New Yorkers competed for 'da best' accent, and the videos are brilliant

Natalie ColarossiApr 18, 2020, 01:26 IST

Alec Badlwin, Sienna Jayde, and Debi Mazar all compete for the best New York accent.@newyorknico Instagram

While New Yorkers ride out the pandemic in their homes, one thing remains clear: Their accents are far from being silenced.
Over the last two weeks, New Yorkers have proudly competed for the best accent in a wildly popular Instagram contest.
Even celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Debi Mazar, Princess Nokia, and Vinny Guadagnino submitted their accents for consideration. Here are some of our favorites, as well as the winners.
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While the coronavirus pandemic has quieted the noise of traffic, bars, and late-night rendezvous in the "city that never sleeps", nothing can put an end to the bold sound of a New Yorker tawkin'.

Nicolas Heller, a film director and the "unofficial talent scout of New York City," called on New Yorkers from every borough to submit a video of the best local accent in a wildly popular Instagram contest over the last few weeks.

Do you or someone you know have a great New York accent? WE WANNA HEAR IT! Record video (in feed) of why you have the best NY accent and use the hashtag #BestNYAccent before April 10th for a chance to win. (If you are a brand and interested in donating prizes pls DM me. Even though being crowned with the greatest accent in NY is the best prize of all, it would be great to give out some goodies.) art by @naomiotsu

A post shared by Nicolas Heller (@newyorknico) on Apr 4, 2020 at 7:49am PDTApr 4, 2020 at 7:49am PDT

Celebrities, rappers, children, and local legends all heeded the call and made a plea for why theirs should be considered "da best" in the city. The videos got so big that even Alec Baldwin threw in a submission.

So, you wanna know how to tawk like a New Yawker? Learn from these experts.

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And the No. 1 New York accent went to Charlie da Wolf, otherwise known as "Williamsburg's Oldest Bad Boy," a local legend born and raised in Brooklyn.

But aside from Heller's "boro picks," Heller called on his Instagram followers to pick their top submissions, narrowed down from 24. Second place went to Rob Agri from Brooklyn, whose submission was a poem inspired by the beauty of the contest itself.

Imani Brammer took the best accent for Queens with a story of New York gossip after she ran into people when she was "walkin' to the corner store."

Patrick Morales, aka "Wiki", won the best accent for Manhattan with a submission that said he was "straight Irish with a sprinkle of Italian — doesn't get more New York than that."

For the Bronx, rapper Chase Money Marz took the win with a long-winded story sprinkled with some of the finest New York slang.

Instagram user @slikniktheruler won the best of Brooklyn by saying, "You can tell I'm from New York just by my facial expressions."

The best of Staten Island was Instagram user @yess_fierceness.

But the contest wouldn't be a contest without winners. With the help of Princess Nokia and comedian Michael Rapaport, Heller chose one submission from each part of New York for the "best of boro."

And Vinny Guadagnino from "The Jersey Shore" jumped into the contest with a submission about how his New York accent has never left him, despite traveling the world.

David White, aka "Mr. StarCity," took his submission opportunity to talk about unity within the city, while showing New Yorkers in the background making noise from their apartments to thank healthcare workers.

Elyse DeLucci, from Staten Island and Brooklyn, submitted her video across the street from the Central Park COVID-19 field hospital.

Alicia Napoleon Espinosa, a professional boxer from Long Island, used her submission to talk about the strength of New Yorkers, by singing a version of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," with a coronavirus twist.

Rapper Malibu Mitch from the Bronx used her submission to "do a little story time" and fast talk a New York scenario of hanging out at a friends house.

Debi Mazar from "Entourage" and "Younger" entered the contest by talking about the beauty of the New York accent, and how it's even landed her multiple acting roles.

Rapper Princess Nokia told the story of how her parents met at "Central Park on a warm city day," ended her fast-talking submission with the statement, "Let's be real. You flew here and I grew here."

Sienna Jayde, from Staten Island, explained that she has the best accent because she doesn't know what a "dog" is, she knows what a "dawg" is. And the same goes for "cawfee."

Wayne Diamond, who you might recognize from the movie Uncut Gems, used his submission to talk about why New York is "da best" city in the world. "Be on the streets, be in the houses, parties, clubs... ey! New York is New York."

Alec Baldwin, from Massapequa, New York, got poetic with his submission by reading an excerpt from Julius Caesar with the rough, tough accent of a true Long Islander.

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