Esem discusses his biggest moments in battle rap, indie music bars, and being on shrooms at SXSW

It was great getting to talk to rising BOTZ, GZ, P&R battle rapper Esem aka Ryan Gosling aka Swaggy Man  

 

On Bowks Talking Bouts #118, We discussed Esem's early days of watching WRC's and how he analyzes his early battle performances now, Esem's Power and Respect battles where sometimes he would battle twice in the same night and the story behind how he began to get PY plates via KOTD (8:28), having a one on one and a two on two freestyle battle in a hotel with Laugh N Stalk and the modern battle rap dynamic of battlers wanting to compete against friends (12:03), how Esem performs better against people who he isn't cool with and some examples of those types of battles (15:25), battling Mewlips at SXSW and his experience there while on shrooms (21:28)........

 

All of the fire up indie/ alternative music-based references Esem has in his battles about The Strokes and Beirut (26:15), the wild Boy Meets World reference Esem dropped on Joe Cutter (28:46), referencing Roberto Duran and the love for Boxing that runs in Esem's family (30:38), Some of the wild pro wrestling bars Esem has dropped in battles and how Laugh 'N Stalk got Esem back into wrestling/ lets Esem use his WWE network subscription (32:14), what Esem's finishing move would be (37:24)........

 

Getting to collaborate on an EP with the guys from The Dirtbag Dan Show recently and info on the project he's working on with Everybody Knows (38:53), being inspired by Chase Moore as well as Cemetery Chips and why Esem is now known as Young Joseph Gordon-Levitt (46:56), the hipster's quandary of enjoying Pabst Blue Ribbon (48:03), and more!