“No Conscience”: A Calypso Lament for a Society Losing Its Way
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 25, 2025
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
This captivating calypso, arguably a timeless song, resonates deeply with listeners, fostering contemplation and discussion about moral integrity and collective responsibility. Ah, collective responsibility seems wrapped up in selfish ideals. In today's world, with so much bitterness and narrow-minded individuals, it's vital to remember the importance of standing up for the voiceless and nurturing a society built on compassion and justice.
“No Conscience” is a straight, hard‑hitting calypso from Kerice Pascall, written by Kurt Allen and produced by Kenny Phillips at KMP Music Studios. The song calls out a society where wrongdoers move bold and unbothered and where empathy seems to be fading fast. As the older folks would say, "they are too damn salop!"
Kerice sings about a world on the verge of collapse, highlighting failing systems, growing indifference, and individuals ignoring abuse and injustice. The idea of building on "sinking sand" deepens the sense of collapse. Furthermore, it’s a reminder that when conscience disappears, everything else starts to collapse. “No Conscience” identifies and rightly condemns those who cover up abuse and wrongdoing. The lyrical master shines with this Calypso poetry.
This composition, written by our modern-day griot, Last Bardjohn of Calypso, is calypso doing what calypso does best—holding up a mirror and urging us to do better. We approve of the message, love the emotion of the singer and approve of the production. Now, let's act as if we are in the revered calypso tent and say, "Kaiso, Kaiso?" Yes, Kaiso!
“No Conscience” is a straight, hard‑hitting calypso from Kerice Pascall, written by Kurt Allen and produced by Kenny Phillips at KMP Music Studios. The song calls out a society where wrongdoers move bold and unbothered and where empathy seems to be fading fast. As the older folks would say, "they are too damn salop!"
Kerice sings about a world on the verge of collapse, highlighting failing systems, growing indifference, and individuals ignoring abuse and injustice. The idea of building on "sinking sand" deepens the sense of collapse. Furthermore, it’s a reminder that when conscience disappears, everything else starts to collapse. “No Conscience” identifies and rightly condemns those who cover up abuse and wrongdoing. The lyrical master shines with this Calypso poetry.
This composition, written by our modern-day griot, Last Bardjohn of Calypso, is calypso doing what calypso does best—holding up a mirror and urging us to do better. We approve of the message, love the emotion of the singer and approve of the production. Now, let's act as if we are in the revered calypso tent and say, "Kaiso, Kaiso?" Yes, Kaiso!
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: No Conscience
Artist/Performed by: Kerice Pascall
Written by: Kurt "Bardjohn" Allen
Arranged and produced by: Kenny Phillips
Keyboard: Reul Lynch
Bass: Rodney Alexander
Background Vocals: Tricia Hamilton
Recorded at: K.M.P. Music Lab Studio
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Calypso ??
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
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Jouvay Memories and Misplaced Criticism: Defending Benjai’s “Drivah”
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 25, 2025
Dive deeper into Caribbean music and culture at Sokah2Soca—your go-to source for Soca, Calypso, and Carnival coverage. First published on Sokah2Soca, now streaming live via Island Vybe Radio.
Life is funny, yes—but people can be cruel in ways that still surprise you. I came across Benjai’s new track, “Drivah,” and while it’s a simple song on the surface, the lyrics capture a very real moment: a Jouvay morning in Trinidad, one of those fleeting, unforgettable slices of Carnival life.
So what’s the issue?
Someone decided to jump onto the YouTube page for the song and leave some truly unkind comments—about the track, about the artist, and about the whole vibe. And it made me pause.
What purpose does music, particularly Carnival music, serve?
Isn’t it about the feeling? The freedom? Isn't it about the memory it unlocks? Damn, think about the way a melody can take you back into the cool darkness before sunrise, paint and powder in the air, chipping behind a truck with strangers who feel like family?
If a song doesn’t move you, that’s fine. Say it’s not for you and keep it moving. But disrespect? That’s unnecessary. Every song—whether you love it or not—takes work, time, creativity, and money. And in this case, it also carries cultural memory.
“Drivah” was produced by GusBus and written and performed by Rodney Le Blanc (Benjai). Personally, I appreciate the relaxed, unhurried vibe of the track. It’s not trying to be anything other than what it is: a small story, a snapshot, a reminder of a moment that anyone who has ever experienced Jouvay in the islands can instantly recognize.
Not every Carnival song needs to be a power soca anthem or a road‑march contender. Sometimes the beauty lies in the simplicity—the way a tune can vividly depict a scene and evoke a smile because you've experienced it before.
And that, to me, is the real value of “Drivah.”
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Drivah
Artist/Performed by: Benjai
Written by: Rodney Le Blanc (Benjai)
Produced by: GusBus
Engineered (Mixed & Mastered) by: Johann Seaton & Simon Lettsome Jr.
Label: GusBus Records, under exclusive license to Diaspora Sound.
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Soca ?
