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How the Language of Jamaica Became Mainstream — Repeating Islands
[Many thanks to Peter Jordens for bringing this item to our attention.] Eternity Martis (The Fader, 1 September 2016) writes about the trajectory of patois on the global stage concluding that “more than just slang—it’s a language of freedom.” [. . .] Patois, as well as its hybridized diasporic slang, is a language used by […]…
One Caribbean Music Festival: The Kartel Debate in Trinidad
BySoyiniTrinidadians are being chastised for not learning the lessons of the pandemic. Cultural Studies Lecturer Dr. Kai Barratt says the One Caribbean Music Festival featuring Dancehall artist Adija Palmer aka Vybz Kartel is a type of insecurity that exists in this country for foreign validation. The organisers say the show which is scheduled for Carnival…
BussHead: The Video
BySoyini[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McPMyu5_3TI?rel=0&w=560&h=315] I’ve been waiting for this video to be released for so many months now. I’d heard snippets from the set from the Producer, and some of the co-ordinators, and have waited with baited breath for its release and finally it’s out. The video released on The Fader Friday. My friend Laura at LoopTT…
A Caribbean Culture Reader
BySoyiniMeagan Sylvester shared this on her page last September 2nd. It popped up in my Facebook reminder and I thought, that this is the best place to post it, because it’s such a great list of papers and essays on our music and Carnival customs etc. So without further adieu: Mason, Peter. 1998. Bacchanal? The…
For Your Grammy Consideration
BySoyiniBetween October 3rd -15th Grammy voters are shifting through all the songs and spoken word pieces that were submitted for the 2026 awards. This year Trinidadian singer/ songwriters have really submitted songs that may receive the coveted nods. Close to 30 artistes in over 20 categories have put their music, and one spoken work piece…
- Carnival | Culture | Music | Uncategorized
Dancehall vs Soca
There’s a conversation that takes place in Jamaica about Dancehall versus Soca very regularly. And that conversation gets very heated around Jamaica Carnival. It’s a hard conversation for me to listen to, because having lived in Jamaica – I studied at UWI, Mona – I hear the xenophobia in the comments. Too often when Jamaican…