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Patrick Williams, who goes by the stage name “Think Fast,” raps a freestyle at the Mi

Editor's note: Audio clips in this story contain some expletive lyrics.

Six-foot-two with freckles and reddish hair, Patrick Williams is not your typical MC. Neither is his friend, dreadlocked Jessica Amisial, a spoken word performer and poet.

And neither were most of the other MCs who took the stage in Ackerman Grand Ballroom on Wednesday night as part of the freestyle-battle segment of the Student Committee for the Arts’ Mic Club.

The event showcased several young performers from the local hip-hop community – some from UCLA, and some not. Some good, and some not.

Backed by a four-piece band and flashing lights, about 14 MCs “touched fists” – in the words of D.R.E.S. tha Beatnik, who hosted the battle – and then tried to beat their opponents “by any verbal means necessary.”

The MCs had 30 seconds with the microphone to say whatever they wanted, but D.R.E.S. ensured the crowd pre-written rhymes would not be tolerated. The winner of the battle was decided afterward by a “soundmeter,” which measured the volume of the crowd’s reaction.

The audience, though only about 120 people, freely let fly their yells, screams and boos. And on stage, the MCs could feel the energy.

For MC Murdah Big Drawz – whose real name is Carmella Scott – who made it to the second round, playing to the audience was important.

“You just gotta get the crowd. Otherwise you’re not going to win,” she said.

Unlike some battles, this one was not decided by judges.

Big Drawz, who participates frequently in battles in the L.A. area, said she loved the atmosphere on a college campus.

“It’s all fun. It’s all love,” she said. “It’s just students unwinding after a long day of class.”

One MC, wearing glasses and argyle and going by the name “Mr. Belvedere,” looked as if he really did just come from class. His freestyle against his friend Shogun, fourth-year political science and Spanish student Berna Kamyar, even mentioned having a 4.0 GPA.

The Mic Club event was Kamyar’s first battle, and he said he was not used to rapping with a microphone because he only freestyles occasionally with friends. But he was happy with the turnout.

“The people here are all different, but we’re all united by hip-hop. It’s powerful,” he said.

Another MC was JaeQuest, whose real name is Jaeson Ma. Also different from the typical MC stereotype popularized by rapper Eminem in the movie “8 Mile,” Ma is the pastor for UCLA’s Passion Church.

Though he had not rapped since high school seven years ago, Ma drew on his day job for the night’s activity. In response to a particularly angry line by opponent No Can Do, he responded with, “God bless.”

Ma said the most important aspect about freestyle rapping is to not take the insults on stage seriously. People should instead see it as a way to “challenge creativity.”

“You gotta come up with responses, punch lines and witty words,” Ma said. “It’s all working at the same time – your mouth, your body, the whole atmosphere.”

Jean-Pierre Giaguoli, also known as MC Pierre, was a student at Cerritos College and said it was nice seeing people come out to support the music.

“I don’t see that much bad blood here,” he said. “At other battles there might be a lot of hate and racism, but here it’s people from all over.”

The only thing he said could have been better was the size of the crowd.

“There should have been more publicity for the event. You have to get the message out more,” he said.