Island Vybe! Site

The Bisquenkay Bicycle Dash to the Finish: Two Amigos Bucky & Boyo

By Ananda/Sokah2Soca

in Blog

May 01, 2025

The 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!

Today, on social media, I saw Nailah Blackman explaining Trini words to her fans. One of my Trini co-workers said she had never heard of the word "Bisquenkay." These "booleg-Trins" are truly unique and just hilarious! I explained the meaning and decided to have a little fun with the word. A story set in Trinidad in the sixties should help...enjoy the read.

Bisquenkay

The word bisquenkay (also spelled biskwankay, biskankay) is a little-known gem of Trini slang. We use it to describe something—or someone—that's twisted, falling apart, or just not quite right. Think of it as the perfect descriptor for anything that looks awkward, bent up, or like it got a good cut-arse and never recovered properly. @Triniinxisle with minimal changes by Santiwah.

The names in the story are those of my childhood friends who lived on Olton Road in Arima. I learned to ride a bike by going downhill with help from my neighbor Gerald Samuel, aka "Cheezy." This story comes to you in vivid dreamscape Triniglish (Trinidad English), not the Queen's English!

Story Time (language in everyday Trini dialect):

It was a bright Sunday morning on Olton Road, in my hometown of Arima. It was the kind of morning when de roosters were crowing with their chests reaching out as if to catch the sun's rays, de bread van passing early, and everybody was getting ready to head to church—or at least pretending they were going. Back in the day it was typical to walk to the parlor to get the Express and Guardian, sit 'on the corner block' and read the de news. In de corner of meh eyes ah could see Bucky walking to me.

Bucky, a young man widely known for his ambitious plans, was well known primarily for his wickedly outlandish bicycle, a genuine bisquenkay contraption. De frame bend like it get licks from a mad bull, de handle wobbling like it afraid to make decisions, and de seat? Well, let’s just say yuh might be better off standing. I wouldn't try to ride that bike even if they paid meh.

But Bucky loved dat bicycle real bad, and despite all de ole-talk and ridicule, he swore it wasde fastest ting on two wheels. In his usual braggadocious style, he boldly exclaimed, "Eh-eh, I challenging anybody!" He’d boast, "This bicycle could outrun even old Mr. John's donkey cart!" Really? Is that believable? Hey Miss Thelma loved every inch of that man eh? We caught them in de river having the time of their lives... but that is a different story!

The story continues: it was a beautiful and sunny Saturday morning at the beginning of the weekend, and Bucky was determined to prove himself, as was his usual braggadocious style. He lined up at de top of de hill, ready to race against Boyo (nickname for my son when he was a likkle ting/added just for fun), de fastest sprinter in de village. "First man to reach Miss Tilda's shop (Mrs. Utilda Collinwood) wins and de loser have to buy ah red solo and coconut drops" Bucky shouted excitedly.

People start to appear like ants to a sugar trail. The scene was like Glosho whe whe pool drawing; bets were placed. Boyo flexes his ankles. Bucky tightened his grip on de bisquenkay bicycle handle.

"Ready, set, GO!" No, no, wait, wait, wait! Bucky shouted. Ah have to straighten de handle. Choops and groans were heard as Boyo had to return to de start line.

Yuh loose, shouted Boyo. Nah, nah, nah... false start!

Okay, dey ready to race again! Ready, setty goooooo! Boyo take off like a rocket, but Bucky jumped on he bicycle, and for a brief, beautiful moment—it looked like he was winning.

Then disaster strike, jus-so. Dat rickety bike claimed its victim. The rickety bike gods were about to victimize Bucky, the youth who had given it his all to assemble that bike. That's what you get for riding a bisquenkay bike!

