Entertainment

TALENT FEST... TALENT FEST... TALENT FEST... at Fully Loaded STAR competition

By TOUSSAINT SMITH, Staff Reporter

CELEBRITY JUDGES: From left: Nyanda, Tasha, Vybz Kartel, Nailah and Renegade of Xsytment.

TALENTS HERE, TALENTS there, and talents everywhere.

From undiluted hardcore dancehall lyrics to cultural reggae tunes the contest did not lack anything. That was the vibe at Backyaad on Wednesday night for the second elimination round of the Fully Loaded Star Competition.

The event, organized by Solid Agency and THE STAR, began at approximately 10:45 p.m. Twenty-six contestants attended in an attempt to get one of the five remaining places left in the finals of the competition.

Emcee DJ Smooch of Swam King Movements outlined the rules of the contest and each contestant was given 1:45 minutes to perform an original piece of lyric.

The judges for the competition were recording artistes Vybz Kartel, Renegade of Xsytment, Jerry Hunt of Solid Agency and the sizzling trio-recording group Brick & Lace. Contestants were judge in five categories ­ Originality, Style, Creativity, Lyrical Content and Stage Presence.

Armed with a scandal bag, a comb and a little box, contestant Junior Francis came on stage and delivered Whitney Houston's 'I'm Not Afraid' by just blowing the scandal-bag with the comb inside. He had most of the judges and female audience singing. Other artistes such as Garland Rowe, Kevin Simpson and Oba Simba had the crowd's attention. Oba Simba who recently won the Chuck Fendah Talent Competition serenade the ladies with his lyrics.

Crowd favourites

At 12:45 a.m. the judges went away to choose the top five finalists. Scratchie B of Cash Money played the music in the intermission. Over the Wall , Stand Firm, Wey Yuh Nuffi Do, Killing a Killing, Idiot Thing Dat and Come Inna Di War Come Dead were among the crowd favourites.

At 1:20 a.m. the judges returned and announced their five finalists that will move on to next week's contest to face the previous top five finalists. The winners for this week Fully Loaded Star Competition were Junior Francis, Junior Beckford, Kemiesh Bennett, Garland Rowe, Oba Simba & Black Mamba.

The competition ended approximately 1:25 a.m. The finals take place on Wednesday, July 21. The winner of competition will perform at Fully Loaded on July 25 and get a chance to record two singles with two major producers, one being Big Yard and Cable & Wireless cell phones.