FAQs
1. How do I vote?
Voting will take place on BET.com for the Bracket Vote and in Battle Polls within articles, on Twitter via designated hashtags, and on Instagram via comments on call-to-action posts from BET Networks using designated hashtags. Upon revealing each matchup, users will have 48 hours to cast their votes during Rounds 1 through 4, and 72 hours to cast their votes during Round 5.
2. How many times can I vote?
You may cast one vote per Nominee Matchup, per Round, per Identifier, per method of voting. The voting window is 48 hours from the launch of each battle or 72 hours from the launch of the Championship battle.
3. Who can vote?
All users worldwide may vote via Twitter and Instagram. All residents of the United States may vote on BET.com in the Bracket Vote or Battle Polls. For online voting, residents of the United States are defined as residents of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, DC. You must have a valid email address to vote online, or a Twitter or Instagram account to vote via social media posts.
4. When will voting take place?
The contest will be introduced on April 24, with a brief period for write-ins. The official bracket will be revealed on May 1. Voting will take place on Mondays through Fridays (Saturday on the first week only), beginning May 1 and ending June 9. No more than four battles will take place a day in the early rounds. In later rounds, we will have two battles each day leading up to the final Championship battle. See the Official Voting Rules for more details.
5. How to vote in the Bracket? You must first register in order to vote:
- Click on "Sign Up" in the top right of the Bracket page
- Enter your email address and click "Continue"
- Complete the registration form and accept T&Cs (and opt into sweepstakes!)
- You may now submit your vote by clicking on the contestant in the bracket grid and clicking the "Vote" button in the contestant modal.
- Next time you return you can "Log In" using the email from registration.
6. How to vote in a Battle Poll? You must first register in order to vote:
i. Click on "Log In" in the top right of the battle poll
ii. Click link below button that says, "Sign up to vote in this battle. Sign up!"
iii. Complete the registration form and accept T&Cs (opt into sweepstakes!)
iv. Click on button of the name of the crew you wish to vote for to submit vote.
v. Once registered, you can use the same email to log in to any Battle Polls.
7. How do I find the valid nominee hashtags for Twitter and Instagram?
Valid voting hashtags can be found in the Official Rules section on Social Voting hashtags.
Twitter and Instagram Voting Nominee Hashtags:
