Toppa Top 10: Ten Classic Clashes at Sting

Words by Jesse Serwer and DJ Gravy—

Founded by “Jamaican bad man police” Isaiah Laing 30 years ago, Sting is Jamaica’s longest-running annual stage show. While the island’s other marquee festivals, Reggae Sumfest and Jazz and Blues, cater to tourist and uptown crowds, Sting speaks to the core dancehall audience

Held annually on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, Sting is most renowned for its theatrical deejay clashes. Not sound clashes or battles between no-name lyricists trying to make a name for themselves, but one-on-one lyrical wars between dancehall’s biggest names. Legends have been made at Sting, and skyrocketing careers have combusted in mid air, too.

This year’s 30th anniversary edition promises to be the biggest Sting yet, with performances slated from Sizzla, Mavado, 2 Chainz, Wyclef, Beenie Man, Lady Saw, Gyptian, Ninjaman, Aidonia, Elephant Man and—most notably— the return of Super Cat, making his first Jamaica appearance in too many years to count.

With the big event just a day away—find out how you can catch it here— here’s a look at some of the most classic clashes at Sting, with input from 2013 performers and clash scholars Wyclef and Lady Saw.

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10. Kiprich vs. Tony Matterhorn and Merciless, Ninjaman, etc. (2012)

He might not be a familiar name to those who don’t avidly follow dancehall, but Kiprich is a giant in the clashing world, always putting in an admirable showing at Sting. Lady Saw cites his multi-foe battle with Tony Matterhorn, Merciless, Ninjaman and more at last year’s Sting as evidence of his abilities. “The clash in the end [is] music warfare between the boys, and Kiprich was always coming out on top,” she says.

9. Spice vs. Macka Diamond (2012)

Lady Saw, take it away: “My favorite moment at Sting, o lawwd have mercy, was when Spice brought a donkey on stage and said it was Macka Diamond and it looked like Macka Diamond. It was comedy! That was the time they were both coming at me, and they both made a fool of them damn selves. Where are you going with a donkey? That was funny, I cracked up.” In breaking news, it’s just been announced that Lady Saw will clash Macka Diamond, in Ms. Saw’s first-ever clash at Sting.

8. Twin of Twins vs. Tony Matterhorn (2011)

This clash between Tony Matterhorn and comedic duo Twin of Twins was one of the most talked about moments of Sting’s 2011 edition, as Twin of Twins dissed the selector-turned-deejay in the run up to the event, only to lose in dramatic, unexpected fashion.

7. Four the Hard Way Clash with Lady G, Patra, Lady P and Sista Charmaine (1989)

As Lady Saw put it above, “the clash is music warfare between the boys.” While Saw herself has abstained from the circuit, there have been a few memorable “lady” clashes over the years at Sting, most notably in 1989, when dancehall’s top female deejay of the moment Lady G engaged in a “Four-the-hard-way” clash with Lady P, Sista Charmaine and a very young Patra. As Patra herself told us in 2011, “I went into the studio, made one or two songs and, within a couple weeks, I was on one of the biggest stage shows in Jamaica, Sting, which we call Baghdad, because if you’re not good, it’s the most dangerous show in Jamaica… And from there I walked straight off into Sony’s hands, cause they were looking for the female Shabba.”

Wow! Watch the video below for a rare, early glimpse of the young Queen, before her star turn in the ’90s.

6. Vybz Kartel vs. Ninjaman (2003)

This was just after Vybz first buss (and when he was still black!) and his buzz was undeniable, but Sting is the annual career evaluation that can make or break artists, regardless of their hits catalog. Battling Ninjaman is a rite of passage you can’t avoid; while the Gorgon might not always have recent tunes to get easy forwards off of, he’s the master of timing, confidence and punchlines.

Kartel definitely went for the jugular, calling out Ninja’s substance abuse issues but when Ninja comes out he’s not only welcomed by the battle-thirsty crowd but actually gets a huge forward for his cap-and-gown get up, a clever move indicating he’s a graduate of this clash biz. Ninja defends himself claiming white rum as his poison of choice and denouncing Addi’s claims. Just as quickly as it starts, a physical altercation breaks out between the two, and chaos ensues until the Doctor Beenie Man makes a house call, demands music from the band and revives the crowd with an electrifying performance utilizing the classic playground war talk that can’t fail at a Jamaican clash!

After watching it in full, it really shows that Vybz wasn’t playing. His plans to dominate dancehall were clearly in sight, and even after all these years and obstacles still haven’t died down…

5. Vybz Kartel vs. Mavado (2008)

With the exception of the violent outburst between Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman in 2003, Sting’s clashes have primarily been theatrical in nature only, rarely spilling over into actual violence. When Mavado and Vybz Kartel clashed in 2008, there was a sense that there was more to their rivalry, that it could easily boil over into something else. Once allies in Bounty Killer’s Alliance camp, the two had become bitter foes, splitting the dancehall audience between Gully and Gaza.

The clash itself lived up the hype, with Kartel arriving in camouflage military gear, while Mavado presented himself as a Grim reaper figure in all black, years before Tommy Lee. Ultimately Kartel emerged victorious, as he would in his career over the following year, beginning a string of hits and other successes that made him the definitive artist of his era.

4. Ninjaman vs. Shabba Ranks (1990)

Shabba Ranks was on top of the dancehall world in 1990, on his way to blowing up worldwide shortly thereafter. But a Sting crowd doesn’t just rubber stamp a victory because one artist is hot at the time. Shabba found this out the hard way in 1990, when he was easily outmatched in his clash with Ninjaman, in a demonstration of his superior clashing skills.  Wyclef cites the clash among his favorites, in our interview (which you can watch in its entirety here). “It’s just the character of the clash I love,” he told us. “More than the DJing of the clash, I love the talking — the badman talking, its violent talk… but it’s music talk…”

3. Lt. Stitchie vs. Papa San (1995)
(Honorable Mention: Ninjaman vs. Mad Cobra)

Lt. Stitchie and Papa San were past the peak of their popularity by the time of this mid ’90s clash, but not their skill level. This might have been the most energetic Sting clash ever, with both blazing new trails in terms of delivery, and the rivalry between the two peers was never more palpable. While the fashion in dancehall had turned away from comical entertainers like Stitchie and San towards more hardcore figures such as Bounty Killer, they both came to kill at this clash, which would be both of their last. Not long after, both would leave secular music in favor of deejaying for the lord, something both continue to do to this day.

While we’re talking ’95 Sting highlights, we also have to include the memorable Ninjaman vs. Mad Cobra battle from the same year.

2. Bounty Killer vs. Beenie Man (1993)

This was the clash that launched the most enduring rivalry in dancehall’s history. ‘Nuff. Said. Not only is it a great clash to watch, it also inspired countless great records (Check 1994’s Guns Out album for some highlights from both). You could say it’s even responsible for both reaching their creative and commercial peak in the following years.

1. Super Cat vs. Ninjaman (1991)

‘Clef, Lady Saw, and everyone else is in agreement— when it comes to Sting, Super Cat vs. Ninja in ’91 is the most memorable clash. “That was a great clash, I loved that,” Wyclef told us. “I love the back-and-forth, father-and-son thing. I thought that was dope.” We couldn’t agree more. Adds Lady Saw, “I remember seeing Super Cat on stage slapping the hell out of somebody in the audience. If you move wrong with him he’ll slap the hell out you – he’ll take the mic and boom! Lick you wid di mic.” Making us even more hype on this one is the possibility of a reprise—both Ninja and ‘Cat are on the bill together for the first time in decades and, just as they did 22 years ago, they’ve both got something to prove. Forward to Sting!