For The Critics

Registration is OPEN FOR THE JANUARY 22nd, 2010 Show At Shadow Lounge

Rhyme Calisthenics is an MC competition that combines the intensity of a rap battle with the excitement and unpredictability of a game show. While rap battles only require one skill – the ability to diss one’s opponent – Rhyme Calisthenics is the true test of an MC’s versatility, creativity and swagger.

Our competition is based around our six foot game show wheel known as “The Wheel of Skillz.” The Wheel has 12 different rap challenges designed to test a wide range of real life rap skills from freestyles to writtens, from concepts to delivery.

In each competition 16 MC’s compete in four elimination rounds. And yes the final round is a classic head-to-head battle but you have to go up against “The Wheel” in three rounds before you get to the battle. In each round a panel of three judges award scores and determine who advances and who gets eliminated. Judges award points in three categories: originality/creativity, delivery/swagger, and execution of the challenge. In the event of a tie the crowd is the tie-breaker. The winner walks away with cash money, prizes and ultimate bragging rights.

Rhyme Calisthenics was founded in Pittsburgh in 2007 and in 2009 the Rhyme Calisthenics circuit expanded to include New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. Rhyme Calisthenics is open to all MC’s, rappers, freestylists, poets and anyone else who is fresh enough and brave enough to take on the Wheel of Skillz. If you think you have what it takes to be a Rhyme Calisthenics Champion then go to our registration page and fill out the form.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK THE LINKS BELOW!

Rhyme Calisthenics Official Website
Rhyme Calisthenics REGISTRATION

If you’ve been following the site for more than a day (or listened to any of the songs on the sidebar) you’ve heard us post some tracks from the following Artist.

Franchise is a hip hop artist…YES! an Artist not a rapper, spitter, ect so on and so forth. He encompasses a different flow, a different presence even a different understanding of music that alot of today’s rappers just don’t understand or care to implement into their music.

This is….Franchise, Braddock’s Spokesman, Soon to be Pittsburgh’s Commander in Chief

ForTheCritics.com: First, I’de like to thank you for taking the time and letting us pick your brain a little bit about your views of hip hop and what your trying to do with your music. The first question I have is where did the stage name Franchise come from?

Franchise: Honestly when I first started rapping I was about 14 and my stage name was T-Rock hahaha and I knew I couldn’t rock with that for very long so I came up wit Franchise one day and it kinda just stuck foreal

ForTheCritics.com: When you sit down to write your music, what steps do you go through that bring you to telling your story?

Franchise: Everyday life, I might just be in the car gazing out the window thinkin of lines or even when I go out to clubs and what not….it’s crazy foreal, I get motivation for writing everywhere and with everything I encounter on my daily basis

Franchise: Everyday life, I might just be in the car gazing out the window thinkin of lines or even when I go out to clubs and what not….it’s crazy foreal, I get motivation for writing everywhere and with everything I encounter on my daily basis

ForTheCritics.com: There’s a few different types of Hip Hop…There’s the true gangster rap, backpacker music, Hypebeast music and so on…where do you feel you fit in the big scheme of things?

Franchise: Well truely I’d say I’m kinda in the middle of everything because I write and spit about things I’ve seen, experienced, and even things I’m going through presently….you may listen to perfect storm which is my 1st mixtape and say I’m commercial with a hood swagger then you may listen to newer tracks and also Schitzophrenic Mindset and say it’s hip-hop and I even have backpacker joints. I just been working on rounding myself and perfecting the craft for about the last 2 years of my life.

ForTheCritics.com: Who were your biggest influences in music and what artists are currently motivating you with your music?

Franchise: Well coming up it was definently the pioneers such as: Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Kool G Rap, Notorious Big, 2Pac, Big L, Big Pun, Jay-Z, Nas, Mobb Deep, The Lox, etc….as far as what’s present and in rotation now i haven’t really listened to the radio as much as I did about 3 or 4 years ago but I’m liking raekwons new album, when that dropped it had me real excited for hip-hop, I’m feeling how Fabolous is killin things, umm….lol I’m stuck foreal but I am open and entertained by alot of the music today I truthfully get alot of motivation from all the Pittsburgh artists doing their thing because it’s good to day that finally Pittsburgh is starting to come together and show more luv to one another as artists out here and I really do go to timebomb and other local spots and grab up everybodys tape when i hear people are dropping so it’s alot of everything and everybody that moves me musically out here.

ForTheCritics.com: This summer you dropped one of the best mixtapes in the city with Schitzophrenic Mindset and up until recently you were supposed to be dropping “Henny and Haze”…The fans are waiting so whats your next project and where are you headed musically?

Franchise: First off I will thank you for supporting and showing luv to SM i appreciate that. But Henny & Haze is still dropping we just pushed it back to the top of 2010 look for that sometime from Jan-Mar for sure but in the mean time I will be dropping an 8-track EP on November 16th over the internet and Itunes titled Money, Sex, & Drugs…all original beats and jus basically a mini-concept album which shall get the people involved and make them pay attention until H&H gets here ALSO i just did a video for a song i have off of the ep so lookout for that in about 2 weeks or so.

ForTheCritics.com: You have some more personal bars and verses on your last tape…What was the biggest situation in your life that influenced your music the most?

Franchise: Yeah I’m real big on keeping things genuine and as real as possible, I give the fans only what I know and what I’ve been through and a lil imagination here and there but having my son on December 17th of 2006 changed my life musically that’s what made me put things in gear and get this movement going.

ForTheCritics.com: If you could choose one artist to collab with on a track, who would it be and why?

Franchise: I always wanted to do a real/deep track with Styles P….I feel that even though SP is a gangster rapper he brings alot of versatility to the table and I just think he’s one of the illest lyricists still relevant to the game and still gets respect and thats how I would hope to be someday-respected as a lyricist and emcee.

ForTheCritics.com: Your also a part of one of the best up and coming groups/affiliations in the city [East End Empire] How does the EEE team help keep you sharp and on top of your game?

Franchise: We all are pretty much on each other…we rock shows together, hit the studio, go out-were all pretty involved in each others music

ForTheCritics.com: We’ve hit a couple points and got to know Franchise a little bit…is there anything words you have For The Critics?

Franchise: Stay tuned to the movement, TRIPLE E’s we coming up and defly keep it locked wit ya mans franchise cuz my next move is my best move

- Franchise x ForTheCritics.com