Nominee Full Name: Wu-Tang Clan
Nominee Hashtag: #WuTangClan
Nominee Full Name: Dreamville
Nominee Hashtag: #Dreamville
Nominee Full Name: Native Tongues
Nominee Hashtag: #NativeTongues
Nominee Full Name: Juice Crew
Nominee Hashtag: #JuiceCrew
Nominee Full Name: Bad Boy Family
Nominee Hashtag: #BadBoyFamily
Nominee Full Name: Ruff Ryders
Nominee Hashtag: #RuffRyders
Nominee Full Name: Roc-A-Fella
Nominee Hashtag: #RocAFella
Nominee Full Name: G-Unit
Nominee Hashtag: #Gunit
Nominee Full Name: G.O.O.D. Music
Nominee Hashtag: #GOODMusic
Nominee Full Name: St. Lunatics
Nominee Hashtag: #StLunatics
Nominee Full Name: Shady
Nominee Hashtag: #Shady
Nominee Full Name: Mo'Thugs/Bone Thugs
Nominee Hashtag: #MoThugs
Nominee Full Name: Soulquarians
Nominee Hashtag: #Soulquarians
Nominee Full Name: Griselda
Nominee Hashtag: #Griselda
Nominee Full Name: Hypnotize Minds
Nominee Hashtag: #HypnotizeMinds
Nominee Full Name: Collective Music Group
Nominee Hashtag: #CollectiveMusicGroup
Nominee Full Name: Deathrow Family
Nominee Hashtag: #DeathRow
Nominee Full Name: Hieroglyphics
Nominee Hashtag: #Hieroglyphics
Nominee Full Name: NWA & The Posse
Nominee Hashtag: #NWA
Nominee Full Name: Soul Assassins
Nominee Hashtag: #SoulAssassins
Nominee Full Name: TDE
Nominee Hashtag: #TDE
Nominee Full Name: Odd Future
Nominee Hashtag: #OddFuture
Nominee Full Name: Sick Wid It
Nominee Hashtag: #SickWidIt
Nominee Full Name: Dangerous Crew
Nominee Hashtag: #DangerousCrew
Nominee Full Name: Young Money/Cash Money
Nominee Hashtag: #YoungMoney
Nominee Full Name: Grand Hustle
Nominee Hashtag: #GrandHustle
Nominee Full Name: No Limit Soldiers
Nominee Hashtag: #NoLimitSoldiers
Nominee Full Name: Rap-A-Lot
Nominee Hashtag: #RapALot
Nominee Full Name: Quality Control
Nominee Hashtag: #QualityControl
Nominee Full Name: So Def
Nominee Hashtag: #SoSoDef
Nominee Full Name: Maybach Music Group
Nominee Hashtag: #MaybachMusicGroup
Nominee Full Name: Dungeon Family
Nominee Hashtag: #DungeonFamily
8. How do I know when voting is open for each matchup?
Voting will be available for all Voting Methods beginning at or around 12:00:00 PM (EDT) on the Vote Open Date noted below for each Round and "Matchup", except for Twitter Hashtag Voting which will be available for Rounds 1, 2, and 3 only. Voting for the "Matchups" in Rounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be open for forty-eight (48) hours and voting for all Matchups in Round 5 will be open for seventy-two (72) hours. closing at or around 12:00:00 PM (EDT) on the Vote Close Date. Round/"Matchup" numbers do not indicate the Matchup position in the Bracket Vote.
Vote Open Date: Monday, May 1, 2023
Round / Matchup: R1: Matchups 1 – 4
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Vote Open Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Round / Matchup: R1: Matchups 5 – 8
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023
Vote Open Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Round / Matchup: R1: Matchups 9-12
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Friday, May 5, 2023
Vote Open Date: Thursday, May 4, 2023
Round / Matchup: R1: Matchups 13 – 16
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023
Vote Open Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Round / Matchup: R2: Matchup 1 & 2
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Thursday, May 11, 2023
Vote Open Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Round / Matchup: R2: Matchup 3 & 4
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Friday, May 12, 2023
Vote Open Date: Monday, May 15, 2023
Round / Matchup: R2: Matchup 5 & 6
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Vote Open Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Round / Matchup: R2: Matchup 7 & 8
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023
Vote Open Date:Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Round / Matchup: R3: Matchup 1 & 2
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Vote Open Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Round / Matchup: R3: Matchup 3 & 4
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Friday, May 26, 2023
Vote Open Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Round / Matchup: R4: Matchup 1 & 2 (Semifinal Battle)
Vote Duration: 48 hours
Vote Close Date: Friday, June 2, 2023
Vote Open Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Round / Matchup: R5: Final Matchup
Vote Duration: 72 hours
Vote Close Date: Friday, June 9, 2023
9. What is The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time?
The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time is a six-week tournament-style poll where music fans vote to determine The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time.
10. Why are we doing The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time?
The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time is an extension of a year-long celebration of 50 years of hip-hop on BET. We're cultivating the ultimate hip-hop discussion through one of hip-hop's most enduring components: the rap crew.
11. What is a rap crew?
A rap crew is a collective of rap artists or groups (three or more) bound by a common cause bigger than the individuals or separate factions involved. This can take many forms, including an overlapping purpose, a familial record label, a unifying figure, a shared philosophy or more. To be a part of a crew, artists typically have certain hallmarks – they work together on multiple songs, rep a shared logo or brand, reference their collective frequently, hail from the same region, and/or make music with the same producers. The definition of a rap crew is not precise and is ever changing, but hip-hop fans know a crew when they see one.
12. Why did we choose to compare rap crews
There are three reasons why we chose to use rap crews. First, hip-hop culture has a history of conversations rooted in comparisons. Who is the greatest rapper of all time? What is the greatest rap song of all time? Even celebrations like "Verzuz" ultimately become highly debated conversations. By using rap crews, we introduce a fresh new conversation to the culture. Second, the category of crews enables us to cover a larger group of artists and fan bases, whereas other comparisons rely on a singular person or group and their fan base. Third,hip-hop crew culture dates to the early years of hip-hop (dance crews and deejays crews) and enables us to trace the history of hip-hop as well as connect the old with the new. Crews representing the 1980s to 2020s are represented in the poll.
