Ultimate Calypso Tent promises clean, exciting experience this year

By Shamar Blunt 

Calypsonians have a responsibility not to amplify negative and deviant behaviours often seen in the society. 

Furthermore, women degrading themselves aided by men and backed by lewd lyrics and ‘wutless” music have been highlighted as some of the negative aspects of the local “soca” genre.

Zimronn Andrews, the public relations officer with the Ultimate Calypso Tent and tent manager Billboard Murrell, shared these views with media representatives as the tent marked its 15th year in operation.

Andrews said that given the recent state of violent crime, artists have a responsibility to use their platform to push positive messages to their supporters, instead of adding fuel to the fire.

“The thing is that when you speak to social issues, you cannot be separated from them. You can’t say ‘I despise murder, or hatred, or the killing, or the crimes’ and you yourself are participating in those activities. First you must take yourself away from that.

“These things have no benefit to our lives, they have no benefit to our society and we want to see them completely eradicated. There is no joy that comes from hearing an individual is shot; there is no joy that comes from that, or hearing a young man has lost his life,” he said.

From left: Adiel ‘Precious’ McIntosh, Jude Clarke, Zimronn Andrews, Eden Murrell and dad Billboard Murrell.

The Ultimate Calypso Tent PRO was also very critical of the level of lewdness in soca tracks and stressed that though men often shouldered the blame for such behaviour, women also play a part in images and lyrics witnessed in the genre.

“If you are going to speak to the lewdness, and women degrading themselves, it’s not [only] that men are degrading them, but they themselves are responsible for some of that because of the way they carry themselves. So if you see our female artists, they are going to remain attractive, but what they are going to portray is not the lewdness that you would normally see [with] other women.

“You can still look gorgeous, you can still look beautiful, and there is no need to be skimpy; your breasts don’t need to be out. We are advocating for purity [and for] our young girls to carry themselves well. The men as well.”

However, despite some controversial lyrics being pushed in some of this season’s recordings, tent manager Murrell, guaranteed patrons an exciting and lyrically engaging experience this year.

“This year there has been a lot of good calypso. There has been a lot of good writing this year. I think there is a big disparity in terms of the calypso and the soca. For soca, the reality is that you get a lot of smut, a lot of ‘wutless’ music; you get a lot of music that is not appropriate for children [and] you get a lot of music that is degrading to women. That is on the soca side.

“On the calypso side, I must say that the calypsonians have done a fantastic job in terms of the quality of writing.”

The tent kicks off on July 7 at 8 p.m. at Kingdom Culture International Ministries, Fontabelle, St Michael., with free admission. shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb]]>