Canaval 2026 Wrapup with Omari Ashby

Carnival 2026 sparked big conversations — and Omari Ashby is not holding back.

In this powerful and deeply cultural breakdown, Omari Ashby joins us to unpack the moments that defined the season: the Calypso Monarch controversy, the Helon broadcast incident, Road March debates, commentary competence, Panorama pride, and the evolving spirit of Juve and mas.

We discuss:
• The semifinal and final judging questions
• Transparency, censorship, and protecting the art form
• Why Terry’s Monarch performance was untouchable
• Voice vs. Machel — and what Road March really represents
• The commercialization of mas and rising fete prices
• The importance of steelpan and youth continuity
• Juve energy, generational shifts, and “phone vs. frenzy”
• Why Carnival is bigger than politics — and always rights itself

Omari brings history, honesty, and perspective — reminding us that Carnival isn’t just wine and bacchanal. It’s rebellion. It’s identity. It’s legacy.

If you care about culture, this conversation matters.

Click the link in my bio for the full episode.
#coriesheppardpodcast #OmariAshby #Carnival2025 #Calypso #RoadMarch #Panorama #TrinidadCarnival

Transcript

Carnival Season Recap And Performances

Corie 0:00

Welcome to the Cory Shepherd Podcast. Welcome back to everybody who's been listening. Welcome to all the new listeners. Today I have a what's it called? A friend of the show, mentor the show, partner of the show. And a fan of the show. Don't miss that. I'm missing for the carnival, boys, so I say I'll call it.

SPEAKER_00 0:18

Yeah, yeah, well, you know. Yeah, I've been getting messages constantly and consistently. I could imagine. Where do the season? Let me start with your season first. Boy, the season was different in that both me and my wife usually work to the point where we could only pick one fet and go. Right. And then hopefully catch a juve. Last juve, it was so bad that we had to leave juve early. That is how much we worked during the circumstances let our time be in freedom. Yeah, so um, so but we had our time, and it was it was good to enjoy ourselves in that way for the first time in years. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Change capacity, you get to change gears a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And it it, you know, um we had to look for outfits. Yeah. We had so much time. So it was it was but it was enjoyable.

Corie 1:07

That nice man, but at least he enjoyed. At least he enjoyed it. I see you enough couple of spaces early. Um, I want to say it's in the flavor village or John Cupid was doing something there.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

No, not hosting. I perform in both um John Cupid and the Flavor Village.

Corie 1:21

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

They like a skitty night, and they had uh uh uh what do you call it? I think it was a rap so kind of theme, but it had it wasn't just rap so that rap so you know, some of those things in there, yeah. And then I don't know in the flavor performing something, but that one I just ran in and ran out, so I didn't I wasn't sure what would have been the theme that I see a host, so you didn't do no sort of hosting on the stuff. I I did um the prelims of the extempo and uh where was that? That was at the Radisson, Radisson I see. Yeah, I think that was the base for for Kaiso Dynasty.

Corie 1:53

Yeah, so it's I went I went Kaiser Dynasty. I went I make it a point so me and David went judging night.

SPEAKER_00 1:58

Okay. Because I wanted to see what's the difference between what happened in the 10th versus the uh to be careful going judges night. Yeah, that's how people have come with a maxi load, I suppose. It's not no joke, it's not a joke. Yeah, yeah.

Corie 2:09

I want to see who congregating and I see who calling back who are sort of this thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

It have plenty uh when you when you look at it, um it have plenty things that has happened behind the scenes in those competitions um that if the judges are not steady, they could be swayed now. Yeah, yeah, you know. Um I'm not consciously talking about they are talking about sometimes you know, people have a crowd, they had the audience, it's human, yeah. Um but I think one of the things they do is that they they they only judge up to the end of the song, they don't judge on cause. Oh, they don't no, they don't judge on cause.

Corie 2:42

Oh, well that's well they're not supposed to. Let me put it down again. We can't tell matics or say matics, those sing that paddle thing in the on coin. So just keep it clean, keep it cute, and in the semifinal. But man, say you're a kaiun.

Judging Nights And Behind-The-Scenes Pressures

SPEAKER_00 2:53

Yeah, yeah, yeah. They don't judge on coin. And I listen, you have to see what you have to see. Right? Um, whatever your role, I I of all people had to tell people that be quiet as if I had to say, right? Much to my detriment in several ways, but you know. Particularly when you're on a stage and you have that mic as a as a Kaisonian. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And and listen, this year, in the in that in the show I hosted, I open up people know me for talking a little bit of shit on stage, and me no comedian, but I tell people I will make people laugh and think. Right. They say I start off serious and sober, dealing with an issue that was close to my heart, which was the issue with the police and the shooting and thing. I know some people would not be happy about that. I know it was a possibility that I may not see an MC work again after that. But for me, it's more important that I see what needs to be said than I look at any future earnings in that regard and them kind of thing. Um you know, I just tell people in short me in business if something had to be said. I see it.

Corie 3:55

Yeah, yeah. I wonder how difficult that is for a performer. Because I remember years where something will happen in society, and a man go down make it to the final already, and you see him with a board on his stage with two songs and you rip down a song and pop it suddenly coming with something new. You could still do that, you could still change your song.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

And well, I'm not sure how how um possible that is because remember now is one song. Right, I guess, I guess. Um, and I don't know if it's once you register, and they have a lot of things in place um that make that hard. And as well, I tell people, because people see me, you know, they know me on Facebook, writing certain things, saying certain things, and you know, they would message me, send things to my inbox, and and I and they see me and they say, Boy, you know, you're brave and thing. And I say it's not a matter of brave and I say I am at a position in my life where I could do that. I ain't vexed with nobody who, you know, had to guard their work because I'm another feedy family. I not vexed with none of them things. But I know for me, it's important that I say what needs to be said. You know, for me, and I always tell people, when people just feel Calypso, and when you pick up that mantle, right? When you pick up the mantle of a Calypsoonia, and you have to see what you have to say, you know, be it in humour, whether it's social commentary, whether it's political, you are tasked with saying what you need to say without fear or favor.

Corie 5:12

Yeah. Mr. Shaq was one of them, I was surprised. When I saw, but he means I hear his song, I know Shaq level up delivery and quality, and he's also a man who doesn't make excuses. Yeah, he was here and he said basically he's not singing for the judges, he's singing he knows his role as a Kai Sodium, and he went through. But when I see he didn't make it, I say, well, something, something, right?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Well, and and and to the semis, that is, you know, yeah, and and and I mean, full disclosure, I I just manage Mr. Shak, right? So I I I I want nobody to say he does, right?

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 5:43

But objectively, for that song not to be in the semis, um, me and one of them fellas as well.

Corie 5:50

Because we see the other songs in the semis too. It's not like the songs in the semis.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

And and I am not one to easily or quickly go to um government interference or them. I don't I don't take them steps lightly. Right. Right? Um, but at some point you have to wonder what is happening. And I still are saying that yet. Yeah. Right? Because you know, I like to deal with proof, I like to deal with facts, but it warrants a question. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think at least.

Corie 6:19

You know what I mean? Is the combination of things? Because I saw I saw the defense when we talk about the final with Helan thing cut off. That's in isolation, I feel, is a question. But it's not in isolation because when I when I listen to Mr. Shark's song and the response to it or the attack of it when it comes out with all that, no, and then I listen to Queen Victoria's song, yeah, and then I listen to Matic's.

Speaking Truth On Stage And Consequences

SPEAKER_00 6:38

Yeah, and even that hell on the the that that thing, you see, it it is you have there are ways now. People people I I am trained originally. My first work is in television, right? Broadcast television, right? So I know one or two things about broadcasting, one or two, and the technology is such now that you could put to rest immediately if it was a mistake or not, because those new um pieces of equipment digitally record errors, and you could get a readout. So if they were so inclined to be transparent, they could end the talk as to whether it was um human error, whether it was on purpose, that could be done in in minutes and just show it, show the printout of of the thing being either um having a natural error, having something broken down, and and remove all doubt. But but the the the the the atmosphere the ecosystem is such now that you have to do that. You have to come and let the people know. Listen, we do nothing. Right? We don't want to hear no we don't want to get no no no press release from TTT. Yeah, of course. You don't want to hear none of them thing. You could show the people, look, this is what so it is, you know, there doesn't have to be that ambiguity about if this happened or if that happened. Tell me, just show it.

Corie 8:04

Yeah, the response even more ambiguous if you ask me. When you when you see the responses, yeah, as TTT longest press release in history.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

You understand what I'm saying? And and so even and and a lot of things leading people to believe um they do have the best interests of the art from at heart from the from the commentary come right back down. Again, I have to state my case that I have done commentary in the past, so people might say, well, it's sour grapes and not. But I I my position is if you don't want to marry, there are enough experts, right? That you could put somebody who is knowledgeable, yeah.

