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Dubbing sound clashes as an "integral part of dancehall culture," Michael Dawson, owner of popular nightclub MECA, has kick-started a new clash series.

Hoping to reignite battlegrounds that once excited dancehall audiences islandwide, Dawson is funding the new series dubbed Soundkilla. According to Dawson, soundclash culture deserves to not only be preserved but passed on to future generations.

"I have always been a huge fan, so when I saw them virtually disappearing from the local entertainment scene, I felt compelled to try something, to not only bring it back mainstream, but to take on the task of introducing it to the next generation of fans," Dawson said. "This isn't just a one-off; we're laying the foundation for something sustainable, something that brings new life and relevance to sound clash culture. We want to be a driving force in making clashing cool again." Dawson said there is already a discussion about taking it to Amazura in New York, exploring the possibility of giving the new sounds international exposure.

In the Soundkilla series, participating sound systems will be competing for an overall cash purse of $2 million.

"There were no major sponsors available to support us so we turned to one of our sister companies called Jamkila, and they have sponsored the cash prizes. So it's just been MECA and Jamkila that are making it happen," he said.

"There's still a hunger for authentic dancehall culture; it just needs to be packaged with purpose. Like I said before, this series is not just for sound clash fans but for club goers who want to dance, pop bottles and have a good time. It will also introduce this dancehall staple to new audiences who we hope will continue this very important tradition."

The series, which started on June 24, has already seen winners emerge from three fierce battles in the group stages. Today, the final winner will be selected from a fourth round of warfare. The winners will then advance to the semifinals. Dawson said that so far, the clashes have been well supported, with dancehall lovers flooding the nightclub weekly to savour a piece of the action.

"The buildup has been electric. Week after week, the audience grows louder, the performances get sharper, and the tension is real. We are anticipating a massive turnout for the grand finale. We will decide after the next round if we have to increase the venue size but MECA will do for at least the next week," he said.