De bicycle start to shake, de chain skip a beat, de wheels start to move in two different directions, and next ting yuh know, brap, jus' like that, Bucky foot slip, de handle bar turn unexpectedly, his balls hit the bar on the bike (groan), and he fly straight into a roadside stall set up by Saint Lucian Elford, selling mangoes. De crash knocked over the transistor radio that was tuned in to Rediffusion radio playing a humorous Calypso by Spoiler, "Believe it or Not ?." What ah thing indeed! It was a sight to behold, and yes, it was something real, and believe it or not, I am here to recount the story.

Mangoes burst. People scream. De boys bawl, oh gawd oh! Old ladies hold dey head. Miss Maude cried, Jesus save de chile! Everybody ran to the mango stand to check on Bucky. Some were doing that, and some were thieving mangoes... it was chaos, but all's well that ends well. Everybody forgot what they ran to the mango stall for in the first place... the sweetness of the mangoes left Bucky in de dust!

And Bucky? Busted mango stains on he clothes, bruised and limping, he picked up his bisquenkay bicycle, straightened de handlebars like nothing happened, and say, "Well...at least I reached first in de mango shop, oui." Boyo, being a good sport, put his arm over Bucky's shoulders and said, leh we go and get that red Solo and coconut drops. The bike wheels squeaked as they walked to the parlor. It was a sight to behold.

Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.

Our goal is to promote Caribbean culture, musicians, and music producers. We are able to honor and promote the rich sounds and tales of the Caribbean thanks to your support. Together, we can ensure that this rich cultural legacy continues to reach a wider audience and foster creativity and connections. While you should always buy music for sale, you should avoid sharing promotional music because it denies songwriters, producers, and artists important revenue. Please be aware that all of our posts are available online through social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud. We recommend exploring your favorite content on FeedSpot/RSS Feed, Threads, Bluesky, and Twitter/X, including email subscriptions. Thank you in advance.

Production Notes/Music Credits:

Song Title: Believe It or Not

Singer: Spoiler

Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago

Year: 1954

Genre: Calypso

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/.

♫ Please click the music player button below to listen now (a small triangle in the music player/TV frame).

I Love Soca 2025 - Carnival Tabanca @DJ Philatrini: Your post-Carnival Elixir

By Ananda/Sokah2Soca

in Blog

May 01, 2025

The 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!

Say it isn't so, but if that is the case, we have a cure for those post-Carnival blues! The only way to shake off what is known as Carnival-Tabanca is to immerse yourself in sweet Soca music once again. Today, we present an excellent mixtape designed for those seeking relief from post-Carnival depression. DJ Philatrini, one of our favorite DJs from Island Vybe Philly Radio and a true friend of Sokah2Soca, is here to meet your needs and help chase away that dreaded "Carnival Tabanca" with his latest mixtape: I Love Soca—2025 Carnival Tabanca.

Like we said, the key is to keep the music playing, and this mixtape is filled with sweet Soca tunes. This mixtape features some of the best Soca vibes for Carnival 2025 in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s important to note that this curated master mix promises to keep the Carnival spirit alive all year long! Additionally, the festivities and travel opportunities to the diaspora and North America provide numerous chances to celebrate our Caribbean culture! Look for DJ Philatrini in a venue near you... coming soon!

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and press play to enjoy some sweet Soca vibes. You can either head over to SoundCloud to stream it now or play it right here on Sokah2Soca. Remember, Philatrini has more mixes available for your listening pleasure on his SoundCloud page. Furthermore, be sure to tune in to Island Vybe Philly Radio to catch this talented DJ.

Finally, Soca family and Island Vybe Philly Radio listeners, let's show DJ Philatrini how much we appreciate his mix mastery and, more importantly, his music selections. Press play and get ready to whine down low to his epic soundtrack! As the beats drop and the rhythm takes over, let the vibrant energy of the music transport you to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. So, turn up the volume and feel the island vibes fill the room! ??????

Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.

