Monday, July 02 - Mi nah go lie to you and say mi did get to the park early, ‘cause I didn’t. It’s difficult being early once you’ve partied late I found out. Last night’s bashment was still rattling in my head(ache). I was able to make my way into Roy Wilkins Park at 6--- that is much more to the credit of the One Above than it is my own.

When I got there things was going on! The roast corn line did ram, the jerk chicken line was stocked, and the Baba Roots vendor was surrounded. Mi is a man wey nuh really like lines so I cut line to get a hold of my Baba Roots before they ran out! After purchasing the Roots I discovered that the main event had already begun…

However the women about the place were a major distraction. Legs were long, skirts were short. Batty riders were in full affect and tattoos could be found in some provocative places, complimenting all kinds of skin tones and accenting different body shapes. Between many of the women there, most parts of the human anatomy were decorated and hardly covered by form fitting clothes.

Back to the matter at hand: the game of a Jamaican squad versus an American team was under way.

The Jamaican team was represented with various personalities including the likes of Tony Matterhorn, “Big Belly” Sky Juice, Lukey D, Spragga Benz, Red Rat, Kiprich,, and Shabba Ranks (was it ever a treat to see the Rankin’ in person). The lineage of dancehall artists is ever-strong and does not seem to be in danger of being broken any time soon. Before Shabba, you had Yellow Man and after Shabba we now have Buju Banton, Beenie Man & Bounty Killer. And the best part is that most artists no matter how much fame they achieve they always show love to their predecessors. This is why it was meaningful to see Kiprich and other nowadays artists chilling with the elder entertainers like Shabba.

Two goals scored had been marked for the Jamaican side and I was informed that Ding Dong was responsible for one. He had also scored a goal in the 2006 match. Ding Dong was being tailed by a video crew--- well, actually by one tall dude with a camera. He explained that he was shooting footage for an upcoming DVD starring the outrageous dancehall entertainer.

Pretty Boy Floyd and Ricky Trooper, were the personalities in charge of the colorful play-by-play commentary. No entertainer was safe from their ridicule. Matterhorn was told to ‘dutty wine’ with the ball fi’di crowd. Lexxus was told that he ran out of gas while moving down the flank. Maestro was told to get off the field because there wasn’t enough room for ‘im belly and the rest of de players dem’. Pretty Boy and Trooper kept the place lively, for sure.

Rain showers are fast becoming a regular part of this annual event. The shower for this year’s Soccer Jam quickly cooled things down. Some folks went scurrying for shelter under nearby trees. Others like myself were well content in letting the rain sprinkle. Needless to say, the rain showers did not interfere with the match. Only those who don’t bathe could be afraid of watta so!

The second half began a few minutes after the rain had subsided and the American side quickly scored a goal. Although they demonstrated a gifted effort the rest of the way they were unable to break through for a goal that could even the score…

Spragga Benz was a last minute substitute for Ninja Kid and the bleachers exploded when the “A-1 Lover” took the throw-in from Ding Dong. Pretty Boy Floyd asked Spragga over the loudspeaker if the ball was Ras(tah), since Spragga too is a (baldhead) Rastafarian. The audience shared a chuckle over that one. Floyd wasn’t done there. When D’Angel touched the mic and deejayed a tune, Pretty Boy bellowed out “ah who fa baby?” Floyd was commenting on the controversy surrounding D’Angel’s marriage to Beenie Man and alleged rumors that she has been giving him ‘bun’.

Unfortunately for Spragga Benz and his adoring fans, the match was called minutes after he entered the game. Too bad! The people were really eager to see if he could hold his own on the field as well as he does on the stage. As they found out later, his command of the stage far surpassed his handle of the game.

The match came to a close and the “Champion Lover” Shabba Ranks came and ripped up some lyrics in a furious but short segment. Wayne Marshall then got a piece of the action, so for those who weren’t paying attention, “Forget Dem”. Da’ville also gave the audience a slice of soul with “Always On My Mind”. Ding Dong of course came with that staple dance tune “Badman Forward”.

Spragga regained the mic and did not want to share. He ran from one side of the field to the other taunting the crowd. Fans, press people and artists alike were running behind him trying to be part of the hype. When other deejays tried to represent themselves for thousands in attendance Spragga would not give up the mic. Still they had plenty of opportunity to share handshakes, hugs, autographs and pictures with the many children at the game who mobbed their favorite dancehall heroes after the match was over. The entertainers were more than willing to oblige them with as many pictures and hugged as possible.

Spragga had ownership of the crowd’s attention for 15minutes as he worked the crowd. He even rode a bicycle while managing to squeeze off “Rasta Run the world”, “We Nuh Like” and “No Way”. Although Spragga hogged the mic he did give the people what they came to see. Beenie hogged the mic last year and the audience loved it. Truth be told, Spragga was the artist of the day and even though he came late he had the biggest impact performance-wise.

The Irie Soccer Jam is a wonderful illustration of a Caribbean community in the United States of America makin’ it happen with a family-oriented public event. The Irie Jam organization has really done their part in bringing the community together in a close-knit, fun-filled and loving atmosphere. This is how it should go down, especially for the sake of the youth. The artists had treated the kids like little brothers and sisters. How cool is that?! Yuh coulda swear seh you was back a yard, deah at one ah yuh auntie house or something. It did nice fi true! I’ma make sure to get to next year’s soccer jam early. Mi nah really wan fi cut inna de Baba Roots line again next time. Mi feel a way now--- but damn that roots was good…

Click here to view photos about this event.

For Reactions email me at shotta@nowadayzdancehall.com

Reported by: Dilinjah

Assisted By: Country Man

Photography: Mistah Shakes

Layout and Design: B.Diamondz and Mistah Shakes

Written by: DESTRO

Nowadayzdancehall.com 2007

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