DO It For The Culture “soared the highest” in the Red Bull Culture Clash held at the National Arena in Kingston on Saturday night.

Convincingly winning two of four rounds, Do It For The Culture were crowned victors in the final round on technicality after their formidable rival Strike Force gaffed by repeating a Louie Culture dub that the winning outfit had played in round one. Strike Force was subsequently disqualified.

Members of team Do It For The Culture were elated with the win.

“For the past three weeks we have been in the studio, we have been making songs, finding artistes, all these songs that play were made for Red Bull. It’s not nothing weh did a play from 19-how-long; it’s just brand-new stuff. This is not normal. . .we all put in the work and that’s what makes this clash different from the rest and make us different from the rest,” Jack Scorpio, veteran sound system owner/selector, told the Jamaica Observer.

In addition to Jack Scorpio (given name Maurice Johnson), Do It For The Culture comprised producer Salaam Remi, DJ Bambino, Spragga Benz, Disco Neil, and Jah Snow Cone.

Strike Force was made up of Jada Kingdom, Govana, ZJ Sparks, Fire Links and Aidonia, backed by Chromatic Sound.

From early in the competition, Do It For The Culture showed they came prepared to battle with an assortment of dubplates, comprising Elephant Man, Capleton, Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, OMI, American R&B singer Miguel, Cham (formerly known as Baby Cham), Busta Rhymes, Super Cat, Marcia Griffiths, Nadine Sutherland, Koffee and Chronixx.

With their selections, they took the audience on a musical journey. As surprise guest performers, Do It For The Culture brought Terror Fabulous, as well as a cohort from the string section of The National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica.

Arguably, the most creative team in the competition, they brought the house down when they opened the Fourth Round (The Decider) with a cover of Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers To Cross, introduced by Tarrus Riley and sung by Duane Stephenson. It was accompanied by a video showing burial plots of the other competitors at Dovecot Memorial Park in St Catherine.

Romeich Entertainment made up of Ding Dong, DJ Badda Bling, DJ Antsman, Bishop Escobar and DJ Liquid won round one with hot dancehall dubs from Kemar Highcon, La Lee, I Octane and Demarco.

Team Soca’s Riddimstream Platta — consisting of King Bubba, Willy Chin and Barrie Hype and Tony Matterhorn — had the crowd with some dancehall songs. However, they were disqualified in the Third Round after having played Vybz Kartel’s My Scheme previously played by Romeich Entertainment. During their set, they brought on Beenie Man, Stylo G, I Wayne, and Protoje as guest performers.

When Romeich Entertainment’s Shenseea hit the stage with a catalogue of disses for her team’s opponents, patrons erupted with cheers. Those close enough to their stage were able to capture the US bills the team threw out into the crowd.

Winners Do It For The Culture say they applaud Red Bull for rejuvenating the sound clash culture in Jamaica.

“I think it was great for Red Bull to have it in Jamaica, and I hope that they keep more in Jamaica because I feel like this is actually expanding a lot,” Salaam Remi told Observer.

His view was seconded by Jack Scorpio.

“A company like that keeping dancehall culture alive internationally is a big big ting dat fi me who is a pioneer wah help with this dancehall clashing ting deh from dancehall till now, Big up to the next three sounds cause dem a winner too for this huge for everyone of us,” Jack Scorpio said.