Ring the alarm; the local art form is in serious need of transfusion.
Sound the horns, it is time the old guard of the glory days are brought back to pass on the traditions of our unique artform in a proper manner.If one listens to the calypsos of yesteryear, one would hear the distinct differences in the melodies, lyrics, hidden meanings and styles of each year.
Within the past decade the calypsos are similar in rhythm, melody and are lyrically devoid of meaning and belong in outhouses. There are however, soca tunes that do not belong to this category and special mention must be made to artistes such as Maximus Dan, Ken Martin Charles, Ronnie Macintosh, Shadow, Cardinal, and 3 Canal - consistently producing quality songs year after year.
The cross over into the ragga-soca business has gotten out of control. Before you are aware, the music will be more ragga than soca.
Guys.
Girls.
Professionals.
Come on...I think I speak for a lot of Trinbagonians, TriniAmericans, Trinienglishmen and such like when I ask, ‘why isn’t the music sounding more like “All Aboard” - Anthony Prescott’.
Bunji, Benjai, Treason... your music has potential and talent. But you must ask yourself, ‘why, although the music is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide all year ‘round, (in their respective carnival season), it has not been receiving the international flag of billboard respect and recognition that it deserves’.
It is not being packaged properly!
The honchos responsible for categorizing the music of the industry refuse to allot a special category for calypso, and until this happens they have no idea, not a clue, where to position calypso/soca. Is it Disco, R&B, a strange strain of Reggae or is it Hip Hop?
And we are not helping the situation.
We should stop marketing and packaging our music...our heritage, as seasonal music. A compilation or album should incorporate different moods of calypso/soca. A more professional attitude should be adopted.
Trinidadians and Tobagonians were responsible for the materialization of traditional calypso and the calypso tents and competitions. We were responsible, thanks to the late great Ras Shorty I, for the emergence of soca music - which Bajans, Antiguans, Guyanese and other nationals are proudly belting out.
And now we want to ruin our rightful claim to fame with below par, ad hoc, regurgitated, head splitting re-runs, year after year after year.
Come on peeps. Do not waste your talent. Put pen to paper, and stop rushing down the songs. Give us what we deserve, and earn our respect and adoration.