?Listen. Share. Amplify. Our artists embody culture not only during Carnival but also on a daily basis. Sokah2Soca—Where Rhythm Lives and Calypso, Steelband Music, and Soca are thriving!
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
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Roxy Singh Echoes the People’s Frustration in “Enough is Enough”
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 24, 2025
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
A calypso calling Parliament/Parliamentarians to account
Roxy Singh steps into the 2026 calypso conversation with “Enough is Enough,” a song that echoes the spirit of Lystra Nurse’s Dream Sellers while carving its own path. Instead of targeting campaign‑trail promises or the usual political theatrics, Roxy goes straight to the source—the Parliamentarians themselves, the elected officials who hold real power and too often forget who they are meant to serve.
Written by Mr. Treldon Layne and produced, mixed, and mastered by Ebony Sound Factory out of Moruga, Trinidad, this calypso is built on a foundation of accountability. Roxy calls out the cycle of promises, self‑interest, and political convenience that has become “politics as usual.” Her delivery is earnest, her message pointed, and her focus unwavering: leadership must answer to the people.
Yet, for all its clarity and conviction, Enough is Enough feels like one of those calypsos that may struggle to find favor with judges or even the wider listening public. It’s socially conscious, yes—but not flashy, not theatrical, and not engineered for competition. It’s a truth‑telling calypso in a season that often rewards spectacle over substance. After all is said and done... it's showtime, and that, right there is the problem!
Still, songs like this matter. They keep the tradition honest. They remind us that calypso’s backbone has always been commentary, courage, and calling things by name.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Enough is Enough
Artist/Performed by: Roxy Singh
Written by: Mr. Treldon Layne.
Produced, mixed, and mastered by: Ebony Sound Factory, Moruga.
Guitar: Mr. Kyle Peters.
Horns Recorded and Co-Arranged by: Mr. Garvin Marcelle at G Note Recording Studio, Fyzabad.
Trumpet: Mr. Charles Williams.
Trombone: Mr. David Jacob.
Background vocals: Roxy Singh.
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Calypso ?
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV Frame).
Rivaldo London Flips the Proverb: When Loyalty Beats Blood in “Water Thicker”
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 24, 2025
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
In the Caribbean, as well as in many other cultures, proverbs influence the way people think. For that reason the calypsonian can bring relevant insight into the root of family dynamics and the relations that evolve from those relationships. Step in Rivaldo London; the young man comes with a bold correction to one of the Caribbean’s most sacred sayings. Rivaldo London's new calypso, "Water Thicker," challenges the traditional notion that blood is more powerful than water, revealing a truth that many understand but few dare to express: often, those who share your DNA are the first to vanish when you most need them.
I listened to this calypso while traveling from New York to Hampshire College in Massachusetts on Saturday, but I only decided to do the post tonight. I was impressed with the maturity and delivery of the song by Rivaldo. And, I was impressed because this calypso is overflowing with wisdom and Rivaldo makes it clear—loyalty is not guaranteed by lineage, and family ties can be as conditional as the weather! This principle also applies to friends and family who are not always reliable. In his telling, water—the friends, mentors, neighbors, and chosen kin who stand by you—often proves stronger, purer, and more dependable than the blood relatives who only show up when there’s something to gain.
This is classic calypso territory: social commentary wrapped in melody, truth delivered with rhythm, and a message sharpened by lived experience. And Rivaldo handles it with the maturity of a man who has watched enough family politics to know that love and loyalty don’t always share the same surname.
Co‑arranged by the legendary Kenny Phillips, Water Thicker carries the unmistakable stamp of real calypso craftsmanship. Live instruments breathe through the arrangement—brass lines with authority, percussion with heartbeat, and bass with intention. Nothing here feels synthetic or mass‑produced. The result is a calypso built the old way, with hands, ears, and decades of cultural memory guiding every bar.
And Rivaldo’s delivery? Confident. Clear. Monarch‑ready. He sings like a man who knows exactly what stage he’s aiming for—and exactly what crown he intends to claim. Let me tell you, Rivaldo's voice and vocal delivery are smooth and silky. He will be a problem for this upcoming Calypso Monarch season.
Water Thicker feels like a finalist before the judges even take their seats. The message is strong, the production is clean, and the authenticity is undeniable. Rivaldo isn’t just challenging a proverb; he’s challenging the audience to rethink who really stands with them when the music stops.
This calypso is one to watch. This is one we endorse. The result is calypso doing what calypso was born to do—tell the truth, even when the truth cuts deep.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Water Thicker
Artist/Performed by: Rivaldo London
Written by: Rivaldo London
Arranged by: Kenny Phillips and Rivaldo London
Keyboard—Emile Fortune
Guitars—Kenny Phillips
Bass—Master Rodney Alexander
Drum Kit—Charles Williams
Sax—Oral Rodriguez
Trombone—David Jacob
Background vocals—Tricia Hamilton
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Calypso
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV Frame).

