Big Beat MKE 2022 Finals Recap
After eight weeks of top-tier competition, the Big Beat MKE Finals took place on Thursday night, and a jam-packed crowd in the Jackalope Lounj at The Wicked Hop made for a night to remember. Two amazing battles closed out the 2022 tournament, and two top-notch performers kept the Historic Third Ward venue buzzing.
The night began with the third place battle, which pitted Mystik Musik vs. SDProduces. Both producers have had an incredible run in this year’s contest, advancing farther than they have before. The two know each other, so there was a bit of friendly competition in the air. As we’ve seen from previous rounds, both Mystik Musik and SDProduces know how to put on a show, and they certainly did just that, throwing multiple beats into their minute-long rounds. Mystik Musik in particular switched up the flow heavily, at one point incorporating a reggaeton bounce that had the entire Jackalope Lounj dancing. SDProduces also incorporated an EDM style beat, so both were going out of their traditional realm. It was a close contest, but ultimately the judges and the crowd voted Mystik Musik as their 3rd place producer.
All eyes were on the championship main event, though, with Scylla going up against Spacecrime. Both producers had a memorable run to the finals, pulling out all the stops and both winning over crowds in their way to the final battle. When it came time to rumble, both Scylla and Spacecrime brought their toughest beats to the table. Scylla, in trademark fashion, brought out the theatrics, including a phone call in the middle of his beat, where he asked Spacecrime if he ever won a battle, before revealing a trophy from a previous competition on his table by his gear. For every trick that Scylla had up his sleeve, though, Spacecrime was able to respond with a banger of a beat. It was certainly a championship worthy battle, but ultimately Spacecrime walked away as your 2022 Big Beat MKE champion.
On the microphone, two generations of Milwaukee talent that are both firing on all cylinders closed out Big Beat MKE 2022. Your faithful host emcee, fresh off of a tour of Europe with Arrested Development, Twan Mack set things off immediately after the first battle, not allowing the crowd to filter out in the slightest. When he was on, he had the Jackalope Lounj rocking with him, as it was clear that real hip hop fans were out in force to catch the last night of the battle. To close out the evening, Mo’City enlisted his Camp Shuttlesworth crew for a showcase of their talents. Appearances from Phif, C’Zo and PaperStacks had Mo’City and crew passing the mic, and bringing one of the biggest crowds in Big Beat MKE history to a frenzy.
The 2022 Big Beat MKE tournament is in the books, and it was certainly an unforgettable return to one of the best feelings in local hip hop. Thank you to all of our sponsors and everyone that helps make this event possible, and all of the artists, producers and fans that help make this tournament so special every year. Your final bracket is below, and we’ll see you soon!
(Big Beat MKE 2023 Submissions open in March!)
