Greetings!
They came from Japan, assessed their competition, and had ‘No
Mercy’ as they went to town on Young Hawk from the Bronx and Innocent Sound
from Florida. If King Klepto was in the
Clash (they elected not to perform as Polly Famous is now with LP
International), this Sound Clash would have come down to Barrier Free and King
Klepto.
Drawing 1st, Innocent had a good opening
round. Their first chune from Cocoa Tea
“Kill Ah Sound” was a good intro because of the chune being cut on the
Hypocrite riddim, but the strength of the dub would have been better served in
a later round. Dapalee, stuck to the
Kutchie riddim like glue and made a mis-step selecting Sizzla’s “Thank You
Mama.” At that point in the Clash, the
chune didn’t fit.
Exposing their youth, and ineffective ability to Clash at
the 2nd tier level, Young Hawk, representing the Bronx, played their
first round with HEAVY dubplates.
Critical error. They played round
1 as if it were round end. Drawing for
murderous arsenal such as Buju Banton’s “Come Tess Mih Nah” and Bounty Killers
“Ask Fih War” in round 1 was not a good look.
By the time they got to round 2, they were not able to hold the crowds’
attention nor maintain the level of showmanship from round 1. Foolish.
Barrier Free from Japan saw the set up, and decided they
weren’t going to be drawn out by Young Hawk by playing heavy dubs in round 1. Instead they drew for dubs from Beres Hammond
on the Heavenless riddim and Luciano’s “The Lord is My Light.” Moving like slow creeping Vodka, they
finished with Cocoa Tea’s “Dem Ah Call Us Pirate” and had the crowd in the palm
of their hands. The audience even worked
around the fact that these sound System Assassins were limited when speaking
English. The music did the talking.
By the time round 2 came along, the titles became ‘Young
Hawk Down,’ and ‘Innocent Sound is Fighting for Life.’ Notable points include Dapalee (Innocent
Sound) playing quality Lindo P dubplates and his verbal aim at Barrier Free
saying “Barrier Free yuh ah talk too much.
Ping pong and ying yong nuh make one!”
The crowd roared. Dapalee then
selected Beenie Man’s “War” and the crowd was silent....
Barrier Free turned on the jets. Drawing for Protoje’s “Kingston Be Wise,” Mr.
Vegas’s “Do You Know” and IOctane’s “L.O.V.E. Y.O.U.” translated to “D.O.N.E.
Y.O.U” impressed the crowd to the point that by the time they dropped not 1,
not 2, but 3 Jr. Gong dubs, they flattened Hickory House. From that moment on, Barrier Free was in
cruise control.
Barrier Free easily won this Clash. They didn’t get drawn out by Young Hawks
foolery, and they weren’t entertaining Innocent’s innocence.
Congratulations to Michael Moore Entertainment, Andrew
Digital and 2-Lined Music Hut for staging a good Clash. Honorebel mention goes to Radication Sound
whose early warm was impressive as they drew for dubs from Gregory Isaacs,
Lindo P and Blessed, and leveled fans with the “My Conversation” Dubplate. Ka-Boom!
As the only female on the bill, Angelina Montana
demonstrated her fearlessness which I appreciate, however, it is clear she’s
too war hungry, losing the respect she could have earned if she had selected
according to her role and not selecting as if she’s in a Clash. Not yet Angelina, but you will get there!
