Tag Archives: Black Stalin

Emceeing the Revue Calypso Tent’s show in 1972, night after night, the Mighty Stalin introduced Kelvin Pope in the same way: “So, ladies and gentlemen, here without further ado is that four-king four-cup four car Duke.” Famously, of course, over the four years immediately preceding ’72, the Mighty Duke had …

Is greatness, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder? The question is broached in a not-very-good Calypso History Month piece penned by Debbie Jacob in a recent Newsday article under the headline: ‘My top ten calypsoes’. Alas, she offers no answer. “When it comes to narrowing down all the …

Coming out of the Covid-induced hiatus, our 2023 Carnival is touted as the “Mother of All Carnivals”. We promote our fetes as the best ever and discuss ways of monetising our 2023 Carnival’s impact. We believe that we could export this wonder of the world. Amid this noise, a lawsuit …

“[…] Black Stalin was one of our region’s finest masters of calypso. Both his lyrics and his melodies expertly captured the rhythm and vibe and voice of the Caribbean. “He was acutely conscious of our shared history, culture, passions and concerns and expressed them in his songs in a way …

“[…] Black Stalin was a standard bearer of Carnival traditions whose work spans from pre-independence to the present. In the 1950s, Stalin began as a limbo dancer, then later devoted the next 60 years of his career to developing the Calypso art form…” The following statement on the death of …

‘Allyuh come een!’ If you like soca and calypso, Blaxx (Dexter Stewart) has made you happy, jump, wave, sing, laugh, knock a glass, hug a stranger, tap your feet or spread your hands and let go at least once. In an industry with an insane annual refresh rate, quick to …

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team interim head coach Angus Eve looks set to turn to maverick 30-year-old forward Marcus ‘Lobo’ Joseph to fire the Soca Warriors into the Concacaf Gold Cup. Joseph, a two-time World Youth Cup player more than decade ago, was never used by Eve’s predecessor, …

Four days before Christmas, a video showing Mister Shak and Myron Bruce visiting an apparently bedridden Black Stalin was posted. The significance of the event is the evident caring support of Patsy Calliste, who invited the guys plus their enthusiasm to cheer our brother. Being kind and generous, they were …

Former Calypso Monarch Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osouna—the story goes—once tried to get touch-feely with the then-fresh faced MC at his calypso tent, Rachel Price. The response to the calypso world’s ‘king of bling’ was withering. “I tell you I looking for a man resembling ah Maharaj showcase?” If Aloes was …

“Come here Winston. Go there Winston. Dey always pushing me around,” sang the late iconic calypsonian, Winston “Shadow” Bailey. For that reason, I always called him Winston. I considered him my friend. He was complex and self assured about his music. I once begged him to allow me to compile a …

It is 2016. Do you know where Jean and Dinah are? And why? It says a lot for the Mighty Sparrow that sexagenarians and teenagers alike—and all the age-groups in between—often answer that question in the affirmative. Round de corner posing; bet yuh life is something dey selling… In Calypso …

The furore over Trinidad and Tobago’s deportation of Jamaican nationals points to an ongoing issue rather than a new one. It originates out of a clear misunderstanding of who qualifies for consideration under Articles 45 and 46 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas 2001 for “Free Movement of People.” Both …