 "Photo: Diane Varnie/Echo staff photographer")
The Gladiator Beat Battle made its first appearance at The Brewery in Raleigh, April 8th and ended as a success. The battle was sponsored by NCCU alumnus and former instructor, Patrick "9th Wonder" Douthit's local record label, It's a Wonderful World Music Group and Native Instruments.
The event was hosted by 9th Wonder and True School Corp. member Cesar Comanche and the judges were IWWMG production collective, The Soul Council.
16 contestants from all over the world came to Raleigh to compete in the battle. The majority of the contestants were from North Carolina but some traveled from Virginia, Atlanta, Texas and Toronto.
The competition was set up just like an NCAA bracket. Contestants names were randomly pulled then recorded on a bracket, which stated who their next opponent would be. Two one-minute-beats were played per round.
The grand prize package, courtesy of Native Instruments, included beat-making goodies such as Machine, Komplete 7, Traktor Scratch Pro, an Alicia Keys Soundpack and song placement with a JAMLA recording artist, which is a part of 9th Wonder's label.
Round after round, the competition eventually narrowed down to Atlanta native, D.R.U.G.S. and N.C. native, E. Brooks.
As the intro stated, "D.R.U.G.S. came in and had everybody going crazy." The battle went into last minute overtime, but D.R.U.G.S. came out victorious and was crowned the winner.
Swaying the crowd from the beginning with his amplifying dance moves and funky face expressions, D.R.U.G.S. and his notorious sampling, chop and dice MPC styled production had the judges shook with distinctive thrills.
His last beat was supreme, but it seemed his version of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" was the definite icing on the cake.
All of the contestants ended up winners. At the end of the battle, 9th Wonder announced that all sixteen of the contestants will be featured on a compilation project along with JAMLA artists.
What a way to end the competition.
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