Corie 8:47

Basic or general knowledge. I find it was it was lacking a little bit. Because you do this. That's why I ask you to come. See, I'm missing. We watch, I like to stay home and watch Fiesta. And the part of watching Fiesta is the MC1 stage. You just get a little slice of them every now and again from home. Right. But the breakdown and the commentary. I see you and DK Rustans, I see people like Abeo, I see uh Nubia Williams, people who have given you color commentary and deep breakdowns because as a layman, I might not always understand the kaisu, understand the presentation of it.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

So you're looking forward to that. And you want somebody with a breadth of knowledge and a historical context too. Let me let me show you something. Because I MC in the tent, so let me say used to MCD tent, right? Yeah, yeah. Um, I would hear a lot of the calypsoles. Those that I didn't hear, time the fourth is selected. I now go in and looking for whatever stream, whatever thing, and listen to them. So that you find when I do in my commentary, it's not the first time I engage in with a song. Like the first thing, right? Because now I know the lyrics and what the song about. Now I could judge the performance on the given day. Right? But it's important that you have a you're familiar with the song. So you can't just come on the day and sit down and listen to the song. Now, granted, in larger jurisdictions, you would have a bag of people doing research for you and feeding anything. This is true, of course, of course, of course. You have to do your work, right? So if you know you get a work as a presenter, is not really as a presenter. You have to know how much time they make it to the finals, if the whatever was in Skinner Park before, if the song have a familiar melody, right? What what what kind of um approach they use in, if they're in key, right? If they the user stage. So this is what you're doing before you reach the present. Yeah, you have to you have to listen to the music. You have to listen to the music, you have to familiarize yourself with it. So that week that they announce that thing, right? The days, sometimes days, you know, as a as a as coming in as the expert to do commentary, you have to listen to all four days. You have to be familiar with them, right? Right. So you can't just come on the day to talk about she have on a nice dress. You know what I mean?

Corie 10:57

It's it seems when you do that, it will show.

Semis Controversies And Transparency Demands

SPEAKER_00 10:59

Yeah, it shows that. And so so so you have people who who seeing Ricky Jai on the TV and don't know him. Ricky Jai campaigning since 1980 something. How you gonna not know Ricky Jai? Yeah, that is not just incompetence, you know, right? That is willful ignorance. Yeah, you don't want to so you show up there to talk. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that is willful ignorance. It at times, let me tell you something, I'm a lecturer. Um, there was a situation where um a particular lecturer wasn't able to teach that semester. And they came to me and said, Oh, Marie, we bought you to teach this course. Right? I said, No problem. When I looked at the course, I said, No, this is not my wheelhouse. No, it would have mean more money for me, you know. And I could have done a thing. Right. But I recognized that the students would not have benefited from what they needed to benefit. And I went back to them and I said, No, this is uh this is not in my wheelhouse, this is not my expertise. You all need to find somebody else to do this. It are people doing that, evidently, right? Evidently, evidently it are people once they get the work, they're taking it and they're doing it, yeah, and and it's not to our benefit, right? And in all things, you know, gra the D Marsh Grand Knight, a man singing a song in tribute to Sparrow and talking about the empty the Congo man a good good Kai So you self now trying to figure out and and not not here the problem with that is not just that the Congo Man, let me say the Congo Man is our old Sparrow song. Marcel, do I ask a remake? So it's not to say you're not and make up a kind of verse then.

Corie 12:32

Yeah, and all kinds of things that that is embarrassing, it is disrespectful. Yeah, of course, of course. But when you're talking about a final, semis maybe that is a marathon, yeah. You say long live for 40 hours. Let me let me see if I can shoot people grace. How likely it is that you just get jaded and mentally fatigued and you're because that's the other thing.

SPEAKER_00 12:51

It have people who feel they have to do all the work. If you notice before, they used to change out and have different people do a lead and different things. So sometimes we see for panny, you go see for calypso, you go see for mass. There's a reason for that. There's a reason you can't do everything. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And and and who's set, you're not doing any of it well. Yeah. Right? And and this is not the the thing is with me, I I I come here to bar talk nobody, you know, but you see, when culture is concerned, I have to defend that. Right? You you you you are doing a show, you have no knowledge of anything about the.

Corie 13:30

You know, I see on the final night, I see on them so, or what you call them a commentator? Commentator, yeah. Look down at a screen and say we have Muhammad Malwaki from Freedom twice.

SPEAKER_00 13:40

And and and so so again, it means you come to Ratch. Yeah, and it is disrespectful to the audience, it is disrespectful to the artist, it is disrespectful to the art form to have that going on, yeah, yeah. You know, and I take those things very seriously, right? At one point, I turned to my wife, I say, listen, I go and watch Netflix, you know, because this thing hurting me. Yeah, yeah, it is hurting me. In it, in it, you know, um, you and you cannot do those kind of things, and that wasn't the only wrong name to call, wasn't the only wrong thing. Yeah, wrong information. Somebody said that that um Tezaya won in 2002, the year he was born. Yeah, you understand? Yeah, I mean he's prolific, but and so so we we and and and it is it is a selfish and wicked thing. When I when I do a show, right, I just go back and do a critique of myself, right? Nah man who marry you should uh thing and make notes and them kind of thing because nobody perfection is not expected, you know, but the bare minimum is competent, yeah, yeah, with you. And and in none of those shows, there was one guy you do in mass, I think Peter Shepard was his name, he was the savior, yeah, right? He he's supposed to get some kind of award because he was the singular thing, yeah, and that mass coverage that makes sense, right?

Corie 15:10

But even that I find they were there whole day, like they leave them holding there for the whole two days, and nobody can do that.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

And it is wrong, but you're but but at the end of the day, there are some people who think that it's their moment to shine, right? And I I want them to know that the mass is bigger than you, the pan is bigger than you, the calypso is bigger than you. And again, I don't ever have to sit in front of a television screen and do that ever in life. However, bring people, and there are enough of them who know what they're doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? There are enough people that if you don't want to marry, you don't want to be, you don't want whoever, there are enough people that you could have bring people who are knowledgeable and not your friend and them.

Corie 15:56

Yeah, of course, of course, of course. Even that I want to ask you about because when you sit as a commentator, you're you're conscious about neutrality because I did see a presenter say as well, Well, I back in my house. This is who I feel with midway.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

And then another one comes on with a t-shirt, yeah, proclaiming who they back in for a match. It is it there's a level that you have to a professionalism, you have to be you could like who you like and you could also declare your position, right? Right? Like if Mr. Shaq comes on, I immediately say, Well, listen, I am Shaq's manager, and so I kind of let somebody else take the lead in that regard so that they could give a take on on what on it that is not uh can't be seen as bias. You have to, you have to, even on the night, they throw back to somebody to give some, you know, uh a little bit of commentary and realize not a judge or no. No, you're not a judge, but you have to give an opinion on what you saw, whether they made good use of the stage, whether they you found that they this they went and um service Body North Stan Andy Grant. You have to say something about it, it's not a judge. How would that make it? So then where are they for?

Corie 17:04

Yeah, yeah, it's a real disservice to people at home, yeah. Because I I mean I turn off semi-eas early, I couldn't watch the rest of the cancel.

Commentary Standards And Cultural Competence

SPEAKER_00 17:13

And I don't know, I don't know how they think that that is a good thing. How do you think that that is a good thing? Right, right. Um, it it was abysmal, and I really tried not to say nothing for two reasons, right? The position I was in, I don't want people to come and say sour grapes, sour grapes, and also um my wife was the production manager there, right? So I didn't want them to feel but I when I sit back and I see the John public now seeing the same thing I see, and I say, but it is horrid. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was bad. And and and and the last thing I want is for the people who were there to give a bad performance because for me it reflects on the art form. So I ain't hoping they do bad. I was wishing to do good. I really hope that they could have bring something sensible to it because it it means that the art form and the culture would would benefit. Yeah, yeah. Right? So I it's not like I hoping they feel I want them to do better.

Corie 18:17

Of course, and we want to enjoy the show. We want the best final we could possibly get. Possibly get. So even with all that, when you see that, and for me, right? When I see all those different elements, who get left for the semi-finals, what happened many semis, what happened many final, and thing, I mean no conspiracy theory man neither, you know. But I start to feel like wait now, as soon as he leanse, Zoso and questions have to be asked, the whole thing, don't Russell performance, you know, she nearly midway through when they come back, and then the presenters say, We went off for a couple seconds. How are you handling that in that position if you if you if you did?

SPEAKER_00 18:49

Well, first of all, you you you have to get issue an apology. Right. Right? Um, so and so happen. A professional thing would have also indicated to the audience, well, listen, we are attempting to remedy the situation and we will bring you the um Healon's performance in its entirety at some point. Right? That is the guarantee you have to get your audience because you want them to know that you're not trying out, of course, of course. To to hide the performance, right? And and and therefore to to minimize it to talk about two seconds when you know you're gaslighting people.

Corie 19:24

Almost as if Rosalind only cut off two. It was it was order.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Yeah, and and and so so those kind of things, you have to question at this stage you want to know are we is is censorship being because it's not listen in 1934, the dance hall, the theaters and dance hall ordinance was designed to censor Calypso and Calypso, right? Design, right? That's still on the books, mind you, yeah? They just struck it out every now and then. Um, sometime in the 80s, they'd lock up um this boy on stage in central bank for using obscene language or something. They struck it out when they're ready to get some tempo, right? Right? Um, so that I think was King Radio, was it? Get some some tempo because you were singing something about the governor, they lock him up. And over the years, they use that to intimidate the Calypsonians, they use that to intimidate the tent owners, right? And and it puts pressure um on the art form. Now that has been done in colonial times through all various governments, um and so now you have to wonder if a new if we're in the digital version of it, yeah, and and so it's not a far-fetched thing to ask the question, right? And it is incumbent on the people who organizing these things that if they could provide clarity, they'd do so.

