VAZ VS CRAWFORD

Damion Crawford, PNP member of parliament for East Rural St Andrew and state minister for Tourism and Entertainment, has serious intentions for tonight’s face-off with Daryl Vaz at Famous Nightclub, Portmore, St Catherine.

So much, so that he may just set his own pace in the opening round, which is supposed to be a party round where the selectors present music in ‘juggling’ style. “Me no sure me a juggle. Me a kill from the start to the end. Straight shelling,” Crawford said.

While he has not been in the selector’s role before, Crawford said he has been to many clashes, naming Tony Matterhorn and Fire Links among those he has seen do battle. Crawford also had a mixtape done for his successful 2011 general election campaign, using parts of it in his speeches.

Crawford would not specify how he would be dressing for the occasion, simply saying “it is going to be a surprise. You can’t give away too much before the contest”. However, he did say he has been sourcing his personalised recordings, Bounty Killer and Ninja Man among those who cut dubs for Crawford.

While he has not been to any of the battles so far in the Magnum All-Star $1,000,000 Face Off, Crawford has watched some footage online. “You have to be prepared,” Crawford said of his research ahead of the meeting.

In terms of the crowd support for the face- off, Crawford said “It is the choice of the people who come out”. Still, he said, “I expect the crowd to be there. People are talking about it on the streets”.

And, speaking of the streets, a confident Crawford said “Daryl can’t win this because he is not an in the streets man. Him no know ’bout half a bread and if you don’t know ’bout half a bread you can’t win clash”.

Vaz checks out venue in advance

Daryl Vaz

When he steps into the Famous Nightclub, Portmore, St Catherine, tonight, in one way West Portland Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz will not be on totally new territory.

Vaz will be familiar with the layout of the club and the arena in which he will face off with Damion Crawford, as he saw part of the Elephant Man/Kiprich Celeb face-off last Thursday. He enjoyed what he saw, saying, “It was good, good fun. Good entertainment for the patrons.”

There will be something new, though, as Vaz has never been in the selector’s role before, although he says he has put on shows in his constituency on his birthday in December 2007 and 2011. Vaz said it is easier to name the major performers who did not put in an appearance than to list all those who made the concerts, identifying Ninja Man and Mavado as two of the prominent performers.

So, Vaz said he has good friends in the music business and is therefore cutting dub plates for the all-important final dub for dub segment. Plus, Vaz said he has a team working on his preparation for the event as well. “I am voicing artistes,” Vaz said, although he made it clear that he is not planning a career switch to the business of music. “I don’t pretend to be an upcoming DJ,” he said.

And he knows his face-off strategy will not go overboard. “You can be sure it will all be clean fun. It will not be derogatory,” Vaz assured.

He also connected the fun of the face-off to how politics is conducted in the country. “Maybe we can show and set an example for the people of the country that the politics that is presumed to be so tribal is not,” Vaz said.

For, at the end of the day, Vaz said the intention is to just party and have a good time”.