No Reggae, No Rock?

Rock or reggae? That seemed to be the only question Wednesday night when Chris Rene, Santa Cruz’s latest “reality singing” phenom, competed in the Fox-TV's top 10 competition of The X Factor.

For the episode’s Rock Week, our local crooner spiked his hair and sang a makeover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry" in front of lit-up peace signs.

After the song, Judge Simon Cowell chastised L.A. Reid, Rene’s mentor in the competition, saying, “It would have been great if this week was reggae music.” 

Reid, also a judge, complimented Rene for staying on key and then defended his music choice. “Bob Marley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” he said, and, "Bob Marley was a rock star.”  

The Twitter audience seemed to side with Cowell, though, with tweets like this—“I’m ready for Chris Rene to go home” and “Chris Rene messed up one of the best songs ever by one of the greatest artists ever.”

But Rene, 28, who said in a taped segment that his mom had bought him his first guitar when he was 12, smiled through the judges’ banter.

Other than his drug addiction and job as a garbage collector, the contestant is known for his original blend of hip-hop and R&B. Last week The X Factor-hopeful sang a rendition of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and wore a fedora. On Wednesday, he wore sunglasses and a black T-shirt with the words, “Occupy All Streets.”

What did you think about Chris Rene’s Wednesday performance?  Did you vote for him? Do you think he'll be sent home Thursday? Stay tuned!