May Madness...

Sweet Sixteen
written by Just K

At first I refused to do it just off the strength of the bull$#!t@$$ setup. I’m looking at the Tupac Bracket and I’m completely bugging off the fact that Fat Joe, Raekwon, and Joe Budden are ranked lower than Flo Rida. SERIOUSLY?! I slide over to the Biggie Bracket only to see Lil Mama ranked higher than Foxy, Juelz, Cassidy, and Q-Tip. I love Lil Mama, don’t get me wrong, but ranking her higher than The Abstract is just painful to see. I won’t even get into the rest of these. Long story short, I tried to boycott the joint. For some odd reason I couldn’t throw the damn paper away, though. And so it sat there, taunting me, calling me, begging me to fill it out. I swear it started showing up in places that I didn’t even put it. It was waiting on my pillow before I went to sleep. It was sitting on top the Wii when I was ‘bout to put in Mario Kart to make my millionth attempt at mastering Rainbow Road. I dropped the soap once during a shower and it snuck up behind me. Couldn’t really ignore it after that.

So here it is: Just K’s Vibe Bracket.

First off, for the play-in game, I actually have Diddy taking out Jim Jones. I’m not sleeping on Jimmy Slim Jeans, but I don’t think Jimmy should sleep on whoever Diddy’s ghostwriter is. Sadly, Diddy’s taking an L to Jay-Z because I got Jay writing Diddy’s rhymes. I just don’t see Jay out-writing himself. Eh.

Out of the first round in the Biggie Bracket there’s no real surprise except maybe Lil Mama taking out Missy. The shocker out of Pac’s bracket is Killer Mike taking Big Boi out. I don’t know. Killer Mike just got this energy to him that’s prime for ripping rappers apart. And as much as I like Joe Budden, c’mon, man – it’s Esco. I feel bad for betraying Pimp C’s partner, but Devin over Bun B. I’m aware that Jeezy’s evolved beyond ad-libs, but I think Rick Ross is the better pure lyricist. Big Pun’s got a sick bracket. Red takes out Meth, Black Thought over Common, Busta takes Twista, and Crooked I eats Game alive.

The Sweet Sixteen

Jay squeaked by L-Boogie to make it. Fab, Lupe and Mos Def get there comfortably. Em Ghostface, and Killer Mike are in. Nas had to put in the work to get by Beans. Wayne will meet Face and Luda will meet T.I. (surprise, surprise) out of Pimp C’s bracket. 3Stacks will be seeing Black Thought and Crooked I will be bumping heads with Cube.

Elite 8

This is where it started getting real. Jay and Lupe make it in – yeah, I got Lupe taking out Mos Def. As difficult as it was, I had to pick Wayne over Face only because Wayne’s style is more built for competition than Face. Damn. That one hurt me. Hurt me bad. Luda over T.I. for the same reason as Wayne over Face. Surprise! Ghostface over Eminem to make it to the 8. Esco gets by Killer Mike. Crooked I over Cube (damn, the underdog is doing big things) and 3Stacks over Thought.

Final Four

Luda over Wayne was kind of a no-brainer for me. Nas vs. Ghost…hmmmm. Tough call. Crooked I against Andre 3000 was all sorts of difficult. If you’ve heard Crooked I go in, you already know. Jay vs. Lupe was my most difficult decision. Obviously Jay’s got a body of work and he still spits heat, but Lupe is unreal. He’s got that once in a lifetime lyrical ability. Decisions, decisions.

The Championship Match

Lupe, representing the Biggie Bracket took Luda (from Pimp C’s Bracket) out and Andre 3000 (Big Pun Bracket) took out Nas (Tupac Bracket).

Andre 3000 vs. Lupe Fiasco in the grand finale.

AND THE BEST RAPPER ALIVE IS: Lupe Fiasco ( ¬ highlight)

Surprised? Yeah, me too. What your bracket look like?