[Round 1: XQZ]
Y’all hear me? (Yeah!)
I wanted to give up on this dream years ago, but what was Patrick’s line?
“Don’t die at 25 and get buried when you’re 70.”
And I kept that in mind
I watched up-and-comers pass me by, always felt like I’m a lap behind
But I learned it’s about how long you can hang on, not how fast you climb
And now I’m here, on the event of the year
Man, this some shit that I can’t describe
Although…apparently if I got hit by a fuckin’ train, I would’ve been here in probably half the time
Man, if I had known getting hit by a train is all it takes to get a chance to shinе
I’d have been on Blackout 5 with a concussion, internal bleeding, and a fractured spinе
Path, my guy!
My guy…

[Pathogenic]
I did have that

[XQZ]
You always start your battles by predicting what your opponents’ verses will be
Like “You’re gonna say I’m a zookeeper, and I rap about guns, and that I earned my degree.
But if I can see the approach comin’ from miles away, it won’t work against me.”
Then the train looked into the camera like, “I took that personally.”
I said, listen, Jacob!
When I found out you were laid up in intensive care
I donated to the GoFundMe, I broke down and said a prayer
And to add an extra layer, Ohio just had this environmental scare
Which is the second time a train crashed and there was Pathogenic everywhere!
(*to Organik*) You gave me a dude that got hit by a train at a charity event! What the fuck, bro?

I said, talkin’ about, “Ever since the accident, I just became so bitter”
I haven’t seen a smash hit from a train that hard since “Hey, Soul Sister”
Bro, Vizual said trains are the least likely vehicle to get hurt by
I had to Google that
I found “Forms of transportation ranked by yearly hospitalizations”, and I reviewed the stats
The only thing lower than trains were escalators
That is actually a proven fact
Which means, statistically, you probably would’ve been fine if you had just kept it movin’, Path
Hey, how are you from Calgary and couldn’t see (C) Train?
Man, that shit launched him half a block
You know, for most people, the guard comes down, the lights flash
It’s like an automatic stop
This dude blew right past the fuckin’ gate like he was watchin’ Travis Scott
And did a number on his organs like Johann Sebastian Bach
Path, you basically became Theo Fleury once this match was locked
Another dude from Calgary with a touching story that doesn’t have a shot!
I said, you been a fan!
And I’m sayin’ that as humble as possible
‘Cause every vet has that annoying up-and-comer that follows you
Quoting my lines in a bunch of tweets I wasn’t responding to
Came to my league, kept asking all of us what we thought of you
You used to only do gun bars, now all of a sudden, he’s comical
I beat 100K Bill, and you got one from the hospital
Who the fuck are you talkin’ to?
They thought I’d show this freshman any slack?
This a treasure map: they put X on it to be the end of Path!
And one more thing…
I recently took a “Getting Hit by a Train” prevention class
They gave me a detailed list of instructions on what to do if you’re on a set of tracks
Step 1: stand literally anywhere except for that…
Time!
[Round 1: Pathogenic]
Hey, y’all - can y’all hear me?
Turn me up?
Can you hear me now?

This weekend’s for Pat, so make some noise!
(*The crowd starts cheering and whooping*)
Get loud!
(*The crowd responds by cheering louder*)
(*to XQZ*) Yeah, I’m actually talking to you

