Jugglin’ Masters are GSOG Nex Gen Champion
Dancehall lovers witnessed an epic showdown on Friday as Kingston’s Jugglin’ Masters defeated St Mary-based Sweet Love Sound for the Guinness Sounds of Greatness (GSOG) ‘Nex Gen’ championship title.
The Fisheries Car Park on Port Royal Street in downtown Kingston came alive for the competition’s 15th staging as the winning two-man DJ team claimed $1.5 million in cash and prizes after three intense rounds.
“It feels great to win, especially knowing that this is the first time that Guinness zoomed its focus on the next generation in this way. We never really saw ourselves doing this, even though we won clashes while at university, but it’s a blessing to see all of our hard work pay off and to have the opportunity to gain mentorship, as well as have money to invest in our careers. I am very thankful for Guinness and this opportunity. I am looking forward to what comes next,” shared DJ Insaneo of Jugglin’ Masters.
Patrons rolled into the venue to witness the clash between the two finalists. The juggling round started off heated, and both teams had the crowd in a frenzy. However, Jugglin’ Masters had the edge and was declared the winner in the first round.
For the challenge round, both sounds were tasked with playing their best Masicka hits, and Jugglin’ Masters dominated, earning a wave of support from patrons.
Meanwhile, the highly anticipated ‘chune-fi-chune’ round received overwhelming feedback from judges, and by this time, it was clear who the winner would be.
The final round sent Sweet Love Sound packing and unofficially sealed Jugglin’ Masters’ fate as the GSOG Nex Gen Champion for 2023. After the tallying of the judges’ scores, Jugglin’ Masters came out on top.
“We put a lot of work into what can only be described as the ultimate dancehall spectacle. We wanted to create an authentic dancehall experience for patrons while putting the next generation of talent at the forefront. This opportunity not only helped them to develop their craft and push new limits, but it aids us in meeting one of our goals as a brand which is to preserve the sound clash culture,” said Guinness Brand Manager Nadine Hylton. “We will continue to support both sounds on their career journeys, and we cannot wait to see how they will continue to leave their marks on dancehall’s clash culture for years to come.”
The night also featured an international sound clash between Dynamq Sound out of Africa and Warrior Sound from Germany. Equipped with the hottest dubplates, witty comebacks, and creative selections, Warrior Sound from Germany emerged as the undisputed champion after three high-energy rounds.
Among their innovative selections were dubs from reggae icon Beres Hammond, dancehall superstars Busy Signal and Dexta Daps, and Afrobeats sensation Rema.
Dancehall superfan Gregory Bryce was mmong the scores of patrons on Friday.
“When you think about events, Guinness Sounds of Greatness should be the standard. The ease of access, the ensemble of performers that truly catered to my generation, and the energetic clashes were definitely the highlights for me. It was my first time attending the event, and I have to be here again next year. It was truly an exceptional experience,” he said.
To close out the night’s festivities, dancehall artistes Malie Donn and Skeng performed their chart-topping hits, and attendees couldn’t help but sing along while dancing up a storm.
There were also multiple surprise guest performances from artistes such as La Lee and the presentation of a GSOG Recognition Award to veteran sound clash DJ, Sky Juice.
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