Best Year in Hip-Hop Tournament (format and rules) - Tournaments

Skinny · 2020-12-08T14:44:11-05:00

Thanks for the interest shown already in this tournament. I am going to try to set out the format and rules for the upcoming tournament as succinctly as possible. There will be 16 nominations. Each user nominates a single year (e.g. 1994, or 2018). The 16 years will then be split into four separate groups, each containing four years. Within each group, each year will have a match against each other year once, much like in the football World Cup. For each match, the user must choose 2 albums and 2 singles to represent their year. In each match during the group stage, the user must pick unique album and single representatives; i.e. the user who picks 1994 cannot use Illmatic in each match, but rather just once, against one opponent. This means that each user must choose 6 albums and 6 singles for the group stage, and then strategically pick which albums and singles to use depending on their opponent. The winner of each match will receive 2 points, while a tie/draw will result in the points being shared, 1 point each. The winner of the group after each year has played/fought one another will then go through to a semi-final stage. I'll explain the semi-final stage later. Are there currently any concerns/questions regarding how the group stage will work? UPDATE: A few questions. Can we nominate EPs as an "album"? And hypothetically, if I nominate an EP that has most of the songs that were later released on an actual album, would people vote against that out of principle? Are only official singles (those listed on RYM) eligible, or can we nominate any song from an album released in our year? What about that rule "only singles released 1 year before/after the album"? Is that an official rule or just an idea? 'Cause it turns out Bonita Applebum / I Left My Wallet in El Segundo and Check the Rhime / Award Tour were released as singles in 1997 and I'm tempted to use them, even though it feels weird and people would probably give me hard time for that. Skinny, when we choose 10 + 10 do we PM those to you? Edit: it's in the original post Yes, you can nominate an EP in lieu of an album. If said EP contains tracks that are later released on an album from a different year, two different users would be able to theoretically select two very similar releases, I guess. Do you have an example of this to put it into context for me? Only tracks that are released as singles can be selected, but there is some wiggle room here. For example, if it has a music video, it's a single for the purposes of this tournament, regardless of whether or not it had an official single release. However, you cannot just choose an album track as a single. If you have any concerns about particular songs, PM me and I'll let you know whether it's eligible. In order to be eligible, a single must not be released any later than the year following the release of its parent album. For example, the user with 1997 can nominate a single from an album released in 1996 (provided it was released as a single in 1997, obviously), but they cannot nominate a single from an album released in 1995 or earlier (regardless of whether it was released as a single in 1997 or not). Any concerns about this, just let me know. For example, remixes which alter the original in some way and that were released as standalone singles should be fine, but again I can moderate this on a case by case basis. In answer to a previous query, users cannot nominate an album and also a single from that album for their team. For example (using my choice), I cannot pick both 'Still D.R.E.' (the single) and 2001 (the album) by Dr. Dre, even in separate matches. I have to decide whether I want to use the single or the album. I really hope all of that makes sense, but again please feel free to PM me with any specific queries about the eligibility of a release. OK, as promised earlier in the week, here's an update on the format: Years will be split into four groups, each containing four years. (I will split the groups so as to allow for the greatest variety of eras in each group.) Each year will face each other year in their group once, meaning that each year will play a total of three matches in the group phase. For each matchup, the user has to choose two albums and two singles to represent their year. You cannot re-use these albums in multiple group stage matches. Therefore, for the group stage, each user will have to nominate six unique albums and six unique singles to represent their chosen year. (Users should send their nominations to me, unless you are in the same group as me, in which case they will need to be sent to the tournament co-host .) The top two teams in each group will proceed to the quarter finals. Any two teams with the same amount of points will be separated based on their head-to-head record. (For example, if 1996 and 2014 finished joint second in their group, the year which won the 1996 vs. 2014 matchup would progress.) If the match resulted in a tie/draw, there will be a one album/one single tie-breaker matchup, using one album and one single from your six group stage picks. The team who finish top of their group table will face a team who finish second in another group in the quarter-final phase. For the quarter-finals, users will nominate four albums and four singles for a matchup against another year. Two albums and two singles can be recycled from a user's group stage picks, whilst two albums and two singles must be previously unused and therefore new to the tournament. The winners of their quarter-final matchup will then proceed to the semi-final. In the semi-final, users will nominate five albums and five singles. None of these picks are allowed to be recycled from the quarter-final picks. Three albums and three singles are to be recycled from a year's remaining (four) group stage picks, whilst two albums and two singles must be previously unused and therefore new to the tournament. The winners of their semi-final matchup will then proceed to the final, whilst the losers will proceed to a third-place playoff. In both the final and the third-place playoff, users will nominate twelve albums and twelve singles. Ten albums and ten singles will be the nominations used throughout the tournament at various stages, whilst two albums and two singles must be previously unused and therefore new to the tournament. I should clarify that I am not trying to stifle variety. The number of recycled releases to be used in the knockout stages (two albums and two singles in the quarter-finals; three each in the semi-finals; ten each in the final/third-place playoff) are a maximum allowance. (i.e. A user can pick four previously unused albums in the quarter-final if they want to, although it is not encouraged.) If users want to use more than twelve albums and singles throughout the tournament, they can, but I would encourage both players and voters to prioritise quality over quantity. I hope this all makes sense to everybody. Please feel free to voice any concerns or ideas, and I will endeavour to provide clarification on anything that doesn't make sense. Also, let me know if you fancy co-hosting and actually have the time and motivation to do so. Hope everybody is looking forward to the tourney! Get exploring your chosen years, people! Peace.

