Fox’s new singing competition “The Four” is so fierce that on Thursday’s show, two singers faced off in a verbal showdown leading one to defend his artistry. On the Jan. 25 episode where four finalists must battle other singers to defend their spot or risk being replaced by a competitor, Austin, Texas-based Jefferson Clay and Chicago native Jason Warrior didn’t just let their vocals do the talking.
After Clay challenged Warrior to take his place, the two squared off with the singer-songwriter performing R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” and Warrior belting Rihanna’s “Love On The Brain.”
But the real battle happened after Clay challenged Warrior to take over his seat and become one of “the four” defenders.
“You know what, you cannot deny that voice,” Clay tells his opponent. “But this competition is about being an artist. It’s about being true. Bro, you got a lot of drama, you got a lot of real, real life.”
But Warrior, who made it clear he’s performing to get his mom and two brothers out of the South Side, had a firm clap back.
“My friend, let me show you what an artist is,” he begins. “Let me help you understand something. An artist is someone who was born with the gift, not learned how to play the gift. An artist is someone who grinds so hard — wanna know something? You wouldn’t understand that because from where I’m from, we work hard. You wouldn’t understand that because where I’m from, we grind. This is what I do for my brothers, for my people. So I am an artist, don’t you deny that!”
“I never once denied that,” Clay responds. “You do not know me.”
Then, judge Sean “Diddy” Combs cuts in before the panel giving their critiques. When it’s Diddy’s turn, he tells Clay he should take the competition more seriously while Warrior should “have some finesse.”
Ultimately, the choice was in the audience’s hands and after judge and music producer DJ Khaled had the men make up, it was Warrior who was able to keep his spot on stage.
