By We Are The Beat | Preview Feature

What happens when real stories meet real stakes?
You get Talk Di Tings! — the bold, new storytelling competition that’s amplifying raw truth and spoken word power.

This edition is brought to you by JAIKU, a fresh poetry foundation on a mission to make lyrical expression lucrative, and What’s Your Story, Jamaica?, the country’s richest storytelling competition. The collaboration marks a significant moment in the local arts space — where culture meets cash and creativity finds a new stage.

Open to anyone with a story to tell, Talk Di Tings! invites real-life narratives, up to six minutes in length, to be submitted in writing by August 31, 2025. The top three storytellers walk away with serious cash:
1st place: $30,000 JMD
2nd place: $20,000 JMD
3rd place: $15,000 JMD

But the spotlight doesn’t stop there.

The winners also secure automatic entry as semi-finalists in the annual What’s Your Story, Jamaica? showdown — where the top prize hits a game-changing $400,000 JMD (that’s $2,500 USD for the international heads keeping track).

The grand finale will be staged in Kingston on Sunday, November 16, 2025, where finalists must perform their stories from memory in front of a live audience. No paper. No prompt. Just presence and performance.

Adding poetic fire to the night, JAIKU’s own members will perform original works to celebrate the spirit of the showcase.

Ready to share your truth?
Email your written story to jaikupoetry@gmail.com by August 31.

This is the stage for storytellers.
This is culture in your voice.
This is Talk Di Tings!

For information and inquiries:
Kacy Garvey
Founder, JAIKU
📧 kacy.garvey@gmail.com
📞 1 (876) 542-5943