Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
SHANTIA DRUMMOND, the sole female entrant, was a runaway winner of $5000 and a place in the next round of the Guinness Undisputed DJ Champion competition on Thursday night.
She topped four other entrants at the Asylum Nightclub, New Kingston, in the first of 140 such parties slated for July, August and September to move on to the next round of the contest, which is open to amateur deejays only.
At the end of September there will be only nine entrants remaining, each of whom will receive $50,000 and go on to the national finals. They will be joined in those nationally televised finals rounds, which begin in October, by three entrants who compete on-air. The winners of those radio rounds will get $25,000 each.
With the public voting on the finalists, each week the entrant with the least votes will be eliminated, leaving three for the final live show in December, with one Undisputed Guinness DJ Champion remaining at the end.
That champion will win $250,000 cash, an album deal with guaranteed airplay, three music videos and guaranteed viewing and a year of representation by a top dancehall artiste management team.
The rules under which eventual winner Shantia was chosen were posted prominently inside the club and will apply to the entire Guinness Undisputed DJ Competition.
It is not for children, as only persons 18 and over can enter. It can be a duo, but they must be strictly amateur in that they were never published before.
The lyrics must be original, cannot be repeated throughout the competition at each event and must run continuously for 60 - 90 seconds to be considered a complete song.
The lyrics must not contain profane or indecent language (Jamaican or otherwise), have language that discriminates against or offends any person or group of persons, must not be sexually explicit, or be language that promotes racism or incites violence against any person, group of persons, gender or culture.
RACISM, INCITE VIOLENCE
In addition, the behaviour of participants must not discriminate against, offend or promote racism or incite violence against any person or group of persons, gender or culture. This applies to dressing that is inappropriate for the performance, dancing with overt sexually explicit actions and gesticulations or any other signals/actions used.
On Thursday night there were roars for Shantia as she stepped on stage with bulges in the right areas and flats where 'ab'-solutely appropriate. She did the reception justice as she started out with a slow rhythm, the Asylum crowd roaring for her as she put emphasis on a line about "this place called hell." She did not stop for the 'forward', but continued with lyrics about New York, chanting "if yu inna juggling yu cornas dark." - and again Asylum erupted.
"Me versatile an yu need fi know it," Shantia said, going for the 'Answer' rhythm in which she declared her sexual prowess. "A coulda who de Elephant a falla/see Shanti yeh," she deejayed and again Asylum erupted.
When time for the voting, done by the crowd, came, there was not even a need for the MC to ask an opinion on Shantia, as the thunder of applause said it all.