Corie 20:48

Yeah, even when I saw WAC, because I end up on Facebook, uh, there's some editing to do so on my computer and uh watching it on YouTube live, TTT stream, and of course everybody in the comments now saying, let me go over my WAC because WAC's still showing it. I saw the presenter on WAC, I don't know his name, but I saw him saying, somebody come and say we meet in Helon and he's still nah. I don't know nothing about that. WAC is the place where all calypsos are played and things. How are you handling that in that moment? Because that is real pressure. I can't imagine being live and somebody telling me that. No, you have to stand up, you have to stand up.

SPEAKER_00 21:20

Let me tell you something. Corey, in in the particular political climate we're in, right? Um there is no choice, you know. Right? There's no choice, you know, because it have a it have things that happen in, right? Um and so if you love this space, you have to say something, you have to stand for something. Right? Well, he does good, you have to stand for something. Watch me, my inbox do be right here, you know. People all kind of thing, people good intention, people with bad intention, all kind of new friends, because I think I don't take no since maybe last year, I do take no new friend, right? Because you don't know who comes in to do what you don't know what kind of cyber attack you'll be under. All for the mere thing that you're calling a speed a speed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, mind you, I have been doing this from time, right? Anybody that knows me know that everybody does get choked for me when they do chip business, right? Just the other day, I I looking back at some Facebook memories as hey, but it wasn't easy enough. Yeah, balance, right? Jam for jam, everybody. Right. Right? So there are a lot of people who think, boy, then PNM was doing it. I could care less about PM or UNC. I am very much focused on Trinidad and Tobago. Right? That is my priority. Right? And as you as you fall in the camp that I see attacking my country in any form, you're more than likely to get some jamming from me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. And I do that knowing that I will lose opportunities, that I will lose friends, right? That that that they will come at me. I do I do that knowing knowing all those things. But it is more important that I stand up for what is right. Yeah. Than I. I mean, how much money you go pay me to MC?

Corie 23:10

Yeah, not with just not with not with you, with you, with you. I respect the fact that you also say understand people's position who might.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because there's a reality for some people they have that they're church of feed on. Of course, of course. My position is not that, right? Yeah, my position is not. I have a very simple philosophy in life, right? It ain't nothing. I just drive a car. If I lose that car, I will travel.

Corie 23:34

Yeah, I say so.

Professionalism, Bias, And Fair Coverage

SPEAKER_00 23:36

If a car travel, I will walk. I very simple, you know. You understand? When I could get champagne, I drink it. If I had to squeeze orange juice, I drink that. Yeah. And then I go by a spring and I get water. Nothing does bother me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I grew up in between my grandmother's house and the housing scheme in Bataria. By my grandmother's house, we had a latrine. In my parents' house, we had indoor plumbing. By my grandmother's thing, I used to be between four sheet of galvanized and there I had a shower. By my grandmother's house was black and white TV, home was color TV. I used to be comfortable. Either way. Either way. So nothing, you can't take nothing from me. Right. Right? To make me feel boy, you know, or the thing, and and look where he reaches and them things don't bother me. Once I in the thing honest, I happy. Alright, well, I'll see why they had to leave you home for comedy. They had to find people out. Yeah, because trust me. And and I'm talking about this time, you know. The last time I got attacked, which was about two years ago, because I said somebody was out of key. And the thing was, who this way Ashby come out came out from being a producer, a musician, and having ears. I could hear. So if you're out of key, I am going to say so. No, I wouldn't just come out and attack a thing, you know. I will go first to the things that I thought you did well. Right? Your use of stage was great. I felt that they made a good connection with the audience. However, they were struggling to find the key of the song. So it's not a, I'm not trying to mash you up. But what I'm hearing and seeing is what I'm hearing and seeing. And be fear to your audience. And so that is me across the board. Right? And me in business who like me. Yeah. Well, alright. Well, if that's the case, let's talk road match, then we're people business who like them.

Corie 25:25

You follow the race.

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Closely, closely. I and uh truth be told, I was back in voice, right? Oh, you had voice tuners. Yeah. And and to be fair, I had a bias for voice song because I like voice song from the moment it came out because I listened to the lyrics, right? Um, and then I see people holding on it. But the lyrics was important for me because he was he he do a social commentary. He referred to the idea of the banning of the fets and so forth, and and and you know, I'm and so all while things and Satan I out there and jamming, I go deal with them brutal. All he talks, they talk in the car do me nothing. And then he went on to talk about his standing firm for your culture, and he's sure your ancestors will have you back, and he knows that his music is not noise. So, but that he win me. All I hear is woman and rum. Well, right, and the woman and rum thing hit me later, which to me made the song even more beautiful because to me it's like a kind of trap, yeah. And I thought woman and rum and woman and rum, right, right. And so I had liked the song from jump, and sometimes I'd code the lyrics in the song very early, maybe about a week after it was released, because I thought that was brilliant. So I like the song from then. I didn't know that it would go on to become what I thought it would be a voice hit. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Corie 26:36

Not you know, I think when they judge song of the year, it will probably win somewhere.

Cutting Performances And Censorship Fears

SPEAKER_00 26:40

And and so when I saw that people were taking it in that kind of way, I said nice, this my song. Yeah, right? Um, and I used to take nothing away for me. Encore was brilliantly written. Um the concept, the way how the concept was pulled together, I I thought it was great. To me, it it wasn't um Marshall's best song, but certainly the way how people was talking about his nonsense. That that yep that is disingenuous. The song was you know I mean the song was on, um it certainly wasn't aunt, right? Right, right. So it was uh it was legitimate. Um Garland song Was it once on him not once and then I I have a I I I I had an issue with that in the sense of if you don't want to enter, cool for me, I would just would not say nothing and I cool. Right? Um we call Garlin Garlin own and is one of my favorite artists, right? And I mean if you have to make an announcement you don't want to enter, cool. Yeah, just do you, yeah, just do enter. Right? Um and I generally have an issue with soccer artists lecturing me in the felt. Right. Right? Um I have an issue with that. I will get some licks for this, right? But I cool with that, right? Um supposed to be fun. Yeah, the fed's supposed to be fun, and and I often tell people any soccer artist that asks me, and this is not um towards Garland alone. A lot of them just come with the problems on stage. My guy, you are famous. More than likely, you have more money than me. You have a nice home, right? You're some gated somewhere. Yeah, you're driving sweet. I drag my coins and them together to come here to forget the asshole boss I have, right? Right, right. I come to like myself. The last thing I want is to know about I knew. I want you to make me whine and yarn back. Right? So so for me, and this generally across the board, I do want to know what your issue is. Yeah, yeah. And this is from big to small. I don't want to know if you have a sore truth. I don't want to know how tired it is, none of that. My last, if it's all inclusive 150, 1600, if you have a cooler fed, 600, 800, my last piece of money I put together to come to get on bar to forget the fact that it's Bill's mountain. Of course, of course. For you to tell me what bothering you and then jump in your big car with with what does call it, air suspension.

Corie 29:32

Yeah. And you know, the nice thing is when Carnaval done you all they hug up together, all the problems gone. My problem now starts back when I said serious.

SPEAKER_00 29:42

So so generally, I like artists to come give me, right? Uh, and let me let me have our time.

Corie 29:51

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wonder how people respond to fans because I remember for like stream, them and was good registered, they city was out. Right. But the pressure from fans, fans, like you see your in love.

SPEAKER_00 30:01

And and and let me tell you something. I I don't have a problem with a man changing him. Okay. Right? You change your mind, you want to jump in. That's your prerogative. The thing to me that that made it funny is that you you build your season around explaining why you're not going. Yeah, and the song, the song lyrics in the game. The song in the lyrics of the song you are declaring why you're not going. So for me, you have to hold on to that because I the if the point you're making is that you don't need the competition to be of the people and to get the people right thing, then that's the point you had to make, right? Again, I know I go galaxy for this, but that's just how I feel. I don't know how I feel.

Corie 30:42

I hear his explanation too, kind of hard for you come out and explain. Me and him wrong now. If you change your mind, you change your mind.

SPEAKER_00 30:47

No, but yeah, listen, uh the man's free to do him. Yeah, of course, of course, free to think, and and if he because one of the worst things you could have in the world is to be presented with new information and whole position and whole your position, right? So if you change your mind, cool. Yeah, right?

Corie 31:04

It's some interesting things, too. Like I had Tejo here, David. I remember Tejo saying, I will ask him if they register any song, and he was like, nah, he don't want to say it. And Tejo and them register the same week, the week of Carnival, maybe the day before Garland, but I didn't think much people pay attention to that.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

Yeah, and and I think I think there's some issues with how the road match is decided, yeah. You know, um people have issues with it. You know, there was I see there was a rule, then they remove the rule, the truck climbing and the truck climbing and all of that. Um I don't know how much of a difference that might have made the results, right? I don't know how much of a difference it would have make. I I I don't have the the same kind of problems people have with Marshall, right? Um I think Marshall you could say what you want about him. He's not a like Marshall, but Marshall has worked very hard. Too hard. Very hard. When you see how he he's putting, you know what I mean? He's putting his possible this year, right? Everybody hardest. If three people stand up on the corner and he mistake it for a function he'd have come and perform, right? But but but nothing is wrong with that, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? Because that means you're not leaving nothing to chance, right? I am a little ambiguous about going from chuck to chuck. I don't know how I feel about that. But if it's within the rules and you're not breaking any rules, then by all means, yeah, go for it.

