The 2008 Magnum Follow Di Arrow packed strong at James Bond Beach, Orcabessa, St Mary, on Saturday night into Sunday morning. A hint of a clash pushed by Ninja Man sent the substantial audience into a heightened frenzy near the end.

However, a lyrical conflict did not materialise.

With rain pouring, Ninja Man came on with a man holding a yellow umbrella over his head, as Bounty Killer, who had opened to a thunderous reception, and Mavado, who came on with a Full Clip after the youngster Dada, alternated lyrics.

Although he declared that all deejays were under one umbrella (which Bounty Killer refused to come under), Ninja Man edged up to a clash as he deejayed “sen out de whol’ a dem”. There was laughter, as members of the audience knew the next line was “Bounty Killer sey him bad an naa kill a soul/dat’s why B…. push him ….. inna …. h.l.”.

However, Ninja Man stopped short and said that his son and grandson should reply and “see if yu can kill me pon stage dis mornin. Mavado did so, then Bounty deejaye “Ninja sey him waan kill me, a no de fus’ one”, and the crowd erupted. With another line, which also moved the crowd, Bounty Killer was off and did not return.

Six hours earlier, Sparkles, and then Firekin, the latter singing “you are my lady, I never make you cry”, took the dancehall concert past the midnight hour. Mystic Man used a gimmick with his locks, shaking them frantically as he did the ‘Bob Marley’ dance, to get a ‘forward’.

And Bounty Killer declared that he was the best thing to happen to dancehall “since Buju Banton buss”. There was a pleasant aura to Smoke’s singing and not many seemed interested in Stacious’ roll call of male deejays as potential sexual partners.

No killer

Hit List talked like the Killer and walked like the Killer but did not get the response of the Killer, before Nuts’ humour started the veteran section and earned multiple returns to the stage. Although his lyrics were effective, it was a joke about his drunken ‘Jimmy Bascombe’ character which moved the audience most.

Leroy Gibbons had problems with Kaushon band, instructing them to stop playing when the music for This Magic Moment was not right, and Trees deejayed at length then eased into Gone a Negril, his gravely voice bang on the rhythm.

Josey Wales came hard and tore the house down with Leggo Me Han and It Haffi Bun, the Love Triangle of Beenie Man, D’Angel and Bounty Killer earning him multiple returns to the stage. And he advised the man who is associated with D’Angel and Barbee that “yu want some Ophelia an’ Daphne. Yu want some kin’ a girl whe can cook an’ bake puddin”.

Chicken came and went; a raucous Black-Er was a hit with the ladies who endorsed Bun Him for men who ill-treat them; Terror Fabulous’ 90’s hits, beginning with Gangster, showed their staying power despite the deejay sounding like he needed more work on his recovery path.

The Twin of Twins enthusiastically gave it to themselves as they recalled the events in Portland where Alliance members got scared, the crowd erupting when they said “a five minute Bounty tek fe reach a Kingston”.

Bling Dawg and Wayne Marshall were early members of the Alliance, working solo and the latter, especially at some length, as he dismissed trips to Uranus. The Dawg said that some said he was through because he opened a barber salon, but music does not last forever and some are living in an illusion.

Lady Saw had an extended, sexually charged set, Anthony B seemed cross in a very brief set in which Tease Her was accentuated with hip prods and Elephant Man was high on energy and speaker boxes before sending a woman wheelbarrow style across the stage.

And, in the closing, Bounty Killer declared “Bounty Killer a dancehall bes’ fren’. Me a de bes’ ting happen to dancehall since Buju Banton buss”.

Source: JamaicaStar