You don’t get to be the voice of the Chi’ just ‘cause you’re a shy speaker
Tellin’ ‘em I got hit by a train, on my way to the zoo…I will deny neither
But that was an unmarked railway crossing where CP had no signs featured
So there was no “X” present to warn me
And having no presence, X…that won’t get me bodied this time either!
I took eight months, and returned in England like I never missed a step!
Won their best international performance and showed I’m better than the rest
Pathogenic, at his Apex, like altitude sickness
And showin’ up outta thin air was only the catchin’ of my breath!
Now I’m here, to commit to the School of Hard Knocks
And I will sign on, X: this my Letter of Intent
I’ll take it any direction to get you shipped out
Even an arrow - I’d center it in X like the Federal Express!
You’re lookin’ at the Mark of the Beast, bro
It’s the Devil in the flesh!
And y’all want me to think logically?
There’s nothin’ left upstairs, I’m right-brained
I’ll grab Lucille and make Steven Glenn like Steven Yeun
I said before, “It’s comin’ down to the wire like a tight race”
But this time in my hands, the bat might break…like Bane
I’ll stick a cross on him
To Hell wit’ this shit
You know the other way of spelling “Christmas”...
I put X in Christ place!
You are a dork!
This dweeb’s on par with Urkel
You do web art and design
You’re a part of the digital market circle
These punches are Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphae-
They’ll make an artist turtle
And he ends up Donatello since the markings on his face and arms are purple!
For this bitch, even sparring’s hurtful like Pat’s car commercial!
I struck a right, then struck a left
I got this clear…earlier than I should have
Like, 2-0 with his concussion tests
Skull and crossbones: I’m ahead of X
And that’s the flagship warning that he’s leaving wit’ a sunken chest
I’ll torture-rack Steve and have somethin’ stretched
Mid-performance, put X above my head like when you see the drummer flex from behind his percussion set!
I’m tryna be the fuckin’ best!
Forget “Break a leg”
I’ll find a way to make his bones fold
And they gon’ have to rearrange XQZ
QXZ, ZQX…sound like they’re speakin’ their own code
They’ll forget you ever started this shit Stunning, Steve…
And only remember that you left the ring Stone Cold
[Round 2: XQZ]
Yup…good round
So Jacob works at a zoo
Naw, that actually seems like a great life
His crew is “Gutter Gorillas” because they use gorilla emojis when they type
He has a tattoo of a gorilla on his back, so you can’t see it in plain s-
(*Pathogenic points at his chest as a way of gently correcting XQZ*)
Oh, it’s not on your back? It’s by your ribs?
Anything to keep him in a cage, right?
Nah, look, I know animals are your passion
You know, I’m sure they get amazing treatment
He even has these obscure animal bars that he always finds a way to sneak in
Like, “The bullets have such a long range, that when I aim and squeeze them…
It’s like the migration rituals of the Arctic tern from their native region during mating season.”
No one cares, bro
I mean, I understand we all exaggerate to get a punch to land
But him and his buddies plan their whole style around it just to up their brand
It fooled a couple fans
It’s like when NFTs were goin’ for a hundred grand
‘Cause you sellin’ them this whole Gorilla image that was just a scam
And now I hear you don’t even work there anymore?
There’s a shift in your focus
‘Cause you’d rather just rap about killing opponents and collect your disability bonus
Now you’re, like, one of the best writers in Canada, and hardly anyone’s noticed
I mean, at least at the zoo, having the nicest pen will probably get you promoted
But I forgot! It’s Mr…
“If belief in the Father is all it took to protect people, the Pope’s whip wouldn’t need bulletproof glass”
I said, “Damn. What’d they do to you in Sunday school class?”
But my whole perspective on it changed once the dude crashed
‘Cause you know the Pope was watchin’ that like:
“Look at me and look at you.
If my whip needs bulletproof glass, that might be somethin’ you need to look into!”
Bro, you’ve talked about killing the Pope in three battles now

[Pathogenic]
Have I?

[XQZ]
You have! Yeah, your last three

[Pathogenic]
(*exhales in disbelief*)
(*to Organik*) I probably earned that train accident

[XQZ]
Like, give the dude a fuckin’ break!
I’m worried you might actually be capable of doin’ somethin’
You’ve had a few concussions, Jake
They had to remove all the cardinals from his zoo because they knew it wasn’t safe

[Pathogenic]
That’s so fire

[XQZ]
They had to remove all the cardinals from his zoo because they knew it wasn’t safe
Only reason Bishop didn’t come is he’d be shootin’ up the place!
Talkin’ ‘bout:
“Don’t come to my hood. It’s one that no religious leader’s safe in.
The seed of Satan, spokesperson for the Philistines and pagans.”
And I’m not a fan of Catholicism, but bro, you really seem to hate ‘em
Only went with “Pathogenic” ‘cause fuckin’ “Killah Priest” was taken
Ay, I said, tell Mr. Zookeeper here that this isn’t entertainment
I would love to see one of these Gorillas leave their cages
Like the fuck is Pathogenic gonna do? I’ve become immune
Leave his roof smokin’ like a new Pope is comin’ soon
The house that Pat built - you’d be lucky just to huff the fumes
Asbestos in the attic: Pathogenic in the Upper Room!
You might not be a believer, but he’s in need of a Savior
Thought ‘cause I’ve been around forever that this would be in your favor?
But things don’t work out in this ring the way you see it in nature
Being the last of a dying breed doesn’t mean I’m in danger (endangered)
Round 2

[Round 2: Pathogenic]
Ya know, sometimes if the rhyme’s smokin’
We forget to check the validity of the line spoken
You told The Saurus:
“I’ll blow the whole field wide open like a cyclone in Wyoming”

[XQZ]
Oh, God…

[Pathogenic]
That’s never fuckin’ happened before

[XQZ]
Really!?

