BASKING RIDGE, N.J.,
July 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Freestyle represents hip-hop in its purest form –
authentic self-expression that achieves a universal truth. Although
rap has taken on many different forms over the years, nothing can
compare to the raw power of spontaneous rhymes being spit by an
emcee artist who's seen it, lived it and feels it. That's why music
mogul Kevin Liles and mega producer
London on da Track are partnering
with Verizon to inspire the next generation of rappers with the
#freestyle50challenge, a national talent competition in search of
the next voice of hip-hop.
Merging hip-hop and technology, the #freestyle50challenge
provides up-and-coming artists a platform to showcase their skills
and pursue hip-hop stardom. The competition will award one grand
prize winner a single record deal with Liles' 300 Entertainment –
where their debut song will be produced by London on da Track, $10,000 and an opening for a 300 Entertainment
artist. To enter, artists must post a video of themselves
freestyling over Tee Grizzley's "No Effort" instrumental on
Instagram or Twitter, using hashtag #freestyle50challenge and
tagging @Verizon and @300Ent. The deadline for entries is
Friday, August 4th. For complete
rules and guidelines, visit:
http://verizon.com/about/freestyle50challenge.
Now in its second year, the #freestyle50challenge was inspired
by Verizon's 8GB for $50 prepaid
offer available exclusively at Walmart. This year, Samsung has
joined #freestyle50 as an official sponsor with their J3
smartphones to give upcoming artists a shot to win the gig of a
lifetime.
"#Freestyle50 is about you. It's your truth and your present.
It's a search for storytellers who have something to say. It's
about creators who thrive on self-expression," said Kevin Liles, 300 Entertainment Co-Founder. "We
all freestyle in one way or another. Show us what you got."
"Although social media has helped aspiring artists find an
audience, access to real opportunities are still far and few
between," said London on da Track.
"The goal of #freestyle50 is to discover that one artist who has
the potential to be a new voice for hip-hop and supply them with
the resources and support they need to realize that potential."
#Freestyle50 launched on July 18
in New York with a star-studded
evening event, and featured live performances by Busta Rhymes and Tee Grizzley and music by DJ
Camilo and DJ Enuff.
Entries will be judged on talent, creativity and originality.
Twenty-five semi-finalists will be invited to compete in on-air rap
battles at radio stations in Chicago, Atlanta, New
Orleans, Houston and
Los Angeles. Eight national
finalists will be selected to compete live at the #freestyle50
cypher in Los Angeles on
August 30th, where the 2017
#freestyle50challenge champion will be crowned.
"#Freestyle50 is a celebration of a lyrical art form that
transcends cultures and empowers communities," said Jessica Cecile Thorpe, Verizon Corporate
Communications Manager, Cultural Engagement and CSR. "We're using
technology to reinvigorate the freestyle game while transforming
lives in the process."
The winner of the inaugural #freestyle50 challenge, Tre' Da Kid,
has since released his debut single, 'Run It,' produced by
London on da Track and distributed
by 300 Entertainment. The single received over 100,000 downloads on
Spotify in its first week and currently has over 800,000 streams to
date. More recently, the Maryland
rapper served as the opening act at Summer Jam, the nation's
largest hip-hop festival. Click here for
more information on Tre' Da Kid.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in
New York City, has a diverse
workforce of 161,000 and generated nearly $126 billion in 2016 revenues. Verizon operates
America's most reliable wireless network, with 113.9 million retail
connections nationwide. The company also provides communications
and entertainment services over mobile broadband and the nation's
premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated business
solutions to customers worldwide.
300 Entertainment is a boutique music media company that prides
itself on being "a record label for the 21st century...capable of
launching self-starting artists to the next level without the
burdensome bureaucracy—and cost structure—of a major record
company." In the short amount of time the label has found its
artists being nominated for Grammys (Fetty Wap and Young Thug),
partnering with brands like Coca Cola for advertising campaigns
(Conrad Sewell), and had albums go
Platinum (Fetty Wap). Founded by industry heavyweights Lyor Cohen and Kevin
Liles, the company was also featured in a CNBC short
documentary series about innovative leadership and forward thinking
companies.
Media contact:
Jessica
Thorpe
908-864-3691
jessica.thorpe@verizonwireless.com
Related Links
http://www.verizon.com/
https://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonenterprise.com/
http://www.verizon.com/about/
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SOURCE Verizon