The 2014 International MC Invitational Tournament

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):

 

1. What the fuck is a hype track?

 

A: The hype track is essentially a short song, used as a way of judging both skill and willingness of participation. As far as beats go, they can be your own creation, something published under a Creative Commons License or any that you own rights to. 

 

2. Mixing & Mastering is a part of rapping. What about adding in drops, and special effects, like gun shots, circus noises, etc?

A: Yes, over here at the MC Invitational, we do consider mixing & mastering to be apart of this type of over-the-net, pre-recorded battling. You will not necessarilly be judged on how bad your microphone is, but if you add a drop or a sound to make a punch sound harder or make it funnier, that will be accounted for in the judging. As far as what you can and can not use --- as long as you aren't changing the beat too drastically, and as long as it isn't a sample from something copyrighted, then feel free to use it. If you're on the fence about something, you should ask your friendly neighborhood competition manager before adding it in.

 

3. Who are the judges? Why do they get to judge me? What makes them so god damn special? What will they be judging me on!?

 

A: We've been doing these types of battles for years, so we have a general ideal of what to judge on. You will be judged on things like flow, lyrics (punchlines, flips, etc.), delivery, and performance. While mixing DOES matter, it will only be taken into account on whether or not it actually made a line funnier or had real significance. There will be 2 different judges for every single bracket, and these judges will rotate round-after-round, in order to keep things completely fair. However, we do trust our judges. As far as who they are, all of that information will be released when it comes time to battle. We will be making sure the judges are knowledgable in not only Hip-Hop & Rap, but in judging these types of battles.

 

4. What if I get sick? What if I catch the flu? What if, for ANY reason, I can't battle at THAT moment!?

 

A: If you come down with an illness, we will completely work with you. However, an excuse from a doctor will be required, and we will be calling on this excuse. People lie, and people come up with excuses all of the time. We will need real proof for any excuse given. If you can't show-up for anything other than being sick, you need to let the competition manager know and we will decide whether or not we can grant you an extension based on the severity of the excuse. If you went to jail and can e-mail us the citation or such and such, or have court, etc., then you'll most-likely be given an extension. If you can't battle because you're on vacation, you can expect to be disqualified. It all just depends on the situation and the facts given.

 

5. I heard at the end of the day, this is gonna become an awesome deluxe mixtape! Is everything being put on there??

 

A: Nobody is gonna like this answer. We will promote your hype tracks, and every single battle, including your facebook pages and everything. However, the mixtape slots will be reserved for the top battles. To better explain, the mixtape will include the best of the best from every competition in the MC Invitational, not just the Battle Rap Tournament. If your battle was legendary, it will be put on the mixtape. If you were in a Round 1 or Round 2 battle that you think may not stand a chance of making it, let the competition manager know that you think it deserves to be on the tape. Be sure to have fans of that battle to back-up your claim though. If you don't make the mixtape, try not to get extremely and over-dramatically angry, as we won't respond very well to undeserved anger.

 

Keep in mind, we will be updating this FAQ religiously, and consistently. If you have a question that doesn't appear on here, feel free to e-mail me at MDavidJohnson@yahoo.com, ask us on the Facebook Page, or use the contact box below. Asking questions is better than not knowing and complaining later, trust me.