was the toughest opponent you've ever faced? ->Specifically in that battle (nothing to do with their resume or your particular performance).

TheSaurus83114 karma

illmaculate was definitely the toughest opponent I ever had to prep for because of the personal history and how good he is

nothings_epic3 karma

Just thought of a 2nd question, and it's a good follow up to my first:

What do you think is the best overall TheSaurus performance? And best TheSaurus round?

TheSaurus8319 karma

I think my best performance in the written format was vs Dumbfoundead and anyone who was there live could probably attest to it. My best round is a tough call. I liked my 2nd vs DNA, i liked my 3rd vs Ness, my 3rd vs Madness. I'll put more thought into it and come up with a definitive answer

unglad6 karma

What is your opinion of Lil Wayne as a rapper?

TheSaurus83122 karma

he has a few moments of greatness and a lot of nonsense

DMCrimson5 karma

Why do you think URL/Smack-style rappers haven't adopted freestyle or rebuttles as much as KOTD/Grindtime/Don't Flop rappers?

Also, what are the things promoters get right or wrong that viewers don't know about?

TheSaurus83111 karma

Freestyling is something that such a small percentage of the world can actually do. And pretty much everyone who is given the opportunity to write instead of freestyle is gonna maximize their writing. No point in straying from the script if it isnt better than what youve written.

Promoters think this is an instant gold mine as far as throwing events and whatnot. They dont know how much work & time goes into putting things together and to building a big enough following to be able to make money off of it

OnlyDeathAwaits5 karma

How do you come up with your raps under pressure?

TheSaurus8315 karma

Im used to it. I came up in an era of battling where it was a 32 man tournament and zero preparation. Executing under pressure was the nature of the beast

OnlyDeathAwaits2 karma

How do the raps flow to you?

Do you ever find yourself struggling for a word to rhyme with?

TheSaurus8314 karma

it just kind of comes to me naturally to tell the truth. Its like a rolodex in my brain. I say or think of a word or phrase and have access to a dozen things that fit the rhyme scheme. Acid brain

seatharama5 karma

Back when GrindTime had OT rounds was there ever a time you never got to spit a fourth round you had written that you really liked? Or was there ever an opponent that fell through you had some great material for? Basically please tell some old bars you never got the chance to say haha.

TheSaurus8318 karma

I wish I could remember any of that stuff but it was like 2 laptops ago haha. Im sorry man

KingBeetle5 karma

Why does everyoje feel like they can call you Pete??

TheSaurus83112 karma

best question yet. Somehow unanswerable

TheSaurus8315 karma

Im doing my best to get to every question. sorry if Ive missed anyone

butteryheat5 karma

Have you ever thought about getting on the Dirtbag Dan show? Shit would be hilarious.

TheSaurus8316 karma

yeah itll happen when i can get to the Bay for a weekend. Ive just been in & outta town too much

ob3ypr1mus5 karma

what happened to your battle with rone? did that good stuff get postponed?

TheSaurus8315 karma

it was cancelled, i believe for budgetary reasons. Hopefully will get booked elsewhere or even thru them in the future

VargasPeach164 karma

Big fan here with a mediocre question: What's your favorite battle that you've been in? And who do you think (besides you) has the best wordplay skills out of all the battlers on the scene right now?

TheSaurus8314 karma

The DumbFouDead & illmac battles are probably my favorites Ive ever been in

As far as wordplay goes I think KG the Poet is underrated, obviously CHilla is crazy with it, JC is nice too but hes more polished overall

TrueShak4 karma

Since everyones been talking about your battles (rightfully so), talk a bit about your poker, what stakes do you play, what kind of ROI / hourly do you have, I currently play 10/20-25/50 PLO cash, and get extremely good results, how do you do, would you like to furthur discuss poker / have a player to discuss with?

TheSaurus8313 karma

I primarily play 1-3 & 5-5 NLH cash & whenever a well structured tourney series comes to LA or Vegas I try to play a handful of events. I was a $20-40 limit prop for a few years then moved on to playing on my own time and since then have had great cash results along with about 100k in tourney cashes live & online. Interestingly a lot of top pros follow the battle scene as well and Ive become friends with some guys who I look up to as players and earn a lot from. Its pretty crazy

TrueShak3 karma

sounds ballin, did you play the WSOP this year? who are some of those guys, i could imagine galfond, laak, esfandiari probably? or am i way off.

