MC skills competition opening round
All photos by Sketch the Journalist unless otherwise noted

Many are saying that 2012 was the year hip hop took over the South by Southwest festival. Although predominantly geared toward independent acts, this year’s SXSW event was notable for appearances and concerts by the likes ofJay-Z, NaS, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Rick Ross.

It was also a monumental time for Christian hip hop with the DaSouth.com putting together an official stage for the fourth year in a row and the additions of a Reach Records showcase at La Zona Rosa and a side set organized by rhythm and praise site GroovSpot.com.

It would be next to impossible to try and catalog everything that went down, but here are a few of my personal highlights with some photo and video help from others who were kind enough to help us cover it from various angles.

The weekend kicked off with the DaSouth.com/CityTakers SXSW party at the Horizon Worship Center. This mega concert contained performances by theBREAX, k-Drama, bigAL, Peculiar Image, Frontline Movement, Kingz Campand others.

theBREAX rock the set

Frontline Movement’s table offered an advance copy of Reconcile’s
upcoming “Abandoned Hope” album from Full Ride Music Group

k-Drama performed some new music

The homie Spoken came down from Toronto to attend the event

Exodus’ Lapo performed and also played camera man
throughout the weekend

It was also a good time for fellowship between fans and other artists.

D.C.’s Too Phliy and former Baltimore boy Beleaf Melanin from theBREAX
sparked a convo backstage

Cross Movement Records’ Director of New Media Brandon Stubbs
and Jerrell Johnson share a word backstage

And like many a Christian rap event, it ended up at IHOP.

Scott Free help cats understand the missional mindset

CityTakers’ Scott Free kicked off the morning with a workshop geared toward helping rappers understand the right away to approach their ministry and music careers by being missional. DJ Wade-O event mentioned it as one of his favorite events of the entire weekend.

Andy Mineo, Trip Lee, and Von Won fielded questions
at the panel discussion
Photo by Rosalinda Chapa

Afterwards, a panel discussion was held with artists and insiders about the practicalities of full-time music ministry. I,Sketch the Journalist, moderated the conversation and the participants included Andy Mineo, Trip Lee, Von Won, k-Drama, Thi’sl, Ruslan, KB, PRo, and even a surprise appearance by Reach Records’ co-owner Ben Washer.

The full panel

Topics included the benefits of being signed to a label, whether or not to respond to online critics, and how to, after shows, identify people who are just fans and want to talk music and those who are actually seeking authentic ministry.

Aslan takes center stage at the DJ skills competition

Next, we had the first ever DJ skills competition organized and hosted by DJ Promote. The participants were DJ Vow,DJ Stibs, and DJ Aslan who competed for $300 and a DaSouth.com/CityTakers SXSW trophy.

DJ Wade-O, DJ Primo, and DJ D-Lite judged an opening set from each entrant and decided who would go the final round. Stibs got bounced in the first round but earned props from the panel for spinning actual vinyl instead of just utilizing a computer-program based set. In the end, DJ Aslan took home the cash and bragging rights.

After that, we kicked off the bracket-style MC skills competition. You can get full details of how it was run and what the prizes were here, but basically, eight MCs from various geographic regions competed head to head for the best freestyle based on five topics presented to them just seconds before they spit their verse. Special props go to bigALand Trevor Lee who honorably stepped in for two competitors who were unable to make the event at the last minute.

Atlanta’s Enlitement faced a tough challenge from New Orleans’ Gifted da Flamethrowa in the first round but ended up getting the crowd fully behind him with the following set.

(L to R) Chris Chicago, R-Swift, Jerrell Johnson, Tre9, and Scott Free

The finals included Enlitement and Tampa’s Jerrell Johnson. The two MCs’ sets left judges R-Swift, Tre9, and Chris Chicago feeling torn so they asked both guys to go one last round with a single topic. In the clip below, you’ll see the homie Jerrell Johnson take the title with a freestyle rap about “spare tires” that he had to use in at least three different ways. Just wait until you hear his asparagus line.

Watch the complete final round and tie-breaker sets here.

Later that night it was time for the Reach Records official SXSW showcase at La Zona Rosa. This night club held hip hop showcases all week which included ones with performances by B.O.B., T.I., Statik Selektah, Talib Kweli, andPharaohe Monch.

But on this Saturday, immediately following a set by the lovely Norah Jones, the entire Reach Records and Reach Booking rosters took to the stage.

DJ Wade-O manned the tables for Thi’sl’s set

Highlights included Thi’sl introducing Houston’s Reconcile as the newest member of his Full Ride Music Groupcrew, High Society jamming their collective works, Andy Mineo controlling the crowd, and Lecrae debuting some new material from his upcoming mixtape.

Just before Lecrae hit the stage for his set, I caught up with him for a quick interview about his SXSW experience, how the BET Awards Cypher created opportunities for him in Austin, and what to look for with his new direction.

I’m told that the Reach Records showcase drew roughly the same crowd to La Zona Rosa as other hip hop concerts there that week and that, on that same night, they were invited back to perform there next year. This is definitely a good look for Christian hip hop as a whole so be praying about that opportunity for 2013.

And as the Reach concert was winding down, I headed downtown with Tre9, Scott Free, Jerrell Johnson, Enlitement, Gifted da Flamethrowa, Trevor Lee and others to talk to SXSW festival attendees, hear their stories, and pray for their lives. It was about 2:30 in the morning, but the clubs were still in full swing and, on the spur of the moment, our MC freestyle competitors decided to start a cypher.

As a crowd started to build, a few video cameras joined the circle as did a few mainstream rappers who tended to step in and spit writtens. My video clip below is a bit shaky and not the best quality audio, but at least it will give you a feel for what went down.

Like I said, it was an amazing weekend for the Christian hip hop movement. Prayerfully we’ll get to impact Austin and the music industry again there next year.

More pics:

Scott Free gets animated during his workshop

Handout from the missional mindset workshop

(L to R) R-Swift, Too Phliy, Thi’sl, and Chris Chicago

bigAL nervously awaits to hear if his freestyle skills would advance him
to the next round (it did)

Lecrae joined Trip Lee on stage for “I’m Good”

Austin’s SaulPaul showed his freestyle skills in the MC competition

Backstage at the Reach Records showcase, several artists joined in a group shot for an upcoming video (L to R: Ruslan, Beleaf Melanin, KB, Andy Mineo, CheeseBeats, Swoope)
Photo by Rosalinda Chapa

La Zona Rosa – site of the official SXSW Reach Records showcase

ATL’s Double freestyling on 6th Street