by Arley Gill
I grew up listening to dancehall artistes such as Bounty Killer and Beenie Man. As a youngster, I flaunted my moves and truly appreciated the sounds and vibes coming out of Jamaica.
When the 2 superstars clashed recently — it was pure nostalgia and the dancehall battle was one for the ages! Regardless of whose side of the battle you were on — in the end — reggae music won!
The songs these 2 iconic artistes belted out a few weeks ago — the hits, the lyrics, the variety of sounds and the pure enjoyment and humour — made it truly a night that I will always remember.
However, as a lover of calypso and soca music, I am wondering — how can we bring soca artistes and audiences together in the age of limited travel, social distancing and the rise of virtual entertainment?
Days after the dancehall battle, I listened to several Jamaican commentators and the issues that were being discussed focused on Jamaica’s commitment to the growth of reggae music, and a recognition that much more still needs to be done to capitalise on the economic potential of the genre.
This sentiment was reflected in a statement by Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaica’s Entertainment and Culture Minister, when she committed to redoubling her efforts to promote reggae music.
This is an important lesson for us, in the Eastern Caribbean, where we are known for soca music but we continue to struggle to establish soca as a global brand.
The onset of Covid-19 presents many opportunities; let us seize those opportunities. Let’s bring soca music to new audiences. Now is the time to be bold; to bring our best soca music and brightest soca artistes to soca lovers and soon-to-be-soca lovers — wherever they are in the world.
However, I believe that to effectively globalise soca music, we must come together and strategise on ways to overcome logistical challenges and make soca music adaptable to this new “normal”. Of course, it will not be the same but it will definitely spark interests among old and new soca lovers.
This proposition to find new avenues to promote soca music is not being made lightly. I am well aware that the cancellation of carnivals, including Spicemas in Grenada, means that millions of dollars will not flow into government treasuries this year.
For Grenada and many other Caribbean nations, carnival is our most financially successful tourism product. Carnival brings thousands of visitors to our shores — and once on island — visitors rent vehicles and hotel rooms; they support local food vendors and other entrepreneurs. I can only imagine the distress that individuals, whose livelihood depends on carnival activities, might be experiencing right now.
Governments should figure out ways to support individuals and businesses that rely on the carnival industry, if we are serious about making carnival a sustainable tourism product.
And, it is heartening to learn that the Eastern Caribbean Copyright Association (ECCO) will be making a payment to its members. This, no doubt, will ease some of the financial strain on artistes. But, what about artistes who are not ECCO members?
We must recognise that the music industry is artiste-driven — financial returns depend on the output of an individual artiste and this is true for the entire music industry.
However, in my musings, I cannot help but imagine that after Covid-19, soca artistes may need to re-evaluate their relationship with — and approach to — the music industry. For example, those who are not current members of a copyright society may need to consider joining one; and, artistes without financial investments may want to consider leveraging their music and brand to earn additional revenue without going on stage.
In addition, the government should play its part and continue creating a supportive environment that would allow our creative industry to flourish. This may include developing the legislative framework to protect and promote the work of artistes; enabling the development of additional platforms for paid performances; and, encouraging the National Insurance Scheme or a similar body to develop a benefits-type programme that artistes (and may I say national athletes too) can pay into — if no such programme currently exists. Such a benefit programme will provide economic security to artistes (and athletes) over the long haul.
Moving forward, culture lovers must seize this opportunity to explore and innovate, finding ways to bring soca music to the wider global stage. As the Black Stalin sings, this is the time to “look on the brighter side”.
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I think one way to get the wider world to recognise soca is for soca artists to do more collabs on the international scene with some of the big names in the music industry or have like a version of Reggae Sumfest and you invite some international superstars to perform except it won’t be in Jamaica but on one of the other islands. Don’t get me wrong I love soca and lots of people around the world love it too but the focus should be on drawing more attention to it and what better way to do it than to use some of the music industries giants to help promote it? Soca artists will need to be more versatile also.
It seems that we, Indigenous Grenadians, have not learned any lessons of importance from this COVID crisis. Based on this commentary, it looks like it will be back to business as usual: irresponsibility, noise pollution, drugs and alcohol abuse, wining and jamming, ill-discipline and anything that we can think about that is non-constructive and nonsensical.
It is often said that when the tide is low, people’s nakedness gets exposed. The nakedness of our condition on this island was in plain sight for all of us to see during this COVID crisis. For decades, we have spent most of our energies focusing on carnival, tourism and any and everything that made no sense. If someone could show me one problem that we have truly solved in a sustainable way, without the creation of bigger problems, by promoting carnival and tourism, I stand ready to be corrected.
From reading this commentary, it seems that there is a huge misconception as to what culture is. During our school days, we were told that culture is the way of life of people. However, culture is really what a person does minute by minute, day by day, and it varies from person to person within a population.
While on the topic of culture, the bigger question should be why is there a need to have a culture. The main reason why anyone should have a culture is to solve problems.