Corie 32:36

Right? That's what I was saying yesterday. Sometimes we we criticize people when we should be watching systems. Systems, systems.

SPEAKER_00 32:41

So I don't have any issue with Marshall using within the ambit of what he has to use to get to gain victory, right? Um, and the idea that he should bow out, and then I don't believe in them chipping it. If it is you why we don't ask heavyweight fighters to bow out, yeah, yeah. You either go in the ring and beat the man as a contender or you stay out of that.

Corie 33:08

A man come and ask Bugsy, yeah, you're still playing pan. He's still like how Bugsy goes stop.

Competition, Power, And The Road March

SPEAKER_00 33:12

You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And and so, so, and I and and this is from me who do like competition, right? And if I find competition for professionals is a waste of time, in my personal view. Yeah. But that notwithstanding, competition is a big part of our carnival. Yeah, it's a seller. Right? So, so if we and and that's why I just tell people, if you, however, decide that you're going to go into the competition, then you are putting yourself to be subject to the rules and judging of that competition. Right? And so, therefore, if you if you if you you do like, you find it unfair, you think then you have to keep yourself away from that.

Corie 33:55

Right. Oh, and if you're on the flip side of that, everything that's afforded to you within the rules of the competition, you could use. But the question of Marshall is is it who have more corn feed more foul?

SPEAKER_00 34:05

And that is part of it, unfortunately, that is part of it. Um, Marshall had the resources, yeah. And and and and the other thing for me, nothing could change my mind that voice is my road, March, you know. Right, right, right, right, right. Yeah, that might be the official road. Voice is my roadmarks. Right? I know the tune I like. For me, it had more energy, more feel, you know what I mean? Right. Yeah. And and and and I mean right, but if you cannot vex with Marshall using what is at his disposal to win a competition. Right. What so I is a madman then. I have I could bring a thousand people on stage to be my background dancers. But I go be studying, you know, the next man he only had two people. Yeah, so you're gonna bring two. No. If the if however the competition said the maximum is three, then I come with my three. But once I could bring Yeah, within the competition, you're going to it. And and uh and we have a way that when it's who we like is alright, and when it's not who we like, we we we um think there were there were years um when people win socamona can't think and they sing our word, yeah, yeah. Or the truck climbing thing.

Corie 35:23

I hear people talking about it like it's new. I see super blue doing it. I were crazy, crazy, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:29

As a matter of fact, I think the year after crazy is when the institute the roll is a crazy rule, yeah.

Corie 35:33

They say crazy went while but I heard people saying, um, and you're a man who's no the history too, right? I heard people saying Kitchener when he's 11 without no kind of tomfoolery, but Marshall when he's 12, forcing people to like all the 12.

SPEAKER_00 35:47

You know what that comes like? That comes like Jordan and LeBron. It's two different eras, right? It's two different years, and I and I just fall on the side of Jordan, right? I find Jordan is the greatest of all time, but I can't argue that too hard with somebody who never saw Jordan, didn't know how basketball was at the time. It's a whole different game, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? It was more physical than one more thing now, but within the context of the present NBA, the greatest man to play is LeBron. And so so we can't really talk that then because the time different, it had no social media, yeah, it had nothing. Valerie Valera win a road match. What are we saying? Right? Yeah, but they call that the happy wanderer, the happy wanderer win a road match.

Corie 36:33

So we be going, we'll be going back in time to what win and what even then when you look at Kitchen and Sparrow, who's some of the most when you add up competition, nobody didn't win competition like them fellas all across the board. Also, had the biggest two calypso to them controlling.

SPEAKER_00 36:46

Everything they had to change so much so that people forget when shadow comes on the scene. He declares one, two of them. Of course, is the only way he right? Because he said, By these two men, is everything sparring? Because now he comes in and he said, Well, I go in by my wobbi a man and deal with them. Because he knew if he had to come in, them is the two, yeah, yeah to fight. Right? That's just the reality. And and I'm not saying it's fair, I'm not saying it thing, but we also have to look at at the the the the You had to get Jackie Jacket, right? You have to get Jackie Jacket. Marshall is a mastermind at marketing, and you have to take the wins where you get them. Because while he was marketing this year, he ensure that how much youth get to climb the stage with him, right? From the little youth man. Paris cooter. Not even Paris. I forget his name. Yeah, little about three of them, and then one who wins, he brings him on the stage. And while you could say that is for selfish reasons, I don't know. I I'm not in Marshall's mind. Whatever the reason, those young people got an opportunity to perform in front of a crowd that now knows them and have them in mind so that in four years' time, of course, when they come back, so so so you have you can't just look and say Marshall. You also have to look at at what and whatever his reason for doing it, me again into that. Right, yeah. I'm saying the fact of the matter is those young people now get that opportunity on on to sing with the biggest and best in front of some of the largest crowds. And so that that you can't, you know what I mean?

Corie 38:31

Yeah, opportunity too, they wouldn't get an opportunity too.

SPEAKER_00 38:34

He wasn't coming here unless he had that song that was if he had like a boss, he didn't come in to sit on here to talk for the two hours in a carnival season, and and so so even that and and and yes, we need new blood, but don't let us not get on like we do have new blood, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, people like to say that we have new blood from the smallest to the thing. We have people look at that fight for road match this year.

Corie 38:56

Yeah, it was no blowout. No, no, it's a fight fight. It's a fight fight. It was real. What about the road match in terms of as you're talking about the flaws of the competition system? It does seem as though anybody I talk to know exactly what point they call this song at. Whether it's when they enter this stage, you know.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

I don't I don't know the actual thing. There are some rules that I read some years ago. I can't remember, and I don't know the actual thing. I think I think they should do a combination, something, right? Me, I one, I think it should have a general people's choice. Right. Right? Well, and you can decide what that looks like, whether it's registered masqueraders alone thing that get a vote. Right, and this is not individual for what the truck will play. What the truck playing is what he truck playing, but uh but all registered masqueraders get a chance to cast a vote, right? Right? Then I think it should have some some they should use the technology to get some roving judges, random points, random points, right? And then the stage thing. And between those three things, oh yeah, this uh that makes sense.

Corie 40:02

Right? I used to think of it the other almost like eliminate the stage, but suppose you can't eliminate the stage.

SPEAKER_00 40:09

But I think those three things could give you some. No, is that not perfection, eh? Yeah, of course. But I think it would be a little more balanced.

Corie 40:15

A little more balance balance a power. So come I'd never win a road match again.

SPEAKER_00 40:18

If you do that, if you come on the road, and and any real masquerader will tell you there is a tune on the road that is the real tune for Carnival.

Corie 40:27

Well, this year that might have been the voice. Because the voice working for the stage, but I I see a Juvem modern every time they play their voice, and and Crystal, I'll get respect for Christmas. Yeah, Crystal was on. Oh my god, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 40:38

But you know who gets some love to um the the what they call Shitty Queen Aspite? Yeah, Queen Steam. Queen Steam.

Marketing Muscle, Youth Platforms, And Legacy

Corie 40:44

Queen Steam gets some love on the road too. She said they ain't gonna play at all. Now she gets some love on the road, I find man.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

And people reacted, people responded, and there's always a song. There's always a song, and there are two kinds of things that here was the beauty of Carnival too. There's a song that that you discover on the day two. Now, when I say discover, it has been nice, you know, but then it's realize how sweet it is for the road. Last year for me, that song was um girl, you have it, girl, you have it. Yeah, because I hear it and I like in it all the time. But when I hear it on the road, there's something about it in a truck when you move. Yeah, it was so sweet. And for me, I say, Yeah, boy, this is mature. And I kind of fall in love with it over again. And so it just how it just has all kinds of beautiful things happening. The road match is one point of thing, and like I said, it will always have contention because again, people were the road match. Uh and remember what that means in a very real way, right? Um, it may not mean that for Marshall, but for the average person, it means they one, they could probably up the price that yeah, it means the bookings going up, so it's a very travel more tangible thing that it you know. So so instead of doing 80 things for the year, you could end up doing 200 things for the year. So it's a yeah, people want it.

Corie 42:01

So that is why it's so serious. Makes sense, makes sense. So if you're saying competition for professionals or something, because the the the competition itself has a value, right? Yeah, but the background behind the competition is seems to elevate the whole carnival.

SPEAKER_00 42:15

Well, well, and and and so so Trinidad is a beautiful place. I love Trinidad. Trinidad does operate in the exact opposite to the rest of the world, and I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I'm gonna get an example. And then I will sell out my age here. I don't know what is the latest reggae, if it's some fest or whatever. I go into a sun splash because I won't, right? Reggae Sunsplash and them thing used to happen because of what? Reggae. Right? New Orleans Jazz Festival has happened because of what? Jazz. Right? So the music drives the festival. Our thing, the festival is what causes the music. So happen because of carnival. Right? Now that's happening less and less, but that is the genesis of the thing. Right? So the festival used to cause the music. Now we we're getting a little more because uh festivals, you're getting things spreading out, but that is the foundational thing of it, right? Um we used to you when you when an artist are international artists doing a tour, traditionally, right? The tour is to drive album sales, right? And so the toe ain't to sell the album or anything. Now that changes, but you know, that on that train long before it changed, right?

