Hey yo today I’ve got an interview with Cerebro for you. Cerebro, if you do not know, is top South African battle rapper. He made his debut at Scrambles4Money last year and hasn’t lost ever since. Cerebro is also in the final of the Foreign Exchange battle rap tournament, presented by Scrambles4Money, where the winner will go on to represent South Africa alongside Gin-I Grindith in Canada’s King of The Dot Word Domination 4. Enjoy.

ZEBULON:
You're from Durban right, how did it happen that you landed up in Jsec battling at Scrambles4Money? Take me back to the start.

CEREBRO:
There's a homie of mine Keynotez Bazookaz, who hosts some of the dopest rap shows in Durban.. He was approached by Gin Grimes around September last year (2012) and Gin asked him which Durban battle kat he'd recommend for a spot at Scrambles.. He told him about me coz at the time, I attended EVERY show looking for freestyle battles, starting cypher and just challenging niggas.. I was battling almost every weekend, sometimes more than one battle a night, and I had never lost.. I was on a mission, Haha. So Keynotez sent my name through, I linked with Gin, and the rest is history..

ZEBULON:
Haha that's dope. So you became known by battling and not by your music. Do you regard yourself as a battle rapper mainly or is it a balance between battling and making music?

CEREBRO:
Yea, I'd say I'm a battle rapper mainly.. I love making music too, but I'd rather build a name for myself on a national scale first, then drop a tape when the demand is high, know what I mean..? I actually just started on a little solo project, written a few tracks, but ima take my time with it..

ZEBULON:
I feel that man. If you could choose any three local cats to battle, who would it be? Also give me the three international rappers you would choose.

CEREBRO:
I'd like to battle Pava Gunz, Gin Grimes and Kadence (Not all at once, Hahaha) No beef whatsoever, those are highly rated MC's at Scrambles and I'd love to bump heads with the gods, so to speak.. I think any of those match-ups would deliver at least 1000 views in the first week.. Internationally, hmm.. Ness Lee (He's got some of the dopest rhyme patterns I've ever heard in battles), Shotty Horroh (I admire his hunger, not to mention he's madd nice) and Arcane (But only coz I don't feel him for shit)

ZEBULON:
Those are dope choices. GOH man Arcane is the shit... Let's venture back to your studio work. Are there any of your tracks available digitally at the moment?

CEREBRO:
Hahaha.. Arcane is the shit..?? No comment. There are a few tracks that I've done with some of my boys that we've been bluetooth'ing around.. All my solo shit is with me, will be released as soon as my tape is done hopefully next year..

ZEBULON:

Dope dope. Back to Scrambles… I don't know if you watch draft league battles, but who would you say are the most promising in that league? The ones who you think will have a bright future in the main card.

CEREBRO:
I've been to one Draft League event and I've seen a couple of clips from the other ones.. I feel Topaz (who's gona make his main card debut against Snazz D) , Quaint and Chro.. These dudes are fucking sick!

ZEBULON:
Debut against Snazz haha... Take me through last Friday, Scrambles4Money Foreign Exchange. Semi-Final against the dangerous Demon. What went through your mind preparing for that battle right through to the moment when you opened your mouth to spit your first verse?

CEREBRO:
Hahahaha.. Yes, Snazz
Dude, I unprepared for days.. When I arrived in Joburg on Thursday night I was nowhere near being done with my verses.. I got to Southgate, had a few beers and blunts, then spent the whole night writing, crashed around 4 am, woke up at 7 and started rehearsing.. When I got to Greyscale nerves started kicking in.. I isolated myself, rehearsing, until the very last minute.. We stepped into the ring.. Round 1, 2, 3.......... "Winner is.. Cerebro"

ZEBULON:
Haha stop bluffing and trying to make this sound like a fairytale or 8 Mile or something man hahahaha... So now it's on to Illite...again... You think you can take him again? Or did you use all your ammo you have against him already in the last battle?

CEREBRO:
Hahaha.. Ey man, I'm telling it how it happened..
Yea man, back to Illy.. Nah I didn't use all my ammo nigga! I actually haven't been more excited for a battle, we told each other we had to meet again in the final, back when there was still 16 of us in the tournament.. So yea, REMATCH..!!!!!! It couldn't have come at a better time, can't wait.

ZEBULON:
Haha confidence!! Illy will come back strong man. But it's gonna be close for sure. What happens when you win bro? I know you'll be going to Canada but what would this tournament victory do to you as a person? Tell me how much this means to you.

CEREBRO:
I gotta be confident bro, Illy's a dope kat.. I know he's gona bring it..
If I win, dam! Haha.. This is SA's top league, and moving high up the 'rankings' within this league will be a greater fulfillment for me than going to Canada (Don't get me wrong though, going to Canada would be a biiiiiiig deal for me). Plus the demand for my tape will be high, Haha, gotta think about that too

ZEBULON:
Haha yeah true. But win or lose bro, you're still the man. Before we end it, any last words to Illite MC and your large cult of fans out there?

CEREBRO:
"Large cult" Hahahaha..
Yo man, big ups to Illite.. This battle will decide who truly is the doper one between him and I.. And much love to the Scrambles fans, and the Joburg crowd for holding a nigga down proper every time..
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