Booster Shot: Vincy Ragga Soca Results...Maddzart is King

Man what a night. When I say the competition was steep....I really mean it.

Lemme not stall tho.

And the winner is Rayon "Maddzart" Primus with "Is Me Friend"

Danielle Veira came 2nd with "I wan me soca"

Skarpyon rounded out the top three with "Soca Love"

I'm kinda in a rush to take a late night swim...but here's my 2 cents.

Maddzart was the obvious crowd favourite tonight. It was a big night for his whole band with he D'Lanlord and Tamisha all making it to the finals. His presentation was simple and effective. His song tells a story (that happens to kinda sorta refer to somebody with the same name as me). Maddzart portrayed the scene of being tossed out of his house with an actress who did his show justice..and a couple a dudes whose antics kinda made you feel sorry for him about the 'situation'

Danielle...boy that girl looked beautiful tonight. She is really coming into her own this carnival. It's obvious that her camp was in it to win it...and they came super close. She was looking like cleopatra in a vegas style presentation with a bevy of beauties who decorated the stage in feathers, corsets and top hats. Flawless vocals. Very memorable.

Skarpyon in my opinion is a consistant performer. You can trust him to take the competitive aspect seriously. He always utilizes beautiful costuming and talented dancers. This year's song isn't nearly as possible as his work in previous years, so his placement was a big surprise to most. However, he did perform the tune very well.

Honourable mentions:

Tabia - vocally strong, she looked hotter than ever, showing an edgier more grown up version of herself to the crowd. She should be proud tonight. She really rocked it.

Fullclip - I really enjoyed his stage show. He was dressed like Alladin with three beautiful genies emerging from a giant bottle on stage. I think Fullclip has long been overlooked as one of SVG's great talents. On my way out, I had to congratulate him. Tonight the crowd got the point too. They were really into his performance!

Zoelah - Among many in the media area, Zoelah was the pick to win. Her song has been popular since the onset of the carnival season..and is already making its way into regular rotation on Flow in Toronto (the station I'm on every week)

D'Landlord - First performer to really work with his song to engage the audience. I don't know if everyone was watching..but he showed real experience and personality. I think his number is coming up. The right year, the right song...you never know.

Ok...gots to go...the beautiful pool is waiting!!

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Booster Shot: SVG Ragga Soca Finalists announced

Dani-O

On Friday, June 26, 2009 fifteen competitors will vie for the Ragga Soca Crown. This year it is anyone's game. Last year's champ, Dani-O will not be defending her crown in 2009. In fact she will not be participating in Carnival at all. The 24-year-old has stepped away from singing soca music, to delve deeper into her Christian beliefs.

A list of finalists was released to the media in St. Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday, but I guess I`m not on that list.

So, I had to dig up the info the old fashioned way - I asked the artists, djs and other media people. Here's what I came up with. No worries tho, it's legit. 10 males competitor, 5 female. (Not that you were keeping score...but I am!)

D'Lanlord

Danielle Veira

Elegance

G Wise & Oscar

Lady D

Tabia

Icon

Maddzart

Troots & Ice

Radikal

Fullclip

Skarpyon

Squitty

Zoelah

Tamisha

HS Phaktor will accompany the artistes on stage. That's Bomani and Shaunelle McKenzie's band, if you didn't know. I'm excited! I'll be arriving in St.Vincent the very same morning. So you done know, I'll be there! Ragga Soca Monarch will be the first show I get to see live! Can't wait!

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Booster Shot: 2008 Vincy Soca Monarch Finals (Video)

So, the best way to tell you what happened is to show you.

Check out all the video clips and let me know who is YOUR soca monarch!


First up: Dani.O, Skarpyon, Coyaba and Poorsah...

Next up: The title winning performance from Skinny Fabulous!


Congratulations on your first Soca Monarch win. You called it! I'm soooooooo happy for you.

Introducing: Danielle Veira


You've heard/seen me talk about her in The Rounds. Here's her debut solo performance in the soca monarch show. She's just 18, with a voice like a lion. The tune is called "Wuk up your waist" on the Gladiator Riddim by Studio 758, St. Lucia.


The man and dem are waiting for a little more meat on the bones before they decide, but if you listen to music with your ears, you know what time it is.

Performance Time: Fire Empress and Bomani

Fire Empress is a stylish woman with an ear for quality. This year's entry Mamalaya is blazing up the charts on Toronto-Lime.com.

Bomani is no stranger to the Soca Monarch stage. In 2004, he was crowned SVG Soca Monarch with I AM SOCA. This year, he's riding down the highway and looking great doing it.

