Grand Beatbox Battle
| Grand Beatbox Battle | |
|---|---|
 2019 GBB Poster | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Tournament |
| Date(s) | October 22, 2021 |
| Ends | October 24, 2021 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | EXPO XXI (2021) |
| Location(s) | Warsaw, Poland (2019-present) Basel, Switzerland |
| Years active | 12 years |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Founder |
|
| Most recent | 29 March 2020 |
| Attendance | ~2,000 (2020) |
| Area | Worldwide |
| Activity | Beatboxing |
| Organised by | Swissbeatbox |
| People | Scott Jackson (MC) |
| Website | grandbeatboxbattle |
The Grand Beatbox Battle (commonly abbreviated GBB) is an annual international beatboxing competition hosted by Swissbeatbox. Along with the triennial Beatbox Battle World Championship, it is considered one of the pre-eminent beatboxing events.[citation needed] The competition holds multiple tournaments for different forms and categories of beatboxing which include: Solo (or Showcase), Loopstation, Tag Team, Tag Team Loopstation, and Crew.
The event follows a traditional tournament format, where competitors take turns performing on a stage, and a panel of judges vote on the winner. To qualify for the tournament portion, beatboxers from around the world must submit "wildcards" online for an invitation or by winning some of there other national and international competitions. As well as they have to pass an "elimination" round.[2]
History[]
The Grand Beatbox Battle (originally abbreviated as GBB) was first held in Switzerland in 2009 by Swissbeatbox, a beatbox organization with a YouTube channel run by Andreas “Pepouni” Fraefel. In 2011 the event became international.[3]
The event is streamed live on YouTube and edited versions of the battles and eliminations are uploaded periodically after the event. In addition to battles, the Swissbeatbox YouTube channel showcases beatboxing talent from around the world.[4]
Fraefel announced that the 2020 edition would be postponed from April to August,[5] and then from August to December.[6] The edition for 2020 was officially cancelled and postponed to October 22nd 2021 after concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format[]
Wildcards and Eliminations[]
In order to be invited to the GBB to compete, beatboxers must record a video of themselves performing an unedited beatbox routine and submit it to Swissbeatbox for judging. Anyone can submit a wildcard, but there are a limited number of spots in the "elimination" round. Usually, the two finalists (or 4, including semi-finalists in the Solo category) are automatically qualified for the next year's event.[7]
Alternatively, competitors can win other beatboxing competitions for an invitation. Some examples are the Grand Beatbox Battle 7 to Smoke, the Asia Beatbox Championships, and the Great North Battle.
During the first phase of the event, each beatboxer participates in an “Elimination” round, where they perform a routine without an opponent. The panel of judges then decide whom to place in the top 8 to compete tournament-style for the GBB champion title.[8]
Judges[]
The judges for the battles are usually past winners of the GBB or another beatboxing competition, or esteemed individuals within the beatbox community. There are usually an odd number of judges to minimize tie battles. Judges will frequently perform “showcases” to entertain during the event and showcase their beatboxing ability.
Events[]
Solo[]
The most traditional of the beatbox battles, a Solo battle follows the formula of a battle rap, where each competitor takes two turns beatboxing. The judges will then vote on who moves on to the next round.
Loopstation[]
A Loopstation Battle is a type of battle where a beatboxer uses the Loopstation Usually boss RC 505, along with other hardware, to loop and add effects and add other modifications to their beatboxing to create music.
Tag Team[]
A Tag Team battle is when two beatboxers from the same country perform a routine at the same time, against another Tag Team. kristof
Tag Team Loopstation and Crew[]
In 2020, Swissbeatbox announced a new Tag Team Loopstation category, a combination of Tag Team and Loopstation, where two beatboxers use two loopstations at the same time. They also announced Crew battles, where teams of 3-6 beatboxers battle on stage.
7 to Smoke[]
After the GBB is held, a smaller series of battles called a "7toSmoke" is held, where eight beatboxers repeatedly battle, taking one turn each. The first beatboxer to win seven rounds is declared the winner and sometimes given a guaranteed spot in the elimination round of the next year's GBB.[9]
Categories[]
GBB 2009[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2010[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2011[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2012[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2013[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2014[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2015[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2016[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2017[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2018[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBB 2019[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBBWL 2020 Online [6][]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
GBBWL 2021[]
| Event date(s)
Venue / held |
Categories | Judges | Champion | Runner-up | Knock-out rounds | showParticipants |
|---|
See also[]
- List of beatboxers
- UK Beatbox Championships
- Breath Control: The History of the Human Beat Box
- Mouth drumming
References[]
- ^ "Swissbeatbox - World's largest Beatbox Platform". Swissbeatbox. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
- ^ "About Grand Beatbox Battle". HUMAN BEATBOX. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ "About Grand Beatbox Battle". HUMAN BEATBOX. 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ "Beatboxing Gets a Formidable Ally in the Shape of DPA Microphones - ETNow.com". www.etnow.com. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ "GBB 2020 POSTPONED". youtube.com. Swissbeatbox. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "GBB 2020 RESCHEDULED". facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
- ^ "The Complete Guide to Beatbox Battles". HUMAN BEATBOX. 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ "Swissbeatbox - World's largest Beatbox Platform". Swissbeatbox. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about 7 to Smoke beatbox battles". HUMAN BEATBOX. 2017-02-27. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
External links[]
- Swissbeatbox.com - World's largest Beatbox Platform.
- Humanbeatbox.com - An online beatbox community.
- Beatboxing
- World championships
- Recurring events established in 2009