( l - r ) Gallawas, Chozenn - Colin Hamilton photos

It was certainly a night of controversy on Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall last Saturday at Weekenz, Constant Spring Road, with some of the contestants taking lyrical swipes at each other.

DJ Mary was the first contestant to start the word throwing, urging 17-year-old Gallawas to go take up her CXC books. Her performance was met with a somewhat lukewarm response. Judge Scatta said he liked the competitive spirit that she was bringing to the competition, while fellow judge Miss Kitty said: "When yuh a throw word, yuh haffi do it with confidence." She also said DJ Mary needed to manage her lyrics, the rhythm and her stage presence better.

Not long after Gallawas took the stage angrily huffing and puffing, but lacked the right punch. "I can see you responding to DJ Mary. Yuh bring the attitude and the character but Mary bring a little more lyrics than you. If yuh a guh tek it to somebody, I want you to tek it to dem with more lyrics," Scatta said. Professor Nuts, another judge, seemed to just like the controversy and the 'cass cass'. While in the Lucky Dollar Lounge with Floyd, Gallawas said she decided to counteract DJ Mary after hearing her during rehearsal. "Mi just change my song 'cause mi nah mek no gal tek my stripe," she said.

But the 'mix up' did not stop there. Chozenn started his performance with a recording of a woman saying, "a Tanya enuh, Tanto Blacks girlfriend." Continuing his set, he sang, 'Mi thief Tanto Blacks gal pon Twitter/Recession neva hit my budget/Gibralta gal seh mi spectacular." And the audience certainly responded.

swagger and versatility

"Yuh neva disappoint mi yet," Miss Kitty said, commending him on his lyrics, swagger and versatility. Guest judge Ce'Cile said he was handsome and possessed lyrics and swagger.

After being mentioned in Chozenn's song, Gibralta responded. He referred to Chozenn as 'Corozen' then delivered the line, "Likkle more a Chozenn gal under mi sheet."

The crowd was pleased with his performance and so were the judges. "I can't even hear myself. You are tougher than the rock of Gibraltar. Lyrically yuh good. Continue on that same trend that you are on and don't give up," Professor Nuts said. Before asking to see his eyes, Ce'Cile said: "I love his voice. I like the banter back and forth between contestants. Great performance."

Bumpa also got into the name calling. She made sly remarks about Arif Cooper, ZJ Liquid and Pretty Boy Floyd, before saying, "Busy seh him want it pon di edge but him woulda tell Gary." And the crowd erupted.

"I like how yuh coordinate your lyrics. You know where to put the punch. Mi nuh have nutten bad fi seh," Scatta said. Miss Kitty was also pleased. "It's a good way to end the night. What I like is the ease at which you deliver your lyrics," she said.

Earlier at the start of the show, Juggla was chosen as Miss Kitty's wild card, after Posh and Summs were eliminated from the competition.

Tu Qute was well received with Scatta referring to her as a real 'connist'. Press Fyah could hardly be heard over the audience's vocal approval as he sang. The audience loved him and Miss Kitty was willing to give him the 'green light'.

Scatta said he admires Mysterious but noticed that she missed the bar in starting her performance. While she did not label Mysterious' performance as bad, Miss Kitty urged her to work on her breathing and staying on the rhythm.

Junior Lobban got a big response from the audience without doing much. Professor Nuts said he puts heart and soul into his performance, while Ce'Cile laughingly said: "For some reason I just like him. Mi just waan carry himhome and spend some money pon him."

he's a star

Tanto Blacks needed no introduction. As he entered the stage, he began dancing, gyrating in front of Ce'Cile as she rubbed his hip.The audience loved it. "He's a star. Him buss already," Ce'Cile said.

"When mi talk 'bout entertainer, when mi talk 'bout star. Yuh come with lyrics this week. I see versatility. Yuh a guh reach far," Miss Kitty said, as the crowd shouted his name. In the Lucky Dollar Lounge, Tanto Blacks urged people to stop offering to write lyrics for him because he "is not a crafist but an artiste".

One of the other top performers for the night was Reggae Queen, who was spitting lyrics as she entered the stage. Professor Nuts said he liked the way she deejayed while Ce'Cile said: "She bad; her lyrics bad. But she was running out of breath a bit."

The producer's pick, Black Talent, also performed but he did not connect with the audience. Dance Xpressions created a stir, while there was trendy fashion from Simoy Lawson.

During the breaks, selector Leggo Bling turned the venue into a real party. He got the audience moving to songs like Black Eyed Peas' I Got A Feeling and Busy Signal's Caan Buy Mi Out. The crowd went wild for Mavado's Gal A Mad Ova and Come Into My Room, which features Stacious. Stephen McGregor's Caan Fren Again was also a hit, so too was Vybz Kartel's Slow Motion.

After filming was complete, there were women onstage following Leggo Bling's every instruction as they participated in a wining competition. So intense was the excitement, that people who left returned to view it.