BeatTips Beat Battle July 2010 Winner: SC

SC Holds Off Challenge From Returning Multiple Winner Jooneydubzbeatz; TBC Continues To Rise

Here’s my breakdown of the most recent BeatTips Beat Battle.

1st place:
SC – “Baby Don’t Question Me”
Aw, man is it hard to make a hardcore “beat” that doubles up as an ice cold “R&B” banger. But damn if our fellow TBC member, SC, didn’t create such a thing with this here.

Listen, this beat is a creature. The sliding clap; the brushing percussion—whispering tambourine on quarter notes; a stirring, milky-smooth bass part; chorus changes with a balanced sound palate… man, listen: All export work. While it rumbles with feeling, it’s anchored by a deceptively hard “knock.”

And as most hard core beats benefit from a “rawness,” this joint’s polish—and master craftsmanship—puts it over the top. No doubt, the arrangement is meticulous, but you don’t hear it. True pros make everything sound natural, as if this was already a classic song that SC simply submitted without the vocals.

SC, I continue to be impressed by your work. I’m glad that you’ve found the center and essence of your style, sound, and approach. It has allowed you to move more freely and create and better encompass all of your musical influences.

2nd Place:
JooneydubzBeatz – “I’m Leaving”

Jooney, you almost pulled it off. You almost came back from a self-imposed sabbatical and won the crown. Either way, though, this beat was a gem. (One of my favorite beats from anybody in a long while.) The core groove (sequence) was solid, as is always the case with your style. Plus, the joint is an excellent lesson in restraint—just letting the track ride with the dominance of the primary sample. The changes you worked in were minimal, which is most appropriate for such a soulful track. Finally, like SC, this beat was envisioned more for a vocalist (i.e. rapper) than for merely a beat battle. That’s precisely why it’s dope; you can “hear” a song already.

P.S., if you haven’t found anybody (worthy) to rhyme on this joint, LET ME AT IT, SON, word up. —Sa’id

3rd Place:
DC – “Monsieur”

All right, all right, I get it, dC, you’re flexing, showing your all around skills. Show off! Ha… But for real, this joint is deceptively intense. In the hands of a VERY skilled rapper, I can imagine a rather engaging story rhyme. On the other hand, I can imagine this as the theme music to a Truffaut (French filmaker) film. That much range in one beat is hard to pull off, my man. Props!

Editor’s note: You can read the rest of the awards, Honorable Mentions, and notes here in the TBC here: BeatTips Beat Battle July Breakdown

You can hear all of the entries for the July battle here: BeatTips Beat Battle July Official Entries