Culture

Finalists ready for big showdown; Mother, son vying for kaiso royalty

For the first time in the 44-year history of the Pic-O-De-Crop competition, a mother and her son will face off in the final. They will join four former monarchs, two junior monarchs and a number of first-time finalists vying to dethrone defending calypso monarch King Quon at the Courtesy Garage Pic-O-De-Crop Final at the new amphitheatre venue at National Botanical Gardens on Friday, August 4, 2023.

Finalists who will challenge the reigning monarch King Quon, who hails from the House of Soca, are: All Stars Calypso Tent’s Donella Weekes-Oliver and her son Don-Ross Ross Oliver from Shining Stars. Also, from All Stars are: John Yarde, former Junior Monarch queen Teri, Charisma, Eric Lewis and Niqa; former monarch Bumba of Shining Stars; from the De Big Show three-time king I-Web, two-time winner AC, former monarch Mr Blood, Chrystal and Nathalee; and from The House of Soca past Junior Monarch champion Ranaan, Billboard, Raheem, Coopa Dan and Keerah.

A tie for 17^th place meant that there will be no reserve and the Finals will see a total of 19 contestants on stage. The results were tabulated by our auditors Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Still basking in excitement, 21-year-old Ross described reaching the final on his first try as surreal, even more because he gets the opportunity to compete against his mum. Weekes-Oliver noted that the occasion is especially fitting and a wonderful feeling because it has always been a dream of Ross to compete against her, but never did they think it would be on the most prestigious calypso stage.

“The feeling that I have, enough words can’t explain it but I am feeling really, really good for him. I feel good for myself too but mainly for him. It is his first try at Pic-O-De-Crop and he has made it all the way and for me that’s an achievement already,” Weekes-Oliver said.

In addition to the advice Weekes-Oliver has shared with Ross throughout the Crop Over season on preparation and focusing, Ross credited his experiences in the Scotiabank Junior Monarch Competition for preparing him psychologically for the rudiments of competition.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Raheem, who placed second in the aforementioned competition in 2016. Expressing how blessed he felt to reach the Pic-O-De-Crop stage, the 25-year-old maintained that the achievement would not have been possible without the solid foundation established in the junior competition. So even though he will make his debut in the big yard, Raheem said he was not intimidated but was currently drawing up strategies for his performance.

“I had a goal set this year and that was to reach the final of the Pic-O-De-Crop and I did that. So, in my mind I already won. From here I [am] just going out to put on as good a show as I can and the judges’ decision is final. Win, lose or draw, I will forever be grateful, because to reach the final stage is a big achievement for me already.”

Another new-comer is Coopa Dan who may be a more familiar face in the bashment and soca scene. However, many would be surprised to know that he is no stranger to social commentary having begun his career in this genre when he was about 17 years old. For him, reaching the Final is the pinnacle and he believed that his chance at victory was as good as any of the other 18 in the line-up.

Likewise, former monarch Brian Bumba Payne, last reached the Final’s stage in 2009 when he placed seventh, however he was excited though reserved about the big night. (PR)

Culture

BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition Winners Announced

Five winning teams have emerged from the recently held prize-giving ceremony of the inaugural ‘Barbados Postal Service (BPS) 2024 Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’.

The winners hail from the Post Offices of St. Joseph; St. George; Welches Road; St. Philip and the General Post Office in Cheapside.

The overall winner of the competition is the eight-member team of the General Post Office’s Accounts Section, who each received an Island Safari Tour. Second place went to the Welches Road Post Office, third was the St. Philip Post Office, fourth was the St. George Post Office and fifth place went to the St. Joseph Post Office.

Winning Teams (flanked by BPS management), of the inaugural ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’, from the GPO; Welches Road PO; St. Philip PO; St. George PO and the St. Joseph PO.

Postmaster General, Joann Busby, in her address to the winners, stated, “We look forward to many more events like this in the future, celebrating both our history and commitment to excellence.”

Concept Creator of the competition, BPS Marketing Officer Neiai Hall said, “This competition aims to showcase the creativity and cultural expression of our staff, through costume design and performance. The theme of the competition is rooted in our rich heritage and the vibrant spirit of Crop Over.

