“They didn’t understand what they (MTV) put out…there were about 5,000 MCs looking to get on with one of the premiere labels in Hip Hop, this went out worldwide and they thought nobody would show!?!”
-Knonami (West Coast MC Stranded in NYC Because of MTV)
Reports are conflicting but, apparently between the line up which started early Monday morning (around 2:00am) and a supposed late morning rush, over 4,000 MCs rolled up on MTV studios by 7:30am. Bewildering MTV Producers and endangering MTV Interns lives…even though MTV had been advertising for weeks on the airwaves and internet:
(verbatim MTV Press Release) MTV wants to give struggling MCs a shot at being the next hip-hop Superstar. MTV’s MC Battle partners with Def Jam Recordings for an MC Battle of epic proportions.
Be one of the first 1,000 eligible people in line (or one of those auditioned by 7:00 pm EST, whichever comes first) on Monday, February 24, 2003 between 9:00 AM (EST) and 7:00 PM (EST).
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Are your original, clean rhymes good enough to make the cut? Our pros will be listening closely.
Interested? We thought so.
Date: Monday, February 24, 2003
Time: 9am (EST) to 7pm (EST)
Location: Check-in at Shubert Alley. Located on 44th Street
(between Broadway and 8th Avenue)
(end release)
MTV Executive Vice President of News and Production, Dave Sirulnick said in a news statement “We apologize to anyone who traveled far or waited for a long time for the contest, but we’ll provide information soon about future plans.”
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MTV evidently didn’t plan for such a large response, even though Hip Hop oriented videos, products and marketing are beamed worldwide…some of that programming coming directly from the besieged studios on 44th street.
According to on scene witness, Knonami, who flew to New York from Los Angeles for the event “There are cats here from Baltimore, Chicago, out west. I met one dude that flew here from Belgium. This shit ain’t right. I mean they had police in riot gear, horses, paddy wagons…you name it. I don’t know about anybody getting hurt or arrested…we were on 44th and 7th and could see the whole spot…the police just got paranoid…it wasn’t even about the drama…MCs were throwing sessions with each other…then two interns come down and say the spot is cancelled and that everyone should leave. Truly unorganized and unprofessional…and I’m stuck in New York!”
A police spokesman stated that two police officers were injured in scuffles and four people were arrested.
Spokesman for Def Jam referred all calls to MTV/Viacom.
