- Perfect 10 — Challenge from Ben Tarkus · Klopfenpop · Richie Branson
- Production Powerhouse 8.6 / 10 avg across judges
- Challenge Champion 9.4 / 10 avg across judges
- Wide Appeal no judge ranked you in their bottom third
- Crowd Surfer on 43/72 ballots (60%)
- Niche Fave 4 voters made you their #1 — a small but devoted fanbase
- 100 Club 116 plays on YouTube
- YouTube Famous top 3 on YouTube with 6 likes
- Triple Heart Threat likes on YouTube, SoundCloud, AND the VPC site (17 total)
- Full Package audio + art + lyrics + both writeups
- Storyteller 2,045 characters across both writeups
TOTAL REACH — 184 plays rank 2 / 22
- YOUTUBE 116
- SOUNDCLOUD 39
- VPC SITE 29
TOTAL LIKES — 17 rank 7 / 22
- VPC SITE 7
- YOUTUBE 6
- SOUNDCLOUD 4
Ready to Ride
Vocalist's challenge writeup
Guess who finally got around to playing GTA 5? If you haven't dipped a toe into the GTA pool, the most recent release takes place in a faux-LA reimagining known as Los Santos. I like to imagine this is a song an amazing Los Santos rock band would perform. It's one of those "We wanted the city to be one of the main characters!" type beats. References you ask? Vinewood sign - Hollywood sign Snapmatic - Instagram Tequi-la-la - Whisky a Go Go (did a show here once. I sucked.) Del Perro Pier - Santa Monica pier Vanilla Unicorn - Spearmint Rhino Cheval Picador - Chevy El Camino Special Carbine - weapon option in-game and the general theme of crime and violence. Heists. Scores. Deceit. All that. GTA is at least 70% a driving sim, so being down to ride is a general theme of this track, the game, and the culture of Los Santos. We nailed this one. NEXT!
Producer's challenge writeup
0:00 - Solid Potato Salad - Free Bin Intro 0:12 - Cramp Your Style - Free Bin Chopped repeating section fades in then plays throughout every chorus 0:12 - Aafat - International Backs drums with intro beat pattern from original track, and guitar lick from this sample is used frequently throughout the song 0:25 - A3 134 BPM - Tools Turned into a drum break-style sample with a heavy phaser effect that plays throughout each chorus, and the bridge leading into the final chorus 0:53 - A1 65 BPM - Tools Used throughout the verses with heavy compression and reverb as backing and atmospheric filling 0:53 - Bindya Tarse Kajra Barse - International Used portion as piano note sample used in every verse 1:34 - Bindya Tarse Kajra Barse - International Used same piano note sample again but layered 3 times to create a piano chord progression to play behind the choruses 1:20 - Feelings - Dollar Bin Brass portion sampled, pitched and chopped up to better match the song. This is used during the bridges and choruses. Choruses version of the sample changes a bit as well. 2:01 - Heaven and Hell Is on Earth - Dollar Bin Portion with Tamborine and claps used throughout verse 2
Lyrics
Mi llamo Beefy and I am massive I'm higher than that Vinewood sign I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride when the snapmatic it tries to hold your mind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride When the stars come out, at risk of going blind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride This is my first crime, so baby please be kind I'm ready to ride, are you ready Visit for the sunshine, stay because you got booked and served saying that you hit the big time, these gangs would like to have a word we've got those things you can't find, in other corners of the world I roll with a special carbine, because these people never learn they smile with a knife in your back gaslighting that they could never be deceitful I'd rather be in Tequi-la-la complaining that I have no equal but have no fear Del Perro Pier I finally found my people What good is bad when bad is good and everybody is evil Are we on for tonight? Am I wasting my time? Are we over the line? I'm already alright If it's all by design I'm feeling fine I'm fine I'm ready to ride I'm higher than that Vinewood sign I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride when the snapmatic it tries to hold your mind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride When the stars come out, at risk of going blind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride This is my first crime, so baby please be kind I'm ready to ride, are you ready I'll never forget that night I met