Notorious International ecstatic over surprise victory
Dynamq unfazed by Global Sound Clash defeat
Published:Friday | July 19, 2024 | 12:07 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Dynamq, the loveable South Sudan native who has been using reggae music to bury his past, which saw him fleeing his war-torn homeland to face the harsh realities of life in a refugee camp in Kenya, turned up at Wednesday night’s 2024 Reggae Sumfest Global Sound Clash in Montego Bay, determined to defend his crown and add to his legacy.
The Maxfield Avenue-based Notorious International, the underdog of the five contenders, won the coveted title and saw the selecting duo of Rohan ‘Little Shabba’ Henry and his Japanese wife Marie ‘Bad Gal Marie’ Sano walking away with the $1.1 million in cash– $1,000,000, courtesy of Magnum Tonic Wine, and $100,000 from DownSound Entertainment.
Little Shabba is hoping that this win will open more doors for Notorious International. “This win has lifted Notorious International to a place where the world will know us. So I look forward to doing some of the big shows all over the world. This is both a happy and an exciting time for us,” he said.
Vociferous in her praise for the Jamaican audience, Bad Gal Marie said she is now eager to go home to Japan to celebrate her success.
“Reggae and dancehall are big in Japan … winning this title will mean a lot to Japanese people,” she said, adding, “I am looking forward to going to Japan as a global champion.”
Despite his creative use of clothing and props, Dynamq, who had the crowd eating out of his hands last year as he dismantled Bass Odyssey in the dub-for-dub to lift the title, struggled to connect, and, to the surprise of those who had turned out to witness his athleticism and hard-hitting dubs, he folded in the third round, a disappointing result for him.
Surprisingly, Dydamq took the loss of his crown in stride and was even quite philosophical about it. He expressed the hope that he will be back next year for another shot at the title.
“I feel like the vibe was kind of down tonight, but everybody is enjoying themself, so I still feel good … . You win some, you lose some, that is a part of life,” said the man who dubs himself the ‘River Nile crocodile’ and is known to be a master of props and witty social commentary.
Because of his great love for ‘sound clash’ and the Jamaican culture, even if he is not booked for next year, Dynamq plans to be in Jamaica for the 2025 staging of the Reggae Sumfest Global Sound Clash.
“Even if I am not booked, I will be back here next year in the crowd chanting, because, mek me tell you something, Jamaicans can do this without any foreigners, but, for Jamaica, it is vital to share this beautiful culture. I am honoured and privileged, I don’t take it for granted, nuff respect to Sumfest,” said Dynamq, whose birth name is Ongele Lorya.
Despite his numerous accomplishments, including winning the ‘sound clash’ on the annual Jamrock Cruise, which is the brainchild of Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley, Dynamq believes he still has much to learn and is improving each day.
“I am still learning; reggae music saved my life, I would have been dead by now, but reggae music gave me a job to do, take me all over the world…. I don’t take none of this for granted and I am here to learn every day,” he told The Gleaner. He will be on the road for the next three months, playing gigs all over the world.
“I am just travelling and travelling… from here I will be flying to the UK tomorrow, I am gonna be on the road for the next three months before I go back to Africa to do a festival down there call the Aruca Festival.”
In looking back at his latest Jamaican excursion, Dynamq said it still gives him a special thrill to be playing alongside some of the legends in sound system music, which he deeply values.
“When I look at the flyer and look at sounds like Warrior Sound from Germany, Bad Gal Marie from Japan and the great, legendary, iconic Bodyguard, this is something you can’t take it for granted, it is a beautiful culture to be sharing.”