A paper cup toast sets the tone at Nightclub 9:30 as it plays host to the 2008 Washington D.C. Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle. A quick look at the footage reveals a lot of talent bubbling under the surface of the D.C. production scene with Mark Henry, Algorythm, K-Murdock, Young Slim, Best Kept Secret, J-Wheels, Remot, and Loren Chambers leading the way. Add to the fact that there was a noticeable lack of on-stage producer dancing and clowning and it becomes clear that no gimmicky tricks are going on here.
Congrats to Algorythm and Best Kept Secret for making it to the NY Finals.
Other Thoughts:
Respect to Best Kept Secret for taking on Ahmad Jamal’s "Swahililand". They were somehow able to pull it off despite the strong history of J Dilla and De La Soul’s use of the sample on "Stakes Is High"… no easy task.
hes that dude too. he won last years battle out of dc too. im suprised he won again this year beats dont sound like him for some reason.
i have one question where is damu the fudgemunk in this battle. It doesnt make sense. He is one of the best producers out there i dont get why he wouldnt be in this battle. Alot of the producers there are good but nothing out of the ordinary. You dont hear no type of crazy beats just typical stuff. I like damu he has his own style.
yea but damu might not survive in this type of battle. Classic hip hop boom bap is not gonna take the cake at these things. It sounds great, but the recent trend in beat battles is that people play huge, dramtic, sweeping joints with gigantic drums and strings and thats what seems to win over and over. I guess it depends on the particular battle, cause I have seen someone like Apple Juice Kid win beat battles in my hometown with weird tribal-sounding beats. Look at what most people watch on TV…they just want sensational shit. Most average people like Independence Day, not Bladerunner.
I was right down the street @ Bohemian Caverns that same day. I was one of finalist to the Beat Grinders Competition they had that same night. Damu was there rockin on the 1and2’s. Damu is hot, he would have to make some beats strictly for a beat battle though. Like Benjamin said, the beats have to have a lot of drama. Big Ups to the cats in the videos doe.
our boy ALLLLLLLLLLL
for that trunk, booooy!
oddisee would’ve destroyed both producers too bad he got knocked out so early