LOUD.com announced today that they are in the final stages of their rap contest to award an aspiring rapper $100,000 and a recording contract with partner SRC/Universal Records. The original group of thousands of aspiring rappers has been trimmed down to the final nine, who have been dubbed as “The Finalists” and they will embark upon a six-part series of tasks to determine the winner by showcasing their musicianship, as well as their self-marketing and entrepreneurial skills. 

During the process, each artist will be required to take their career into their own hands.  The “Finalists” will have to show signs of being a self-contained artist.  Among other things, they will have to record a song and be in charge of creating visibility for their song, including being responsible for their own video production.

Each “Finalist” will be evaluated by a board made up of Steve Rifkind (founder of Loud Records, which released landmark recordings by Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Big Pun, among many others), a premier Loud.com producer and a respected hip-hop community manager. Once the winner is chosen by the board, SRC Records will sign the rapper to the label and begin the marketing and promotion process in an effort to make the winner hip-hop’s next star.

“This initiative by LOUD.com is closing the entrance barrier to the music industry for talented, aspiring rappers and is a great way for SRC to recruit an artist that already has the foundation for success,” says Steve Rifkind, founder of Loud Records. “LOUD.com is at the forefront of the next movement in hip-hop, giving artists the tools and resources they need to create material and be heard by influencers in the industry.”

###

About LOUD.COM

LOUD.COM is an online competition, open to all registered users.  LOUD.com offers users the ability to download professional beats from hip-hop’s hottest producers for just .99 cents, use a unique on-line recording tool to overlay raps over the tracks, have the songs judged by celebrity producers and compete for $100,000 and a record deal with SRC Records, home of multi Platinum, Grammy Awarding winning artist such as Akon and David Banner.  LOUD producers have made hits for The Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent, The Game, Jim Jones, Lil Jon, Rick Ross, Talib Kweli, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Busta Rymes and many more. Log on to LOUD.COM now!