TheSaurus8315 karma

yeah I played 4 events. ive played the main event the last 4 years as well. Jeff Madsen is a homie of mine. Negraneau is a fan, a ton of online pros as well

daringpooplord2 karma

Earn or learn?

TheSaurus8312 karma

lol i meant learn but both i guess

Kirky03314 karma

How do you feel about Rhymesayers, Atmosphere, Eyedea, and Mac Lethal? Thanks for the AMA!

TheSaurus8318 karma

Always been a huge fan of Rhymesayers as a whole. Mac Lethal is the homie and a huge influence on me, always has been. Eyedea was a big influence as well in the freestyle era for me, not so much for his music. Brother Ali is probably my favorite artist under Rhymesayers honestly tho

Kirky03313 karma

Also, any advice for an aspiring alternative rapper?

TheSaurus8318 karma

practice relentlessly. And listen to constructive criticism with an open mind

mainev3nt4 karma

In your honest opinion who is the top battle MC in the world at this very moment? Not just KOTD but across all leagues.

TheSaurus8317 karma

Tough call. I prefer Aye Verb but I feel JC is on his way there and Id put Real Deal in that class as well based on consistency and how well written & executed everything tey do is

iamPandemic4 karma

How much do you profit on an average year from poker? What's your biggest tournament or cash game win in a single sitting? Do you think you beat Real Deal?

TheSaurus8317 karma

Ive averaged 55k a year playing poker since I started playing full time 10 years ago. Only had one losing year, two years close to break even and a steady increase every year since 2007 once I had more of a padding to my bankroll. The best I've ever done in a day is 38k in 24 hours. Beat up a cash game for 7700, played directly into their noon tourney which i chopped for 17k and then won almost another 15k playing cash after that just riding the rush.

I beat real Deal, Two Times™

Im_not_ready4 karma

What do you make of Mainstream rappers like kanye etc? It seems like all the underground guys spit way better than they do.

TheSaurus83110 karma

Im a fan of a lot of mainstream artists. Some of them might not have the same intricate writing styles or depth to their lyrics but they just plain know how to make amazing music that I can relate/vibe to

BZ-B3 karma

  1. Who's your favorite battler that is currently active?

  2. How long does it take for you to rehearse your verses?

  3. Do you think GrindTime will ever make a comeback?

TheSaurus8315 karma

current favorite might be the homie Real Deal. or JC

I can memorize verses in less than an hour if need be. All depends of the urgency of it

Grindtime is done for from the looks of things

jimmyp30163 karma

Even though it wasn't rated, your battle with DNA is a classic!

TheSaurus8313 karma

thank you!

laughnstalk3 karma

Will you be more inclined to attend Battle of the Zae 2 if there is a make-shift Texas Hold Em setup behind the venue?

TheSaurus8315 karma

nope. Id go to Bay 101 after either way

TrueHybrid3 karma

I'm English and a massive fan of Don't Flop, (obviously) King Of The Dot, URL, Basementality, etc. and you are the reason i got into battle rap. Must have been a while back but I saw one of your battles and was immediately hooked on written battles. Anyway I have 2 questions -What is you favourite league to battle in and why? -If you could battle any UK rapper from Don't Flop, who you haven't battled already who would it be and why?

TheSaurus8315 karma

I still think KOTD is my favorite league to battle in but DF is very close. There are both pretty even honestly. Toronto is one of my favorite cities in the world and they always show me love. And the DF crowd is currently the mot passionate in the world, they are incredible. I have a new DF opponent locked in, youll find out who it is soon!

CupidSix3 karma

What's your opinion on the controversy behind Arcane and battle raps being bought? How is Organik trying to handle all of that? Are battlers pissed at Dizaster for exposing how often bars are bought?

