Taipei Water Department

　　Hosted by the Taipei Water Department and co-organized by the Department for Youth of the Taipei City Government, the Endless Flow! 2026 Cypher Tournament held its live finals this afternoon (April 25) at Taipei Water Park. Outstanding hip-hop talents from universities, colleges, and senior high schools across Taiwan gathered on stage to determine who would rise above the rest.

　　Commissioner Fan Huan-ying of the Taipei Water Department stated that the tournament, now in its third year, adopted the theme “All about LOVE”, inviting students to express youthful romance, love for their hometowns, longing for family, the melancholy of youth, and hopes for the future through music. He noted that even as times change, love remains a powerful force that connects society and inspires individuals.

　　This year’s competition drew record participation, with students from 95 schools across Taiwan and its offshore islands forming 108 teams. During the online preliminary round, submissions generated more than 250,000 YouTube views. The live finals featured three leading figures from Taiwan’s hip-hop scene as judges: Grey, founder of hip-hop ensemble Long Hu Men; ILL MO, acclaimed rap mentor; and GreenTed, founder of War Convict Studio. Before the competition began, ILL MO energized the audience with an opening performance that immediately ignited the atmosphere. Following performances by 13 finalists, as well as an intermission performance by NIKECHEN (7LING), the event concluded with a finale performance by Multiverse, bringing the celebration to a memorable close.

　　The top honor of the day, Best Live Performance Award in the CYPHER Team Division, went to “One Lifetime” by a cross-school team from Wu-Ling Senior High School, Taoyuan Senior High School, Nei-Li Senior High School, and Longtan Senior High School. The winners received NT$30,000 in prize money and one complimentary use of the professional performance venue PIPE Live Music. “Only a few may win in the end, but making it from 108 teams into the final 10 is already incredibly impressive. Today also gave me a great deal of inspiration,” Judge ILL MO remarked. Judge Grey also said, “Rankings are not the most important thing. What matters is that competitions like this bring more works into the world.” Judge GreenTed added, “Competitions motivate artists to create even better music. Seeing so many young people producing original work is truly inspiring.” This year’s tournament presented awards across three categories: 10 Creative Incentive Awards, 3 Best Individual Creation Awards, and 3 Best Live Performance Awards, with a total of NT$240,000 awarded to outstanding creators.

　　According to the Taipei Water Department, the Cypher Tournament provides a platform for students who love hip-hop to fully unleash their creative energy. A special survey was also launched this year, inviting contestants and audience members to propose themes for next year’s competition so the platform can remain closely connected to the free spirit of young creators. Commissioner Fan expressed special thanks to every student who participated, noting that their creativity made this year’s exceptional works possible. He said he looks forward to seeing everyone again next year for another creative showdown.