The Pine Yard Rush 2025: Platinum Knights' Streak Broken

The 2025 Pine Yard Rush on Grand Bahama was a spectacle of color, sound, and fierce competition, but it will be remembered for one monumental moment—Swingers ended the Platinum Knights’ six-year winning streak in a dramatic and exhilarating showdown.

The Junkanoo parade saw high-energy performances, creative costumes, and powerful rhythms that captivated everyone in attendance. The Swingers, fresh with innovative designs and a commanding presence, claimed the overall parade winner title, dethroning the Platinum Knights who had dominated the division for six years. This victory was especially sweet after an intense battle for Best Music with the Super Star Rockers—a challenge that saw both groups giving their all, with masterful musicality on display. Despite fierce competition, the Swingers' music and choreography were too powerful to ignore, securing them the win.

As the Platinum Knights took to the street in what would be their final performance as reigning champions, the crowd was on edge, knowing the legacy of their six-year dominance was on the line. Despite a breathtaking performance, they were overtaken by the Swingers and Superstar Star Rockers, ending their reign at the top. The Superstar Rockers earned a solid second place, with the Platinum Knights securing third, the Classic Dancers in fourth, and the New Generation making an impressive mark in fifth.

The Pine Yard Rush wasn’t just about competition—it was a tribute to Junkanoo’s ability to inspire and bring people together. This year’s event showed that anything is possible in the world of Junkanoo, where tradition and creativity collide, and new champions rise.

Congratulations to the Swingers for breaking the streak and claiming victory, and to all the groups for delivering a spectacular celebration of Bahamian culture!

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Quote of the week

The wife of a British political figure finds out that her secret identity as an agent of an espionage collective may have been compromised when the person she is having an affair with is killed under mysterious circumatances. Her employer calls on the assassin who helped trainer to assist her in discovering the reason for the murder and to protect her if she must be extracted from her current assignment due to her cover being blown. As they work together, they learn of a cover-up which may bring the world to the edge of nuclear war between global super powers.

Black Doves is a British spy thriller that keeps you guessing along with the characters as the conspiracy unfolds in at satisfying pace across the six episodes. The creator of the show, Joe Barton, writes each episode in such a way that every character's motivation is understood even if you don't agree with what they are doing. Alex Gabassi directs the first 3 episodes, Lisa Gunning directs the final 3 episodes and their directing styles compliment each other perfectly with the escalation of the story being told. Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw really carry the emotional weight of the series filled with a cast including Tracey Ullman who know and fulfill their acting assignments with precision. This first season being set during Christmas adds a nice touch to the atmosphere of the events taking place and I hope future seasons take place during different times of year for a pariicular European holiday aesthetic for each one.

I rate season one of this series a rating of 4 out of 5.

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Tasty with KC Hand Delivered Prizes to our Holiday Jar challenge Nassau Winners

Thank you to all our Nassau winners of the Wybe Holiday Jar Challenge! Congratulations on your well-deserved wins—keep spreading those good vibes and living the Wybe life!

Freeport Winners Hand Delivered their Prizes by the Wybe Team 

Shoutout to our amazing Freeport winners of the Wybe Holiday Jar Challenge! Your excitement and spot-on guesses brought so much joy to this challenge. We’re grateful for your participation and love seeing the Wybe spirit shine bright.

Meme of The Week

TikTok Faces U.S. Shutdown as January 19 Deadline Looms

TikTok's future in the U.S. hangs in the balance, with a potential shutdown looming on Jan. 19 unless the Supreme Court intervenes. At the heart of the issue is a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell its U.S. operations amid fears of Chinese espionage.

ByteDance has resisted, claiming the sale is unnecessary. TikTok, meanwhile, argues the ban violates free speech and filed an emergency motion. Entrepreneurs like Kevin O’Leary have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, emphasizing its economic potential.

The Supreme Court will decide on Jan. 10 if TikTok survives or disappears from American screens.

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@lanializa

#fyp #lanializa

The Vybz Kartel Concert Controversy: Why Bahamians Are Side-Eyeing the UABU

The announcement of the Vybz Kartel concert at Fort Charlotte has stirred heated debates across The Bahamas, but not for the reasons you might think. While the United Artist Bahamas Union (UABU) has voiced strong opposition, citing the Jamaican Dancehall artist’s criminal history despite his 2011 murder conviction being overturned, many Bahamians are scratching their heads over the union’s sudden prominence.

For starters, some locals admit they weren’t even aware of the UABU’s existence until this controversy. Others are questioning why the union is so focused on Vybz Kartel when The Bahamas has hosted artists with more violent lyrics and controversial histories in the past—without a peep from the UABU.

Secretary General Link Scavella-Ferguson has emphasized the union’s role as the “watchdog” for foreign artist approvals, claiming that Vybz Kartel and his promoters bypassed their required consent. However, critics argue that the union’s stance feels inconsistent and highlights deeper issues around supporting local artists.

One major sticking point for Bahamians is that while the UABU says it’s protecting the country from criminal influences, there’s been little evidence to suggest that concerts featuring Dancehall or other genres contribute significantly to crime. Meanwhile, questions about the union’s legitimacy and lack of visibility in other similar cases remain unanswered.

Ironically, many point out that the UABU’s pushback has given the concert more attention than any advertisement could. The Bahamian public, it seems, is less concerned about Vybz Kartel’s past and more interested in why the UABU is suddenly taking center stage.

Is this about crime, culture, or control? One thing is clear: the debate over foreign artists in The Bahamas has only just begun, and Bahamians are paying close attention to who’s really benefiting from the noise.