Grenadian Hollice Mapp aka “Mr. Killa” Powers his way to International Soca Monarch Crown

Mr. Killa is the first non-Trinidadian to win the coveted title

March 8, 2019

On a night which saw four OECS Soca artistes rip through the International Soca Monarch (ISM) competition in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenadian Mr. Killa became the first non-Trinidadian to win the coveted prize of TT one (1) million dollars in the Power Soca category, while his compatriots Mr. Legz and Vghn picked up third places in the Power and Groovy categories, and Saint Lucian Teddyson John placed second in the Groovy category.

Mr. Killa, whose real name is Hollice Jonah Mapp, won with his popular song, “Run Wid It” on Friday 1st March, which energised the feting scene throughout the 2019 carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago and was a virtual favourite well before the competition night.

Sung on the Jab Planet riddim, which was produced, mixed and mastered by CEO/Executive producer Kevin Charles of Stadic Studio Productions based in Union Island (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), the song called on partygoers to “pick up something and run with it” and dominated the lead up to the Friday night event.

The success of OECS artistes in the region’s biggest carnival is a testimony to the resilience and hard work of many of the sub-region’s performers and music makers to produce quality music for what has perennially been a difficult market to penetrate.

Amidst push back from some Trinidadians, and even fellow competitor and Soca veteran Iwer George, declaring the win of the title by a foreigner to be a travesty, Mr. Killa, in his confident style and with the support of his compatriots, many of them including top government officials who had journeyed to Trinidad for the show, defiantly proclaimed himself as king. Dressed the part and surrounded by gladiators, the “Rolly Polly” singer destroyed the competition, thus becoming the first non-Trini to win in this highly popular event.

Teddyson John, with his popular number “Vent”, placed second to Swapii in the Groovy category, while Vghn with his song “Trouble in the Morning” placed third in the same category, and Mr. Legz came in third in the Power category with his “Winding Challenge.” These wins are significant, as four of the six positions up for grabs went to artistes from the OECS.

For Grenada it was an especially momentous occasion since it was the first time that the island nation had five (5) artistes qualify for the finals of the international competition.

In what has been a rather productive year for OECS music in Trinidad, the winnings by the four along with the monster hit featuring the work of Krishna “Dada” Lawrence and Skinny Fabulous on “Famalay” give the region’s artistes and music a higher profile on the international Soca market.

Meanwhile, in Dominica, eight-time Calypso Monarch, the Dice, earned a ninth crown with his very popular numbers, “Granny” and “Jumbie Money” which brought him victory in front of a massive crowd on the Forecourt of the Windsor Park Stadium in Roseau in the early hours of Carnival Sunday. Dice outclassed last year’s winner, the Bobb, Tasha P, the first and only female monarch, and the Webb, for a record breaking ninth crown.