[Pathogenic]
Look it up if you think I’m jokin’

[XQZ]
Huh - I learn somethin’ new every day

[Pathogenic]
He really misinterpreted “brainstorming”
Came up with a cyclone in his head and thought that shit was mind-blowing
Steven, I’m positive you aren’t a meteorologist
Man, what kind of upside-down weather world are you livin’ in?
What’s next?
You’re so cold that we’ll be shiverin’ like a blizzard in the Dominican?
(*chuckles*) You’re an idiot
A knucklehead
And the punch got ‘em, stunned, bobbin’
I thought maybe in the scrum, stomp him!
But I wore brand new Air Forces
And air forces already seem to be his one problem
Plus, if I did that, it’d knock the fronts off ‘em
I’m tryin’ to keep these stock, X (StockX)
And I’m not a fan of gum bottoms!
Son’s droppin’! That’s a sure bet!
Body blows have him holdin’ (hold in) his gut like a corset!
Fatigued!? Yeah, in Army fashion
Charlie Manson: X gon’ wind up on his forehead
Out cold, sleepin’ on a Jey The Nitewing floor bed!
You’re George Brett wit’ the pine tar
And this is the battle I guess it fits
‘Cause you’re tryin’ not to fly off the handle, but wanna swing
And my suggestion is: “Get a grip!”
And it can be semi after semi after se-
A whole convoy for Pathogenic
This time, I won’t just let Ontario forget I’m sick!
This was a mismatch for you right when you accepted it
I have seen animals put on better shows, and they can’t even SPEAK!
It led me, to believe you’re green with envy
Of a performance you wish you could see, like Queen with Freddie
I am the timestopper, the eye-popper!
I’ll leave Chicago Steve Buscemi’d!
It’s like you thought I wouldn’t be this ready!
You only got two styles, bro
Sarcastic humor or multi punches - not even both
You need some new and improved themes
‘Cause X is between two brands, when that’s the collab that you need
And you never thought of that? It’s odd
Wozniak and Jobs
The best product would’ve come from combining those two Steves!
Oh, but Bill Collector-
Shut up, bro, I don’t give a fuck who you beat
For me, it was a PY, GZ, mainstage
In three battles here, and all without the nervous form
So you think I give a shit if people say other battlers deserve this more!?
If you see it as a high-pressure system, I see it as a low-pressure system
And even if they mix, that just created the perfect storm
…that wouldn’t hit Wyoming!

[XQZ]
(*sarcastically*) I hate you

[Pathogenic]
Time!

[Round 3: XQZ]
Yeah, look…
Let’s go
I said, uh…
You know, the way the, uh, unity’s come together for this event has been so amazing
And I feel like every battle deserves to end on some powerful, potent closing statement
But I just got tired of writing about you, Path
Like, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say
I mean, you’re so uninspiring, you put the “low motivation” in “locomotive station”
Until I saw your battle with Syntex
Where you addressed the accident and gettin’ through the storm
He took off his hat and said, “This isn’t Path anymore. This is Jacob in my truest form.”
You were vulnerable, and we learned things about you we never knew before
For example, I didn’t know…the hat was part of the uniform
All- every single-
You have one in every single battle in your catalog
It’s like a magic wand
Slaps it on, pulls up wit’ the hammers drawn
It’s almost as if he goes back from Path to Jake once the cap is gone
But who am I to judge, you know?
We all have our own traditions
There’s plenty of people that are only in character when they have their hat on…
You know, the Pope, for instance
That angle made us sympathize with all the pain that you survived
But we’re celebrating someone who represented never getting on stage with a disguise
So what’s it say when you normally put so much fake shit in your rhymes
Before you say somethin’ real, you stop the battle to set your alias aside?
And this is the future for Canada?
They said, “Fuck it. We’ll take him for the drive.”
This little road to the mainstage, they basically paved it for the guy
But I’m leavin’ my signature in the concrete while he waits for it to dry
That means I’m leavin’ hands on Path until my name’s solidified!
I got this name in high school
You know, when dudes were cypherin’ outside of class
They called me “XQZ” ‘cause I’d “excuse” myself from it when it was time to rap
I basically got my name ‘cause of performance anxiety, which is kinda trash
But over time, you just learn to be yourself from watching guys like Pat
You’ve been yourself for one round out of 50 your whole career, and you’re fine with that
Here’s Path, here’s Jacob
And you don’t even seem to mind the gap
So I don’t give a fuck if I’m not known to have the best showmanship
‘Cause no matter what, I’ll still be XQ’ the next culture shift
They ain’t like how I rapped, I just told ‘em to get over it
Chappelle wit’ the Abba-Zaba: the bars grew on ‘em the more I kept smokin’ shit!
But despite the angle, I don’t blame you
You know, the whole world’s a giant stage
And depending on the setting, we all have characters we’re trying to play
And if I went from XQZ back to Steve, you know exactly what I would say:
“It’s hard writing verses trying to kill you when I’m just happy you’re alive today”
I said, King of the Dot was a dream for both of us before they even had a title chain
You were on your deathbed last year, and now you’re here
Look how life can change!
I’m fuckin’ proud of you, Path!
‘Cause for all those nights you had to fight through pain
You never stopped ‘til you finally reached this platform…like a train!
Time!

