Pitchfork

DJ battles I get, but this thing? It's kinda weird. The finals of the Red Bull Big Tune producer battle will be held at New York City's Highline Ballroom December 3. In addition to live performances from the likes of Ghostface Killah, Digable Planets, and the Alchemist, attendees will be asked to weigh in on 16 producers, culled from a nationwide search, who will throw down live for a chance to work with some rap heavyweights at the, um, Red Bull Studios in Santa Monica, California. According to a press release, "The head-to-head competition gives each producer 90 seconds to prove themselves and stay in the game. What makes Red Bull Big Tune truly unique is that there are no celebrity judges.  The crowd determines who will advance and who will go home. The last person standing will be the one with the 'big tune.'"

Wow, 90 seconds? I didn't even think those No Limit dudes could crank 'em out that fast back in their late 90s heyday, and I understand that they had beats by the pound.

Whoever's crowned victor will land that shot to record in Santa Monica with their choice of Nas, Common, Lupe Fiasco, or the Game, who are all probably hoping against hope they don't end up in SoCal with some rookie.

Your winner also receives "custom studio equipment and national bragging rights." South Dakota, ya heard?