Grabba to defend Soca Monarch crown tomorrow

Persons who want to see Keith “Grabba Finesse” Charles in competition mode for 2023 will have only one chance to do so, and that is tomorrow Saturday, June 17, in the 2023 Georgetown Soca Monarch competition.

Charles who is slated to defend the Georgetown Soca Monarch crown he won in 2022 with “Place tun over”, told SEARCHLIGHT on Thursday that he will not be competing in the Carnival Development Corporation’s (CDC) 2023 Soca Monarch competition.

He said the date of the CDC’s Power Soca Finals, Saturday July 8, coincides with an overseas booking he has so he would not be in the country and therefore cannot participate. Grabba placed in this competition last year with “Place Tun Ova”.

About tomorrow’s competition, the “Sick Bad” artiste said he feel “normal” about the competition as competing is a “regular thing” for him.

“If I win the crown, I win the crown,” he said, while noting that he is on “a different level” this year as compared to last year and is defending his crown as he has a good relationship with the promoter of the event.

He also revealed that he will not be overdoing his performance, but will make sure the patrons are fully entertained as usual.

He will be performing “Under Rum”, one of his six releases for Vincy Mas 2023. This song was written by Grabba, produced by Samwhick and engineered by Digital Empire.

When asked what his chances are of retaining the crown, Grabba answered, “I can’t say that I will definitely win because everyone coming out to do them best and someone is always there to give you competition.”

Tomorrow, 49 local Soca artistes will take the stage to compete in the event which is slated to be held at Sea View Gardens in Georgetown.

Promoter of the event, Lemore Garth Ryan, told SEARCHLIGHT that the competition is split into two segments and 27 of the 49 artistes set to perform are what are described as “newcomers”; they will do battle in the first segment of the show.

He said the artiste with the most points at midnight (when the first segment is expected to be completed) wins, and will be given the option of walking away with EC$500 cash, drinks, and packages that will allow them to participate free of cost in certain activities of Vincy Mas 2023, or they can forfeit those prizes and move into segment two where they will compete with the “big guns” for the chance to be crowned Georgetown Soca Monarch and take home EC$8,000 cash and other prizes.

The artistes in the first segment of Saturday’s show are Flame, Nashie Boy, Blinks, Musical Deadly, Smaddy, Watho, Keystorm, Dj Lazer, Prynce, Gee Mokiss, 357 Reload, Big One, Spyout, Determine, Elegance, Syx-10 and Nova So Mean, Putty, Precision, Bongo Prime, J-lion, Marlo Benn, Frutilicious, Pekos, Killy, Young Tall, Detal and Sluwwy.

The second segment will hear from, G-Wise, Tapha, Shatta, Geo, Double R, Gully, Raspek, 101 Stunna, Flight, Kenny Montana, Dose UP, Papa Iston, Element/Jackula, Son Son, Deuce Boy, Shook Rebel, Voltage, Rikaine, Buck Wild, Grabba, Ghaza and Farry, Emthon and Redz.

The performers in the first segment have five minutes to present and Ryan said they will be adhering strictly to time and anyone who misses their slot will be automatically disqualified. He said artistes are allowed to use their five minutes as they see fit.

During the show, 15 local producers will be honoured.

They are Islandshack, Jussbus, Megawatts, Stumpi D Boss, Kubiyachi, Fourth Dimension, Lectric, Stamina Smurff, Digital Empire, Stereo Damage, Samwhick, Mason, Hunter Flow, Power Jay and Radio Vybes.