baystateoftheart Neil Young as a butternut squash Profile
Massachusetts

kokkinos wrote:

From what I understand it is a yearly event, but I wasn't around last year, so would you mind elaborating? Or should I wait until Monday for further information? That's fine as well.
Regarding the hip hop tournament, my team is out, but I'd definitely follow along were it to be continued, though the odds of it don't look too good.

Everyone nominates their favorite album from the previous year and there's a bracket-style tournament to pick the winner. Glad we'll have some new players 😄
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Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM

Mercury Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call Profile
St. Louis

Well I’m ready and waiting for that 2020 tournament thing to open. And I’m ready and waiting to get my ass handed to me in the next round of the Hip Hop Tournament. Mostly joking on the latter. 1995 has some goodies.
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-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

Skinny birdman_handrub.gif Profile

It will happen. Sorry, I’ve been super busy getting myself my dream job (yay me), but I am coming back to the tourney before summer’s out. It had to be put on the backburner of life, but it’s nearly ready for reheating. The BYHHT, like life itself, finds a way.
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

Skinny wrote:

It will happen. Sorry, I’ve been super busy getting myself my dream job (yay me), but I am coming back to the tourney before summer’s out. It had to be put on the backburner of life, but it’s nearly ready for reheating. The BYHHT, like life itself, finds a way.

Finally pushin crack?

Just messin - you've been missed.

Skinny birdman_handrub.gif Profile

RoundTheBend wrote:

Finally pushin crack?

Just messin - you've been missed.

Haha, I’m doing content and marketing for a really cool startup looking at renewable energy market analysis. Lots of writing and other creative stuff, but a large workload, lots of responsibilities, and a very steep learning curve, on top of adjusting to an entirely different work environment, mean that my time for discussing the minutiae of various hip-hop albums - let alone running a tournament - is basically zero right now. It will happen, though.
_________________
2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

Skinny wrote:

RoundTheBend wrote:

Finally pushin crack?

Just messin - you've been missed.

Haha, I’m doing content and marketing for a really cool startup looking at renewable energy market analysis. Lots of writing and other creative stuff, but a large workload, lots of responsibilities, and a very steep learning curve, on top of adjusting to an entirely different work environment, mean that my time for discussing the minutiae of various hip-hop albums - let alone running a tournament - is basically zero right now. It will happen, though.

Congrats mate!

I was kidding of course (given the coke rap discussion earlier).

cestuneblague Otana, but No Hito Profile
Straight Outta Ballard

Skinny wrote:

RoundTheBend wrote:

Finally pushin crack?

Just messin - you've been missed.

Haha, I’m doing content and marketing for a really cool startup looking at renewable energy market analysis. Lots of writing and other creative stuff, but a large workload, lots of responsibilities, and a very steep learning curve, on top of adjusting to an entirely different work environment, mean that my time for discussing the minutiae of various hip-hop albums - let alone running a tournament - is basically zero right now. It will happen, though.

What's your take on the new YG album?

Repo BeA Sunflower Profile
Forest Park

Skinny wrote:

RoundTheBend wrote:

Finally pushin crack?

Just messin - you've been missed.

Haha, I’m doing content and marketing for a really cool startup looking at renewable energy market analysis. Lots of writing and other creative stuff, but a large workload, lots of responsibilities, and a very steep learning curve, on top of adjusting to an entirely different work environment, mean that my time for discussing the minutiae of various hip-hop albums - let alone running a tournament - is basically zero right now. It will happen, though.

Congrats, Skinny! Sounds awesome & perfect for you!!!