Invincibility is a mindset. A belief. The knowledge that taking a loss is an impossibility. That even a scratch is improbable. Michael Jordan understood that. One of the most cerebral athletes in history, MJ knew how to control the psychology of his opponents. How to ensure that no matter what the reality of the situation was, the perception was that of invincibility. Saying that Murda Mook was the Michael Jordan of battle rap is about more than comparison, more than reference to one of his most famous verses. It’s about invincibility.

Born and raised on Harlem’s 116th Street, in his youth Mook was no stranger to the basketball court or the battle cypher. At first, the court seemed to be the place where he would make his name as a star point guard. Harlem’s ballers and spitters shared a flair for the dramatic. Whether your game was ball or bars, it was as much about showmanship as it was about winning. Murda Mook took that mindset from the court to the street.

In 2003 Mook burst onto the battling scene, putting the skills he had been honing up against Jae Millz, a battler fresh off an appearance on MTV’s Making the Band. A relative unknown entering the battle, by the end of it, Mook had made an instant impression. He parlayed the performance into a showdown against Loaded Lux on SMACK DVD, eight rounds of fire that became one of the company’s most legendary battles. With two more impressive performances on SMACK, Mook confirmed his status as the new kid to beat in NYC.

Feeling the need to branch out, Mook took up an offer to battle on Fight Klub in 2005, easily going undefeated in front of their cameras. Soon after, he roasted a tournament in Detroit hosted by D12’s Proof to the tune of five wins in a single night, including victories over hometown favorites Young Miles and Marvwon. With his murdering spree at full force, Mook agreed to the biggest challenge of his career, a throw down against Serius Jones, the current Fight Klub champ. The battle didn’t disappoint, going down as one of the most heavily debated and highly entertaining in the history of the sport.

By the time 2008 rolled around, Mook had manufactured his invincibility. It was a quality that seeped through in every one of his performances, from his attention grabbing persona to his trademark, round ending “EASY!” catchphrase. Though he had retired, a $25,000 offer pulled him back to the stage for one last bout. In perhaps his greatest performance, Mook decimated Philly’s Young Hot, cementing his spot as the self-proclaimed king of battle rap.

Today, Mook claims he’s done with the ring, having accomplished all he wanted in battling. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that the truly invincible never fully extinguish their hunger. Their need to be acknowledged as the greatest. Just ask Jordan.