Skillibeng and Intence beef intensified this weekend with two new diss tracks from both sides of the dancehall divide, “Bad Man Thing” and “Nuh Talk Long.”
It seems as if tensions between Skillibeng and Intence have finally reached a feverish boiling point. Like steam from a kettle, both artistes have risen to the occasion to partake in what should be a fierce musical showdown. Both Skillibeng and Intence have sided with previously set lines of demarkation in the industry, with the Jetlife clinging to The Vendetta/MVP camp and Skilli sharing tracks with Vybz Kartel’s GAZA. While their connections with the already established camps are of some importance, it seems the conflict between the two newcomers is far more personal.
In August, both camps traded words on social media, which began when Intence dragged Skillibeng for being a frequent feature. “Unnu common Eeeh. Everybody Unnu run go collab wid?? Commonas dem be,” he concluded before quoting a line from his hit track “Antisocial.”
Skilli’s team at Eastsyde Records was not too happy about the light shade and took to Twitter to speak on what makes them superior while issuing a strong warning. “Don’t throw no shades we will heng ur badness #eastsyde lyrics to ears…no annoying ways…image, style different….if u start it we end it #yuhzi #cudadeal,” came the tweet on August 30.
While both artistes have released numerous songs since then, it’s Skillibeng’s “Crocodile Teeth” that has officially set everything into motion. The opening lines take a direct jab at Intence, who nearly a month ago dropped his song “Grimey.”
“Uno don’t grimey/ fuss thing uno no bold like me / fulla gun, every clip fulla crocodile teeth,” deejay’s the “50 Bag” champ.
Intence has since followed up with “Nuh Talk Long,” which comes with a catchy flow and lyrics expressing just how he will go about his mission to snuff out his rivals. Once again, no names are called but the time of arrival of this war anthem is much too fitting for it to not be a hit at the “Brik Pan Brik” deejay. Furthermore, Intence revisits the notion of who is “grimey” when he deejays, “Me dawgs dem grimey/ grimaz no heart no inna dem.” “Nuh Talk Long” currently sits at the #3 position on the local Youtube trending chart, two spots behind “Crocodile Teeth.”
Intence’s “Nuh Talk Long” was released on Friday, October 16, but mere hours later, Skillibeng also delivered a brand new song and music video titled, “Bad Man Thing.” It would be much too soon for it to be a counteraction to Intence’s latest drop. However, it still solidifies the Eastsyde artiste’s places as one of the most prolific and talented entertainers in the business. He flows effortlessly over the violin lead beat, injecting the gaps in the riddim with his unique rhyming pattern.
“Like pregnant gyal mhi point and spit..” he deejays on the track, which currently holds the #5 spot on the local trending list.
A few weeks ago, Grammy-winning artiste Sean Paul bashed clash culture, citing it as a negative force in the genre, yet it still remains one of the ultimate forms of hashing out differences among warring factions. Still, the trading of diss tracks remains the norm in Jamaica. However, this latest beef stands apart since each musical offering is aided by its matching music video. As expressed by fans from both sides of the fence, the added time should give each camp enough time to properly craft their lyrics to ensure greater longevity of their releases.
