Photographer: Mary Gemski
personality wise but I just feel
like something like that shouldn’t
be why you feel like someone’s
top tier. For me, I don’t know if
it will ever happen to be honest
with you. The newness of me is
kinda gone and when someone
first comes out a lot of people are
prisoners of the moment. That
man can only have one or two
good battles or like maybe 3 or
4 but people get so caught up in
that they’re like aww he’s the best.
It’s like how can you say someone’s
the best if he’s only battled a
few times. I don’t understand
that and people just don’t see no
progression. I also feel like battles
should be judged or have an
official ranking system with it.
Dana: You acutally think battles
should be judged?
M.Ciddy: At this point in time,
I’m 22 years old. I ain’t got no
35
trophies off this battle rap. I want
a trophy to put in my living room.
A trophy, a medal, something next
to my high scool shit.
Dana: You want a trophy. But
what about UFF (Ultimate
Freestyle Friday)?
M. Ciddy: With that, they
didn’t give no niggas a trophy
off that. The winner just got the
satisfaction of winning and that’s
not wassup. That’s why I really
didn’t wanna do that shit because
they weren’t paying anybody and
nobody didn’t get no trophy.
So I’m like damn, I don’t get a
trophy. A nigga don’t get a video
on BET or a cypher spot I was like
damn. I just get the satisfaction
of saying that I’ve been on BET.
At first when they asked me to do
that shit and not even just me a
lot of people in that competition
were like I don’t wanna do this
shit. I ain’t getting no trophy. I’m
getting no paper. Ay I’m like they
need to start giving niggas trophies
for their achievements. My nigga
Ill Will still ain’t got no trophy.
I’m like cmon man. (Laughter).
I’m like cmon that man freestyled
in 2 days, give him a trophy. They
ain’t giving niggas trophies for
nothing. I’m like damn You go to
the battle you be sweating and shit
on camera. You stayed up all these
damn nights and you don’t get
a trophy. Not even like a winner
trophy but like they can at least
give you a participation trophy.
You know how they used to give
the kids trophies just cuz they
were on the team.
Dana: You said something about
all these sleepless nights. So
what do you say to people who
feel that battle rap is easy?
M.Ciddy: People that watch battle
rap have to understand there’s a