20061219

Mas on d’ road for 2K7


Culture and Gender Affairs Minister Joan Yuille-Williams finally broke her deafening silence on the controversial and hotly debated topic of Carnival 2007, during yesterday’s special sitting of Parliament, when she announced her plans for T&T’s marquee cultural event which is a mere eight weeks away... read the article online

20061211

Soca 2K7 review - 01

I just browsed one hundred and thirty (130) SOCA tracks on d trot... FWDing the tracks that didn't touch my soul within the first 30 seconds... The same tief a melody here, tief a riddim there.

How many CHORDS does this music use anyway? I keep hearing the same instruments played the same way over and over. Oh gwaam when will these guys stop tiefing other people catch phrases too. RAH RAH RAH!

  • RucuRar Riddim - emanating from a phrase from Sunny Bling rucurar has been made into a riddim by fellow City 94.1 FM announcer Journey. Ziggy Rankin leads with the title track explaining what exactly is a rucurar. Leighanna & RKG, Brown & Journey and Billy d King & Terry Seales also feature.
  • Greatest Riddim - a veteran in his own right Richard 'Char Su' Ahong brings us the riddim that has taken Trinbago by storm. Featuring the 2006 SynergyTV Soca Star Rohan 'Fireball' Richards, Ziggy Rankin, Bitts & Juicy a.ka. Jah Bami, Klass, Jabbi, H2O Phlo, Ghetto Flex, 3 Suns among others.
  • Til Morning Riddim - sounds more like a dancehall riddim than anything else. Lil Rick & Lexxus, Bunji Garlin.
  • Estrogen Riddim - You can guess that this is supposed to be a Woman Empowering thing. Precious, Nadia Batson, Ms. Alysha and Daria.
  • Spiderman Riddim - featuring some lesser known artists like Spiritual, Silver and Mr. Shack, along with Mega Banton, from Jamaica, and singer/songwriter Impulse.
There were quite alot of singles in between these riddims but none have really taken root with me as yet. The only standout so far has been... Patch as usual proves he is more Calypsonian than SOCA artist by Singing Nothing. One of the best offerings that I have heard in a long time. He basically reinforces all that I have asked about the genre.

You can check out DJ Carbon Copy's weekly SOCA chart.

I still have to make my usual SOCA CDs for export though... only need about 50 tracks.

20061208

Experiment in Resonance and Fractal Geometry

just a video that i found... some tones to see in action

20061203

Press Play

Industry respected Remix / Mixtape Kings, Lexxxus Superior get set to drop the mixtape Press Play. The name not that innovative. I guess Lexxxus want us to just do that...

Press Play features HITS that we have grow accustomed to Reggae, Dancehall, Hip-Hop and even Reggaeton. Remixes abound... it would not be a Lexxxus CD if there were not any. Tony Matterhorn 'Dutty Wine's on an 80's riddim... me nah sell out... you have to listen to the CD. I don't think I would have ever though I would have heard Delly Ranx sing alongside Prodigy. I still feel that there are some dated riddims on the CD. The remixes are a welcome change and all I can say is to take a listen. Red Bull & Guiness is the latest riddim here.

Press Play Comes on the heels of the 100% Local Grade Vol.1 featuring the Riddims and Artists from Trinidad & Tobago. You may be able to download both CD samplers here.

1oo% Local Grade Vol.1


Press Play

20061130

RIAA... Shut Down The Internet!

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Wednesday, November 29, 2006

A landmark legal case on behalf of the Recording Industry Association of America and other global trade organizations seeks to criminalize all Internet file sharing of any kind as copyright infringement, effectively shutting down the world wide web - and their argument is supported by the U.S. government.

Read more...

RINSE out yuh ears

gotta big up Skrewface yet again for sending me the link an keeping me informed and entertained. This week I got a Mr. Vegas promo (To The Bank) and then an IM with the link to Rinse.fm stream. I had checked out Rinse.FM before but it came in good time as I was sitting bored at work. Earlier in the year I heard a tune from Rossi B + Luca which reminded me of some music I heard from some guys in Manchester who came for a Sound Exposition.

