This year at Burgstock, there will be a battle of the bands competition, an a capella competition, free food and, most notably, an addition of  hip-hop to the lineup.

The event will take place at Cornerstone Pie, this Saturday, May 16, at 3 p.m.

Timo Nakhisa, assistant music director, and Tim Mitchell, student music director, from 88.1 The ‘Burg said the third year of Burgstock, though different from the last two, is expected to be a success.

“We feel [that] the hip-hop side of things will intrigue a lot of people,” said Mitchell. “I think there’s a bigger hip-hop scene here in Ellensburg than people think. There’s a lot of students here producing their own music.”

Originally, there was only going to be a 30-minute segment for hip-hop. However, with more applicants submitting their work and wanting to be involved, the set time has been increased to a full hour.

“The artists can do a song that they have previously recorded, or it can be a freestyle if they want to,” said Nakhisa. “Those are the areas that we are looking at. It’s not necessarily a battle in the sense of traditional battle raps … it’s more of performances that we’re looking at.”

The judging panel and criteria for the hip-hop segment of the festival has already been selected. The judges for this year’s show are Dr. Keith Champaign, Dr. Raymond Hall and Dr. Bobby Cummings. Champaign is the club advisor for Central’s hip-hop club, Hip-Hop at Its Finest.

“The thing that really makes it a little bit different compared to what other bands do, is that there’s no set-up and tear-down, you know?” said Nakhisa. “All the artist needs is a mic, that way you get this very upbeat energy throughout all the performances.”

Something Nakhisa placed importance on with a competition of this magnitude was how critical it was to have quality content from the artists.

Nakhisa said he is very excited about it because all the artists performing have good content.

But, they are not just looking for good content when selecting performers.

“We are looking at several different things, not just looking at content,” said Nakhisa. “Are they fun? Do they have the elements to make a good performance; a good performance and not just the average performance?”

There’s high incentive for the hip-hop artists competing in this year’s Burgstock.

“It’s not going to be your regular prizes, to say the least,” said Nakhisa, with a grin on his face.

In the past, the festival’s prizewinners have received a free night’s stay in a motel, but that won’t be the case this year.

“We’re trying to be that stepping stone towards that next point in your career, because we want to see these people succeed and aim higher and start booking venues in bigger places such as Seattle,” Nakhisa said. “Anything we can do to help out, we’re going to do it, and that’s why this event is so important.”

The ‘Burg is currently working with their contacts to figure out what big-name Seattle artists they can work with for a prize. Prizes may include being featured on a future project of a big-name artist.

Nakhisa said the grand prize is still getting finalized, but what is certain is that the winner will win four hours of free studio time in Seattle and will be scheduled to be on the 2016 lineup for the Fisherman’s Village Festival in Everett, Wash.

“The goal is local artist promotion and, ultimately, that’s what the prize will end up being,” said Mitchell.

Local Ellensburg artist Omar Zamora, who goes by O.Z., said he found out about Burgstock through 88.1 The ‘Burg and hopes to have the time to compete.

Zamora said he’s done a few onstage performances in town, at Central and at various open mic nights. He has a show coming up soon at the House of Haze and looks forward to performing at Burgstock next weekend.

Zamora currently has two solo projects out. One titled “The Inspiration” and the other “The Smokeout.”

Zamora said he always enjoys listening to Biggie and Tupac. Some of the artists he currently likes to listen to include Big Sean, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Mac Miller.

Artis Nelson, senior Japanese and Asian studies major who goes by Art, is another local Ellensburg artist who will be competing in this year’s Burgstock. Similar to Zamora, Art heard about Burgstock through 88.1 The ‘Burg.

Art said he has started to take his music career seriously and has been recording songs professionally for the last year and a half. Art used to record with another producer, but over the last three or four months has gotten his own equipment so he can self-produce.

Art said a lot of his musical inspiration comes from 90s music, The Roots, Black Thought and some Japanese rap.

When it comes to other artists Art likes to listen to, he said he is trying to focus on his own style of music and generally does not listen to other artists in order to keep that focus.

Art said before he became serious about his music, he listened to Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino and Isaiah Rashad.

Some of what Art doesn’t like about today’s famous rappers’ content is that most of it serves as background music and belongs in the club.

“It’s either been said before in the same way, or that it’s irrelevant to anything,” Art said. “The lyrics just aren’t that important.”

Art said there is good lyrical content from artists like Common and Kendrick Lamar. There is a lot of meaning in their music, which is what really inspired him to get into hip-hop.

Art is currently working on his latest project, “Blue Skies,” which he expects to release mid-summer this year.

With success, 88.1 The ‘Burg will use this as a stepping stone in the hopes of holding other hip-hop events around town.

“It’s more about Ellensburg, it’s more about Central Washington, it’s more about establishing the hip-hop scene here,” said Nakhisa.