Outbreak Europe is one of the best underground Hip Hop festivals in the world and in 2016 again it has proven how much intensity and love there is in every program item. High number of participants in all competitions, a funding program for young talents and a lot of other events provided a good mixture, variety and entertainment.

In the morning on Saturday, 30 July 2016, the "Perfect Beat Challenge" started in Záhrada, in the center of Banská Bystrica. In the Beat Producer Battle the task was to create a beat within a fixed period of time using the given samples. The winner qualified for the participance in the "Perfect Beat Challenge" during the IBE in the Netherlands.

With their project "Youth is the Future" the outbreak team had created a further and an important highlight to support the sustainability in the youth development. Dance workshops with Miss Bibi (Czech Republic), Dora (Hungary) and local hero Laci Strike (Slovakia), a DJ workshop with DJ Plash (Slovakia) and the following 1vs1 Street Dance Battle gave many kidz the opportunity to test their skills, to learn, to exchange with others and to take part actively. The whole program took place in the Europa Shopping Center and was very well received by more than 100 kidz who took part. For more information please see here.

The 3vs3 basketball competition on the basket stage started already at 9:00 o‘clock in the morning. A graffiti workshop with Ewil (Slovakia) on the ESC Outdoor Stage provided a creative development and inspiration for all participants who later took part in the "Dope Cans" graffiti jam on the Rudohorská Stage. At around 12:00 o‘clock the first BBoys & BGirls arrived on the festival area to secure a place in the Ministry of Fun, the venue of the battles.

Host of the day Mario Walden aka Mario Bee from the Netherlands made the whole crowd go wild and this way the 1vs1 BGirl Battles started with a lot of energy and dynamic in the round of the TOP16. That thing was really powerful and all the ladies taking part showed why they were rightly chosen for the TOP16.

With the battle modus "Best of 3" which was realised with the Kozen System all BBoys could show their crazy skillz in the 1vs1 Undisputed Breaking Battle. Surprisingly the German dancer "NoIndex" managed to enter the TOP16 and delivered an exchange of dynamic moves in a battle with the experienced Red Bull BC One All Star Lil G from Venezuela. Other well known faces of the scene such Sunni (UK), Niek (NL), Hulk (Israel), Kelju & Thomasz (Poland), Shigekix (Japan), Milhouse (Korea) and Yarko (Poland) were naturally there, too. They all showed a strong performance and made it difficult for the jury to decide. In the end it was Kuzya prevailing against Sunni from the Soul Mavericks in the final and thus winning for a second time in an Undisputed qualification competition in 2016.

The highlights of Outbreak Europe 2016, however, could all be seen in the international 2vs2 Breaking Battle when the TOP16 from more than 200 different teams fascinated the crowd with incredible blow ups. Until the final each team had to dance 5 rounds per battle, in the final even 7. Here it were above all "Intact & Pluto" and the very successful guys from Ukraine "Lussy Sky & Drud" shining with their skillz. It was only in the battle against "Thomasz & Kleju" when the both members of the Navi Crew had to abandon the field for Ukraine represented by "Intact & Pluto" and Poland consisting of "Thomasz & Kleju". Both teams showed with deep sovereignty their right for being in the final. Above all it was Kleju fighting until the end with all available means to take the victory home. But unfortunately this day it wasn‘t enough and for this reason the winner of the 2vs2 battle was the team consisting of Intact and Pluto.

The 1vs1 Kids Battle (15 years and younger) took place on the first day and it was only the final which was postponed to Saturday. More than 40 participants danced for the allowance to enter the TOP16. Among them also some known young faces such as Majko (Slovakia), Raptor (Ukraine) and Bboy Ibot (Austria). You could admire a lot of strong battles with a high degree in quality and execution. In the end it were Space G (Russia) and Shigekix (Japan) who danced themselves in to the final on the Garage Stage. With three rounds the both young talents fought tirelessly across the stage in the final battle, gave their best and presented a powerful performance. After the third round Space G had to surrender to the 14-year-old Shigekix who convinced the audience and the jury with his routine and his strong combinations.

Before the final battles Martin Gilian aka MG addressed the audience and asked for a minute of silence for the two companions Honza Urban (Slovakia) and Kakao (Slovakia) who died this year. A moment of goose skin filled with compassion and respectful recognition spread among all participants and spectators.

