Student rapper wins contest

All fledgling musicians dream of stardom – and on Dec. 1,1993, College Freshman Jabari Gray moved one step closer to that elusive goal. On that day, Gray's group Vertigo won the Rap or Roll music contest sponsored by Close-Up Toothpaste. Gray, known as "Able," and group member Anthony Guglielmo, whose stage name is "Vesuvio," won the competition for their original hit rap song "Bittersweet End." The song focused on the painful endings of personal, romantic relationships, said Close-Up officials. It was selected as the winner out of a pool of over 200 entries and earned Vertigo $2500. "They really got the audience moving," said a Close-Up spokesperson. "The way they expressed their feelings was great. The subject was effective." The finals of the contest were held at The Grand, a New York City nightclub. Celebrity judges included WHTZ-FM's Judy Kiransky and the chairperson of East West Records, Sylvia Rhone. Gray, when asked about Vertigo's motivation for joining the contest, responded, "We needed the exposure and the money." Gray's interest in music began long before his freshman year at college. He became interested in music during middle school and was involved in the rap group "Foresight" in high school in Oakland,Calif. His group Vertigo was formed when Gray arrived on campus in September and responded to a campus billboard ad looking for a DJ. He joined Vesuvio, a Philadelphia resident, and Haverford College Graduate "Layz," a third member of the group who did not attend the contest. Performing with Vertigo has been a time consuming, albeit worthwhile experience for Gray. "It definitely makes it harder for me to do school work," he said. "I find myself doing homework on the way to and from the studio. But it's worth it. I would definitely try to do this as a career." Vertigo's success in the contest brought them instant fame. Vesuvio has appeared on Fox Network's news programs. And an article about Vertigo will appear in the Philadelphia Daily News' "In Your Face" section on January 18. For musically inclined students looking for stardom, Gray offered this advice yesterday. "Form a group who you have working chemistry with," he said. "You want to work with people who you are willing to criticize.The hardest part is separating personal life from business."