Chune Again!: Problem Child and Icon

Problem Child was the 2007 road march king of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but he's never entered the SVG Soca Monarch Competition until now. Decked in designer duds, Problem...it's gonna be a serious problem!

Icon on the other hand is a country boy with a flare for two things, Booming vocals and Kicksy lyrics. Overseas, most people only know him from his song on the 2005 Lavaslide Riddim. Country, country, side!!!! Before that, he had a song called Coconuts that will help you make sense of the double entendre slackness he brought in 2008: A Pain!

Vincy Variety: Alla-G, Fullclip, Homey, Maddzart

Alla-G likes to keep the mood light and local. This time he's "Sharing Horn". How generous.

As for Fullclip, remember his tune Frenzy last year? If not, go to YouTube and check out my video UK Frenzy. That's the song I used. In my opinion, it was the most slept on song of Vincy Mas 'O7. He can do it sweet or rub-a-dub style. Move - Big Truck Coming!

Homey's song is called Drunk and Dutty. Well, in the spirit of the lyrics a loyal fan bowled him a Hairoun can in he head. I know that has nothing to do with the clip I have attached here. It was so mean...but classic. Don't mess with that crowd. I have to hand it to him for continuing without missing a beat.

Maddzart! It was so good to see you on that stage tonight. Carnival is mine! Every time you sing "Nasty Wukking Up", I have to get on bad. Thanks for making me dance.

The Home Stretch: Zoelah, KGB, Tamisha Nichols, Fireman Hooper

Miss Go-Down-Low has her Hand In the Air this year. Each of her 3 releases did well this carnival, but not well enough to place in either Ragga Soca or Soca Monarch. We all know that's not going to stop Wine Up On Me from tearing up internationally.


KGB is a rather sweet guy who was totally confused that I knew who he was. Well, Kevin Browne...you're a soca artiste and I study soca. We on the same page now? Single Till Carnival Done? OK, but I'm sure your girlfriend can figure out how you spend your time too!

Tamisha is completely adorable. Earlier this season she competed in the Miss SVG pageant. And from what I can tell she's getting friendly with fellow artiste, Landlord. There are a few soca romances in SVG, but that's besides the point.

Somebody say FYAH!!!!! six-time soca monarch champ, Fireman Hooper lost his crown tonight.
As you can see from the video, he's still the king to many of the fans in the crowd. By the way, Tabia and Mr. Playhouse, allyuh get ketch in this one.

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The Rounds: Red Hot Flames album about to drop...SCYATTAH!!!!

Good Evening Soca Lovers,

I'm Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay's Rounds. The calendar says it's summer now, and all attention focuses on the Caribbean. If you're looking for me this time next week I will be in sweet St. Vincent and the Grenadines preparing the place for Dr. Jay's arrival.


Belated birthday greetings to Sheldon "Shel Shok" Benjamin. of the big band Atlantik. I missed you last rounds, but we'll catch up next weekend at Insomnia in SVG.

Some of Atlantik liming at GLOW SVG last year.

(Shel Shok is the long one in the back!)

Last week's ragga soca monarch competition proved to be a big upset at Victoria Park. Zoelah fans: if you haven't heard by now, your girl's performance of Wine Up On Me simply did not cut it for the judges, leaving her out of the top 3. From all accounts Zoelah, who had performed at Wet Fete (in the rain) the night before was sounding PRETTY hoarse. So top marks went to Dani-O instead, who shocked onlookers with a stellar performance of Gimme Mo. Next up was Skarypon with Forever, and Galanaire in third place with "Do YOU"


Summer time means summer music, so if you haven't already picked up your copy of Soca Gold 2008, now would be the time to make that happen. It's currently ranked #1 on the Billboard Reggae charts (Dah don't really make sense to ME, but whatever!) VP records chose big tracks from Big Artistes like Mr. Dale's Soka Junkie, Faye-Ann Lyons – Get On, and Ricky T "Pressure Boom!"

2008 TT Road March Queen Faye-Ann in Toronto last month

Right around Caribana time, our friends in Antigua will jumping up in the hot sun as well. So, naturally, that means a new batch of jam band music is cooking up as we speak. Look out from a new album from Red Hot Flames. Oungku is real excited about the CD. The title will either be called SHAOLIN TEMPO (you know how West Indians love dey Kung Fu) OR it may be called "SCYATTAH"! He says this album is going to be a musical bomb – A weapon of Mas' disruption, so that's what people will do when it drops! Look for it the first week of July!

I'm Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay's Rounds. Take a moment to check out (Nurse) Karen (Etc) at Mustard Seeds dot net over the next three weeks, as I keep you up to date with my Vincy Mas diary. I'll also be taking in St. Lucia's soca monarch finals, to stay tuned for pictures and video from that! Now, back to de docta...

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