MTV’s Engine Room premiers Monday night and it looks pretty interesting.

It’s being pitched as being "Inspired by "The Computer Is Personal Again" Global Campaign from HP" that had Jay-Z and folks in it, which seems a bit tacked on, but here’s a description of the show itself:

"Engine Room," was filmed in a loft in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, in a kinetic workspace designed for the cutting-edge digital artists competing for global bragging rights. The team that demonstrates the most creative digital skills will win $400K (USD), programming control of MTV’s HD screen in Times Square for the night, and additional technology prizing. The series — which will appear in the United States on MTV’s college network, mtvU; globally on MTV channels around the world; and online in nine languages…chronicles four teams of contestants.

It gets a mention here cause the judging panel includes Aesop Rock, El-P and Travis McCoy.

I’m actually more curious about what roles physicist Michio Kaku will play but you guys will have to let me know how that goes.  Definitely a unique line-up for MTV to put in front of America.