I arrive at 8:07pm. Only seven minutes late but it seems I’ve missed a lot. They’re already free-styling on table beats.
Outside the Philip Sherlock building is where it’s at. There’s a show going on inside but it isn’t time for these performers to go on. Warm up ting out here fam. Beat boxing and lyrical exchanges go on for minutes on end. The talent is strong.
Lyrics that contain explicit language and violent themes are often frowned upon; Based on the belief that these lyrics influence the youth to do bad things. Nonsense. Misguided youth do bad things.
“When I listen Vybz Kartel, I nuh hear gunshot a fly through chest or gyal bruk out. I hear similes. Metaphors. Personification. You see, we take from what we want in life. We all blessed with the same capacity to acquire the same knowledge. Is what we do with it. So him say ‘coulda shine like Popcaan Jesus piece, pop caan with the piece you say Jesus piece’, while I woulda say ‘we living in a complex, complex place weh the thugs them nuh read unless a magazine’, Zeen?” – Runkus
The lyrical onslaught went on for over 30 minutes, featuring the stylings of Jeeby Lyricist, Chavez Illmatiq, Pag3y, Kenika Quash, & Blvk H3ro. Here are the good bits:
Gallery
by LYNCH 