Guest Article: Battle of the Beats is a battle for hearts

Chill aka the Queen of Hip Hop in the Philippines

and Red Alert Entertainment brings you the first ever

Battle of the Beats- Philippines

Battle of the Beats

Friday, July 15, 2011 @ 8:00pm

Teatrino in Green Hills

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Battle of the Beats is a battle for hearts

by Megan Villanueva

“Hip hop is dead in the Philippines” is a common saying among hip hop heads here.

To Fil Ams like myself who have had the privilege of experiencing the hip hop scene in the Metro Manila, that statement proves to be false. With films like Lyrical Empire and Youtube hits like FlipTop, the world has witnessed the flourishing of hip hop in the Philippines. The nation, mostly known for their ballads and masa sound, has a lot of little-known quality music hiding in the "urban" scene. Upon arriving in the Philippines, when U.S.-based producer/artist Sam Rhansum heard the common saying above, he vowed to be a part of the ongoing struggle to change that perception.

Chill, the Queen of Hip Hop in the Philippines and Sam Rhansum (together with Atlanta-based producer Billy Hume) comprise Red Alert Entertainment. Red Alert has organized the Philippines' first ever Battle of the Beats, which parallels (and in many way exceeds) beat battles in Atlanta, New York and L.A. Premiering Friday, this event will bring a level of competition and long-awaited exposure to a multitude of talented producers of the Philippines. Representing the whole spectrum of urban music, the Battle of the Beats will bring you electronic mixes from Funk Avy to Chrizo’s boom bap hip hop beats to show the diversity among the nation's producers.

Battle of the Beats isn’t just a showcase, it is also an attempt to bridge the unfortunate gaps that prevent unity among artists. As an ongoing program that doesn't stop at Friday's premiere at Teatrino, the event will connect talented producers with aspiring artists and emcees with fellow DJ’s to collaborate and create great music. As an ongoing series, Battle of the Beats will become the platform for media and labels to seek quality beats and talented artists. Furthermore, the much anticipated educational component of the series sets it apart from any other beat battle program as it strives to educate amateur producers--who may lack resources and experience--in enhancing the quality of their production.

To say the least, Battle of the Beats has burdened itself with a lot of responsibility to follow through with these goals. Although, because of the demonstrated support so far its success looks promising.

You are invited to witness the country’s top producers showcase their talents and become a part of this milestone for the industry this Friday, July 15^th at Teatrino in Green Hills at 8pm. For tickets call 6334034 or 09174090509.

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