the Claws - and More - set to come out for Sting 2014

The one-night reggae/dancehall show started by former "bad boy cop" Isaiah Laing has become a Boxing Day institution, courting and generating controversy, earning the ire of certain sectors of society even as others credit it for making their careers or, as Ninjaman has done in his inimitable style, credit themselves for making it (Bounti Killa has taken on that mantle as well).

Sting founder Isiah Laing "feeling it"

Reardless of who has made it, or been made, Sting has lasted three decades now and, with the continuing investment support of Joe Bodganovic, is set to conquer new audience markers, following last year's success on pay-per-view.

Laing has made no bones about it - what drives that success is the clashes - battles between DJs that are meant to be strictly lyrical, but have on more than one occasion , exploded into the physical (Vybz Kartel vs Ninjaman being a notable case in point).

At the recent pre-event media launch, Laing and Co. pitched the headline clash this year, sponsored by Trini-based energy drink Raptor, will be a rematch between budding clash king Kip Rich and contender-turned-champ Blak Ryno.

Ryno, said to be overseas on the occasion, was not on hand, which made it convenient for Kip Rich to spit a quick "teaser" in terms of what was going to happen when the two renew acquaintances tomorrow (or into the wee hours of Saturday more precisely).

There were the usual commendations from sponsor brand Raptor energy drink, distributed by  SM Jaleel, which joins tonic wine Magnum as title sponsors for dancehall's biggest night out

Kip Rich vs Blak Ryno (the latter having rumbled away with US$30,000) - in a prime event dubbed " the Raptor Rematch"

A lot of other acts are expected to square off during the night, and Sting will also go "one-drop" this year with a roots segment in the early heat of the night. there will also be an exposition of EDH - that's electro dancehall to  you uninitiated, with DJs Sky and Firestarter (working as THEM) spinning dub and dancehall classics with an EDM twist.

All in all, it should be a pretty hectic 12 hours or so at JamWorld in POrtmore come tomorrow.