Corie 43:42

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:43

Long before music stopped selling. So what used to happen, you find that long time, a man like Iwa George goes print a hundred and fifty records. He really printing record to sell, he printing record to ensure that radio station and DJs get so that the record is now powering the performance. So we always back the front. Right? You find that competition is a way to discover new talent. I think the only competition that maybe have a little bit of that in it is um oh gosh, oh gosh, it's ash Thursday. Forgive him, forgive him. It's ash Thursday, it's ash Thursday. Don't answer that. Mommy calling her talking to her, Mary. Yeah. So so you find that the the the only competition we have that close to that might be young kings. Right? But so generally, competition is to discover new talent. That I find strange, which is a hard way to make them popular and get big. Trinidad. Yeah, no. Trinidad is raw professional in competition. So imagine Prince and Michael Jackson going on America's got talent. You understand what I'm saying? No, I now having said that, their ecosystem is different. So therefore, I understand the competition. Because particularly for Calypsoans, sometimes that is the only way. Yeah, the only forum, really. You have the forum you have. Right? So I understand why the competition is needed. Um, it's sometimes the only way a man has a chance of recovering the money he spends and getting future earnings. All those things, isn't it? Right. So it points to the fact that we have a fundamentally flawed system that needs to be addressed in some way. Right, yeah, yeah. It goes take a bigger brain than mine to figure out how to fix it, right? But uh But you see, for now, the back and I'll work it.

Corie 45:37

Because I don't know that we know Helan song at all.

SPEAKER_00 45:40

Well, well, listen, the amount of people who play it, type out the lyrics, right? That might be the biggest that might be the biggest song out of the monarch because of what happened. And let me be real, people just want to get on, like if Carnival do have a baccanal spirit. Carnival spirit is baccanal. It had to have that in it. There's other things too, you know, but it must have that. When last from the time the the the the that starter gun goes off, it must have the amount of thing.

Measuring Road Energy And Better Rules

Corie 46:16

It's boring but they're running smooth. Even as you say with voice, when voice announced I go beat him badly coming in the room, man, the whole thing changes season shift.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

Yeah, and that and that nice because you see at the end of the day, them fellas hug up on a truck, yeah. And right, and whoever is whoever while we arguing about who and what and why and thing, right? Yeah, they're and again you have to remember that competition is competition. So if I come in, if I in the guile with you, I want to bust your head. It doesn't mean I don't like you, yeah, yeah, yeah. But busting the head is the aim. Yeah, like what we're here for. Else with that play stick with pool noodle. Right?

Corie 46:57

It's not a friendly sport.

SPEAKER_00 46:59

No, we ain't come to um skin up and and and thing. We come to we come with with pooy to open my head, and then when we're done, we think we hug up and we think and we laugh and we drink, we punch in.

Corie 47:11

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like the stick fighter, just like the stick fighter. The back and also make I forget to ask about Terry performance. I only somebody could.

SPEAKER_00 47:16

But Terry, they were there was they had nothing to me. You know who if they had somebody, if it had collusion, if they had intent, if it whatever they could have done on that night, nobody was beating Terry. Yeah, boy, yeah, boy, yeah. Nobody was beating Terry. When I when I took in that performance, they could have done what? They could have mute, they could have put there was nobody beating Terry on that night. Right. And they are there sometimes there are performances like that where it's just you know, something happens, it's a moment. Um it was it was powerful. Yeah, I didn't see it in a long time, boy. I didn't see it in a long time.

Corie 47:59

But I remember Bundem and years like that where the the rock is.

SPEAKER_00 48:03

And that's the kind of comparison you have to give to this particular person. I never thought we'd see that in the era again again. And and and um Terry is a phenomenon, you know what I mean? Terry, me, you know, if Terry understands what she has, um that is the full full package. You know, that is the full full package, something running in my head. Fuck that. Um if this tongue wasn't colorous, Terry would have been the biggest thing in this tongue. Yeah, we like red people in this town, yeah. No, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, you know, and and that you know uh and it's a testimony to Terry because she doesn't carry that. She don't carry that burden. She knows she's good, she has come and delivered she show. So, and I never hear she say that. Yeah, so that's a testimony to she strength and the fact that nothing is stopping she. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I could see it.

Corie 49:11

Sugar thank you.

SPEAKER_00 49:13

I could see I could see it because I see it in this town. Right? Yeah, well, you see it, you in it.

Corie 49:19

Yeah, yeah, but you know what I mean. But on that night, yeah, they couldn't from the time she walks on the stage. There's a few things I see like that. I remember when Crocru does come on entrance, Stalin do bund them. It had a few of them. Kurt had a year like that too. Where from the time them reached Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Terry’s Unstoppable Performance

SPEAKER_00 49:33

And and and this was her moment. Um and it couldn't happen to an isa person. I think Terry well deserved. Um and she won it before, but somehow this victory different, yeah, you know, this victory put her be unquestioned for me. You know? Because remember, remember she cool and calm representing me winning, mashing them up in Queen of Queens, right? Yeah, but this one only had to leave Terry alone.

Corie 50:07

Yeah, boy, yeah, boy, yeah, boy. And and next year we are eager to see what the years to come.

SPEAKER_00 50:11

She alone because it did it put her in a different zone now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Corie 50:16

Some people say that Corey Shepard, yes, only two winners that was on the team. I say that. If you want to win something, you gotta come here. No voice and come here, you're in the road, man. Yeah, yeah, and that's that's the truth.

SPEAKER_00 50:28

You can't know that. And but on a serious, on a serious note, um, the power of these kind of platforms, right? Particularly your thing, is there's a humanity it brings to the people we see. Yeah. Right? There's a humanity it brings to the people we see. And that is important for the wider audience. Because you see a lot of people do look at people and feel, boy, a thing. And then, but when you get a sense of who they are, the kind of things they went through, um, how they become who they are as a performer, it it goes a long way, you know. Um, and while you do count on competition night, it counts in terms of how people see you, how they receive you.

Corie 51:13

Yeah, you know, but that's the goal, huh? I really just trying to get success stories out there, you know, just to show people like about it.

SPEAKER_00 51:19

But no, but I was to tell you, you overdo it, right? Because I want you to see that this is Carnival weekend. You had me busy, I don't know how to function because I have to go, I have to go ahead over to play. I still catching up, you know. I still because I think one Lego, I say, oh gosh, I'll take that one. I think I think I dressing the party, I watching podcasts, I think I driving in my can't have to be a good thing. Carnival is breathlessness, can I do that? Everybody curry, one to curry, and you overdo it.

Corie 51:49

Apart it was um respect for Tela Springer. I had to do that carnival Friday. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Trick and Al. We had to do that juvenile.

SPEAKER_00 51:55

And I like the trick canal too because when I hear trick and all coming, I see about it. I know we could interview three of them together. You know, it's no way that they're making sense. And when I see the interview, that I say nice.

Corie 52:04

But yeah, no, it was it was nice, it's one of my favorite ones. You talking about you, I didn't tell my eyeball hard. I forget to cut out the part where you bring Guinness for the man.

SPEAKER_00 52:13

Well, I tell a good I don't know what I mean.

Corie 52:15

Listen, it it uh telling you I say about what career care about people master play Joven fet to go, it's for the people who home the numbers now side of go up as a friends in one of the colours we help win this year, yeah, yeah. Exodus, yeah, man.

SPEAKER_00 52:31

Pelamas here, Pelamas Exodus representative. Yeah, well dime a pan side.

Corie 52:37

How you feel about it?

SPEAKER_00 52:38

I mean it's listen for years we in the wilderness beating all kinds of tune and we carrying for years, and and the other thing is um Crapu, who is um Exodus flag man. I'm uncle. I see I'm a mother brother, right? And he when I say flag man, he he he waving flags before I knew myself. Right? He probably closer to 80 right now and he's still waving flags. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? So my first thing with Exodus, and then my father, we I that we are too napuna family, right? Right, yeah. So of course Ride, right? Ride ride, my uncle waving flag, thing. So so listen, uh I feel real good. I feel good the first time, this time again, it's different, you know? And I mean plenty, plenty good tune play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Plenty good tune play this year. This year I I kinda enjoy this year panorama um more than most in recent memory. Not that they didn't have good pan playing all the time, you know, but I feel I've I felt this year um anybody could have really taken, you know. It was tight. It's three points, it's three points. Anybody could have really taken it, however, XO.

Corie 53:52

I tell myself the lizard going through sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean the one there's a man line sure, he's sure, you know.

SPEAKER_00 53:58

You should have keep it as a Gronglazard because we we just eat we just eat going on. Right?

Panorama Joy, Song Choices, And Memory

Corie 54:07

I'd ask everybody song selection. I see people complaining about the pan changing and girl. Let me people play songs from any years. So this year's songs like the wheel and the lizard, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 54:16

Are they new?

Corie 54:18

Uh not a new rule.

SPEAKER_00 54:19

I think it's it's it's any for me, anything done too much could spoil a thing, but I think that is important because and I think I hear you mention it the young people who know nothing about lizard and the will and thing get an opportunity to engage with them songs now. And I think that's important. You know, um, I remember the will. As a primary school child, I learned the will word for word. I could have sung the will from top to bottom in primary school. First, you will impact me. You know what I mean? And I remember watching um Skrunter imitate thing. I remember the Dimash Grand Night when Kitchener walk on stage and gay Skrunter e hat. And all them, all them things, them is moments for me. Right. And and for young people to now come and engage with that is important.