The music features elements from Electronica to DUB. DJs toasting over some trippy, or should I say GRIMEy beats. Might have you seeing pink elephants if you smoke the right grade... :D.

BUMBOCLAAT.... Coki - Earth A Run Red it ah senn me crazy.
DJ Scientist... I got's to get my GRIME on.

20061126

RudeBwoy Anthems

Ill Inspecta has an album due for release Dec 02 2006 in Japan from P-Vine Records, this comes soon after the success of the RudeBwoy Anthem EP from Germaican Records. 16 tracks featuring 11 completely new tunes.

I first heard Ill Inspecta on a Ward 21 tune, Rude Boy Patrol, that was produced by Pionear from Germaican Records. According to Illi he was never in the studio with Ward but was asked to complete the song. So he finished something to get his start... funny eh! Then came other singles and a combination with Bobby Buster on Germaican riddims.

Early 2006 saw me importing the Burning and Tragedy riddims (Bassrunner) which both had Illi featuring and this is what really got me tuned into this artist. These tunes really showed the talent that was there. Thanks to Black Chariot (Guage) for recognizing this and buying them from me. Then came the RudeBwoy Anthem. My word! This made me remember what turned me onto dancehall music. He followed this up with 2 of my favourite Illi tunes, Lay Dem 2 Rest (Thug Funk / Bassrunner) and Too Bold (Judgement Time / Special Delivery).

As I was developing this bandwagonist concept, he then comes with this album that completely blows me away. I am very pleased to see that Illi has an album under his belt in such a seemingly short time. I know that I have tried to expose him to my republic, but this place has too many other bandwagonist for you to count. Only when Illi makes it big in the US will they recognize the talent; they have yet to bring Gentleman who only has like 3 albums and performances at Sting 2003 and Reggae Sumfest 2006.

For who can get the album, imported or local, buy it!.
ME NAH SUPPORT THE DOWNLOADERS!
It features some of the singles that got Illi his start and some wicked combinations with Lexie Lee and Million Stylez, a Jr. Blender remix, riddims like the Money Bag, Wipe Out, Cure, Messer Banzani, Judgement Time, Thug Funk and Typhoon.

...in the words of Ill Inspecta... inspec' it


Ice Ice Riddim Vol.1

yow me ah wait some months for this riddim sampler to release. I've been listening to Tenor Diamond's "Dem A Dragon' and was mesmerized by the riddim. Big Up Skrewface for first putting me onto KYAAL - "The remix King of Sweden" who produced the riddim.
This initial release from Reggae-Town mainly contains Non-English performances on the riddim. It features 18 cuts from some of Europe's youngSTARS and a couple from the US.
My appetite has been wetted... I yearn for Vol.2... Reggae-Town... Doh Stick...

make sure to leave your reviews @ Reggae-Town's Guestbook

» Ice Ice Riddim Volume 1 Full (90MB .rar) Download
» Genre: Roots
» Year: 2006
» Artists: Various (Germany, Austria, France, Denmark, Spain, UK, USA)
» Label: Reggae-Town Records
» Riddim by: Kyaal

20061125

batty bwoy???

As I recognize the lyricists in Esco & Leftside / Dr. Evil I still am dumbfounded by the homophobia that exists with many Black Caribbean Dancehall Artists. One of his latest offerings, that is apparently a HIT all over the Caribbean; I even had a friend in Canada ask me who sang the song, clearly shows that there is some way to go if dancehall is to truly get mainstream acceptance. Is this song a clear representation of what the average Jamaican thinks. I ask this because Esco is a Jamaican. Are these the values that he was brought up to believe? Are the Caribbean people really gonna keep promoting this culture and not believing in acceptance.

