The Calypso Conundrum: Can We Really Choose a Top Ten of All Time?
By Ananda/Sokah2SocaThe content was first published on the blog Sokah2Soca (www.sokah2soca.com). We bring you only the best new music, while Island Vybe Radio rocks it live on the air!
- Preservation of Legacy: It spotlights legendary artists and timeless messages. So true, and for that reason, Sokah2Soca is here, on the other side of the coin, with WACK Visual Radio.
- Cultural Education: New generations get a guided tour of lyrical brilliance. This generation's lack of familiarity with calypso is so profound that it could almost be considered a sin.
- Celebration of Craft: It honors songwriting, performance, and ingenuity. Personally, I don't think songwriters receive the credit they deserve. Most of the time, you are unaware of who wrote the song, and the singer receives the credit. That is a travesty. Another thing is that the music arrangement/creative process is lost, and the singer gets all the praise.
- Subjectivity is deeply ingrained: what resonates in Port of Spain may not resonate in Bridgetown or Brooklyn. Mr. Desmond must accept this reality. If he is creating a "Top 10" for Trinidad and Tobago, fine. Then again, callers to the station like "De Alcoholic" and historians like Steven will share bois for sure when he announces his "Top 10."
- Time Bias: Do we weigh the classics from the 50s and 60s more than modern genius? This is a real dilemma, for sure. Every generation has its unique moments of brilliance, so how can we select the top performers across the decades? Technology and population size matter, don't they?
- Exclusion Hurts: Narrowing to ten means omitting beloved voices—and fans will notice. Not only will this cause hurt feelings, but Trinidadians collectively believe they possess a deeper understanding of calypso, steelband, and soca than their neighbors, a fact that is often overlooked!
- “Jean and Dinah”—The Mighty Sparrow
- “Rum and Coca-Cola” —Lord Invader
- “The Road”—Lord Kitchener
- “Die with my Dignity” —Singing Sandra
- “The Caribbean Man”—Black Stalin
- “High Mass” —David Rudder
- “Portrait of Trinidad” —Sniper
- “Bassman”—Shadow
- “Progress”—King Austin
- “Sugar Bum Bum” —Lord Kitchener
- “Lorraine”—Explainer
- “Bun Dem”—Stalin
- “In Time to Come” —Crazy
- “Endless Vibrations”—Lord Shorty
- “This Melody Sweet”—Baron
- “Soucouyant”—Crazy
- “Free Up”—Tambu (Christopher Herbert)
- “Rock It”—Merchant
- Woman on the Bass—Scrunter
I was hoping to include a mixtape from Mr. Desmond in the post, but I haven't heard back from him yet. If he does send a mix, I will add it to the post. In the meantime, I've included a YouTube video featuring several well-known classic calypsos. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Carnival Is Caribbean: Celebrating the Spirit of Haiti Through TiMillien’s “Fe Bwa Kale Pale”
By Ananda/Sokah2SocaThe content was first published on the blog Sokah2Soca (www.sokah2soca.com). We bring you only the best new music, while Island Vybe Radio rocks it live on the air!
Rome Drops "Bara"—and It's Got Double the Meaning, Double the Vibes
By Ananda/Sokah2SocaThe blog Sokah2Soca (www.sokah2soca.com) first published the content. We bring you only the best new music, while Island Vybe Radio rocks it live on the air!
This song is 'good trouble.' You know it’s trouble (again, we are talking about the good kind) when Rome links up with XplicitMevon, Stemz, and Jonsey. The result? “Bara”—a tune as cheeky as it is groovy. With production that bubbles like a fresh pot of Saturday soup and lyrics that wink at you through the speaker, this track is pure joy in musical form.
Jonesy was cheeky with his lyrics for this song... yes, double entendre for proper measure. “Bara” plays with language in a way that’s oh-so-Rome. You’ll be grinning one minute and blushing the next—if you catch the double meaning, that is. And when Rome starts singing? Instant serotonin. The delivery is playful and mischievous. It’ll lift your mood faster than a sunrise behind Maracas Bay.
XplicitMevon meticulously blended the song to perfection, and NMG Music provided the final mastering touch. “Bara” isn’t just a song—it’s an infectious mood. Whether you’re two-stepping in your kitchen or chipping down a road in your mind, this one will have you moving. Rome is a unique individual who not only captures your attention through his music, but also inspires you to dance.
Bouyon’s Brighter Beat: DJ Sleem’s Mixtape Sets the Bar for Global-Ready Sound
By Ananda/Sokah2SocaThe content was first published on the blog Sokah2Soca (www.sokah2soca.com). We bring you only the best new music, while Island Vybe Radio rocks it live on the air!
- Shelly & Signal Band - Bye To The Old Me
- Quan, Little Boy, Trilla G, Nailah Blackman—Someone Else (D-Jam Mashup)
- Trilla G—Take Me As I Am
- Quan, Little Boy—Your Friend Ft. Freddy
- Unstoppable Shax, Reo, Trilla G, Nice & Quan Dawg—Without You
- Quan, Little Boy—Fell For You
- Reo OkBoom—You Mad (DJ Sleem Dubplate)
- Ridge & Sukie—Alexsis
- Triple Kay—Allu Like That
- Shelly & Signal Band - Calendar Riddim 2024
- Quan, Little Boy & Taffy—Leaving
- Shelly & Signal Band - Yes Baby
- Shelly & Signal Band—Passing
- Khallion—Put That On That (DJ Sleem Dubplate)
- Reo OkBoom—P12345678
- Faithii—His Superstar
- Unstoppable Shax & Trilla G—No Handouts