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.