Top (3) Sound Clash in Toronto 2019

#3: 2019 CANADA RUMBLE @ PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRE | 06.08.19

Cumtraxx vs. King Aggression vs.Klymaxx vs. Majestic Vybz vs. Sniper vs. Super Fresh
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This was an Irish and Chin production, the Canadian leg of a Rumble series taking place in a variety of international territories where each winner is awarded an automatic birth in World Clash. Because Canada’s Mystic were already current holders of the 2018 World Clash trophy, not one, but two Sounds would be repping Canada on the next (2020) World Clash. Canada Rumble would feature six Toronto Sounds clashing–Cumtraxx, King Aggression, Klymaxx, Majestic Vybz, Sniper, and Super Fresh.
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Canada Rumble did not sport great attendance. At $40 admission at the door, beefing and distrust between the US and Canadian promotional partners had led to a decision not to make advance tickets available for the event. Furthermore, the Toronto massive were complaining about the price due to what some termed was a mediocre collection of ‘average-quality’ sounds. Fans saw the posh downtown nightclub venue not fitting for war, and didn’t like the fact that on top of the ticket price, another $10 would have to be forked up for parking, usually free on city outskirts.
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The Phoenix, a larger and somewhat nicer venue than Toronto clash fans are used to, came with a licensed capacity of over 1200 people, but unfortunately for the US based Irish and Chin team, less than 200 people would show up on this night. Despite this spacious, centrally located two-floor venue with a nice stage, lighting, good sound system, smoking patio, good security etc. – it was a shocking surprise to promoter Chin, as he testified on his Internet radio show, that Toronto people still deemed it the ‘wrong’ venue for a clash, and that many, as the attendance proved, would say “pass”.
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Back to the clash – the 1st and 2nd rounds of Rumble were relatively short non-elimination rounds. Sounds played very much on the same level, although it would soon become clear that Klymaxx and Majestic Vybz were the sounds to watch. By the completion of the 2nd round, all six sounds, now a bit more comfortable in their stage environments, had begun to separate themselves. It was clear that Super Fresh, whose 2nd round may have been their best, was the hunted.

♦ A more interesting round 3 would feature for the first time at Rumble, a series of one-on-one clashes, designed to get people out quickly. Stepping up to the plate would be;

a. Cumtraxx vs King Aggression
b. Sniper vs. Klymaxx
c. Majestic Vybz vs. Super Fresh

