STORY OF THE SONG: After clash comes song

If Sting 2011 runs true to past form, there is a strong possibility that between next week Monday and the end of the year - or, at latest, the early days of 2012 - there will be a song about the events.

It happened after the 20th anniversary of 'The Greatest One Night Reggae Show on Earth' in 2003, when poet DYCR did a flashback on a tumultuous event, which ended in an on-stage fracas between Vybz Kartel, complete with crew, and Ninja Man. That song was called Sting.

In 2008, after the clash between himself and Mavado, Kartel claimed a highly dubious victory with Last Man Standing.

And in the late 1990s, after a near miss in their then perennial lyrical war, Bounty Killer chided Beenie Man with Suspense - to which the Doctor replied that "Christmas come only but once a year".

In Suspense, Bounty Killer dismisses Beenie Man's claims that he could not perform at one edition of Sting because he was sick, putting Beenie's no-show down to fear of performing after him.

"Bway see me work an' los all confidence

Make him friend boots him an him take influence ..."

And Bounty concludes:

"Them leave the worl' inna suspense

Say dem riding horse, well dem a talk wid experience

An see me work an' get sick to de treatment

An over Sting dem coulden please dem audience"

Beenie Man did not let it pass, replying with Dengue Fever:

"Give thanks to dengue fever

Well then, if a never it me no know how you woulda manage ..."

He manages to give Bounty a backhanded compliment in commenting on his performance, saying "way dung inna de las' yu simmer dung an look stupid/one thing me love you full a courage".

'anniworseary'

In a detailed recounting of Sting 2003, DYCR wrote off Sting's 20th anniversary staging as its 'anniworseary'. Part of it was his personal experience of being clapped and bottled off stage as he passed lyrical judgement on a Sucker. DYCR, referring to the legendary reaction of deejay Supercat, saying if a bottle had hit him he would "return one back, just like Supercat".

And he remarked on the dismissive treatment of Gentleman, who "come all the way from Germany to preach the reggae ceremony".

Kartel was quick on the lyrical draw with Last Man Standing, after getting the double punch of a resounding boo from the audience after a lyric about Mavado's mother and then cheers at Mavado's quick reply. Mavado left the stage and, in claiming the victory, Kartel deejayed:

"Bway dress up like police, an a run like tief"

Then, he claims, "we a de las' man standing/rifle shot move de gully bankin'/gwaan a yu barber shop an' trim/nex' year no bodda do no more damn Sting".

Kartel did not perform at Sting last year, and it seems unlikely that he will make this year's staging.