Westindian Times- News

King Eternity Sound Speaks To Lady Cham

Coolie alongside Lady Cham

First and foremost King Eternity would like to give thanks and praises to Jah the Creator of all, and all of our life long friends and fans who have followed King Eternity since the beginning of Eternity til the end of Eternity. Love and respect every time, u dun know.

King Eternity was established in 1984, pioneered by head selector Coolie G. in New York and New Jersey under the sound name ‘Cool Vibes.’ Cool Vibes went on to burn up the tri-state area playing in many different clubs, such as: Latin quarters (Manhattan), Village Hut (Brooklyn), The Caribbean (Newark New Jersey), Club Illusions (Brooklyn), Love Peoples (Brooklyn), Clipse (New Jersey), straight through until 1988. In 1988 many of the sound members migrated to Norfolk, Virginia, where they continued to play house parties on Corprew Avenue and other venues such as, Inner Circle, Blue Light, Red Hot Pepper, and Iron Workers Hall on Va. Beach Blvd.

In 1992 Cool Vibes Officially incorporated the sound and changed the name to Eternity Sound. This Corporation was built by six members, Bounty Lion, Daddy Ruff, Coolie G., Big Reek. Samad and Rob Swinger, later to be joined by 45 and King Kurt. After a series of meetings, the sound members decided to bring life and energy back to dancehall in Virginia and made a drastic decision to start Clash Style dances in Virginia, leading the way with their own sound Eternity. Later the sound would add King to the name Eternity after hearing about another sound in New York building a sound named Eternity. King Eternity would go on to clash Lion Heart in 1998 to win Virginia’s only recognized trophy dance. After conquering their immediate area, by clashing and winning against some of VA’s finest sounds, such as Love People, P.G. Movements and Lion Heart to mention a few, King Eternity tested the waters with sounds from all bout: Rodigan from England. L P from New York, Addies from New York, Mighty Crown from Far East, Poison Dart from Florida, just to mention a few.

After truly learning the art of clashing by sometimes losing, but for the most part winning, King Eternity entered Atlanta’s 2003 – 2004 fully loaded, which included good sounds like Dajavoo, Supreme, Highlandar, King A.P. all residing in Atlanta. King Eternity was named Atlanta’s fully loaded champions and given $1000.00 and Atlanta’s # 1 Sound trophy, which they still currently hold. King Eternity now holds trophies in Virginia and Atlanta, the two cities in which members of the sound reside.

When asked what about the trophy dance held in Virginia this year? King Eternity answers, what about it? We do not recognize any other trophy dances or trophies given away in Virginia. We were never invited to a trophy dance, therefore we never played in a trophy dance, and therefore we do not recognize any trophy dances or trophies given away in Virginia. In Virginia’s original trophy dance all sounds were asked to participate in the event, only two sounds complied and choose to enter, King Eternity and Lion Heart, therefore in the second trophy dance the winner of the first dance must participate to make the trophy dance official. We were never invited!!! We knew nothing about the so called trophy dance until seeing the flyers on the road. Any trophy won through an official clash, must be defended by the previous winner. We were never offered anything to play or propositioned to play in the 2003 trophy dance.

To all future promoters, if you choose to promote clash, do it in a official manner and please stop watering down what we have worked so hard to bring to Virginia. I am so tired of attending clash style dances that consist of two 15 minute rounds and then 1 fi 1 rounds. How can a crowd of people make a really good, sound decision after listening to 2 hours worth of music? Whatever happened to vintage clash styles, like the wars between Stereo Mars, Studio 1, Saxon, Coxon, Silverhawk, Killaman Jaro and Stone Love, just to mention a few? Or for some of the younger listeners, the big clashes in New York inside Biltmore or Tilden Ballroom w/ Stone Love vs, Addies, Jaro vs Addies, Rodigan vs Jaro, Saxon vs Coxon or LP vs Addies to name a few? When two heavy sounds strung up their own sounds and played three 30 minute rounds and three 15 minute rounds that resulted in a sound being locked off or a 1 fi 1 round if requested from the crowd. That is at least 4 to 5 hours of good music being played for you as patrons to decided who really won the dance. That is what King Eternity remembers and loves about clash style dances held in the past.

Respect to all who love and respect reggae music for what it is, 1st and foremost a way to spread peace and love amongst all races of people and 2nd a creative art in which the original style of music is changed and reworded into a different style (DUB PLATE STYLE) to express one’s self through music and competition.

P. S. We invite any sound in VA or abroad to a friendly session of clash or juggling. We are always open for suggestions as long as the money is appropriate. After all at the end of the day it is a business!

One Love King Eternity