TheSaurus8312 karma

the controversy has blown over for the most part. Basically Pat Stay is his punishment lol. Or its his way to prove that he really deserves to be champ. Either way i think its fitting

No one's pissed at Diz tho. Battlers dont buy bars. That was one exception

Frak233 karma

As a battle legend you've lived through Battle Rap's transition from more freestyle-over-instrumental oriented battles to more theatrical and rehearsed monologue oriented battles. You've managed to make your lane in both of these forms of battle rap. How do you feel about the transition and which was more enjoyable for you?

TheSaurus8313 karma

I will always enjoy the freestyle format more than anything because there was just a different feel to it. I still love the direction battling is taking and I understand completely because there simply arent enough good freestylers to keep everyone entertained for the longevity of the artform

SkateCanada3 karma

What are your thoughts on the whole Diz/Caustic/Arcane situation? Do you think there should be a rematch?

TheSaurus8315 karma

I wouldnt mind seeing Caustic battle Arcane. A Diz rematch vs Arcane would be interesting too tho in all honesty Charron deserves the next title shot no matter who has the chain

TecmoBull3 karma

Sup saurus... What do u think of rmbva.com?

TheSaurus8314 karma

Im down w rmbva. Foreman is the homie, has been for a long time. Shoutout to RMBVA

mccoyster3 karma

Okay, a few more, haha.

In your battle with Solomon, do you think he came with mostly writtens while you were mostly freestyling? That seemed to be the impression I got. Also, how often does a battle linger? Similar to a bad beat, say if you think about a rebuttal you could have had that you thought of later?

And, I know the answer, at least the official one, but did you and Mac Lethal actually not discuss rhyme schemes and/or possible rebuttals before the battle?

TheSaurus8317 karma

He wrote all 3 rounds.

A battle doesnt really linger, I dont ever worry about the judges votes or outcome. Unless theres money on the line

No. We booked Mac's flight 8 hours before the event began. We didnt have time to do anything like that

steb773 karma

Where do you see this whole battle rap thing goin in the next 5 years Peter? Thanks butt.

TheSaurus8312 karma

well my dominican friend, I think that making it to the mainstream is the next step. With Bow Wow bringing URL over to Freestyle Friday on BET and Nick Cannon bringing Conceited onto Wildin Out they are taking huge steps in integrating battling into mainstream hiphop culture as opposed to a smaller sub culture

uberlad3 karma

[deleted]

TheSaurus83112 karma

the best simple advice I can give is be yourself & dont be easily deterred. It doesnt rhyme but its effective enough

cobaltcollapse3 karma

when was the worst time that an opponent of yours humiliated themself? also curious how frequent intergender rap battles happen, i never see them

TheSaurus8317 karma

thats kind of a tough one, I dunno that ive had an opponent humiliate themselves too badly. Maybe the way Diaz acted after the shove hahaha but we're all good now so I dunno if that even counts

Intergender battles happen rarely. I believe Ness Lee vs Bonnie Godiva is happening in Sept on iBattle

OfftheTopRope2 karma

Still answering questions? You're the man.

I know you're not a fan of rematches, but if you HAD to have another battle with someone, who would it be?

What percentage of your bars that you write for any particular battle would you say end up in your final verse? (How much you throw away/keep)

TheSaurus8312 karma

Probably Diz since I got jerked in that one haha

I probably use about 75% of the material I actually wrie. tons of throwaway bars/ideas that dont make the cut

daringpooplord2 karma

The battle scene has seen a lot of changes since 2006 and even the earlier days of Scribble Jam. Yet you've managed to stay near the top all that time. What's next for battle rap?

TheSaurus8313 karma

I think the next step is taking battling to the mainstream, which it seems to be doing with URL linking up w BET and with Wildin Out having Conceited on there now. Its only a matter of time before it goes bigger than that

JediGlitterChild2 karma

Is there any connection or skill parallel between rap battling and playing poker professionally?

TheSaurus8316 karma

I guess its made it easier to figure out what approach people are gonna take against me and thus how to dissect that or at least try. And my memory, which is used in different ways for each but still used a lot in both

Mackametti2 karma

[deleted]

TheSaurus8318 karma

Cortez

mccoyster2 karma

Props for doing this, and all you've done for the movement. Truly Team Legendary. Kind of a reverse of a previous question but, best one I could think of on short notice.

Do you feel there were any specific battles where the opponent clearly beat you, but you were awarded the W? What do you think it was due to, if so?

