100 BARS MAGAZINE 010 JUN/JULY 2014 | Page 32

That’s why they’re disappointed; they aren’t seeing that from me. In my last two battles, I haven’t really been putting in my all. I have been kind of dry, not really performing and not carrying on with the battle, because my mind has been elsewhere. My mind has been on s**t like, “What happens if I get convicted on this charge” or “I need to get my rent paid. How am I going to make that happen, so I can keep a roof over my daughter’s head?” My mind has just been focused on other things, but that’s not going to stop me from battling. Eve: I understand, but realistically, life doesn’t stop happening. How do you plan on dealing with this stress in your upcoming battles?  Stampede: Don’t misunderstand, I choked in those battles because I just came home from jail and all that stress was stress that was fresh in my mind. It was just some brand new situations that really threw me off. The stress I have now is old. I’m not worried at all about my next battles; everything is cool now. It just so happened at that time all my cards weren’t in my favor you feel me? Eve: Let’s get into the best part of battle rap; the sport. Who was your hardest competitor and your best?   Stampede: I want to say Xcel, but I think I would have beat him bad if I didn’t choke, Though he is surely one of the most lyrical rappers I ever was up against, but I wouldn’t say he’s the best 32 competitor. I think the best competitor I ever Y