Rap Knockers

"We hung out with different crowds at Crawford High and hardly ever spoke, so I don't know why all of a sudden he's badmouthing me," says rapper Professor K of the "diss track" by DJ Black Truth and Ethik. Sample lyric from "Destroyed Experiment": "You're just a hip-hop hypocrite, you aren't that intricate, realness in your verses, I never see you implement."

"I think it bugs [Truth] that I skate and I hang out with punk rockers and stuff, and he envies me because I got three band projects with two of them about to put out new CDs."

Professor K's response to the song is called "Black Truth Is a Fag." Ethik claims a lyric references a porn tape K brags about making. "He's overly arrogant. Yes, hip-hop has a lot of braggers, but there's gotta be a boundary line. I respect that he's trying to make it as a local music artist, but if you're gonna present this spiritual image, back it up. Maybe make a track about how that was your past and you've become a better man or something."

DJ Black Truth says, "If you looked at [Professor K's] page, you'd think, 'Hey, he's cool,' but he came to my page to take my picture and put it up as his track display. That's not hip-hop... Professor K's beat was great, but those lyrics are horrible."

Professor K says he doesn't know what started the rivalry, but "As far as I'm concerned, it's over. I'm not gonna do any more answer tracks; 'Black Truth Is a Fag' says it all."

Professor K appears with Robot Crew October 14 at downtown's Static Lounge.