Since the so-called culture that we now have and adulate is one that is fickle, primitive, non-constructive, and non-nonsensical, our main focus following this COVID crisis should be to look at ways to change it, no matter how long it existed or has been worshipped.
We should examine all of the things in our lives that we value and cherish to determine whether they are constructive or non-constructive. The aim should be to leave the non-constructive habits and practices that we call culture in the garbage heaps of history. This includes non-nonsensical sounds that we label as music. We ought to know that all sounds are not music. A sound becomes music when it assists a person in doing constructive things.
I have not heard any sound from Bounty Killer and Beenie Man or whatever they call themselves that can be considered music. This same applies to many of the so-called Calypso and Soca sounds that we call music.
In fact, one of the contributing factors to our island being in such a sorry, chaotic state has to do with the introduction of sounds made by people like Bounty Killer and Beenie Man coupled with that of some of the Calypso and Soca sounds.
Bounty Killer and Beenie Man names alone suggest that there is nothing constructive to look forward to from the sounds they manipulate. If the sounds from the likes of Bounty Killer and Beenie Man made sense, Jamaica would have zeros problems right now. Even mainstream Jamaicans don’t listen the sounds Beenie Man and Bounty Killer manipulate.
As we, Indigenous Grenadian, cautiously emerge from the COVID crisis, let us change our mindset from that of problem makers to that of problem solvers. Sounds from Bounty Killer and Beenie Man will not help in this area.
There is much work to be done. The COVID crisis have reemphasized the fact that our health care, education, transportation, and food supply systems are in shambles. Additionally, our joblessness is off the charts and carnival and tourism have never been able to solve this.
We should waste no more time in trying to sing and dance our way, out of acknowledging our problems, to sounds that are not music much less culture. Wake up Indigenous Grenadian!
It seems that we, Indigenous Grenadians, have not learned any lessons of importance from the COVID crisis. Based on this commentary, it looks like it will be back to business as usual: irresponsibility, noise pollution, drugs and alcohol abuse, wining and jamming, ill-discipline and anything that we can think of that is non-constructive and nonsensical.
It is often said that when the tide is low, people’s nakedness get exposed. The nakedness of our condition on this island was in plain sight for all of us to see during this COVID crisis. For decades, we have spent most of our energies focusing on carnival, tourism and any and everything that made no sense. If someone could show me one problem that we have truly solved in a sustainable way, without the creation of bigger problems, by promoting carnival and tourism, I stand ready to be corrected.
From reading this commentary, it seems that there is a huge misconception as to what culture is. In school days, we were told that culture is the way of life of people. However, culture is really what a person do minute by minute, day by day, and it varies from person to person within a population.
While on the topic of culture, the bigger question should be why is there a need to have a culture. The main reason why anyone should have a culture is to solve problems.
Since the so-called culture that we now have and adulate is one that is fickle, primitive, non-constructive, and non-nonsensical, our main focus following this COVID crisis should be to look at ways to change it, no matter how long it existed or has been worshipped.
We should examining all of the things in our lives that value and cherish to determine whether they are constructive or non-constructive. The aim should be to leave the non-constructive habits and practices that we call culture in the garbage heaps of history. This includes non-nonsensical sounds that we label as music. We ought know that all sounds are not music. A sound becomes music when it assist a person in doing constructive things.
I have not heard any sound from Bounty Killer and Beenie Man or whatever they call themselves that can be considered music. This same applies to many of the so-called Calypso and Soca sound that we call music.
In fact, one of the contributing factors to our island being in such a sorry, chaotic state has to do with the introduction of sounds made by people like Bounty Killer and Beenie Man couples with that of some Calypso and Soca sounds.
Bounty Killer and Beenie Man names alone suggest that there is nothing constructive to look forward to from the sounds they manipulate. If the sounds from the likes of Bounty Killer and Beenie Man made sense, Jamaica would have zeros problems right now. Even mainstream Jamaicans don’t listen their sounds.
As we, Indigenous Grenadian, cautiously emerge from the COVID crisis, let us change our mindset from that of problem makers to that of problem solvers. Sounds from Bounty Killer and Beenie Man will not help in this area.
There is much work to be done. The COVID crisis have reemphasized the fact that our health care, education, transportation, food supply systems are in shambles. Additionally, our joblessness is off the charts and carnival and tourism have never been able to solve this.
We should waste no more time in trying to sing and dance our way, out of acknowledging our problems, to sounds that are not music much less culture. Wake up Indigenous Grenadian!
As a youngster growing up in Jamai
How can the music move forward when its voice relates to nothing going in the world current climate, yes theysica is seasonal but topics have become limited wine drunk jump part fete.
As a jamaican soca lover I think that the reason soca is not moving forward is because its 2 seasonal…soca is almost like a yearly festival and I think its damaging the music…
100% Soca music should be global I’m launching new food concept regarding he same culture would love to work together pls contact me for further details
100% a few artists are managing to shine through, those who already left the seasonal mind set but we have a weekly Soca Radio show in the UK and we are crying out for new music, it’s just lyrically nobody wants to hear about Carnival when they know they might never hear that tune on the road.