her outside the Vanilla Unicorn made more mistakes than I'd like to admit in the back of a Cheval Picador bonnie and clyde, we made a dime, and she was begging me for more and who am I to just straight deny my baby, she's looking to score wrong side of the tracks, you need to relax, hand over the packs put the cash in the bags, we'll fill in the cracks, this only the facts but too rich for my blood, LS life don't thrive with my love so I cut her loose, just too damn hot with too much to lose Are we on for tonight? Am I wasting my time? Are we over the line? I'm already alright If it's all by design I'm feeling fine I'm fine I'm ready to ride I'm higher than that Vinewood sign I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride when the snapmatic it tries to hold your mind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride When the stars come out, at risk of going blind I'm ready to ride, are you ready to ride This is my first crime, so baby please be kind I'm ready to ride, are you ready BLUNT FORCE The greatest band in all of Los Santos! *trill*
JUDGES' BREAKDOWN
Richie Branson
9.33/10 score rank #4 of 22VOCALS 9PRODUCTION 9CHALLENGE 10Crazy. Hook is amazing. Flow is tight. I too roll with a special carbine lol. Mix is good, pre-hook vox could be a touch louder in the mix. This song can be in soundtracks. It’s good.
LEX the Lexicon Artist
7.67/10 score rank #6 of 22VOCALS 7PRODUCTION 7CHALLENGE 9Great job on the challenge. I don't think I have heard too many rock songs that successfully incorporate such a variety of non-rock samples. The hottest band in Los Santos is an inspired idea for a song. I like that Beefy focused on one franchise to make it clear what the reference is. I see that Beefy took my note about "only having one dial" and trying melodic choruses. I give him props for that. The chorus is decently catchy, and very powerful and energetic, although I'm not really sold on this bridge - it feels like it's wasted time in the song since it's too similar to the chorus and doesn't take us to a different place. The mixing choice there hurts more than helps. I find the chord progression a little cliché / static.
Klopfenpop
9.33/10 score rank #8 of 22VOCALS 9PRODUCTION 9CHALLENGE 10Another stellar entry. I love the layered references of videogame locations that are references to irl places and the band being an in-world song by a Los Santos band. I love the lore we just learned about Blunt Force. Lyrics still full of great references, too. Singing and rapping both sound really good. Had me and my kiddo singing along to the hook in the car by the end of the song. The sample work on this track is super impressive. I love how many sample you built this track out of while still keeping on theme for your genre concept. I didn't even catch that the main opening riff was totally a sample. This is what this challenge was for.
Mark Cooper
8.33/10 score rank #9 of 22VOCALS 8PRODUCTION 9CHALLENGE 8Love good GTA involved references in a song. Definitely Sounds like something you would either hear in a Tony Hawk Pro Skater game or even a crazy taxi title. Great vocals and good production overall. The hook really brings the verses home and very enjoyable. way to use your creativity within the song combined with the game knowledge in itself.
Ben Tarkus
9.00/10 score rank #2 of 22VOCALS 8PRODUCTION 9CHALLENGE 10Shut up everyone the new Crazy Taxi theme just dropped. This ruled! I'm here for a deep commitment to the GTA5 references, and I think the focus on a single perspective makes all these assorted references that much more significant and impressive. You guys have been putting out ripping little tracks and I want so much more of this every round!
Audience score and rank
AUDIENCE SCORE
Aggregated from 72 ballots cast by the public.
AUDIENCE RANK
Out of 22 teams competing this round.
- 43 voters ranked them in their top 10
- 19 voters had them in their top 5
- 4 voters picked them as their #1 favorite
FINAL BLEND
The final score was a 7.97. The song received an average voter score of 5.70 from the community, and an average judge score of 8.73.
The display score blends the audience and judges' contributions at 25%/75%. Here's how Blunt Force's 7.97 broke down:
(5.70 × 25%) + (8.73 × 75%) = 7.97
YOUR SEASON SO FAR
- Round 1 7.54 / 10 rank #3
- Round 2 7.97 / 10 rank #5 PERSONAL BEST