Outbreak Europe 2016 – Incredible moments and a jam straight from the textbook. – Conclusion Everybody who think that festivals with jam feeling and Hip Hop character decline due to the very high number of battles and competitions being organised nowadays think wrong. For all those guys it‘s crucial to travel to Outbreak Europe next year. Outbreak represents Lifestyle and the Hip Hop culture. Outbreak is "raw" but perfectly organised. In comparison to many other organisers the guys of The Legits understand it very well how to combine Hip Hop culture and hard organisation business in order on the one hand to maintain the culture and on the other hand not to go bankrupt. Thumbs up and a high praise for the whole team!

The Battle Results

1vs1 Breaking Kids Battle
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Oliver // Space G – 0:3
Bogdan // Maria – 0:3
Bor // Paulinho – 0:3
Sonja // Ibot – 2:0 Kleju (Tie)
NoName // Majko – 0:3
Raptor // Dream Dem – 0:2
Mad Max// Axel – 2:1
Monster // Wigor – 2:1
NoName // Shigekix– 0:3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maria // Space G – 0:3
Sonja // Paulinho – 1:2
Dream Dem // Majko – 3:0
Madmax // Wigor // Shigekix – 0:3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Space G // Paulinho – 3:0
Dream Dem // Shigekix – 0:3
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Shigekix // Space G – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Winner: Shigekix (Japan)


1vs1 B-Girling Battle
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Bo // Anita – 3:0, 1:2, 1:2
Emilka // San Andrea – 1:2, 0:3
Alessandrina // Law – 1:2, 2:1, 1:2
Jeskilz // Narcis – 3:0, 2:0 Lil John (Tie)
Paulina // Vanessa – 3:0, 2:1
Sarah Bee // Lady Fury – 3:0, 2:1
Meelisa // Maxime – 3:0, 0:3, 2:1
Sunny // Sona – 3:0, 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Anita // San Andrea – 0:3, 0:3
Law // Jeskilz – 0:3, 2:1, 0:3
Paulina // Sarah Bee – 2:1, 3:0
Meelisa // Sunny – 1:2, 2:1, 1:2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
San Andrea // Jeskilz – 2:1, 2:1
Paulina // Sunny – 2:1, 0:3, 2:0 Abstrak (Tie)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
San Andrea // Paulina
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Winner: Paulina (Poland)


1vs1 Undisputed Battle
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Sunni // Sapa – 3:2, 3:2
Yarko // Milhouse – 4:1, 2:3, 2:2 Lil John (Tie), 2:3
T-Rock // Niek – 5:0, 0:5, 0:5
Lil G // NoIndex – 5:0, 5:0
Hulk // Twister – 3:1 Abstrak (Tie), 1:4, 4:1
Thomasz // Klesio – 3:2, 5:0
Mini Joe / Kelju – 2:3, 2:3
Kuzya // Shigekix – 4:1, 4:1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunni // Milhouse – 1:3, 3:2, 4:1
Niek // Lil G – 3:2, 4:1
Hulk // Thomasz – 2:3, 2:3
Kelju // Kuzya – 1:4, 1:4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunni // Niek – 3:2, 4:1
Thomasz // Kuzya – 1:4, 3:2, 1:4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunni // Kuzya
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Winner: Kuzya (Urkaine)


2vs2 Breaking Battle
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Intact & Pluto (Ukraine) //
Shigekix & Chacha (Japan/Hong Kong) – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunni & Spin (UK) //
Kostek & Freaky (Poland) – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mini Joe & Lil G (Venezuela) //
Stepper & Tawfiq (Netherlands – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nasty Ray & Victor (USA) //
Mefo & Chuchu (Poland) – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lussy Sky & Drud (Ukraine) //
Paco & Rico (Italy) – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Titris & Admiracles (Belgium) //
Hulk & Potter (Israel) – 1:2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Frankie & Fenix (USA) //
Klesio & Andrey (Brazil/Ukraine) – 2:1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Makita & Tricky (Israel) //
Kleju & Thomasz (Poland) – 2:1
=====================
Intact & Pluto (Ukraine) //
Spin & Sunni (UK) – 2:1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nasty Ray & Victor (USA) //
Mini Joe & Lil G (Venezuela) – 1:2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lussy Sky & Drud (Ukraine) //
Hulk & Potter (Israel) – 3:0
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Frankie & Fenix (USA) //
Thomasz & Kelju (Poland) – 1:2
=====================
Intact & Pluto (Ukraine) //
Mini Joe & Lil G (Venezuela) – 2:1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lussy Sky & Drud (Ukraine) //
Thomasz & Kleju (Poland) – 1:2
=====================
Intact & Pluto (Ukraine) //
Thomasz & Kleju (Poland)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Winner: Intact & Pluto (Ukraine)