Taking on the world

Local Red Bull Thre3Style competition winner, DJ Nicco, was excitedly gearing up to represent Jamaica in the global finals, which began yesterday and ends on Saturday in Chicago.

The DJ, who impressed both audience and judges with his creativity and flair at the competition held on August 18 at Club Riddim in Kingston, is slated to match skills against DJs from Japan, Colombia, Australia And Azerbaijan in the fourth and final pre-qualifier on Friday at The Mid, a snazzy club in Chicago's meat-packing district.

Eighteen of the world's best DJs will compete in the finals. However, this is the first time that Jamaica will be represented in the five-year history of the event, and having prepared for almost a month for his stint on the international stage, Nicco is looking forward to delivering a high-energy musical experience and making Jamaica proud.

The island's party culture is fierce and world-renowned and the 29-year-old believes he has a lot to prove.

"I am excited to go out and represent my country. In Jamaica, our party culture is extremely diverse and incorporates a little of everything, and I am excited to see how other top DJs get their crowds going," Nicco shared as he eyes the title of 'World's Best Party Rocker' and the chance to win great prizes.

Giving DJs Exposure

The Red Bull Thre3Style competition was created to give highly skilled DJs a platform to battle, perform, gain notoriety and express themselves in a party atmosphere.

Unlike other DJ battles, the competition is more focused on highlighting the art of DJing and the creative techniques employed by DJs to rock a party.

This year's global competition will be judged by Jazzy Jeff, Cosmo Baker and Skratch Bastid, who will evaluate the performers on creativity, track selection, technical skills and stage presence/audience response.

The finals on Saturday will have as its contestants winners from each qualifying round, along with two wild-card entries.

"It's a party and a competition. It is a showcase for DJs to show off their various styles and uniqueness in 15 minutes, for them to say 'Hey, this is me!' Playing at a party has skills of its own to develop and learn, and I think that this competition reflects this very well. It's not just about how fast you can scratch or how quickly you can mix but how well you can develop a sound and a style," said world-renowned DJ Skratch Bastid.

You can show your support for Nicco by voting for him at http://redbullthreestyle.promojam.com/vote.

For more from the night's events visit www.redbullthre3style.com.

(from Jamaica Gleaner)