Corie 55:06

You know, I see, I didn't know what I was saying there about that. Like, YouTube is a funny place. You will see, I was watching supernovas and them on the track, and boy, like it getting me younger because now it's children children playing that. Yeah, them playing. And when you go back to like scrunch of performance, you will you will see people in the comments say, I come here because I renegades plays, or I come here because this one played all stars.

SPEAKER_00 55:28

Yeah, yeah, and and and that's important. It is critical and important that because you see we have a way, uh, and that's part of Carnival too, yeah. We just do magnificent things and then throw it away. I always remember as a child, again at the FM age, right? When Carnival done Tuesday evening, and I walk into tongue, I see a brilliant headpiece. Them they said that standard on the ground. That's waiting for Kong T Kong So to come and sweep it up. And beautiful pieces of art. We have a way we just do magnificent things and take it for granted and trade within. And I think we had to come out of that. We had to start to reach back to all the beautiful things we make. Music. Um, even some of the pan arrangements and things that it has some pan arrangements that you know these youth and them never hear. Beautiful thing, you know what I mean? Um, this side from thing playing distant drums. I don't have the best piece of music. I you know what I mean? Yeah, and if you know certain things that we should just that should be just standard then.

Corie 56:31

Yeah, but you say it to know the festival drive anything because the festival is a monster. Yeah, monster. The festival was something new every year, yeah. Every year, yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're coming with woman and rum again.

SPEAKER_00 56:40

Yeah, as when I was active as an artist, the worst thing for somebody that we're coming with next year. I used to get mad because you know I mean I put out a piece of quality work, all your jam tape, all your thing, or you like all yourself. The thing now done. Let me catch my breath next. No, next Wednesday, you know what I mean? And yet still, yet still be the man go come here every year and take a choke and mark up your blackboard and your cool with us. And tell you how much of an old dog he is. Yeah, zone. A man sing a song, boy, you still singing that old choke. Yeah, nobody don't easy now.

Corie 57:18

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, not easy. Yeah, when you say the artist, I feel the artist is brother, is the musician, the producer, everybody, makeup, everybody, yeah. But but maybe it's one of the things that pushes the creativity, yeah. Because I was watching again home this year, able to watch Parade of the Bar, I should say forced to watch Parade of the Band. My wife I like when that's when I home, I want to disconnect. But um, it was real encouraging to see because I find that a lot of the feedback when you say people in your inbox, the people who in my inboxes act like the whole of Carnival is tribe and humor and blessing. I find that are real important parts of Carnival. But when you watch the Parade of the Bands, and I tell us it where people make their own costume.

SPEAKER_00 57:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, steady, steady. And they've been listening we we we it are plenty things wrong with the carnival. It got plenty right with it. Yeah, you know, um people respond to things. Um, that overcommercialization has led to small groups of people. I see three people playing a make a band, four people make a band, 15 people make a band. That's important. And it looks good too. And and and those things are in direct response to this overcommercialization, rope, um, cooldown, bust to take you everywhere. You know, it has some things that disturb me, right? That's something there's a card that being pulled by young black men. You know, I that does in the spirit that is.

Corie 58:48

I see one stick in a puddle this year. Yeah, and nobody ain't come off.

Preserving Culture Beyond The Festival

SPEAKER_00 58:52

Come off to make it lighter, you know. I mean, to me that that is a kind of a kind of madness, you know. And and so you just have to look for the counteraction to that and it is fine it, you know. Um, I just look forward to seeing people like Maria Noon's images. When she captured her image, you know, it just makes you remember what this is about, you know, who we are. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, when when you see them kind of things now. Um my son tell me you want to come in tongue with Juve. You really want to come with me, eh? What you want is a ride, yeah? So you're vexed. I mean you think so. He and you pick up he and he partner, and them gone. You know, he went to the committee crisp white Air Force Ones, right? I say no that they're coming back crisp and white, right? But you just had to lead them to learn and he went off and he came back and he knew himself. Right? Now for me that is a sign that he enjoyed the juve. He had fun. As a parent, your heart in your chest because you know the juvenile is a kind of craziness, but also you had to let them go and let them experience, you know what I mean, say whatever prayers you have to say. Right? And let them know to be alert and what I know you fed up on me with warning, but I I that is my work to make him fed up, right? But also the other side of that is that he's now I used to be struggling. I say, but your father is a rap so man. You went juve once, yeah, yeah, thing, but now you know they're finding the way you fed this year without my prompting. Because for years I used to be begging him to go fetter as a boy, and no, I shouldn't be telling you this, you know, but since I'm 15, I fet him up. What's going on with you? But he ages a fetal. Now he he he you know, he makes some fat and so you see anything in their own way they're finding the beauty and the carnival, they find anything, he come home here the night in the flood out the house because you knock out the thing, but so so it it it it it means that that I say, but what cause that? I say, yeah, drink no set of things. He said, No, but I was tired, I dance.

Corie 1:01:05

Well, yeah, that's love. That is love. Yeah, go do it.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:08

If you whine so hard, you know yourself as alright. Might be my child after all, right?

Corie 1:01:12

Yeah, so you have evidence now.

Fete Prices, Access, And Streaming

SPEAKER_00 1:01:16

So so I mean it it for me it I say in all of that to say there's there's a continuity that may be happening, not in ways that we want it to, but it happening. Um Steelpan. Yeah, boy. Steel pan, I am I am adamant as the savior of this nation inside and outside of the carnival, right? When you see what how youths engage with it, um when you see the passion they have for it. Because steel pan is a thankless work, yeah. You if you're a soak artist, you're running on stage, you make a piece of money, you think, right here, you think you make a piece of money. You practicing as a and for the parents and them, all you know they say not and all you can't till one in the morning to waiting to pick up each year. And then when they're done with it again, hours, hours, even if they get paid, how much you really get paid? And so it is pure love that these children have for this art form. It is something that keeps them coming back, it is something that instills discipline, it is something that shows them who they are, it is something that shows them appreciation for the country. You know, and and so for me, we had to be thankful for those things. Yeah, yeah, I mean, like I tell people all the time, it's not plenty wrong with children and tobacco, but it are plenty more that right with it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. I see it, I see it. And and so we just had to hold under that in the midst of all the things that we have to deal with, the politics, the thing, who fine Carnival Village was this, who find flavour was that. And I tell people, I say, listen, those things, regardless of what you feel about it, the flavour, anything, them thing was happening, you know. Right? But you have to get credit where credit is due, the promotion of it. Um was much better. In terms of communication. Communication was much better. Um because people saying, boys, the first time I've gone to see them big artists, them big artists was always there. Because I my the tent I used to work with was used to be right next to the village. Right. Sometimes you have the huge artists performing, it has been done. The huge artist was always there, um and and the performing, but a lot of times the the the machinery behind it not promoting it. No, not so you see. So so you find that now the promotion is the other thing, people come and enjoy it. And I think it's a good space for people who, you know, yeah, no big set of money to spend, you could come and see all the people. I I I would have liked to see more Calypsonians.

Corie 1:03:38

Well, that was my one critique of big and I I biased. So I find in the years before you saw plenty more vintage nights, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:46

And I think that was a weak point. I would also, I for me, it could get some use in a different way. I think it could ease up some of the pressure on the calypso tent and make the calypso tents and them more premier. And by what by that, what I mean is you have a lot of filler in some of these tents. Bush. Right? Um, and it makes the show long uh and and but also you want these people to have an opportunity to sing because how are they going to develop, how they're going to get better. And for me, that's the flavour of the carnival village is the place that you could give them to hone the craft, they get a chance to earn a little dollar, they got a chance to perform. Makes sense, right? Um, and then you make the shows in the actual tent tighter. Yeah, it needs to be. You give a show so that when people come, they spend a little two hours, two and a half hours, home.

Corie 1:04:36

But we've been beautiful. And LED. What time you leave? One o'clock? And somebody's still going on stage. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:43

Right. And calling for unco. So so it means then that there's an opportunity in those kind of things where you could take away, where you can make the calibre so ten tall tighter, but you don't want to deny these calib students who mightn't be at the top of the game yet. Right, of course. The opportunity to develop in front of our audience together. And it there's the so on the off nights, right? Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, you run some of these and you mix them in with some big names so that you put the audience and think it's free. The audience can't get too vexed with it. No, no, no.

Corie 1:05:16

The audience was with people, you know. Right. The audience rally with people. I find the audience.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:20

So you have the you have in that you have an opportunity to to mash up a couple of things. The the the the lack of how much Calebsonians were there, and then the tent now. Yeah, it's at ease. It's at ease.

Corie 1:05:31

Well, let me go to my favorite part of kind of Valerie going with yours, right? Fet season. Where you do this here? You was a fetter, you was outside.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:37

I was outside a little bit. I generally I I I know how to fet again, right? I I I just tell people I fet so much as I use that I have fet inside. Right. I tell you it's 15 years I outside and no, I had no reason to be done by soaker village at the end, right? So so um this year I touch where I went to that. I went to a couple things, and and and and and in all. Those things I enjoy myself. Okay. Um, I went to a couple concerts. I went to KESS. I had a good time in this. I had a good time. I had a good time until I had to designate a driver. Right?

