Here's a little tempo out of Trinidad three months after Carnival. Here Alves attempts to clean up the crime and corruption in Trinidad with a little soca rain. I really appreciate the message in this one. Soca doesn't have to be just about "jump and wine and misbehave." The video is humble, but effective. Maybe it's the political science student in me, but I love something for the mind in the music. Congrats Erphaan!
Nurse Karen
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I'm posting this video for three reasons:
1. The song is popular
2. I know most of you haven't seen the video yet
3. I would like to use it to illustrate a point
Allow me to be honest with you for a moment. I'm tired hearing the same themes in Soca and Chutney "OVER and OVER"....(Benjai, you were ahead of your time). The fact that this song is about drinking rum comes as no surprise. But why not? Is there nothing else to sing about? Honestly, not being much of a drinker myself...and a bit of an intellectual at that, I tend to crave a little substance in music, in order to help us a West Indian people to elevate our consciousness using our most influential cultural medium, the music.
Instead, the trend is to make songs about stereotypical behaviour. Releasing another chutney song about rum drinking is akin to a black artiste making a song about eating chicken and watermelon. And that would be downright ridiculous, right? Well, in my opinion, it all is. Sure, carnival is about fun and revelry, but I can't imagine looking back at my career and discovering that my only lasting legacy is the glorification of alcohol use and sexual promiscuity.
DISCLAIMER: This is not an attack on Hunter. He's a decent guy, trying to continue growing his career in a tough market, where he is but a small part of a big machine that has already prescribed his role.
As we seek to take this music beyond the sandy shores of our islands to the world at large, what do we want to say? As we invest in our cultural art forms to give Caribbean youth a sense of identity and place in a shrinking world, what do with wish them to believe about themselves.
Many of you will disagree with me. Some will say I'm too serious. Others still are only interested in soca music because of its apparent lawlessness. To each his or her own. As for me, I believe our men are more than drunken limers. Maybe that's just me.
With no further ado, it's my (dis) pleasure to present to you the latest full length TV commercial for Puncheon and White Oak.
Love and Legacy,
Nurse Karen
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