Eye Unit: Baby By Me - 50 cent ft. Neyo (Article One Remix)

Atlanta's Article One enjoys taking mainstream hits and giving them a soca spin.  I just found this on online today.  Thought you may appreciate it.. The riddim itself isn't gonna shut down any dances, but it has some potential for smooth music genre transitions, or building early vibes.  Or maybe it's just meant to entertain you for the next 3 and a half minutes.  You tell me!




Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

Read more...

Eye Unit: Hunter - Puncheon (Video), my cultural critique

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

Read more...

Booster Shot: HD Family ready to tour without Machel

I've posted the following to provide some more information on the "restructuring" I that is taking place in the HD camp, that I informed you of in September.  The names and faces are the same, but the roles have grown for Machel's performing team mates.  I think it's wonderful that some emphasis will be placed on developing their careers.  This is a far cry from what seemed to be the camp's mandate when I interviewed Machel for WE magazine in 2007.  At that time, he adopted the "HD" title and stopped referring to his band as Xtatik in an effort to focus more attention as himself as the star.

Do take a look at this article from last Thursday's Trinidad Guardian to see what is in store:

Soca shakedown
HD Family: No Machel, No Problem!

ABA A LUKE
Published: 12 Nov 2009

FROM TOP LEFT: Farmer Nappy, Patrice Roberts,
Zan and Umi Marcano.

Patrice Roberts is the boss, Farmer Nappy, the veteran, Zan, the cool operator and Umi Marcano is definitely the dancer-boy. The foursome are the HD Family—not HD mind you, as that title’s reserved for Machel Montano, the man who’s ruled the soca game for more than ten years. Going into 2010, Montano has opted to focus on other things, leaving his team to travel their own journey, even amid whispers of doubt and uncertainty. “This is an opportunity for us to showcase our talent and we’re taking every minute of it,” says Roberts. They’re a close-knit bunch.
READ MORE HERE 

Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

Read more...

The Rounds: Soca Awards Cancellation, Results, Etc

Originally prepared for "Soca Therapy" on Flow 93.5 FM in Toronto, Sunday, November 15, 2009

- 2009 Soca Awards Cancelled (USA)
- Commentary on the results
- CEO of Caribbean Prestige Foundation quits! (Trinidad)
- Tempo Turns 4 (USVI)

Good Evening Soca Lovers,
I’m Nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. You have no idea how tired I am saying this, but I have some news about the Soca Awards. Last time I brought it up, it was to say that the event originally scheduled for October 30th, was being rescheduled for December 4th. And today, the story has changed yet again! The 2009 International Soca Awards has been cancelled due to what the organizers are citing as unforeseen circumstances.

The awards show has long been the target of heavy criticism in the industry due to often questionable judgments concerning nominations and the production quality of the events, as well as a general lack of transparency. So, the recent cancellation isn’t looking so hot. The results, HOWever, were published today. Winners are decided based on the results of online voting, which this year, SEEMS to have turned up a rather curious number of ties.

Nurse Karen and Fay-Ann Lyons (Toronto: May, 2008)

None the less, big congratulations goes out Machel Montano for his wins in six categories, and Fay-Ann Lyons and Skinny Fabulous who earned 5 awards each. A record number of Toronto’s own hometown stars, ought to be thankful to you the fans for your votes and support. Toronto-Lime.com, Shy-Ann Bailey, Slammer Cutter and Kerwin Du Bois are all winners today.

Kerwin Du Bois and Nurse Karen in Washingon, D.C. (January 2009)

...And just because I like to make trouble, I want to big up Madmen Productions for their Best Soca Compilation Rhythm award. LOL.  It must feel amazing to find out that you are winning awards for the Bus Stop Riddim, even though Bunji Garlin and Daryl Braxton produced it.WTF?!?  Maybe it was just a typo, but nice one guys! Maybe if I’m really lucky, I could win Best Actress at the Academy Awards next year.

It has been a wild week for soca. No one can deny that. Down in Trinidad the Caribbean Prestige foundation CEO quit this week. That’s the group that produces the International Soca Monarch Competition. It’s believed that a problematic press release is responsible for that one too. Gregory Fernandes, the CEO, held a press conference on Tuesday criticizing a Trini government policy that prohibits the hosting of cultural events, like Soca Monarch, in major sports arenas during the carnival season. The next day, the CPF told the media that his conference not only had nothing to do with them, but they also praised recent government initiatives in regards to cultural activities. Needless to say, Fernandes didn’t appreciate being made to look like a fool. So he’s gone, and it’s still unknown what venue will play host to Soca’s biggest competitive event in February 2010.