Also, do you follow proper-ish bankroll management for your poker endeavors?

TheSaurus8315 karma

I thought Matter beat me in Dont Flop but the judges gave their explanations afterwards and its all just their opinions anyhow. The Pat Stay battle is debatable and so is the Real Deal but who am I to argue with an esteemed panel of elite judges lol

crispy_chicken62 karma

Yo TheSaurus! In your opinion, what's the best flip/rebuttal you've ever done? my favourite is your "I fathered this whole scene!" line, I forget who you were up against though.

TheSaurus8315 karma

Do you know how much this shit is worth in middle earth?

Ben_Is_A_Free_Elf2 karma

  • Who is in your top 5 UK battlers?
  • Who do you next want to battle in the UK?
  • What battlers music is the best in your opinion?

And thanks for doing this, you're one of my favourite American battlers, and you've done so much for the scene, I feel compelled to thank you for what you've done.

TheSaurus8314 karma

Unan Shotty Chris Leese Ark Deff

One of them will be my next DF opponent this year

Only One & illmac in my opinion make the best music or at least I listen to theirs the most

h9892 karma

  • When will we see you in the URL?

  • Do you feel like the staff at the URL are very selective of who they let on their platform? Is it bad that they're doing that?

  • And what does it mean personally to get co-signed by Drake? Does it push you further to write battles and make good music?

TheSaurus8317 karma

when i get an opponent that Id really like to battle

They are selective and its a good thing to an extent. Its about quality control

Drake's cosign is an incredible feeling honestly. For him to say anything at all is huge, and for him to speak highly of me is very surreal. Hes a great artist, one of the biggest in the world at the moment and the light hes shining on the battle scene as a whole is really a great look

devktp2 karma

You gamble for a living. Is that true? And how does that work out (what kind of gambling can payoff on a monthly basis? Except poker)? What sort of rap music do you listen to (list a few artists)? Like 3rd post within last 10min. But fuck it that's what happens when formerly favourite battle rapper (soz but Diz took the chain after legendary shit he did to Canibus and DNA) pops up for an AMA.

TheSaurus8313 karma

Ive played poker for a living for 10 years

I listen to Royce, JCole, Jay-Z, Copywrite, old west coast shit as well. I listen to a lot of music in general

Stadnyk3062 karma

Whatever happened to Bo-Rat?? how come he doesn't battle anymore? i remember you guys had a couple classics back in the scribble days.

TheSaurus8313 karma

I kick it with Bo regularly. He lives here in LA and dropped an album a few months ago called Bo Knows Rap. He just got over the battle shit eventually like a lot of battlers did

hiphoprising2 karma

On poker:

What're your win rates?

What's your username?

Any profit graphs?

Mostly live or online?

Biggest live win? (Tourney)

TheSaurus8313 karma

Ive had too many online screen names to count. p1pocketz & NoCalmMeant on stars & PeteBeestro and Salagander on FT years ago

I was a live prop for 6 years. ive mostly played live since i started playing full time.

Biggest live tourney cash was about 17k

stylone2 karma

How do you feel against battling Loonie, How would you prepare for him when most of his battles are in Tagalog? Also, what is you're favorite poker game specifically (NL/ Pot Limit Hold Em'/ Omaha?)

TheSaurus8317 karma

I feel great about the battle. Im not doing anything particularly different to prepare. I dont really even watch my opponents battles before I get ready. iw atch other performances that hype me up

I prefer NLH, Razz and Omaha 8 O/B

KingBeetle2 karma

In that 2 on 2 in canada where you almost punched a guy, what had you so heated?

TheSaurus8313 karma

rich mentioning my father and then the fact that we told Diaz to stop talking 4 times during our round

Gimmedis2 karma

What do you look for first in a hip hop song? Structure, content, story telling, flow, wordplay, multies?

Top 5 dead or alive? And top 5 up and comers (not battle rap)

TheSaurus8317 karma

content, delivery and the beat

compier2 karma

two time everything! I just wanted to say I think your battles are awesome! Who do you think is the funniest battle rapper (any league)

TheSaurus8315 karma

Lex D is a candidate for sure

daringpooplord2 karma

Any comments on the changing demographics in battle rap?

