Taipei Water Department

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Inter-School Hip-Hop Cypher Competition—"Endless Flow! 2024 Cypher Tournament", which brought together 200 high school and university hip-hop club students from across Taiwan, the event returns in 2025 with a renewed call for young voices to rap for the planet. With registration officially open, the competition once again invites passionate young hip-hop artists to express themselves through music and advocate for environmental awareness.

Taipei Water Department Commissioner Fan Huan-ying, the event’s organizer, emphasized that this year’s theme, "Rap for the Planet - Be Like Water," symbolizes the limitless possibilities of artistic creation: fluid and adaptable, unrestricted by rigid frameworks. Drawing inspiration from Bruce Lee’s philosophy of water—both soft and strong, shapeless yet powerful—the competition encourages participants to reflect on and respond to the growing challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability through their music.

To encourage greater student participation, this year’s competition will feature both a Cypher Group Category and a newly introduced Individual Category. The group category requires at least three members and must register under a school club, while participants in the group category may also register for the individual category with an original piece. There are no restrictions on the format of submissions and all entries will be ranked based on YouTube view counts. The top 10 groups will each receive an NT$15,000 Creative Incentive Award, with the first-place group earning an additional NT$30,000 Best Popularity Award. In the individual category, the top three contestants based on online votes will receive NT$10,000, NT$7,000 and NT$5,000, respectively. Finalists from both categories will have the opportunity to take the stage at the grand finals on April 26, performing live in front of an audience.

This year’s competition introduces innovative registration and judging rules. Registration is open immediately and will close on April 7. Breaking away from previous upload restrictions, this year’s format allows participants to submit their works as soon as they are created, giving them the chance to accumulate views early. The final view count will be recorded on April 10 at 11:59 PM, and the list of selected finalists will be announced on April 14. For the group category, the live finals will debut a unique judging panel system, bringing together 50 hip-hop enthusiasts, professionals, and experts as jury members. These selected judges will vote live on-site for the "Best Live Performance Award," giving more hip-hop fans the opportunity to engage in this major event. Further details on how to apply as a judge will be announced soon.

The Taipei Water Department emphasized that this competition is not just a contest but a platform to inspire young artists to create. Through "Endless Flow! 2025 Cypher Tournament," the Taipei Water Department hopes to encourage students to unlock their creative potential and take their first steps into music production. To support this initiative, PIPE Live Music, known as Taipei’s underground hip-hop hub, will offer free recording services during the registration period, providing participants with essential resources to bring their artistic visions to life.

Event Rules: https://waterpark.water.gov.taipei/News_Content.aspx?n=D1177E1A87CBEC89&sms=78D644F2755ACCAA&s=48817D2E78AF6B3B

Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbyZku4H0ovY8ocM44xnFEBPrhgwT7VIXYsUMBLcDrXzWOqA/viewform

Endless Flow! 2025 Cypher Tournament Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/endlessstreamtwd/

Endless Flow! 2025 Cypher Tournament Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/endlessstreamtwd/