[Round 3: Pathogenic]
Hey, uh…
Hey, what’s your team called?

[XQZ]
Which one?

[Pathogenic]
No, your team is Official Zoo Faculty

[XQZ]
Oh, yeah
I forgot to shout them out
Zoo Faculty in this bitch

[Pathogenic]
Why don’t you look at them and try sharin’ a few facts?
If you get stuck, have your whole Faculty back you up
I dare you to do that
You’re talkin’ to a guy who has exercised lions, drawn blood from tigers, and trimmed jaguar claws
You think I can’t take care of some Zoo cats?
I’m on a tear - this the new class!
You wanna compare styles? Mine’s doper
Wildlife poacher, I’ll make a mount off all your skulls
Get you and your friends ethered
I’ve put in more work than the rest of Zoo Faculty
It’s only right I get promoted to Head Keeper!
This battle - it doesn’t matter what you’ve said either!
When you were six years old, that career wasn’t all your hopes and dreams
If you look at our resumes, I got seven years’ experience
I don’t know how they chose you over me
I helped raise bear cubs
You’ve watched the Chicago Cubs and Bears
You’re the Official Zoo Faculty of Midwestern fuckin’ sporting teams
What do you gain by having them in your corner, Steve?
What, you tryna toughen your rhymes or somethin’?
You’re from Deerfield, a village that can brag about its crime reduction
The rest been in shootouts with cops
So many stories where they had ten sent (cent) to 12 that they’re a dime a dozen!
And y’all still-

[XQZ]
That’s amazing, bro

[Pathogenic]
And y’all still think this guy is buzzin’?
I think your whole image is frugal and cheap
And that is not a shot at your Jewish beliefs
That’s a shot at you
For surrounding yourself with badasses on your group and your team, when you’re soft and thin-skinned
Bro, you bruise like a peach!
You’re not violent!
That’s all talk in the Windy City!
The only thing you ever shoot is the breeze!
I am the only one who has actually been Faculty at a Zoo in the scene!
The singular person your little irrelevant group is relevant to
Now, I might not work there anymore but…you think I didn’t keep the keys?
That I wouldn’t be let in the zoo?
I’ll take y’all out one by one
You gon’ be be understaffed
I’m not jealous of you!
I’m makin’ Pirates of the Caribbean
By night, your Faculty’s turnin’ to a skeleton crew!
Oh, Steve, Steve, Steve…
To stop Pathogenic, you need help from Osmosis Jones, or the guidelines from the CDC
I kept hearing, “Flatten the curve. Flatten the curve.”
I came to break his nose!
All quarantine, I kept the hands squeaky-clean!
Just leave me be!
‘Cause the idea you’re above me, on some imaginary depth chart
This is where that all stops
You have some many opportunities every year
And every year, the ball’s dropped
It doesn’t put you in a higher tier after
It’s deer antlers
You grow…to a point…every year…then fall off!
But it’s Stay Forever
So besides the typical battle talk, there’s other stuff we have to mention
I would’ve never wanted to be Pathogenic if it wasn’t for Pat’s impression
So if you’ve got a drink and a glass, then get them
And raise them in a toast to the man, the Champ
And most importantly, the Dad, whose impact was legend
‘Cause battle rap can end up being a family for a lot of us
And he’d be proud to know we’d do anything for our family
And I think that’s the lesson