King Aggression, a one-man sound featuring MC and selector Aggie, had qualified for Rumble with their Time To Shine clash win earlier in the year. Aggie, accused of being a rising ‘online’ sensation, is known for his cussing, yelling and bad temperament. King Aggression may not have played up to their potential in round 3, but it was enough to get by Cumtraxx, whose uninspiring 3rd round performance would be their last. Cumtraxx (MC Fire Biggs and DJ Dave) had a choppy, ‘so-so’ third round, and throughout the night, their tunes weren’t cutting it. King Aggression, not having the best night themselves, would advance to round 3 by a hair.
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And may I interject – As a clash fan, it must be said that we don’t want to see a selector, MC, or DJ, no matter how well he is performing, commanding the stage while wearing pants so far below his waist that is bum crack is exposed. It was a vibes killer, a distraction to say the least. Fair to say top Jamaican recording artists like Mavado and Alkaline do sometimes sport the ‘pants-below-the-waist’ fashion style, but personally, I’ve never seen or heard of a video or photograph showing either of these artists with pants below the waist and ass-crack exposed! The line has to be drawn somewhere, but at Rumble, Fire Biggs went over that line – the massive didn’t wanna see that.
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As for Sniper vs. Klymaxx, this was an easy landslide win for Klymaxx, and another off-night for Necus and Big Roy. Ironically, Klymaxx, rarely guilty of playing back tunes in clash, had admittedly played back a couple of tunes at Rumble, and now the pressure was on for them to redeem themselves, and they beat Sniper bad.
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Klymaxx can take only partial credit for winning round 3. The Sniper machine was appearing at times disorganized and unprepared for the big show, another disappointing performance resulting in opportunity lost and tunes played back due to absenteeism. Necus, it appeared, was in ‘selfish-mode’ and was playing what he liked versus playing for the people. Sniper did it to themselves, and practically handed the round to Klymaxx, who were continuing to get steadier and more confident as the night went on.
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Klymaxx’s 3rd round performance may have represented the Rumble‘s highlight moment, because arguably, this is where the biggest forward for any sound would happen. When you see the massive come out of their dark corners and sticky edges of the Phoenix and charge up to the stage with celebratory hands risen, you know something good is happening.
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The moment – Squidly had made a comment about “his gun a run hot“, then drops his mic on the floor as DJ Specialist drops an Aidonia dub “Hot Tool – load up the place with the Bong Bong..“. This is where we saw true stagemanship, as Squidly looked proppa moving athletically on the stage while rubbing his hands together to cool off the heat emitted from his recently fired weapon. This was the moment that people were talking about the next day, and Klymaxx, arguably, could say this dance deserved to lock off right there!
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Next up was Majestic Vybz, one-on-one vs. Super Fresh, who after some extended clash in-activity, and a most recent one-on-one loss versus Rick Trooper, had still managed to qualify for Rumble. Clearly, Super Fresh were the hunted on this night. Because many of the die-hard fans inside Phoenix already believed it was predestined for the more experienced Super Fresh to win Rumble, this showdown, for them, would be the most anticipated part of the clash.
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Super Fresh would feature MC’s Grim Reaper and Prophet, and on the other side, Majestic Vybz would be showcasing Troyton, their new MC and former mics-man for Lynx-A-Road and Ghetto Star. Majestic Vybz’s mixing was on-point, and they played good songs and solid foundation tunes. Troyton, alongside Mello (DJ), debut as a solid team, and came out of the gate with lot’s of energy. Best of all, Majestic Vybz, still a relatively young sound with a not-so-deep box, had their young fans in the place cheering for them.
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This was bad news for the mighty Super Fresh, who many say ‘popped down’ during this exact time at Rumble. By half-way through the one-on-one, Majestic Vybz were leading, and it seemed that Super Fresh, at times, were gasping for life. Majestic Vybz, younger and less experienced than Super Fresh, had better energy, managed their time better, and had better song selections. They were getting good crowd response by tactically trying to write off a disgruntled Super Fresh as ‘old’ and ‘boring’, where as Majestic Vybz were new, fresh and uprising – a young sound there to represent for the people.
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Super Fresh, the veteran sound with the bigger dub box, failed to respond appropriately to the Majestic Vybz tactics, and seemed like they didn’t know what to ‘play’, and didn’t know what to ‘say’ in response. Prophet, Milo and Double-6 had fans ready to back them at Rumble, but now after a lame Super Fresh fight, they couldn’t even buy a vote. Even the competing sound men could be seen relishing the moment, as they too, come voting time, would have their hands in the air to help exit Super Fresh from Rumble. The round 3 victory would go to the underdogs, Majestic Vybz.
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Now the stage was set for round 4 action, featuring the final three sounds, King Aggression, Klymaxx, and Majestic Vybz. Gone were Sniper, Super Fresh, and Cumtraxx. In a round that separated the ‘men’ from the ‘boys’, King Aggression, justifiably, were the first of the final 3 sounds to go, according to crowd votes. Aggie (King Aggression) had nothing left, and was probably happy just to have made it that far into the clash.
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Round 5 scrapped the traditional tune-fi-tune used to decide previous Rumble clashes, and replaced this concept with what’s called a rapid fire round where the action is continuous, as each sound, until time runs out, plays tunes with speech back to back without hosting or voting interruption. It was here, without doubt, that Klymaxx proved that they were the true champion sound of the night. Squidly (MC), outfitted in all-white, alongside Specialist (DJ) were in perfect sync, and were the best performers on stage with the highest energy. Because they had been to Rumble before, they were experienced, poised, unified. They interacted well, mixed well, and knew each others cues.
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Klymaxx deviated from the tradition tune-fi-tune strategy where it’s customary for a sound to show their ‘belly’ by their selection and presentation of foundation tunes featuring living and deceased foundation artists. Fair to say if the intent was to confuse the younger Majestic Vybz, then the tactic may have worked.
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Klymaxx employed an ‘almost anything goes’ strategy, and mixed new tunes and new artists with the old tunes and vintage artists. They were bold and daring enough to combine, in a limited time Rapid Fire showdown, singers with DJ’s, the likes of Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Masicka, Jr. Gong and Steven Marley. In trying to follow, Majestic Vybz appeared confused, not speedy enough to successfully adapt to the new formula.
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Majestic Vybz has nothing to be ashamed of, they can be congratulated as a sound to watch out for, but it was Klymaxx who were the experienced veterans, the ones who adapted best to the ‘big’ stage. Specialist was the best DJ for the night, and Squidly was the best MC. Majestic Vybz, despite a valiant effort, couldn’t keep up with the bar set by Klymaxx. By a show of hands, it was a landslide decision as to who were the winners of Rumble. But it was Klymaxx who gets honours for a Canada Rumble victory that will now see them sitting beside Mystic when Canada represents with two sounds at the next World Clash.

♦ Congratulations to Irish and Chin Promotions who presented Canada Rumble @ The Phoenix, voted #3 by our ReggaeMania.com pollsters for ‘Best 2019 Sound Clash in Toronto-GTA’.

2019 Canada Rumble Champions Klymaxx inside Phoenix Concert Theatre 06.08.19. L-R: Bugzykilla, Squidly, Specialist, Fadda Digital

It should be noted that the 2019 Canada Rumble was indeed the ‘straw’ that broke Chin’s interest in having a stake in our Canadian clash market. Since Canada Rumble, the Irish and Chin clash team has had rumblings with their now former Canadian promotional partners. Now, grumpy Chin, has broken his own rules with the late 2019 announcement that World Clash would be postponed to 2020, and that it would be their ‘last’ World Clash. To ad insult to injury, Chin also slipped in the fact that as clash ‘commissioner’, he had arbitrarily decided to pull World Clash out of Canada and would be re-locating it to foreign soil.
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Now no longer having a stake in Toronto and Canada, Chin, arguably, has since shown his true colours by continuing to use his Internet radio network to crap all over anything that’s Canadian, whenever opportunity has it. This rhetoric includes not only dissing and insulting our Canadian Sounds, Canadian promoters, and Canadian fans, but by naming and singling out the former ‘dishonest’ partners he had been ‘in bed’ with while doing business in Canada.