There was a time when MC battles were a huge part of determining how good of an overall rapper you were. That time has passed, but not completely. Although battles may not be as popular as they once were, Olympia rapper Heretic the Heathen still continues to grow - both as a battle rapper and as a solid music maker. 

Heretic has been circulating in the battle scene since 2002, and as of now is one of the top battlers in the Olympia area - crushing opponents any chance he gets. You may recall Heretic as part of the Grindtime battles that came through Olympia last summer, proving to the touring Grindtime artists that our small hipster community has hip-hop talent. On top of staying busy polishing his battle raps, Heretic is also set to release a new mixtape, Writer's Block, on Aug. 11 at The Royal Lounge. Last week I had the chance to sit down with Heretic to discuss his upcoming release, some of his battle highlights and everything else hip-hop he's got going on. 

To read Nic Leonard's full story, click here.

[The Royal Lounge, Heretic, Puget, Cyrus, Thursday, Aug. 11, 9 p.m., $5 or $10 with mixtape, 311 Capitol Way N., Olympia, 360.705.0760]