On left – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-Flicky Costume Competition’ 2nd Place Winning Costume, On right – ‘BPS Crop Over Do-FFlicky Costume Competition’ 3rd Place Winning Costume.

“We have encouraged participants to design costumes that not only display their creativity but also incorporate elements that represent the services offered by the BPS”.

The judging criteria consisted of Sustainability; Creativity; Depiction of a BPS Service; Originality; Portrayal; Video Creativity and Originality; Practicality and Inclusivity and Descriptive Write-Up.

Plaques were presented to each of the winning teams and the St. Joseph Post Office also received the Postmaster General’s special award for Outstanding Advertising Video in the competition. (PR/GIS)

Culture

LAST LAP WEEKEND – Ended with Pic-o-de-Crop Finals, Foreday Jump and Kadooment

AN INCIDENT FREE FESTIVAL By David Harris

After two months of activities that included early morning breakfast fetes and late-night parties, the golden anniversary of the Crop Over Festival ended with the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Over 10.000 revellers in 18 bands danced on the new route which began at the Helipad in Bridgetown and ended in front of Kensington Oval. The street parade was changed its 9 a.m. start to 10 a.m. by the National Cultural Foundation after the Barbados Meteorological Service placed the island under a severe thunderstorm watch.

Eventually, the Blue Box Cart band got the parade moving at 10.07 and the masqueraders began wining and chipping on the streets of Bridgetown.

Only 13 of the 18 bands on parade judged, among the revellers were Barbadian superstar and National Hero, the Right Excellent Robin Rihanna Fenty and former West Indies captain Brian Lara.

Some bands were still heading towards the Mighty Grynner Highway just before at minutes to 9 o’clock. Aura was the last band to reach the highway before the police ended the parade.

The Grand Kadooment ended an action-packed weekend that included the Pic O De Crop Finals at the National Botanical Gardens in Waterford on Friday night, the Foreday Morning Jam which began in Bridgetown in the wee hours of morning and the Grand Kadooment on Monday.

Fans were primed for thrilling contest between the defending monarch IWeb (Ian Webster) and Adrian “AC” Clarke who placed second in last year’s Pic O De Crop competition; but it was AC who captured the crown for the third time after IWeb who appeared to have forgotten the lyrics of the De Village Ram in the second half of the competition.

Clarke performed at number 16 (immediately behind IWeb) and stamped his authority on the competition with an impressive performance of the self-penned Going Fuh Crown, the judges awarded him 133 points, 28 more than Sir Ruel who came second.

Adrian Clarke the 2024 Calypso Monarch

His impressive performance won the first prize of $100,000 or a Nissan E Powe X- Trail valued at $136,000; Clarke told journalists after the competition he had opted to take the vehicle instead of the prize money. Clarke, 52, first won the crown in 2001 and in 2008.

Sir Ruel was the most outstanding performer in the first half with A Single Bullet, he wrote the calypso in memory of his brother Dario Jon-Luc Holder-Branch who was shot to death in February this year. The former Junior Monarch amassed 105 points and won a cash prize of $40,000.

*Sir Ruel, Pic of de Crop, 2nd place winner*

Perennial finalist Chrystal Cummins-Beckles placed third with De Proposal, the multi-talented musician, arranger and composer was awarded 97 points and the $20,000 prize.

Billboard placed fourth for the second consecutive his calypso earned him a cash prize of $15,000; and first timer Tae, the youngest competitor in the final took the fifth position and $10,000 with A Big Cirus.

Calypsonians placing from the sixth to tenth position received $8,000 each, those coming 11 th to 18 th got $6000.

The competition started 51 minutes after the scheduled 8 p.m. due to technical hitches with video presentations, and one contestant (Kid Site) had to start over his song because of problems with the audio. The second half started just after midnight and ended at 2.10 a.m.

In commemoration of the 50 th anniversary of the Crop Festival there were performances by former monarchs the Mighty Destroyer. Red Plastic, the Mighty Gabby and Edwin Yearwood.