Newly-crowned Calypso Monarch Leston Jacobs, better known by his stage name
'Young Destroyer' is in Anguilla, where he will make his debut representing
Antigua and Barbuda in the Leeward Islands Calypso Competition.
According to his writer/producer and father, Ogliver Jacobs (Destroyer Senior) the
Antigua and Barbuda Monarch will sing two of his most popular songs during the
competition; Back of de Bus and Defending My Flag.
He explained that the competition in Anguilla does not require participants to sing
new material but to present their best songs thus giving each contestant a real shot
at winning the title.
King Young Destroyer copped the local calypso crown at Carnival City last Friday
during Antigua and Barbuda’s annual Carnival celebrations.
The Leeward Islands Calypso Competition has been the ‘next stop’ for the winner
of the Calypso Monarch competition here in Antigua and Barbuda, for several of
the nation’s former Calypso Monarchs. Past winners from Antigua and Barbuda
include De Bear, Zacari, Thalia, Ivena, and the late Eddie Mellow.
Commenting on his son’s victory last Friday night, Destroyer Senior’s reaction
was simply; “It’s about time. Young Destroyer should have won the competition at
least four times in the past. Unfortunately, people were judging him, the person,
and his lifestyle, and not what he presented on stage. If you have a reputation of
always being in trouble, that happens sometimes,” he observed.
Young Destroyer has one of the better records of any calypsonian from Antigua.
He won the Junior Calypso crown four times. He has won twice in Trinidad and
Tobago; one for the Caribbean Junior Calypso Competition and the other time for
the CARIFESTA Calypso Competition where he outperformed many calypso
heavyweights from T&T. He last won the Independence Calypso competition held
two years ago.
Destroyer Senior said Young Destroyer has as good a chance as any to win the
competition slated for Saturday night in Anguilla.
