MTV's Engine Room Launches, Judges Include Aesop Rock, El-P & Travis McCoy

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.