web exclusive: The Iron MCs
Ironing the Wrinkles Out of Hip-Hop
The Iron MCs wreck shit. These guys don’t just spin rhymes and joke around. They battle. In Athens, where everything is steeped in Appalachian culture, these four are spitting a name for themselves in hip hop.
They introduce themselves as Marcus Rose “Pesc,” Josh Mei “J Mei,” Tony Rawlings “Tone Capone” and Eddie Franks “Cuff.” At this, they begin to explain their MC names, the backbone of their rap and battle persona.
“Pesc means two different things. First of all, the passion, ethics and spirit of competition, that’s why I chose it. It also means Protestant ethics and spirit of capitalism, so there is a work ethic type of thing,” Marcus said.
Eddie’s MC name, “Cuff,” is also an acronym. It stands for creativity, unity and fulfilling the future, aspects he feels are missing from the hip hop scene today. Josh describes his name as his personal side, countered by his more extroverted side, which he has named “Johnny May.” “Tone Capone” is meant to embody Tony’s will; “I don’t want to be no rap hero, I just want to be like, he did it. Al Capone wasn’t a real hero but he was a gangster for real. Look at him and you say, you know, he did it. It’s just the attitude toward the game itself,” Tony said.
Under these monikers, the boys step out to battle.
“Battling in general is like a boxing match with words. To do it, you really got to have thick skin. There are no rules to what you can’t say,” Eddie said “When I go up against somebody, I’m going to look at how you’re dressed or if you’re fat, skinny, tall, short, and just attack you. If you’re creative with it, you can do it without sounding ignorant and angry.”
In battle, the game is all about coming up with the most creative insult to knock the other person with. Since these guys know each other so well, dissing can get complicated.
“On the one hand, you know them so you know they’re not going to take it too seriously, but in my head I’m thinking where to draw the line, and that’s the part, like I could say some ignorant shit to win, but I don’t want anyone to be mad, it’s not worth that,” Tony said. Eddie explains that the key is to not hold grudges or take things personally.
As a part of the competition, the guys sometimes run into racial spars, but they seem to think being a multi-ethnic group in an area with a strong white majority helps their game. Representing Chinese, German, Dutch, Italian, Native American, Puerto Rican, Polish, Cuban and Black heritage, the guys have pretty much covered it all.
“We’re so different culturally, ethnically, lyrically, whatever, but when we put our tracks together, there’s something about it that collaborates well. But in a culture like this, people just don’t expect that,” Josh said.
Defying expectations is a large part of the thrill of rapping for the group, who believe that battling allows them to grow as artists.
“Basically, I just want to be the best artist I can be. I can’t hold back at all. Every time I step on that stage to battle, it makes me better. As a lyricist, it just makes me think more,” Marcus said.
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