Vybz Kartel

Ninja Man said "I come in a killing mood, but I hear de man me come fe kill have a funeral", so he left the action at Jam World, Portmore, St Catherine, up to Zebra.

The striped one duly reminded the large but still well below par audience at Saturday night's Champions in Action of Redder Than Red before taking the house three times with new lyrics at Ninja's command.

Aidonia got a rare spark at the end of his showing when he threw words at Munga Honourable, while Kartel ignited the venue as he took it to Mavado. But when it was Mavado's turn, coming on to work with Bounty Killer, he tore the house down in his reply, remarking that Kartel sounded "trembly" and weak when he was deejaying his battle lyrics.

Unsatisfactory show

Still, despite the inevitable cheering that accompanied the war threats, the see-saw action at Champions in Action made for an unsatisfactory show in the closing dancehall onslaught. At one minute Assassin was turning in a sparkling performance, taking the house down with Sissy and Anwhere We Go, at another Aidonia's 100 Stab was falling flat.

Sizzla's extended run, although he worked on tracks, was impressive, as he veered between the roots of Just One of Those Days, the dancehall of Run Out Pon Dem and the defiance of Nah Apologise.

In one breath Lady Saw was demanding Chat To Me Back to delight the audience, at another Spice (who Saw called on) was making minimal impact. Kartel's extended segment, along with his Portmore Empire, went over very well, but then Matterhorn and Fire Links chanted mainly to their own delight, Serani and Bugle got mildly warm late in their sets with Doh and Exercise respectively and the crowd was only very mildly interested in DeMarco.

And it was mostly the women at the front who were interested in Shaggy, who leapt high to the mix on Church Heathen.

Vanloads of policemen

So, ironically, on what is known mainly as a hardcore dancehall show ("A bad man show, police cyaa lock it off," Mavado said, many faces turning to the two vanloads of policemen at the back of the crowd) it was the roots of Tarrus Riley's Lion Paw, Etana's I'm Not Afraid, I-Wayne's Lava Ground, Lutan Fyah's St Jago de la Vega and I-Octane's stabbing of vampires with a peg that went over best.

There was variety as well, LUST delivering their remakes of Chicago's Inspiration and Air Supply's Just As I Am just after 2:00 a.m. and the Finesses models strutting their stuff.

Prophecy, Anger Management, Black Soil and Rhythm 2000 bands played on a night of many changes, Razz and Biggy and Swatch dropping the beats. Emcees were the hilarious Sample Man, Empress and Nuffy.

Mavado - Nathaniel Stewart Photos

Zebra in his first major performance since being released from prison.

Tarrus Riley made an impact with Lion Paw.