Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the region has lost one of its greatest nation builders with the death of Trinidadian calypsonian Leroy Calliste, better known as Black Stalin.
The five-time Calypso Monarch (1979, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1995) and Calypso King of the World (1999) passed away on Wednesday morning, at his home in San Fernando, at the age of 81.
“We in the Caribbean have lost one of our greatest nation builders. Each word of his, each sentence of his, carefully crafted by a maestro to tell our story of the Caribbean and our people,” Mottley said in a statement paying tribute to the late Trinidadian.
She said Black Stalin was one of the “region’s finest masters of calypso” who excelled in his field.
“…Both his lyrics and his melodies expertly captured the rhythm and vibe and voice of the Caribbean. He was acutely conscious of our shared history, culture, passions and concerns and expressed them in his songs in a way we never could ourselves. In the true tradition of calypso, Stalin was also a griot, chronicling the issues and philosophies impacting our daily lives.”
Making reference to the titles and lyrics of Black Stalin’s songs, Mottley noted that songs like Better Days are Coming and Caribbean Man demonstrated the artist’s profound love and adoration for the region, as well as his belief that all West Indian people could improve their lives with unity and love.
“Black Stalin’s songs were really about nation building, a task to which he was as committed as any Caribbean leader. Yes, he reminded us early on that ‘Dorothy’ and the tales of jamming her would have to take second place to his concerns as to where the oil money went.
“Our Black Stalin reminded us of the real concern of Sufferers – not to be wallowing in bigotry nor to be used as a background for many others in their causes but in being singularly concerned as to where the next meal is coming from. Never forget it!
“We give thanks for the life, work and passion of Leroy Calliste who, at the time of our Caribbean nation building, reminded us always that ‘we can make it if we try’,” Prime Minister Mottley added.
Cultural Ambassador and former calypso king The Most Honourable Anthony Mighty Gabby Carter, told Barbados TODAY Stalin was a close friend who was always supportive of him and his craft, even after he suffered a stroke.
“Last time that we were in Trinidad for CARIFESTA, we went and look for Stalin. He was so happy he started to cry. He said ‘Carter, Carter, good to see you, man’. He was struggling because he had the stroke already, but I understood everything that he said,” Carter said.
“We would call each other to see what [the other was] doing. Sometimes I was surprised [that while] I am in competition, Stalin would come here [and say] ‘Carter, I am here you know, I see you last night’. So we were very close and I am going to miss him tremendously.”
When asked what lasting impact he believed Stalin would leave on the calypso landscape, Carter said it would be his love and support of Caribbean unity.
“His legacy will be that he always sang songs to bring hope to Caribbean people. He always spoke about joining us together. He was never a separatist, he was never just for Trinidad only or Tobago, he was always for the Caribbean,” he said.
(SB)
