The Sound of Seattle

At the finals of Red Bull Big Tune, Sabzi’s beats even managed to flatter the spoiled ears of Just Blaze and De La Soul. The result of the danceable decibel duel: the overall victory at one of the most unusual music contests of the year.

How do you know its a ‘Big Tune?’ “It’s the feeling I get when the whole world is tuned out and nothing else matters but the music,” says Algorythm. “When I finish it and keep it on repeat for a minute,” says Brainstorm. Above all, though, it was the beat that made the crowd bounce hardest on November 1 in Seattle’s ‘Neumos.’

Dancehall culture as role model

Inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall clashes, Red Bull Big Tune is about a musical battle, man against man. In each stage two producers have two lots of 60 seconds each to enthuse the audience with their beats. The one who gets the crowd jiving and raises the fans’ moods more intensely makes it into the next round – until only a single performer remains. His track is then honored with the title ‘Big Tune.’

Battle of the best 12

Following the regional qualifiers in six cities, the 12 aspirants with the most promise met on November 1 in Seattle to battle it out for the title. Each city sent two representatives: Algorythm and Marco Polo represented New York, Babu and Swiff D Los Angeles, Cambo and 1 OAK San Francisco, The Are and S1 Houston as well as Tall Black Guy and Rio Chicago.

In Seattle for Seattle

And representing the host city, Sabzi and Brainstorm took their places at the turntables – with particular spinning power: the crowd at Red Bull Big Tune, the sole and deciding judge, cheered on its local heroes so frenetically that the two also met up in the finals. Sabzi had the luckier hand on the regulators and was crowned the first Red Bull Big Tune Champion.

To the studio with Redman and co.

Producer icon Just Blaze was not only impressed by the winner: “Winning these battles isn’t just about the beat but it is also about the performance,” he said after the show. “It seems like a lot of these guys have a real handle on it.” Respect from the VIPs and the audience aside, Sabzi also won some high-class Genelec studio equipment as well as a session in the Red Bull Recording studios. He’ll be able to choose his studio partner from a list of well-known names. Now waiting for his call are those of Talib Kweli, Young Buck or Redman caliber.