Belize's musical and creative artists came out on Saturday night for the first ever Belize Entertainment Awards show. Now if you wanted to see who won in one of the ten categories, $35 would have gotten you a seat inside the Bliss Center. But if you wanted to see who was wearing what, who was with who, and who was driving what, then outside on the red carpet was the place to be. And that is where our Keith Swift was as these artists got their first taste of stardom.
Keith Swift Reporting,
On Saturday night, when the red carpet was rolled out this was the scene: gigantic moving spotlights, screaming fans, the media doing interviews, cameras…and of course the celebrities. But this wasn't Radio City Music Hall or the Kodak Theatre - this was the Bliss Center and the fans were waiting for red carpet arrivals Belizean style:
[Video Montage of Red Carpet Arrivals Synced to Eminem's 'Just Lose It']
KS: How you feeling Rhojani?
Rhojani Perriot, Best Female Vocalist Winner
"Naked." [Laughs.]
KS: _Why?
Rhojani Perriot,
"I don't need to tell you why. " [Laughs] "I'm scared. I'm scared 'cause this is a lot of people."
Naked? Scared? Well those are some words to describe the feeling of these nominees who walked onto the red carpet and into the spotlight. And from Punta Rock's Supa G to teen queen Britney - the bright lights, red carpet, and fans were:
Brtiney, Female Vocalist Nominee
"Oh my God it feels good. It feels real good."
Bobbo Youth, Male Rapper Nominee
"You feel like large you know. We hauled up big and grand you know."
KS: Earlier this week you told me you would be nervous. Is this what you expected? Are you nervous?
Bobbo Youth,
"Yes man I am still nervous but then I can't show it."
KS: How does it feel to be famous, to walk down a red carpet and have people screaming?
Bobbo Youth,
"That feels good. Don't make any mistake, it feels good."
Britney,
"It feel real good."
KS: Is this your first time walking down a red carpet?
Ras Indio, Male Rapper Winner
"Yeah."
KS: How did it feel having all these people watching you?
Ras Indio,
"It feels good. But like me say [Singing: me noh inna dis fi money and me no inna dis fi fame.]. You know what I mean?"
Supa G, Punta Rock Winner
"I usually see it on the TV and I never believed it but now I am actually on it so its like a dream come true."
KS: _You nervous or anything like that?
Supa G,
"Not really but with the applause and the way the people respond to me I am really happy so it kind of makes me nervous to be honest."
Erwin Jones, Favorite Poet Nominee
"Adrenaline. A spirit of euphoria as well and appreciation. I feel loved."
KS: What is it like to be famous?
Erwin Jones,
"Well I don't really know if I'm a superstar and I don't really know if I'm famous as well but I know that I am appreciated and I'm accepted and the people they love the work that I am doing."
Young C, 'Heights A Vibe'
"Finally I feel like a Belizean superstar."
KS: So you feel you are a star?
Young C,
"Of course, everybody here is a star…but in your own way you know."
But even Young C would admit some stars shine brighter than others and on Saturday, some entrances were grander than others like best poet nominee the Grandmaster.
[Crowd Screaming for Grandmaster as he stands on top of a wooden tricycle known locally as a bicycle cart.]
Leroy 'Grandmaster' Young, Favorite Poet Nominee
"How I feel? All right I am checking my temperature. (Puts his hand on his forehead) It's all good man. You know it's about time. This is the first but you know welcome to the real world. I have to applaud Global for putting on a production like this. This is not BET this is BEA. Pressha! This is for real."
KS: Grandmaster you are signing autographs and the crowd was screaming for you, how does it feel?
Leroy 'Grandmaster' Young,
"It feels all good you know because if wasn't for these folks here, my way wouldn't go nowhere and I am going that way now."
KS: You had the grandest entrance?
Leroy 'Grandmaster' Young,
"Well I am named Grandmaster so what do you expect?"
But away from the spotlight, the fans, and the cameras are the artists who are simply humbled to know they are appreciated - and that is especially true for lifetime achievement honoree and living legend Stone Jam.
Stone Jam, Lifetime Award Recipient
"I feel very very good that somebody respects me for the time and the job I have been doing for all the years. It's a great feeling."
KS: It wasn't always like this right? You weren't always recognized in this way…
Stone Jam,
"Well we were recognized from the early 80s when Stone Jam had developed the name and people used to come to the dances. You had doctors and you had lawyers so it was a wide crossection of people who used to come to Stone Jam dances in the 80s so its not like we just getting recognized now, we just getting honored for the work we have done."
But all that changed Saturday night when our local artists weren't the opening act or the sideshow, they were the show, and what a show it was...
[Close Video Montage of Arrivals Synced to Destiny's Child 'Lose My Breath']
The Winners are:
Favorite Dancehall Artist Ras Indio
Favorite Punta Rock Artist: Supa G
Favorite Radio DJ: Edith Tesecum (More FM)
Favorite Female Vocalist: Rhojani Perriot
Favorite Male Vocalist: Tremett Perriot
Favorite Album of the year "Next Level" by the Heavenlies Gospel Band
Favorite Sound System: Belizean Movements
Favorite Poet: Kenny Morgan
Favorite Dancehall/Reggae Group: 'Heights A Vibe'
Favorite Gospel Band: Heavenlies Gospel Band.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Eldon "Stone Jam" Hyde and Paul Nabor.
Best Red Carpet Entrance: Grandmaster and Edith Tesecum.
The show's promoter Jobie Yorke says they got over 2,000 votes for this year's show and they are already looking forward to next year's show.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift