ACE@Rice

Hip Hop Tracks

ACE@Rice Hip Hop Tracks mission is to encourage the use of Hip Hop
as a poetic medium to reflect on personal experiences, share our stories, and imagine our future. 

Are you seeking to create that mic-drop moment “heard ‘round the hedges”? Well, ACE@Rice is inviting all the poets, creative geniuses, music talents, storytellers, entertainers, and dreamers at Rice to enter the first edition of Hip Hop Tracks for the chance to be crowned the Hip Hop champion. In a digital world where the production and consumption of creative expression is increasingly mediated through chatbots and algorithms, the goal of this competition is to spark a creative renaissance rooted in human imagination and connection by creating an opportunity for Rice students, faculty and staff to reflect on the experiences that have shaped their identity and imagine their future through the storytelling medium of Hip Hop.

Track Submission - Due October 3

Individuals or groups (Rice students, faculty, staff) will rap one 16-bar verse and a chorus using a rights-free beat (2-3 minutes). Artists will submit an MP3 (via Google Form) to be scored on the criteria below of originality, beat, rhyme, symbolism, and quality of story. Artists will receive feedback and an invitation to participate in a live competition.

Rights-free beats

This is not an exhaustive list; you are free to choose any app to create your rights-free beats. Please upload the instrumental version for your track.

  • Beatstars
    • Beats are free to download
    • You have the option to set the BPM, the genre, and the mood of the beats using this website
  • Splice
    • You must create an account (free trial available)

Suggested categories for Individuals and Groups

Neighborhood - Where are you from? What places shaped who you are today?

  1. Rap about your past commute to your neighborhood school
  2. Rap about your dream city
  3. Rap about the neighborhood of the future

Academic Passion - How does your academic background and interests inform your outlook on the world?

  1. Rap about a grade-school teacher who inspired you
  2. Rap about your favorite middle school memory
  3. Rap about your favorite high school class

Tradition and Genealogy - How do your family traditions and ancestral roots inform your sense of identity and place in society?

  1. Rap about a cultural dish
  2. Rap about your journey to the motherland
  3. Rap about family oral history or photo album

Team, College, Club, Major - What Rice club brings joy? Why are you passionate about it?

  1. Rap about your club’s signature event
  2. Rap about your club’s vision statement
  3. Rap about the story of your club’s creation

“Pull the Plug” Policy

Please remember that this event will be held in an educational setting. ACE@Rice encourages individuals to creatively explore difficult topics that affect our society. We ask that any commentary on personal, social, or cultural topics remain respectful and considerate of the diverse views among the audience.

For inquiries or further clarification, please contact aceatrice@gmail.com