"Big Tune began as the brainchild of DJ/producer/emcee—Vitamin D and Hip Hop visionary/event producer --Jonathan Moore, in 2004 with the purpose of bringing emerging and established talent to the forefront. After three years of hosting thriving local battles in Seattle, they forged a creative partnership with Red Bull and the event evolved beyond a beat battle into a dynamic national producer program."Over 800 people packed Highline Ballroom Wednesday night to see the 16 regional finalists battle it for Big Tune 2008 supremacy and me and a crew were right in the thick of things. It's rare that I'm out at hip hop events but this was something any beat lover could appreciate. These kids were so inspiring... dropping a ton of completely original tracks as well as some others that made use of some really clever samples. Best and most unexpected sample of the night had to go to Beat Makers (aka Country Club) who worked in Rosemary Clooney's Mambo Italiano. Straight up awesome! Besides the young guns, we were also treated to Ghostface Killah, Alchemist and the recently reunited Digable Planets who gave us what we REALLY wanted by playing their 1992 jam, Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat). I don't know how old they were in the early 90s but these cats still look young.
As for the 17 year-old winner, C-Sick, he earned the respect of everyone in the room as well as the chance to spend some time at Red Bull Studios in Santa Monica with either Common, Nas, Lupe Fiasco or The Game. Watch out world, this kid is gonna be big!
