NO BAD WORDS! Sumfest imposes strict rules for sound clash tonight

Sumfest organisers have imposed strict rules on participants in this year's Heavyweight Sound Clash, which will be held at Pier 1 in Montego Bay, St James tonight.

Robert Russell, a member of the Sumfest organising team, told THE STAR that selectors have been warned not to use bad words or to do or say anything that could hurt the festival's brand.

"We want to promote clean dancehall and that is why over the years we have decided to cut expletives out of dancehall night. We are going a positive route and are looking to influence the youth the right way," he said.

The veteran promoter said that the dubplates being played must be clean.

"We have guidelines in the contract. We do not want to take any serious action against any deejay but we would have to put a note in our archives or don't use them again," he said.

MC Nuffy and Boasy Boy Floyd will be the referees in the middle for tonight's clash. The heavyweight rumble will feature Tony Matterhorn, No Limit Sound, Warrior Sound International, Yard Beat and Soul Beat.

Black Chiney and Bishop Escobar will be special guests. The winner will take home $500,000 and a Sumfest trophy.

Tony Matterhorn, who played a normal set last year after claiming he was not paid to clash, feels the rules are too restrictive.

"This is what I call a microwave clash because it is too filtered. Me and corporate never see eye to eye but I am still prepared because mi nah tek nobody lightly," Tony Matterhorn told THE STAR.

The ace selector said that he intends to bring his A game.

"Everybody know that I am going to be the target, but I like new trophies so am going for it. I don’t usually enter every clash but once its new, like the Red Bull Culture Clash and the Puff Daddy, I will enter. So I am going for this because I don’t run down small or regular titles,” he said.

Tony Matterhorn, however, is not unmindful that Japanese sound system Yard Beat recently beat Jamaica's Bass Odyssey to claim the Boom Sound Clash trophy. 

“Dem Japanese sound ya weh dem sey a run di place dem nuh good ... Dem a nuh Mighty Crown and mi defeat Mighty Crown back to back. In corporate clashes like this, Japanese sounds will stand a chance because the clash is short and they don’t have to do much. But in a hardcore setting it is a different story. Sumfest clash is 10 minutes for the first round, second round is five songs and third round is five songs. So it really is not enough time to show your full worth hence it’s a microwave clash,” he said.

Meanwhile, MC Nuffy told THE STAR that he already has his sound clash running order in his possession and is ready to watch the musical tussle.

“They wouldn't’t book me as the referee if it wasn’t a real clash so the people dem come out and watch how mi deal wid it,” he said.