Fresh Produce Rules

General Guidelines

  • Genres and Styles: Any style and any genre of beats are accepted.
  • Lyrics: No full hooks or verses allowed. Vocal samples are permitted.
  • Originality: No plagiarizing other people’s work. Your submission must be solely your own creation. No collaborations are allowed.
  • Event Timing: The battle will start at 9 PM sharp. Producers must attend a mandatory meeting at 8:15 PM.

Producer Meeting

  • Time: 8:15 PM on the night of the battle.
  • Purpose: Check-in, meet with judges and hosts, review rules, and network.
  • Attendance: Mandatory for all participating producers.

Event Structure

  • Judges: Our panel consists of five judges: four experts and one crowd judge. Judges use their own criteria for evaluation and are open to discussing their decisions with participants.
  • Prize: The winner receives a cash prize, studio time at Suburban Pro, and automatic entry into the next Champions Battle.

Rounds Format

  1. First Round:
    • Participants: 8 producers.
    • Start: Each battle begins with rock, paper, scissors to decide who starts. The winner decides who plays first.
    • Beats: Each producer plays 1 minute of their beat.
    • Order: Producer A plays first, followed by Producer B.
    • Voting: After both beats, the crowd and judges vote. Winners progress to the second round.
  2. Second Round:
    • Format: Similar to the first round but each producer plays two beats.
    • Order: The winner of rock, paper, scissors decides the starting order. The format is A B A B.
  3. Final Round:
    • Format: Producers face off, playing three beats each, with each beat lasting 1:30.
    • Order: The winner of rock, paper, scissors decides the starting order. The format is A B A B B A.
    • Voting: The crowd and judges vote to decide the winner.

Technical Requirements

  • Devices: Beats must be played from your own device with a 1/8″ jack. Adapters for phones will be provided. Most producers use phones, but laptops and other devices are also allowed. Power outlets are available on stage.
  • Preparation: Bring as many beats as you want to the battle. We recommend having longer beats than the required time, as our DJ will fade out the beat at the appropriate time.

Judging Criteria

  • Judges use their own criteria, which may include creativity, originality, sound quality, and arrangement.

Conduct and Fairness

  • Respect: Maintain a respectful attitude towards all participants and judges.
  • Fair Play: Any form of cheating or unsportsmanlike behavior will result in disqualification.
  • Networking: There are no losers in Fresh Produce. Connect with attendees and other participants, enjoy yourself, and show the crowd your passion for your craft.

Crowd Voting

  • Process: Crowd voting will be conducted using a Sound Pressure Level (SPL) meter mounted above the crowd to measure the volume.

Disqualification Rules

  • Using a full verse or hook from a popular song.
  • Plagiarizing another person’s work.

Prizes

  • Monthly Battles: $500 cash prize and $100 of studio time.
  • Champs Battles (July and January): $1000 cash prize and $250 of studio time.
  • Champions Battle Entry: Automatic entry for the winner.

Additional Notes

  • Promotion: All battles are posted online, and participant statistics are calculated and posted on our website.
  • Time Management: Timing is controlled by our DJ to ensure smooth transitions between beats.
Scroll to Top