Corie 1:06:13

After the factor.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:14

Yeah, designate a driver after the fact. True and join. And when I realized what's going on with me, when I realized when I realized, you know, it's it's yeah. I say, right, you go. And then I I designate her again when I went veil, but that it worked out so good. I had to undesignate half me. I had to start a drink club soda in the center if I become realized my designated. Yeah. She said designated. Yeah, she started your own bad. So she damn right.

Corie 1:06:45

That's what I like that designation at all.

Origins Of Breakfast Fetes And Wet Culture

SPEAKER_00 1:06:47

Like you're wrong. You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong. So she so she she but but and but I I had a good time. I thought I felt that the effects that I did go um were nice in terms of um the I think people kind of have a balance now. So many things happening. You could find your space, you could do your do. Um and I like our good fit. I like that, you know, people people be shocked when they see me. But I eyes of when I come out, I come out. Yeah, no, use a man go have a good time with that.

Corie 1:07:14

Yeah, me and me quiet coming out plenty. So yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe I'll ask as a performer as well as a patron. We've come from fetting where fetting was chaos. It could be violent too. I was telling Marshall, for instance, when them sing pull it in and point over so and move, PSI wall could have got ripped. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But now always the reaction is more phone thing. Or is the old as a performer when people I I I have I have two minds.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:39

I had this feel away about it, but I also had to respect the new thing. Right. Um, and and what here why I say that. I also remember when we was fetting in rag, how the older people at that time was getting on. Correct. With this, you don't know if it has snatching that rack, people blowing the note thing and they're spinning it wrong and it's juilling. Seriously, like you're talking about. They didn't like the rag thing when the rag. Remember rag come out when in weak crime? Wave your rag was nothing, and just set an instruction there how we exercising in the fit. And right? So there was a complaint then, and that was the new thing. So I I I have a philosophy when I deal with youths that perhaps I'm not the demographic for that. So I is not the demographic for phone and things. I come to John Bad. Sometimes I look back to see how if I could find a good picture to post my one because I was enjoying myself. Yeah, yeah. Um, but I also respect that that be might be their way of enjoying themselves. I I don't get it. Yeah. Right? But I I I don't want to discount that they might be able to hold the phone up and have a nice time, right? Yeah, yeah. You know?

Corie 1:08:44

I just wish they could get a slice of that. Bungie's give them a slice of the adfort.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:48

I I see in cruise ship complex, Ronnie, come out at time, and it had some it had some poor palm tree. Let me tell you something. They first they started taking the poor palm tree branch, right? After a while, the palm tree uprooting up, and you see palm tree going through the fet, so you know. Yeah, yeah, I think that might have been the donkey, yeah. Yeah, move. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Corie 1:09:18

Remember um when when Crosby's moved to King George, so I think it was Wayne Rodriguez's footsteps here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like them rip off the fence. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So so I mean, I mean, at the end of the day, that was weight. And I don't know. The phone might be the thing. I don't know. I it's like I say, it's not my that not my demographic. So I can't, but clearly they keep returning and they're having a time. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Corie 1:09:48

So if you say you like to see people complain, I I never see Marshall look so old in my life. Yeah. Than when he says, nobody don't want your footage like a real old man. Who is waiting for your footage? Put away your phone.

J’Ouvert Love, Stages, And Street Logic

SPEAKER_00 1:10:00

No, but I and I understand from a performer the frustration, right? But I also I always remember um as kindred we and we gone in the black bottle fet, right? That that was spectacular for him on a Sunday. Right, something perform with spleen out. Listen, we couldn't make we way out of that when we done the way how people stop boy that performance, but we couldn't leave and then but I say I watching our kind there, I watching them taking me in. Right when we trying to leave now, we can't make we out, everybody boy, thing. When all they go come again. So that that also makes me understand that while we accustomed to this up here as a response, sometimes trainees just have a way that they're not tinging, but they're taking it in now. So you just had to you just had to kind of have a sense of when you're reaching people, you know. But I know for a performer the the phone thing could be frustrating because you you creating frenzy, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And and people look into the phone like to get a selfie with you in the back.

Corie 1:11:19

You the backdrop of them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They want the picture with you. They want a picture with you. Maybe only how to take most performers or they must come down in the crowd and take pictures of them. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:26

Maybe you should have a time for that. Maybe we might have to um we might have to Dave Chappelle then, we might have some bag for phone or if you I wish.

Corie 1:11:33

I wish, I wish, I wish. Going going to going to your season now, your time. Well, or maybe before I get there, the Fed prices. I hear under complaint too we can you were saying before we started like a cooler fet might be$809. I'd be a thousand dollars for a cooler fet this year. I never thought of the CDD.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:49

Um, yeah, it had. It had for people, and and but I'll tell you something. People will only charge what people willing to pay. You want and supply. Right? And as long as people willing to pay it, they're going to charge it. You know what I mean? Um it has certain facts. I just not going. I'm not spending that party. Right. Right? It's better I take that money, uh, you know what I mean, buy some drinks and turn on my Bluetooth speaker. I can't with that money, you can go to a bingo.

Corie 1:12:22

Yeah, yeah, you know, make it nice well. Is you put me on it because a lot of the feds and events were still streaming on YouTube. You're still gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:30

Yeah, so I I I I as long as there's the demand, people are going to charge you money. Yeah, and people are gonna pay as soon as people stop paying them prices, feds go right.

Corie 1:12:42

Ben Ben suddenly leave as a Fed Price come up. You're still the origins of breakfast parties.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:49

Well, I don't know if it's the origin, I don't know if it's one, but the one I know first is Tiko Skinner in Bataria, right? Right on Sparrow Avenue. Uh that used to be a staple after now. It's starting Saturday night, but nobody really arriving until after panorama results come out.

Corie 1:13:04

So you have a little crowd. But Just gonna be early morning, too. Yeah, that could be 3-4 in the morning, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:13:09

Right. Um and that fed on average, so sometimes I would come home and go and sleep and wake up and still go the fed because I I I born and I grew up on Sparabony, right? So I would go go and sleep and get up about 8-10 in the morning and still get a good six hours fit. Right. Right? Everybody on the street go cook something. Um and that fed went on for years. Tico Skinner Fed, everyone tickle, everybody coming that. And it started pressure the neighborhood after a while, you know? People used to enjoy it, but it became so big. Yeah, it's just like Veil on the Vale, yeah. Um, that they carried out of the savannah, um, I think it was George's savannah. And it kind of changed, it got different out there because somehow I suppose the tightness of it and the you the neighborhood. Um sometimes when fets move the door always. It's hard, it's hard, it's hard, it's hard. That that vibe had to translate. But that that was the first thing. I I remember yeah, I interbigo getting my first job, I think, a guest house. So I had to prep the guest house for the aftercarnival thing. So I go on up the carnival Friday or Thursday, getting the guest house ready, and that year was get something and wave. Right, so and I hear that boy in Tobago, get something and thing now. Do you remember top your hands feed down the wave? And I study in Tico boy and I think Saturday night. You gone I in the airport, I come down, uh I come down Saturday night, right? You get a flight back out until Carnival Tuesday, you know. I spent Carnival Monday. Yeah, I spent Carnival Monday in the airport and standby. Carnival Tuesdays when I reach back at Thursday, you know. I couldn't take it. I had to come to cool.

Corie 1:14:44

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:45

You leave 12 o'clock in the night. I think I had a maxi coming down from um, yeah, because I take a taxi out on the main road.

Corie 1:14:52

Right, right, right. And just bust through down the road. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:56

I come with my bag whining in the street.

Corie 1:14:58

That is one of the fets now. I see in where some I don't know if it's the hour, or some of them they're wetting it down, so the phones put away and think. That is where you see in ring down.

Class, Costumes, And Access To Mas

SPEAKER_00 1:15:08

That and all the yeah, wet me down with that. We come out with the holes on the wall and men was wetting, you know. So I don't know, might have that might have been the first wet fet too. It's all juve parts, it's like that. But I mean, them, them, them, that that fet was was a phenomenon. That Tikoskina fet was a phenomenon. And the anticoskina was a was a band that used to come out, a devil band that used to come out on the Tuesday, they're coming out for Juve. Right, right. Tuesday coming out and playing normal man.

Corie 1:15:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's beautiful. So Juve, where do they say that?

SPEAKER_00 1:15:37

Juventus, Juve Love. Right. Right? Um I I don't play with my Juve. So I come out, me and my whole team. Um and we had a time. I I really I really enjoy myself. You see, that that the beauty of Juve is that sun rising. Um they wanted me to not cross the stage. Me, you know how that does work that out in the head at all. I uh we can't cross the stage. I want to come out, me think, yeah, well, thing I know me thing in the way, Sonny. I say I understand your job enough. But open them barriers. You know, uh I see them barriers are to open, you know, and he try to close it and thing. I I don't like I mean, I don't get aggressive because he's doing the work. So I just put my foot on the barrier and and the truck comes and we cross, he comes, he stops the truck, and he's really trying to do the work, yeah. So the issue is what they don't want you by. You must see how the stage to clean or some kind of thing, but that's not my business. We playing mass, right? And uh, we used to cross the stage. I I I not in logistics. Yeah, well, we had no oil, and even if it was oil, so be it, right? I come this day, so they cut off the truck now and they're telling the rhythm section. I say, but music is music, and I say, I said, what is the problem? And is there any explain where we just had to clean the stage? I said, Well, look at all this time you're spending talking to we. Yeah, it could have finished. We could have done be on the other side of the stage, and people would have been crossing. All the while now the the Marshall and them on stage now. I think all yeah, just relax all yourself. I said, Look, the whole band on the stage, while you're coming down, you go dirty all the nice clothes. I think just levi have our time. Yeah. And yeah, and at the end of the day, that's what had to happen. The lee have our time, we cross the stage, and we went about with business, no harm, no fault. It is so, I mean, and that's something almost every year we just have to go through.

