Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

EMPRESS

The slap of a chopper slicing through a chicken bone and hitting the platter underneath, cutting through the Toni Braxton and Cobra remake of 'You Make Me High' in the process, was as much an announcement as the formal proceedings at the Asylum Night Club on Tuesday evening.

From the stage at the Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston nightspot, Empress announced details of the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall talent competition, for which the first of five auditions will be in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, on Saturday, November 3.

On the floor of the club dancehall was announced through not only the regular lifting and closing of genuine pan chicken drums, but also the steam from pots of soup, sugar cane, bananas and oranges on a genuine handcart, genuine sheets of zinc and, naturally, lots of young women in skimpy clothes and doing genuine wines.

Language of the streets

A bevy of the young misses were cut short on stage before they could deliver the hard currency of the 'Dollar Wine' for Empress to outline a programme that will fill "a need to bring dancehall to the television screen in Jamaica in a positive way, also worldwide." She described Magnum Tonic Wine Kings and Queens of Dancehall as "a television extravaganza," one that she will host, and said that dancehall "is the language of the streets. Right now it is one of the most popular genres to hit the world."

After the first audition in Savanna-la-Mar the contest will stop on following Saturdays in Mandeville, Ocho Rios and Portmore, the final one being in Kingston on Saturday, December 1. A 'prince' and 'princess' will be selected at each audition, with the 20 persons competing live on TVJ beginning on Saturday, February 9, 2008. The public will be involved in the elimination of contestants each Saturday, until a Dancehall Queen and a Dancehall King are crowned on Saturday, April 12, 2008.

The auditions will be aired in January 2008.

The King and Queen will each win $500,000, the release of a single song and a music video.

The public will not be alone in assess the contestants, as three judges - media personality Miss Kitty, producer Skatta Burrell and a mystery judge, to be announced - will be keeping a close eye. Miss Kitty was live and large on Tuesday night. "I believe that it is a contest that will unearth some of the hidden talent that should be brought to the fore a long time ago," she said.

Stone Love will provide the music for Magnum Tonic Wine Kings and Queens of Dancehall and a smiling Geefus was stationed around the turntables at the Asylum.

Different expressions

Three elements of dancehall - fashion, comedy and dance - were put on extensive display before Magnum's brand manager, Gary Dixon, expressed delight in the title sponsorship. "We know our brand has the energy to move dancehall to another level," Dixon said. "It is one of the backbones, the building blocks of the brand. We know the value of having a promotion that connects with the people on the ground," he said.

Wayne Miller of Digicel called the competition "something new, something exciting.

We are here today to make another landmark on the calendar for dancehall internationally," he said. And Tru-Juice's Danielle Terrelonge called the contest "a production that is a celebration of Jamaican talent and our culture. We are committed to Jamaica and supporting Jamaican productions that support talent."

TVJ's Kay Osbourne said it was "yes" when the opportunity came, adding that the television station is committed to bringing the best to its viewers. She also introduced original Rising Stars producer Mark Kenny, before performances by C-4 and G Mafia, among others, rounded off the launch.