BVI's Got Talented Rappers - 2020 Stop the Violence Rap Contest Highlights

BVI's got talent in all aspects of life, and music is something that we love. As our culture continues to evolve, our local artistes integrate different musical genres. They have mixed gospel music with reggae and soca, and we have our own brand of soca and calypso that has a unique sound compared to the other Caribbean islands. We also have more emerging rap artists, especially teenagers, who have developed their performance and lyrical styles.

I was excited when I heard that Hon. Alvera Maduro-Caines, BVI's Sixth District Representative, was hosting a Stop the Violence Rap Contest on Sunday, December 6, 2020. She hosted the event in conjunction with Dr. the Hon. Natalio Wheatley, Seventh District Represenative, and At-Large Representatives, Hon. Shereen Flax-Charles, Hon. Sharie deCastro, and Hon. Neville Smith. It meant that the closet poets and rappers would have the opportunity to win a prize for showcasing their talents on an important topic. JTV Channel 55 aired the contest live on Facebook to ensure that more persons could enjoy the event.

Six contestants signed up for the contest; however, five performers/duos took the stage. We saw performances from Pak and Da G, Shawndehrapper, Kishon Thunder, Turbulence and JJ, and Royston Warner. Masa Pemberton hosted the event, and DJ Phenom played the music. We also enjoyed performances from Aaron Parillon, Giovanni Herbert, Priceless, and Kendake with her hit, "Lighter's Up" performed during the show.

The performers all had unique styles and lyrics, which made the competition tighter.

• Pak and Da G, well-known BVI rappers, gave us an uptempo vibe with a high energy performance: "Put the guns down, spread a lil love, not the violence, therapy a must, community need guidance."
• Kishon Thunder, DYAS Rap Battle Finalist, knows how to work with words well: "The cycle repeats every time we have somebody die in these streets, and the level of crime always seems to increase."
• Turbulence and JJ, father and daughter duo, encouraged us to stand in solidarity: "Put your hands in the air if you want to stop the violence, BVI love - we breaking all the silence, put the guns down, stop all killing now, let's bring peace and love back in this town."
• Royston Warner, a debut performer, made us think harder about ourselves: "Chills to spine, another mother crying, another angry soldier and the cycle just rewinds, it's simple mathematics...."
• Shawndehrapper, Elmore Stoutt High School student, authlete and aspiring rapper and pilot: "My name is Shawn, and I'm yelling stop the violence, tired hearing shots, tired hearing sirens, choppers roaring in the streets like a lion, Mommas crying cause their sons keep on dying"

Aaron Parillon, Njar Lamothe, and Giovanni Herbert judged the competition and declared winners as:

• Best Lyrics: Shawndehrapper
• Best Arrangement: Pak and Da G
• 1st Place: Tied with Pak and Da G, Shawndehrapper and Kishon Thunder
• 2nd Place: Tied with Royston Warner and Turbulence and JJ

Since the rappers tied in first and second place, the host announced that there would be a freestyle battle. Pak and Da G declined to freestyle, so Shawndehrapper and Kishon Thunder battled with their words. After two rounds of freestyling, Masa announced the winners as:

• 1st Place: Shawndehrapper
• 2nd Place: Tied with Royston Warner and Turbulence and JJ

Both Hon. Caines and Hon. deCastro  awarded Kishon Thunder special prizse for his performance.

I was able to speak with the winner, Shawndehrapper (Deshwan Doyley) who shared, "I feel if you feel you have the talent to do something, just do it! Don't mind what people have to say. My goal is to be a big rapper in the BVI like Priceless, Banco Bizmol, and many more." Listen to his song, "Stop the Violence," on Soundcloud.

Culture and Tradition and Our Changing Lives

Culture is our way of life. Our way of life evolves with technology, our changing needs, regional and global influences, economic development, and our interests. While we see everything around us changing, we crave the nostalgic feelings we had when we were young. We want to see traditions kept alive even though we only want to 'see' but not actively participate in them. We say, "Someone must keep it alive!" We love our modern conveniences, yet we want to 'see' the old-time ways.