Production Notes/Music Credits:

Mixtape Title: I Love Soca: 2025 Carnival Tabanca

Curated and mixed by: DJ Philatrini

Origin: Philadelphia, USA

Genre: Soca

♫ Please click the music player button below to listen now (a small triangle in the music player/TV frame).

dj PhilaTrini · I Love Soca 2025 - Carnival Tabanca Kes, Patrice, Lyrikal, Machel, TrinidadKilla, YungBredda, Nadia

Get Ready for Antigua Carnival 2025: Tian Winter's "Coming Alive" is Here to Energize the Road

By Ananda/Sokah2Soca

in Blog

May 01, 2025

The 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!

It's that time again, and today we are sharing new music for the upcoming summer carnivals, catering to those who are planning to travel to the islands for the 2025 carnival season. Today, the wait is over! Tian Winter has released a banger for Antigua and Barbuda Carnival 2025. The song is full of energy and comes with a feel-good vibe. Produced by ShakerHD & DJ Desktop and co-written by Patrick "Pahjo" Joseph and Tian Winter, "Coming Alive" is about to tune up the music scene in Antigua and Barbuda and hopefully transition over to North America.

This exciting song, recorded at Cadence Studio, brings the energy with high-powered beats and the spirit of carnival. We have a positive feeling about this music release and can only imagine the people on the road jumping up to "Coming Alive." We have always admired the smooth vocals of Tian Winter, but for this one, he lets loose and brings the energy needed for those who would be attending fetes across Antigua and Barbuda. Could this one be the Road March winner? Let's wait and see how the radio DJs and party animals react to the music release before we can officially declare this as a contender for Road March honors.

So get ready to party and have a lot of fun with this action-filled music release. "Coming Alive" will undoubtedly make an appearance at a festival near you! So are you ready to have a good time? Are you ready to fête? Well, what are you waiting for? Pump up the volume and start 'coming alive' for Carnival 2025 in Antigua and Barbuda!

Notes from the artist's YouTube page:

Tian Winter is back with a brand-new Soca anthem, “Coming Alive.” Bursting with a feel-good vibe and unstoppable energy, this high-powered track is all about living in the moment and letting the music take over.

Made for the road, the fête, and everything in between, “Coming Alive” is the sound of Soca season leveling up. Get ready to wave your flags and come alive!

Let us spread awareness of the Caribbean diaspora's culture.

Production Notes/Music Credits:

Artist/Performed by: Tian Winter

Written by: Patrick "Pahjo“ Joseph & Tian Winter

Produced by: ShakerHD & DJ Desktop

Guitars: Kyle Peters

Additional Drums: Javier Jarvis

Background: Peter “ WildFire” Noel & Valene Nedd

Recorded At: Cadence Studio

Mixed by: ShakerHD

Mastered by: Precision Productions

Artwork by: Bmatt

Visualizer by: ChippyG

Origin: Antigua and Barbuda

Genre: Soca

♫ Please click the music player button below to listen now (a small triangle in the music player/TV frame).

Tian Winter's Bonus Track, "Antigua Mas."

DJ Turito's La Hora Loca: Groovy Soca Hits Playlist 2025 Vol. 1

By Ananda/Sokah2Soca

in Blog

May 01, 2025

The 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!

It's Easter Sunday, and you may be going to or from church. West Indians can walk and chew gum at the same time, but since it is Easter, we will tone down the music and deliver a Groove Soca mixtape. This release is "The Groovy Must Play Vol. 1" by DJ Turito.

Now let's go on a musical journey together; let's navigate the diverse beats of some of the Caribbean's finest Soca stars. We present a mixtape that was expertly curated and mixed by one of Maryland's finest, DJ Turito. Maryland residents should be proud of one of their sons' work.

So what are you waiting for? Press play and start enjoying some sweet Groove Soca music. The music will show you that this mixtape connects you to the Caribbean. If Grandma's in the car, turn up the music, but be nice and tell her the groove will take her home.

Let the rhythms transport you as you reminisce about family gatherings and sunny days on the beach. It's a celebration of culture and heritage that everyone can enjoy, so let the positive vibes flow and dance like nobody's watching!

Song on the MixTape