Nurse Karen and Iwer George in Toronto (February, 2009)

Speaking of big ticket events. MTV Tempo celebrated it’s 4th anniversary last night on the island of St. Croix. Representing the soca massive was De Boss, Iwer George, Ziggy Ranking, and local Road March Winners, the UMB Solidiers. Other than that it was full line up of Caribbean Stars in Salsa, Dancehall and Reggae.
I’m Nurse Karen and those were Dr. Jay’s Rounds. For more information on any of the items mentioned today, check me out online at Nurse dash Karen dot com or follow me, NurseKaren on Twitter. Now back to de Docta!

Read more...

Booster Shot: Soca Awards 2009 Results!

I have good news and bad news.  Good news first:  The results have been published for the 2009 International Soca Awards.  Bad News?  Um, well they never actually had the awards show....and it ain't gonna happen.  A press release was issued today saying,

"The promoters felt that if the event was to fall short of iSA’s already remarkably high esteem in any aspect, that the 2009 Awards Show must be cancelled in order to continue in the cultural realm that Soca has evolved into."

I would love to know what the "unforeseen" circumstances are, considering that the initial date for this year's shindig was set for October 30th. It was then rescheduled till December 4th, and now gone the way of the dinosaurs.

Over here it's a beautiful Sunday morning, and I can't wait to enjoy it. So before I go, how about some of that GOOD NEWS?!?!?


Congratulations to all the winners:
(As always, let the discussions begin !!!)

1. Best New Female Soca Artist

Tabia 2. Best New Male Soca Artist Skinny Fabulous

3. Female Soca Vocalist of the Year

Zoelah - Wine up on me Shyann Bailey - Sweetness 4. Male Soca Vocalist of the Year

Edwin Yearwood - Not Missing Me 5. Female Soca Performer of the Year

Faye-Ann Lyons Destra Garcia 6. Male Soca Performer of the Year

Skinny Fabulous Machel Montano 7. Soca Duo or Group of the Year

Luni Sparks & Electrify 8. Soca Song Writer of the Year

Faye-Ann Lyons - (Heavy T, Meet Super Blue, Wine Faster) 9. Best Soca Collaboration Grove

Obsessive Winners - Destra ft Alison & Saucy   10. Over All Female Soca Artist of the Year

Faye-Ann Lyons

Destra Garcia

11. Over All Male Soca Artists of the Year

Machel Montano Skinny Fabulous 12. International Soca DJ of the year

Techno Sound - Turks & Caicos DJ Stephen - Atlanta Alicia D Duchess - Trinidad DJ Spice - New York 13. Best Soca Compilation Album/CD of the Year

Machel Montano - HD Family 14. Best Soca Compilation Rhythm

Bus Stop Riddim - (Madmen Productions) TNT 15. Soca Humor of the Year

2 Notes by Impulse 16. Favorite Groove Soca - Female

Heavy T - Faye-Ann Lyons Wine up on me - Zoelah  17. Favorite Groove Soca – Male

Push Bumper - Machel Montano Drunk Again - Benjai   18. Favorite up Tempo Soca - Female

Meet Super Blue - Faye-Ann Lyons 19. Favorite up Tempo Soca - Male

Tusty - Blaxx Head Bad - Skinny Fabulous  20. Soca Artist Album/CD of the year

Destra Garcia - Hott 21. Soca Song of the Year

Head Bad - Skinny Fabulous 22. Favorite Soca Info Website

www.toronto-lime.com 23. Over All Soca Band of the Year

Machel Montano HD - TNT Roy Cape All-stars - TNT 24. Soca Producer of the Year

Kerwin Du Bois - (Hangover, Tusty, Obsessive Winners) Neil Bernard - (Bacchanal, Sweetness, Meet Super Blue) 25. Best Soca Music Video

Destra Garcia - Hott (Eldon Pernel) Peter Ram - Tight (Jay Will) 26. Best Soca Chutney Music Video

Drunkard - Soca Elvis ft Hitman, Tracy D & Andy Singh (On “D” Rock productions) 27. Best Soca Re-Mix Collaboration

Tizzy ft Richard Trumpet - Wuk Meh Slammer Cutter ft Hitman - Hangover 28. Over All Soca Chutney Artist of the Year

Kenneth Salick 29. Over All Soca Chutney Band of the Year

Karma Band (TNT) 30. Soca Chutney Song of the Year

Radica - Kenneth Salick 31. Favorite Soca Online Radio

www.redhotflames.com www.soca919fm.com www.wackradio901fm.com 32. Best Soca Chutney Collaboration of the Year

Rum & Roti - Patch & Da Mastamind 33. Best DJ Soca Artist (Dj that sings)

Lil Rick - Thunder Super Jigga TC - Frontline 34. Soca Chutney Artist of the Year

Kenneth Salick 35. Ragga Soca Song of the Year Tight by Peter Ram Banana by Bunji Garlin

Fly Away by Machel Montano ft Collie Budds 36. Best Soca Collaboration up Tempo Luni Sparks & Electrify - Clear De Way

And there you have it!
Love and Soca,

Nurse Karen

Read more...