TheSaurus8314 karma

It has its pros and cons as anything does. Im in full favor of new fans at all times but of course there are gonna be ones that rub people the wrong way haha

modd252 karma

Oh crap! The Saurus! LA native here! My brothers and I been watching your battles since '06

My questions to you are (hope they havent already been asked):

  1. What battle did you have the most fun writing for?

  2. What was your favorite bar/scheme/round used against you in any battle

  3. How'd do you feel about the downfall of GTN

TheSaurus8315 karma

I had a lot of fun writing for DNA. And Ness Lee

Pat Stay's 3rd round is the most entertained I think Ive been by an opponent against me

The GT downfall was kind of inevitable unfortunately. But the scene as a whole is better than ever

h9892 karma

  • Would you ever go and battle on GTN?

  • Your 2 on 2 vs Po and Diaz, anything you'd like to change about that battle

  • I follow you on twitter, and see your a poker fanatic, any tips when playing with buddies?

  • Is singing something that comes naturally or can I improve my vocals without auto tune?

And thanks!

TheSaurus8315 karma

I would. For 10k

Id like to change... THE OUTCOME

Play aggressive, stay relentless. but dont overcommit w/ big raises. Just small ball their life away

Singing can be taught. Autotune wont teach you how, itll just clean things up a little

modd252 karma

Make your own card! 5 battles (preferably that never happened) , and the battlers don't have to be active currently.

TheSaurus8316 karma

illmac vs Iron Solomon

Hollow vs Diz

Verb vs Lux

Pat Stay vs Big T

JC vs Real Deal even tho thats gonna happen haha

JosephPalin2 karma

What do you think was the greatest rap battle verse(s) ever put on that you wernt in?

TheSaurus8314 karma

Aye Verb's 2nd vs Hollow

mapleleaf4322 karma

-You mentioned that Illmaculate was the toughest that you had to prep for- what battler do you think brought the best material against you? Regardless of your own performance.

-After all of these years, do you have a favorite line/diss against you that stands out?

-Since no one else really asked, who are your biggest influences as far as writing goes?

-Will you be battling at BOTB6?

TheSaurus8314 karma

Probably illmac again, he was flawless in our battle. Philly Swain was also really great against me

Madness: You got a dirty mechanic's face, but cant fix a pair of brakes You look like you let yourself marinate in nair & mace And the result was your flesh is the same texture as carrot cake

TheSaurus8313 karma

writing wise Mac Lethal was an early influence. Now its more like cats like Bender & only & ill

THE_JERKSTORE42 karma

Hey The Saurus, big fan! Just a few questions for you:

  • Excluding battles that you have been involved in, which battles are your personal favs?

  • Is Dizaster a dick in real life?

  • Whats your favorite starting poker hand?

TheSaurus8312 karma

My favorite battle is probably Hitman vs Aye Verb. I also really like the Bad Bars battle from DF, Bender vs 24/7, Big T vs Tsu Surf, JC vs Chilla, Verb vs Hollow

haha naw Diz is one of my good friends. He's just a maniac sometimes

My favorite unpaired hand is 10-8 diamonds

jivester2 karma

If you walk past a flyer for a small freestyle tourney, like a $200 prize or something, will you ever just be like "I'm not doing anything tonight, might as well take that easy money"?

TheSaurus8315 karma

Id probably do it if that moment presented itself

Another-Chance2 karma

Have you ever considered rapping a book from the bible or a state of the union address (and, of course, making it more hip and lively?) and can you rap your response?

TheSaurus8315 karma

no I havent. and no thank you

Uza2 karma

Juice vs. Supernat, who won?

TheSaurus8315 karma

Juice

transition72 karma

What are your goals in terms of making music? How much harder is it for you to write songs vs. writing for opponents, and why? Waiting for your next album to drop!!

TheSaurus8313 karma

ultimately the goal is to make music that people can universally appreciate on some level. I wouldnt necessarily say that song writing is harder than battle writing but the process is different. The song writing process is more relaxing & therapeutic whereas prepping for a battle is a very aggressive and energetic process, motion creates emotion so to speak. New album coming soon!

digables2 karma

I read some that there's controversy about talking about your father/daughter. I understand if its too personal to get in to, but could you elaborate some for us on what happened?

