Members of the victorious Mighty Crown team with the 2007 'Death Before Dishonour' trophy. - Contributed

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Starting at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the 2007 Death Before Dishonour sound system clash went through five rounds of music, insults and very strong language before, near the crack of dawn, Mighty Crown lifted it's first trophy in the clash.

Round 1

First-time entrants Silver Star come out blazing, their faithful supporters cheering as they begin with Tanya Stephens crooning "what a clash". Jah Cure's Armageddon War is badly done. Mighty Crown says "Silver Star, a no so you play b....t firs' roun'. They predict "Bass Odyssey and Mighty Crown in the morning" and that is just what happens. David Rodigan's James Bond take-off goes down well, Black Reaction gets no reaction, Bass Odyssey has Mavado singing "kill dem pon de seaside".

Round 2

Silver Star's selector bigs up "all Crusher in de place" and says Rodigan is Mark Shields' father. "So predictable. A pure top-10 tune," Crown says, also plays Mavado saying "kill dem pon se seaside". Rodigan plays Peter Hunningale singing Natural Mystic, does not play his wicked dubs, comments on the disrespect shown to Squingy, says "thank you Montego Bay" in a tone that suggests he wants to be gone. Gregory Isaacs, Dawn Penn and Dennis Brown dubs do nothing for Reaction. Squingy comes out in full West Indies gear to huge cheers, work up to Bounty Killer declaring "God inna dis". Rodigan is voted out.

Round 3

Silver Star starts out with mock interview with a girl named Sophia telling how every other selector in the clash bows, comments "Squingy come ya inna pad". Drops some Kartel, demands "Chin carry de trophy come". Mighty Crown says they were waiting on the third round and plays tunes to back it up. They start out with Mavado, drop Munga Honorebel saying "sound bway dead if yu gwaan", go hip hop with last tune to end huge round. Black Reaction plays Warrior King "dem cyaan get we down" to no response. Bass Odyssey starts out with I-Wayne, Squingy is back without the pads, climbs and falls, Odyssey finishes the round as he asked, even as he lies waiting for the ambulance, broken leg and all. Black Reaction goes.

Round 4

Silver Star goes old school, dropping Bunny Rugs singing "96 degrees in the dancehall" and Marcia Griffiths' "feel like jumping" and get a good vibe. But Mighty Crown declares "me no buy no forward like Silver Star" and move the house with dubs of Junior Reid's One Blood and Jimmy Cliff singing "many sound boys to kill". "Yu see my forward? A way a Japan it reach. Your forward it only a reach a yu b......t yard," they tell Silver Star. Bass Odyssey digs into old tunes, Admiral Tibbet sending them off to a "serious time" and a huge forward. A Sizzla pair move the house. Silver Star goes.

Tune for tune

Crown starts out with Jimmy Cliff singing "the harder they come the harder they fall". Odyssey replies with "we kill them now", before a couple bottles interrupt the proceedings. Order is restored after a little scampering, Odyssey takes that one. Crown delivers "we no fear no soun'", Bass Odyssey declares "yu a go dead inna de soun' clash". The vote goes to Bass Odyssey but there are some protests from the audience. It is done over and Crown takes it to level. It is all Mighty Crown from there on, as their Leroy Sibbles dub gets a forward but Odyssey's Sibbles gets a boo to make it 2 - 1. Crown plays a burial ("yu done dead arready") and Pier 1 explodes, Bass Odyssey's reply through Junior Murvin telling "Mighty Crown don't put your hat where you can't reach it" loses out to make it 3 - 1. It is all cheers for Crown from there on, as they drop Cornel Campbell (Gorgon), Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths ("its all right to kill a sound boy") and end with Derrick Morgan's Blazing Fire. All of Odyssey's tunes are booed.