CAMP TAJI, Iraq – What do you get when you combine the “Macarena,” Lynard Skynard and an originally written rap performance?
Give up yet? The answer: a Striker Village Talent Show.

Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, gathered at a makeshift stage on Camp Taji May 4 to sing, dance, perform and, as one of the competitors said, to take a break.

“It’s all about the Soldiers and having a good time in Iraq. There’s enough stress out here. It’s good to just relax and let your hair down,” said Spc. Scedric Moss, a Baltimore native, who performed an original rap of “State on the Map” for the contest.

Moss, a human resources specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd BCT, finished third in the competition.
Staff Sgt. Freddie Hurt, who, along with Staff Sgt. Carl Buck, helped organize the event, said he wanted to give Soldiers an outlet not normally afforded to those on the outer edges of this sprawling military compound.

“Most of the time Soldiers, once they get done with work, they don’t want to catch a bus ride to go way to main post to do something. We figured that we’d set up a talent show here for the Soldiers,” said the Selma, Ala., native, who serves as the senior first cook with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT.

Hurt also competed, singing “Anything” by Jaheim. His performance earned top honors also.

“I didn’t expect to win. There was some good competition up there,” he said, after only entering the contest to ensure his friend would also participate.

The second place winners, Sergeants Anthony Smith and Daniel Kobler, both from the Missile Section of Company B, 64th BSB, performed two songs. With Smith on guitar and Kobler singing, they covered Lynard Skynard’s “Simple Man” for the first tune and tried something different for the second.

Smith strummed the chord to Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” while Kobler sang lyrics he wrote himself and titled “Send Me Home.”

“I’ve been trying to write it for a few months. I started writing it in January. It didn’t take too much actual time once I started writing the words. But, it was just the way I’ve felt. I’ve loved the song my whole life,” the Stockbridge, Ga., native, said.

Smith, a Campton, Ky., native, said the pairing came together rather easily.

“I can’t sing and I just play guitar for him and he can sing and he can’t play guitar so that made us the perfect duo,” he said.

Other Soldiers performed songs and enjoyed the chance to entertain their friends for a short time. But, to kick things off properly, Sgt. Joshua Williams and Spc. Christopher Jackson chose to perform the traditional 90s dance.

This was the first planned event to help bring other morale-building events to this part of the Camp Taji. Hurt will begin hosting karaoke soon and plans to conduct another talent contest later this deployment.