There was a recent article in the Jamaica Star which asked some Dancehall Artist about this phenomena of word association. Cleary avoiding the use of words that seemingly have male or homosexual associations is a challenge.

I will keep iterating that I truly admire the poetry... undeniable flow and sense of humour, but still wonder if this is the mentality that dancehall will continue spewing.

Stay Far - Dr. Evil (Top Class Bullet Riddim 2006)

A wha happen to some boy, me nuh know eh nuh, a walk bout wi dem bloodclaat faggot self a wha happen to dem dem think a bumboclaat foreign dis a wah do dem yow leggo bout ya

Chorus
Batty boys they need fi stay far from we(dem fi gweh)
Cause wi nuh inna wha dem inna (No)
pussy a weh buddy fi a go inna
for eva

Right Mini-Me

Verse 1
Vagina was made for the penis
not penis for penis, not penis for anus
Adam was made for eve, he was not made for Steve (no)
No if, no but, no maybe's
dick and butts will make no babies
Man to man is so unjust (yup)
man to man just bring disgust (whoa)
I don't even like the word bottom
never gonna get to the bottom of things
never gonna hit rock bottom
never gonna go to the bottom of a stream
I don't like Marvin Gaye, why is her name peta-gay
If i should sprain my ankle I will neva use Bengay
Dem fi gweh

Chorus x2

Verse 2
Testing testing 1,3
dont test 2 you will get slew
we check females not email
at yahoo no hotmail
not manley I'm not edna or norman thats not normal
those guys that say there are mormons... MORE WOMAN!

Chorus x2



The line which says we check females not email amuses me because it reminds me of a joke Jamaican Comedian BLAKKA uses in his act. He uses the word females as 'Fe Males' meaning for males. This is a far cry from the way in which Leftside seeks to use the meaning.

20061124

this bandwagonist's concept

I embarked on this project to voice my opinion and to impart knowledge. I like hearing about new talent and listening to what they have to offer. I have become very disenfranchised with the music industry, among other things, especially where i come from in Trinidad & Tobago. If you don't sing SOCA, you are not recognized for your achievement until someone on the international scene does it, you dead or BOTH.

I would love to support my local artists but many seem to be looking for that quick dollar. They release burned CDs that cost less than TT$30 to manufacture, and want to sell it for TT$100 and more, when I can get a Glass Replicated CD for the same price; sometimes cheaper if I import them myself, or even get a compilation from the Cassette Man on the corner who has the same quality product; who me nah promote.

Many an artist can not depend on album sales to make their living. Live Shows / Performances, DUB Plates and other business ventures is where they have to look. Invest in yourself. Jay-Z says it best... "I'm not a 'business man', I'm a business... man!" That's what we all have to see ourselves as. Businesses. Constantly marketing ourselves. Constantly improving what we have to offer.

The end all of this blog will be my opinions. My take on a situation / artist / song lyric. Music is Life. GUiDANCE...

Large Up Mr. Vegas


... artist of the year? Mr.Vegas has come back with a renewed vengance with songs that relate to everyone. It reminds me of Beenie Man when he said he was an entertainer; singing for everybody, singing what people wanted to hear be it christian or rastafari... even meeting and greeting RUPAUL. Vegas is in a different vein still though, really sticking to core values and not 'pop'pin down the music. He has my vote for artist of the year...

Persistance is to try


Norris Man has definitely lived by his mantra and he is now reaping the rewards. Having one of the BIGger tunes on the Redbull & Giunness riddim he has certainly reminded us why he is still a force to be reckoned with.

a little history

foundation member of Long John Silva.... the movement outa Trincity. play in nuff dance along the East West corridor. started 12TENrecordstop selling records (to the few who cherish vinyl) and looking to continue in 2007.

I(AV) did closed circuit camera work for UB40 and Richard Marx (when they came to perform in Trinidad), major Carnival fetes and other functions through the year.