Round 1 is the qualifying round for Vanguard AI: Command the Machine Battle.
Submit one original AI-assisted hip-hop track between 60 and 90 seconds.
This does not need to be a full song. It can be a hook + verse concept, song excerpt, producer sketch, battle-style AI-produced piece, cinematic hip-hop idea, experimental hip-hop prototype, or short original track.
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Create a track that responds to the theme:
Command the Machine
Your submission must clearly connect to:
- Command the Machine;
- Vanguard AI Battle;
- your creative direction as a producer, creator, composer, or AI-assisted music maker.
This track must be created for this Event.
Do not submit a random old song, catalogue track, generic AI export, unrelated demo, or unreleased record that was not created for Vanguard AI: Command the Machine Battle.
The machine can generate sound.
Your job is to turn it into a track with concept, writing, production, vocal direction, structure, and impact.
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Judges will look for:
- clear connection to the brief;
- originality;
- writing and message;
- hook or song idea;
- hip-hop identity and genre fit;
- production and arrangement;
- vocal direction;
- AI creative direction;
- structure and replay value;
- overall song impact.
Studio polish is not the main point.
A strong concept with clear creative direction can beat a technically polished AI track that feels generic, empty, or forgettable.
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AI tools are permitted and encouraged for this Event.
You may use AI tools for:
- brainstorming;
- lyric support;
- songwriting assistance;
- melody generation;
- composition;
- beat-making;
- instrumental generation;
- arrangement;
- sound design;
- AI-generated vocals;
- AI-assisted vocals;
- hooks;
- backing vocals;
- ad-libs;
- vocal textures;
- editing;
- mixing support;
- mastering support;
- artwork;
- cover art;
- visual design;
- short-form video;
- reels;
- clips;
- subtitles;
- captions;
- thumbnails;
- formatting, cleanup, or technical preparation.
You remain responsible for your final submission.
This includes rights, licenses, tool terms, disclosures, collaborators, samples, beats, vocals, Synthetic Voice, voice models, artwork, video, linked materials, and any third-party materials.
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AI vocals and synthetic vocal elements may be allowed, but unauthorized voice cloning and misleading impersonation are not allowed.
Do not submit content that:
- clones or imitates a real artist’s voice without permission;
- uses a public figure’s voice, image, likeness, or identity without permission;
- falsely suggests that a real person performed, endorsed, approved, or participated in your submission;
- uses a real person’s name, image, voice, likeness, persona, brand, or identity in an unlawful or misleading way;
- violates the terms of any AI tool, voice model, music platform, sample library, or third-party service.
General genre influence, broad stylistic inspiration, lawful parody, lawful reference, lawful homage, and non-identifiable synthetic voice design may be allowed where lawful, non-misleading, and consistent with the Event rules.
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You may submit optional visual materials where the submission flow allows them.
This may include:
- cover art;
- short-form video;
- reel;
- vertical clip;
- visualizer;
- lyric clip;
- teaser;
- other visual presentation materials.
Optional visual materials may be considered under the published judging rules.
A strong visual can help the presentation of your work, but the main focus of this Event is still the music, concept, writing, production, vocal direction, and overall song impact.
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- Audio required.
- 60 seconds minimum.
- 90 seconds maximum.
- One participant, one submission for this round.
- Submit through the official Vanguard submission flow before the deadline.
- Optional visual or short-form materials may be submitted only where the submission flow allows them.
- Required AI-use, tool-use, rights, and license disclosures must be provided where requested.
Need help uploading your track? See: How to Submit Your Track.
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You are responsible for everything in your submission.
This includes:
- AI-generated or AI-assisted materials;
- AI tools;
- tool terms;
- beats;
- samples;
- loops;
- collaborators;
- lyrics;
- vocals;
- Synthetic Voice;
- voice models;
- credits;
- names;
- likenesses;
- artwork;
- video;
- linked materials;
- third-party materials.
Do not submit stolen, plagiarized, uncleared, misleading, infringing, unsafe, unlawful, restricted, or unauthorized content.
If you did not create it yourself, make sure you have the right to use it.
If an AI tool, music platform, voice model, sample license, beat license, visual asset license, or third-party platform does not allow the required Event or promotional use, do not submit that material.
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Eligible Round 1 submissions are reviewed under the published judging criteria.
The strongest eligible submissions may advance to the next stage.
The number of advancing participants depends on the final number and quality of eligible Round 1 submissions.
A later stage may include direct battles, head-to-head comparisons, knockout rounds, or another appropriate format if the submission pool supports it.
Advancement is not guaranteed.