13. How many rap crews will be included in this execution?
There will be 32 crews, in groups of eight, from four separate geographical regions of the United States of Hip-Hop: East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South and Midwest.
14. How did we determine which rap crews were included?
The crews were determined by staff within BET and hip-hop website Ambrosia For Heads, and by a user write-in period. Crews were considered in terms of the popularity of the collective, familiarity of the members, overall cultural impact and region. Due to this being a user-driven execution, we acknowledge technological and distribution advancements would give certain crews advantages over others. So to be respectful, we refer to the crews that may have existed prior to the explosive growth of hip-hop nationally (the pre- to late-1980s) as the forefathers/pioneers and give acknowledgement as possible. After revealing the crews we have chosen on April 25, we will also have a 24-hour period starting at the same time as the reveal for users to let us know via BET Social platforms The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time to help ensure we don't miss any entrants.
15. Why did we choose regions?
We chose regions to make sure polling was inclusive of all areas of the United States of Hip-Hop. It will also create a second layer of discussion: Who is The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time from each region? (East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South and Midwest.)
16. When will we see the crews and matchups?
The final set of crews will be revealed on May 1 via an article on BET.com and on BET social accounts. The bracket will also be revealed at this time. The matchups will be revealed as we move through each bracket. Placeholders will be used prior to the reveal of each matchup.
17. When and where will results be revealed?
Results will be revealed after the culmination of each round (not battle) via BET.com articles, the digital bracket and BET social accounts.
18. What if we are unfamiliar with a crew?
Each crew will have their own biographical video visible on the bracket located on BET.com. Each matchup article will also include biographical information, membership and a curated playlist via a curated playlist
19. How will people know about The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time?
It will be promoted on BET.com, BET social accounts, through a press release and via cultural influencers, as well as other outlets.
20. Do users get anything for voting?
Voters may enter the BET Greatest Rap Crew of All Time Voting and Promotion Sweepstakes for a chance to win BET premium items and tickets to BET Awards 2023. Users can gain entries into the sweepstakes one of two ways. They will have to check the opt-in field for the sweepstakes on the registration form for the bracket and battle poll (in the article), then cast a vote in the bracket vote, or submit a vote in a battle poll. Each week of the campaign, users can gain two entries to the sweepstakes – one entry per vote method. There is a maximum of two sweepstake entries per week for the duration of the campaign. Please see the Official Sweepstakes Rules for more details.
21. Is BET's The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time affiliated with Twitter?
No. Although you may use Twitter in the voting process, BET's The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter. Inquiries (whether questions, comments or complaints) should be directed to contest_sweepstakes@bet.net
22. Will the winning crew receive anything?
The winning crew, or The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time, will be announced on June 25, the day of the BET Awards 2023 with a trophy.
23. Will there be involvement from rap crew members?
Hopefully, in later rounds, we will get informal involvement from members of crews who are still in the running. However, initially, we will be keeping the discussion to influencers since we won't know the results of the early round matchups.
24. What is the involvement of Ambrosia For Heads (Ambrosiaforheads.com) in The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time?
BET is partnering with Ambrosia For Heads (AFH) due to their existence as a reputable hip-hop site and its history of doing a similar execution called the GOAT. AFH will be working with BET to determine the crew list, create the articles on BET.com and curate the audio playlists.
25. Is BET prepared to address any criticism?
This contest is meant to be an informal (fun) user experience and facilitate discussion, as opposed to an official stance taken by BET as to whom is The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time. Our goal is to solely present the argument, and subsequently, house the discussion. The users/voters will decide the winner.
26. For additional information on The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time, please visit bet.com/grcoat-official-rules.
27. For additional information on The Greatest Rap Crew of All Time Sweepstakes, please visit bet.com/grcoat-sweepstakes-rules.
28. If you have additional questions after reading these FAQs, please contact us at contest_sweepstakes@bet.net.