Governments invest in culture and preserving tradition because it is important to record history so that future generations can appreciate the journey that the forefathers took. Fifty years ago was a different time. The population had different needs. The people did not have access to the media when compared to the availability today. The population make-up was different; we would not have made the strides we enjoy today without the population shifts.

We need to look at our culture and improve the way that we live with each other. Our culture includes our beliefs, customs, and behaviors. We cannot lose our identity, but we need to appreciate that times have changed. We have to invest in worthwhile ventures that preserve our identity and offer quality entertainment. We have to look past investing in activities that drain the public purse because we want tradition. Enable the mechanisms to allow sustainability with regulation so that we can balance the costs and output.

Also, we have to look at the changing needs of the people and their interests. If you put on events and activities and no one attends, then you have missed the mark. Enhance the promotion, involve other segments of the population, especially the youth, and record the events for future showing.

As we look at culture, we cannot forget the young people because they are the ones to carry forward the traditions. However, we must remember that they have a budding culture too among their peers. Therefore, we have to hear their voices, view their art, and read their stories as they add to the culture as well. I am sure that the elders scolded the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers about their clothing and their music. It is no different today because parents today compare music and styles. We, the parents of today, lived through the criticism and changed aspects of the culture as we also were influenced by the factors shared earlier.

Culture is what we do, how we behave, and why we behave the way that we do. We cannot ignore the influences that have shifted our way of life, and we cannot forget our history. We must record our stories so that future generations can appreciate the ongoing journey.

A few things that we can do are:

1. put more local books in the education curriculum
2. give the young people the forum to express themselves in their genre
3. assist industries through investment and promotion
4. offer incentives to culture bearers
5. re-establish museums and offer virtual viewings of aspects of culture
6. gather ideas from the population on what they see as the culture and how we can preserve it
7. recognize when it is time to let go

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Five Songs from Pop Smoke, Polo G and Roddy Ricch with samples from R&B and Hip Hop Classics

Music influences. It inspires. It impacts. Every generation has its musical style and flavor. As I listen to the music around me, I hear so many influences and genres. Some songs remind us of hymns, Country music, or DooWop. Artists have been sampling lyrics and instrumentals or elements of both for many years. I love listening to the ZBVI Radio Oldie Goldie Show because I often comment on how the newer music contains elements of the classics.

My favorite genres are R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae, and Soca. It is common for artists from different genres to sample music or lyrics from other genres and or generations. I do not listen to Hip Hop as much as I used to ten years ago. Both music and performance have evolved in a way that I do not appreciate as I did before.

However, I have children, and they stay in tune with the music of today, as expected. I would hear them playing songs to which I would respond that the songs have a little piece of an older tune. Here are five (5) songs by popular artists that have sampled songs that I enjoy.


"Got It On Me" by Pop Smoke
Pop Smoke sampled the 2003 hit, Many Men by 50 Cent, in his 2020 release of "Got It On Me." 50 Cent sampled "Out of the Picture" by Tavares for his hit. Pop Smoke sampled the hook and the instrumental, and featured 50 Cent in other songs on the album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. Unfortunately, Pop Smoke died on February 19, 2020.

"What You Know Bout Love" by Pop Smoke
Pop Smoke sampled the 2001 release "Differences" by Ginuwine by using the instrumental in "What You Know Bout Love," which he released in 2020. Ginuwine was one of the popular solo R&B artists who had several hits on the charts, including "Pony" and "Last Chance."

"Ricch Forever" by Roddy Ricch
"Put That Woman First" was Jaheim's 2002 hit that encouraged ladies to hold the men accountable for their actions. Roddy Ricch sampled the instrumental and expressed his feelings about making money in his 2018 release, "Ricch Forever."

"Something Special" by Pop Smoke
In 1998, everyone was listening to Tamia's "So Into You" which was remade in 2003 by Fabolous featuring Tamia. Since this is the third song on this list from Pop Smoke, I think we can agree that he enjoyed R&B and Hip Hop because he sampled both the hook and instrumental from this classic.


