Music
Inside Red Bull 64 Bars: Pure rap, no hooks, just bars
Rapper and producer duos collaborate in the booth and lay down 64 bars. Straight raps - no hooks, bells or whistles. Captured live from Red Bull Music Studio in Santa Monica.
Red Bull 64 Bars makes its U.S. debut on Tuesday, June 2, bringing one of Red Bull’s most respected international hip-hop formats stateside for a raw, lyric-forward performance. Built around a rapper and producer duo collaborating in a lyrical marathon, the result is a stripped-down, no-distractions musical showcase rooted in the fundamentals of hip-hop: an elite MC, a fresh new beat, and 64 uninterrupted bars.
Red Bull 64 Bars makes its U.S. debut
© Koury Angelo
01
What Is Red Bull 64 Bars?
Red Bull 64 Bars Red Bull 64 Bars is a performance format that pairs rappers and producers for a single, focused session in the studio.
The concept is simple:
- One producer sets the sonic foundation
- One rapper steps into the booth to deliver 64 continuous bars
- No hooks. No chorus. No gimmicks.
The result is an unfiltered look at an artist’s technical skill, delivery, and presence.
02
Where to watch Red Bull 64 Bars
Watch episode 1 now on Red Bull 1520 YouTube channel, a YouTube channel dedicated to hip-hop programming from the world of Red Bull featuring beats, bars, and live performances. Subscribe to Red Bull 1520 on YouTube and follow along on social media at @redbullmusic.
03
Episode 1: Ab-Soul takes the Mic, Hit-Boy sets the tone
For the US debut, Red Bull 64 Bars pairs Ab-Soul - one of the West Coast’s most technically respected MCs - with Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy, who serves as producer for the launch and helps shape the series’ arrival to the states. Coming off Ab-Soul’s recent Soul Burger era and Hit-Boy’s continued run as one of modern hip-hop’s most accomplished producers, the debut episode positions Red Bull 64 Bars as a serious new platform for high-level lyricism within Red Bull 1520.
Ab-soul and Hit-Boy
© Koury Angelo
Ab-Soul - one of the West Coast’s most technically respected MCs
© Koury Angelo
Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy
© Koury Angelo