TheSaurus8313 karma

My father passed away a few years ago. Its been brought up in a battle or two and one time i took exception to it. Ive never sweated anyone for bringing up my daughter really, i just think bringing a child into it is a weak approach

leeroybrowne2 karma

In the DF title match you voted for oshea against tony d. I know you done a 2v2 against him once but would you ever consider battling him? Would be a great match for the 5th birthday.

TheSaurus8313 karma

I think I already have an opponent locked in for my next DF battle, its not him but I would consider that in the future cause hes hilarious and is one of my favorite people in battling both as a battler and a human

analbongripper4202 karma

[deleted]

TheSaurus8313 karma

that song is called "The Last Dope Run" w/ Lush One. We have a video for it on youtube. thank you for the kind words man

dragcar12162 karma

Any further talks yet to get you on that URL stage??

TheSaurus8313 karma

we gon see, we gon see

Deathcon9002 karma

What are your thoughts on /u/poem_for_your_sprog and his/her work?

TheSaurus8313 karma

i dont know who that is

ThisIsMyNewIdentity2 karma

Holy shit you're pretty dope. Thanks for doing this! A little late to the party but you've got a new fan. Stay awesome, dude.

TheSaurus8312 karma

thank you! much respect

theyboosting2 karma

ALL I KNOW IS....

TheSaurus8314 karma

that?

dedanschubs2 karma

How badly is Purpose going to murder Lavos at WD4?

TheSaurus8313 karma

pretty badly hahahaha

bestgamerinthemoon1 karma

Another question bro.

For a freestyle beginner, what are your tips and is there any secret to all of it? What goes through your head and so on?

TheSaurus8312 karma

The best way I can describe it is that I see it all backwards. Basically I can see the punchline before i say the setup

spitfire91071 karma

what was the best face joke someone used on you?

TheSaurus8312 karma

i dunno. Probably the one by Madness I said earlier w/ "Marinate in nair & mace"

thebenprocter1 karma

do you take battles on what pays best or what the fans want to see? I've seen Arsonal say that he takes them on money and doesn't battle until he has the money and there are people like Youthoracle from Don't Flop who will battle anyone and I wondered what is the most important for you to take a battle?

Also, what do you think of this matchup that I've been wanting for ages, Bender vs Ness Lee. Thanks for doing this.

TheSaurus8312 karma

I take battles that catch my interest for any number of reasons, and of course money factors in to some situations. I definitely wont take on any battle that im offered, but I have also been persuaded to take certain battles due to the pay

Swarrles1 karma

Alright, time for the real question... When do you plan on rap battling B-Rabbit? More importantly, who would go first?

TheSaurus8313 karma

anytime, any place. Especially at the shelter. he can pick who goes first

NemisisChild1 karma

How do you prepare for a battle? Not so much how do you prepare your bars, but on the day of the battle how do you get in that "I'm the baddest motherfucker alive and everything I say for the next 3 rounds is gonna be fire" head space? Or is confidence just something that comes to you naturally?

Cheers, been a big fan since WRC!

TheSaurus8313 karma

I watch Aye Verb's 3rd round vs Hitman Holla. I do a lot of pacing around pre-battle and i generally shut the rest of the world out

spitfire91071 karma

do you wish you could've battled mic assassin? how would it go?

TheSaurus8312 karma

not at all. I wouldve ended his career worse than solomon did

spitfire91071 karma

ever battled a female rap battler? if not what lines would you use?

TheSaurus8312 karma

i have. A long time ago. Her name was Mac Mistress. I felt like a horrible person after

Ben_Is_A_Free_Elf1 karma

Do you know if Illmaculate would be up for battling Shuffle T and Marlo?

TheSaurus8312 karma

Its possible. It would be one of the best 2 on 2s ever

DeathRowe231 karma

Big Fan Thesaurus, been following you and KOTD/URL/GT since you and Arcane battled at WD1. My question is what do you think the best line anyone has ever used against you? Thanks man, and body Loonie for all of us

TheSaurus8314 karma

Wow. that is really tough. illmac's "Actin like a lil bitch right now" was fucking amazing. Lets go with that for now