Magnum Top Performas begin their ‘Road to Sumfest’ quest in Linstead

Great performances from the 16 contestants were the hallmark of the Magnum Tonic Wine Top Performa Roadshow in Linstead, as the series of roadshows got off to an epic start last Friday.

The night’s festivities, hosted by Bishop Escobar, commenced with early juggling by DJ Black Boi, which then flowed into the pass-the-mic segment. This segment allowed for four patrons to come on stage and engage in a lyrical showdown to win a share of $40,000. The top two contestants, Street Fighter and Don Lyrikal, went head-to-head in the finals of the challenge. However, Street Fighter proved to be too good for his opponent, and walked away as the Linstead pass-the-mic winner, and $30,000. Don Lyrikal received $10,000 for his efforts.

During the night, patrons were treated to a performance by the Advance Family Dance Group before the Top Performas took charge of the stage. The Performas delivered punchline after punchline, with the crowd cheering on their favourites. Monifa Goss received a rousing reaction from both the judges and the crowd for her performance on the Top Performa riddim.

“I am truly proud of the contestants. They have shown exactly why they are a part of the top 16. They came out and delivered on the riddim, they managed the stage excellently and their crowd interaction was definitely on par. I’m looking forward to seeing who the public will choose to go to the semis in a few weeks,” said Kamal Powell, regional marketing manager, Magnum Tonic Wine.

Patrons were treated to an energy-filled performance by Magnum’s brand ambassador, Ding Dong, who was later joined on stage by his crew, the Ravers Clavers.

The next stop in the series will be at Romeich HQ, on July 7 where the semi-finalists will be announced. The chosen Top Performa will walk away with $1.5 million, a chance to perform at Reggae Sumfest in July as well as a song and music video from Romeich Ent and Chimney Records. Second and third place will win $1 million and $750k, respectively. Voting is now open at www.magnunhub.tv/topperforma, and will close on July 5.