Corie 1:17:26

Well, no, no, something more when that one's here.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:29

Um but I hadn't and you I ain't really come to reason or ask for your permission or nothing. I ain't come for none of them thing. You cross any stage. We used to cross the state. I don't understand, like understand what I'm saying. Yeah, that's the stage, yeah. And we had to cross it. That is all me to know anything, and me come I question you anything. Me come anything outside of that explanation, I don't know about. Yeah, we used to cross the stage. That's all I know. I know we're a strange thing. Yeah, we is a band and banders cross the stage. Yeah, no, I I know we had to cross. Me, you know, I don't know.

Corie 1:18:13

Well, one of the things I see change of Juve too. I was complaining about it last year. Maybe it's me. I like complaining about rag too. But I think the price of costumes and things in them, some of them bands that people want to play in three, four, five, six thousand dollars. Like I see a I see a man.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:26

Who are you talking about? No, we're saying three, four, five, six for Juve?

Corie 1:18:28

No, no, no. Oh, my tubes. I pay 900 to play Juve. That's the most I can't believe Juve band gets so expensive. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that was right.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:38

I am but then there's no way, and you see that again that goes back to the idea of where we have this all-inclusive thing. It are people all along the street selling things. Yeah, keep your food now, yeah, keep your drinks too. Keep your food and keep your drinks, yeah. Right? Give me some music, and whatever the costume I give me. But it's like you see, we have this way where I I I this this is a kind of just now they go want to they go start to hire people to lift you up to move you around for Joven. People don't want to do nothing again. So, what how hard it is to go and get a bear on the side and the thousand aba that day and a little bacon something. Let's go and get you have to thing and wait and line up and go by the shit.

Corie 1:19:25

Well, I think we culture is one way that particular part of the culture is one way the more difficult you make it or the more expensive you make it, the more because the banners full.

J’Ouvert Music, Crowd Energy, And Safety

SPEAKER_00 1:19:32

Well, of course. But that is the idea. You see, we have this idea of separating ourselves, yeah. Right? I that is how we don't separate ourselves. I tell people the the carnival used to be um about a contestation of between race, right? Now it's more of a contestation between class, right? Up tongue versus dong tongue, who have who ain't have. How much if you could you could afford a front line? Nah, man, you ain't saying nothing. Right? I could afford a front line, right? And yeah, yeah. So so really than playing the mass, you're playing yourself. Yeah, right? Look at me, and uh not the costume, check me out, right? And I mean that might be a thing, I don't know. Yeah, yeah. I might be the grumpy old man on the on the on the porch, right? But nowadays, who played the mass? Who have the money? Is it class? Yeah, yeah, well, that's where it starts off, right? But people that make sure and get the money, yeah. Come hello high water, right?

Corie 1:20:31

I see a man, I see I see a man in um call the mass camp. But I go to the mass camp to buy tickets and he comes to pay off. He says, he telling the lady say um my three daughters, they they give me this thing here and they tell me pay off the balance and thing. The woman tell him 17,000. Boy, that man cuss. He he paid, but he cussed. He said, Boy, then tell me come and pay off this thing. I tell myself he had 1200. He says 17,000, but he costs the mother, he costs the children, but he paid.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:59

Well, yeah, what are you gonna do? Because you know he can't go without that. Well, where you go without that's the thing. I guess madness though. I and I mean again, I I know the demographic for that, right? If you want to do it, do it. You could you could do that. I uh and I mean, and again, for some people, and I don't want to discount it for some people that that plane of mass might be the singular thing you do for the year. I guess yeah for them in time, yeah. And so maybe that is why it becomes worth it for them, right? For the rest of the year, the head might be dung, working hard, thing, thing, thing, and then no carnival Monday and Tuesday, I dragging my bam thing tongue, that is all I have. Yeah, and you reset. Start to save again finance because just like how I like how I play my juve right through the COVID. Yeah, you don't miss it.

Corie 1:21:47

I don't miss my thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But even the music, so Juve Love, all I have a rhythm section and a side.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:52

Rhythm section and a truck.

Corie 1:21:53

Yeah, I watched last year more so than this year. This year the DJ was real good. So the thing from 40 morning is a Juv crawl, and then when they reached, they went across soccer drum stage, so they had the voice and Marshall and all them things play. But I was watching last year with a band I play with, they play what would be the most popular songs and the fastest songs over and over. But wondering if Juv could be coming a mass replacement, because if mass is 5,000 for the band, for the eighth bands, then if you want to put it like that. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:20

You think I feel so you know? I think a lot of times it's just people do have a sense of what Juve is. So some some DJs have to, you know, DJs, uh, it's a DJ and then it's a DJ, right? A DJ is really supposed to set the mood for a thing. Um I think I watched where where where it was Roger or Wendell was talking about how the music, I think was Roger. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah. How the music is. And so as a DJ, you have to know how to take your people through the Juve. Right? And not everybody knows that. Um again in Trinidad we are we addicted to forward, right? You have an addiction. Yeah, yeah. What that is the main thing. If you mean if we see people frenzied, we have a problem. And sometimes not all music requires frenzy. Juventus are chip and there's a time for frenzy. But juve is rarely here, right? Pulling the thing together. Yeah, I mean, nice vibe thing, and then you could lift it, lift it, lift it, crescendo, come back down. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know?

Corie 1:23:17

I had to tell Roger, I see it live this year because the corner of Damian Street and Mukrap Road. I now join the band. I'm now looking for my partner and them and I just observe it. And I see a bunch of youth men, nobody can be older than 25. When I say a bunch, was it 3040? Running to the band. And that is what I understood, Roger was saying, because them men and them playing, pull the pill. So the energy them youths on them are. Come in, yeah. Then they stand up on the church wall. Next thing you know, they've jumped down, they beat. If I jump off a wall, so I'm going to die. They run off that wall and real beat a youth, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:47

And the DJ now we're told to cool it down. Just just and and that could have been there was a team moving through that area of about 30 youth, man. Yeah, maybe the same school. And you could see, you could see it. Yeah, they come out for what they come out for. They have a team of them, right? Um and and and for me, I play my Juve, but I'm a sense. I know where they are, I know where they move. And I just part of it, that you guys, because I just tell people that life in life you can't you can't become a target. I just tell my son that every day. I see I see predators that look for prey. Do position yourself as prey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because you have to you're enjoying yourself, but you know, and they they walk up the street, they walk down, they pull across all the things, and you're seeing them and you know, and you know what they're looking for, you know what, right?

Corie 1:24:39

Of course, of course, of course.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:40

You see, yeah, you had to you had to have a sense, all that is in it because that is part of the life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? That's part of the life, the sweetness, the chaos, madness, the sadness. I just part of it. Yeah, you can't avoid it all.

Corie 1:24:53

So, what's your last Carnival 2026, but see, people say the jumbi was missing. Was it was your overall?

The Jumbie Of Carnival And Political Meddling

SPEAKER_00 1:24:58

The jumbi never misses. The jumbi was put could could be could be a little um, no pun intended, muted. But um the the the the it it is there, and Carnival will always triumph in the end, you know. What we have to understand is what we take in from it. If the the the vibe was a little different, um people kind of drew on some of the uncertainty around the competition, so there was that. Um but there were people who felt the fullness of it, and different people have different experiences at the carnival. I just always tell people this carnival does right itself, right? You ever see them new kind of motorcycle and think it's a way to show them down and they just come back up. So Carnival have a way they just do that, right? They just deal with this where you're coming to do, all right. We'll sort you out next year, right? Um and people attempted in several ways to interfere with energies that do take kindly to interference, right? Um do take kindly to interference. And and and politician after politician, party after party does have to get I don't know, they just had to learn the lesson hard because from time immemorial, right? They try it from Captain Baker, go right back. Everybody does try this thing, and they just come and try to disturb the space, and then something dreaded does replace it. You do African drummer, alright? Because see why you swing back for that, right? And we think Tamboo Bamboo thing, next thing, pan in your ass, right? So it has a way that whatever all you're coming to disturb, whatever you feel you coming to fix pulling your direction happen, and and I I and I don't like to tell people these things, right? But you have to understand the ooh bear that is carnival, right? The ooh beah that is carnival, and people say oh beyond your fright, right? And you have to remember how the things start. A lot of them older panyards soaked in the blood of our ancestors who stand up for we to be able to do what we do and know, right? That is the that is the thing that you have to remember the rebellion, the revolt for we to do what we do and know, and some of them same all stars pannyard, all them play have the same that is what they're building on. So when you come and you feel carnival is just drunk and thing and fall, long and wine, that part of it, the important part, right? But it's not that alone, and when you disturb them kind of crucial energies, you go get an answer, right? And the answer. Will always fall in the favor of the people.

Corie 1:28:03

Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah. Fall right back at the doorstep. And then there's no better place than none of the brother. It's always a pleasure. Yes, always a pleasure having you here.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:10

Yes, I put me in some kind of backanal cow.