"Wishing For A Hero" by Polo G
"Changes" was released in 1998 after 2Pac died in 1996. 2Pac had sampled Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1986 hit, "The Way It Is," and the 1972 song "Changes" by Black Sabbath. 2Pac's "Changes" had a huge impact and is one of the greatest Hip Hop songs ever written. Polo G sampled the instrumental and hook and used it to spread a message of awareness about the ongoing struggles people are facing in his 2020 release, "Wishing For a Hero."

Some people say that the artists today are not as creative, but I commend them for showing their love for those musicians who have inspired them. It may be cliche, but "Imitation is the best form of flattery."

POEM: I Dared to Care

I dared to care but
fear took over my sight
and while I got to a certain height
I had already lost my fight
and my bite became painless
that's when I got careless
and felt depressed and stressed
but nevertheless
I still want to care
and while I often stare

in the dark beyond
or get caught up in the
talking all around
and the other sounds
that resound and distract
from my mission
I still have the vision 

I just have to regain my passion

and leave the passing fashions

I have to start caring

and stop staring

I have to reset

and leave the regrets

and I bet

things will turn around

© Linette Rabsatt

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How Do You Address Differing Opinions or Expectations?

So many factors influence our expectations. We believe that everyone thinks the way that we do. We expect our children to have the same aspirations as we have had. Our leaders should mirror the leaders of the more developed countries, even when we see them floundering and disorganized. We want others to support the political parties we support and are upset when they do not. We get very offended when others do not see things our way, and this causes division and disagreement.

Some people argue while others pull away quietly. When it comes to children and parents not agreeing on the education or career choices, you may cause lifelong hurt because of differences of opinion. Family members stop speaking to each other because of political affiliation.

I can be quite headstrong, but I know that people will have different opinions. I expect that everyone will not agree with me. Sometimes, I get the opportunity to say that I "saw this coming." Other times, I have to "eat my words" because I chose a losing side.

I think these are most important when it comes to differing opinions or expectations:

1. Everyone forms their opinions on events, crises, life, etc.
2. Share your opinion if you choose to. You will be fine if you keep it personal.
3. If you are going to express yourself, share factual information politely.
4. Listen to the other opinions without showing distaste or disrespect.
5. Know that you cannot have your way all the time.
6. Be willing to compromise.
7. Be encouraging and supportive if it is a life decision.
8. Walk away and come back with more information to support your ideas/side.
9. Know when to leave it alone.

Life continues to flow even when we disagree. If someone committed a criminal act, they may or may not get caught, but their conscience will deal with them. If your child chooses a career that you do not support, still be encouraging unless it is criminal, unethical, or immoral. Your conscience will have to guide you based on the situation.

I am not argumentative, but I know how to state my stance on a matter. Also, I know when to walk away. I prefer to use my energy honing my writing or weeding my garden.

Poem: Guardian of My Galaxy

I may not be "Brandy",

but I think I am a fine girl

and despite what you think,

"Ain't no mountain high enough"

that can keep me from reaching my goals

because I've got music and I've got soul

So even though I don't say

"Come and get your love" often

that doesn't mean I don't want to "Escape"

and drink some "Pina Colada"

We have to live in this moment so

"Come a little bit closer"

because I'm happiest when I see

the bright "Mr. Blue Sky"

because the "Spirit in the Sky"

has me "Hooked on a Feeling"

It's not like "I'm not in love"

it's just that

"I fooled around and fell in love"

and "Ooh Child",

"Bring it on home to me"

So don't change your mind

and don't leave me behind

because you are the Guardian of my Galaxy

 © Linette Rabsatt 2020

Poem: The Weeds

We often ask ourselves why 

About many things

Like how birds learn to sing 

Or how weeds take over a garden 

Instead we need to watch

The numerous happenings 

And the way nature keeps thriving 

How it replenishes and accommodates

And how the circle of life is displayed 

Look at how simply flora and fauna 

Coexist to provide our basic needs

Even though we act more like the weeds

and take over all the spaces

Choking all other beings

If we watch the simplicity 

Teamwork, survival and diligence 

We can mirror the behaviors 

To make the world a better place