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Brief Bio from Triniweb.com
Even though he started at the tender age of 8, Ian Alvarez didn't transform into Bunji Garlin until eight years later. Spurred on by plain "old-fashioned" jealousy, he started writing and composing lyrics to enter his school sound clash competition.
Born Ian Alvarez of Arima, wherever, etc, etc. Grew up in, went to school somewher, got caught up in the streets, block or corner, wanted 2 make something of his life. The world now knows him as Bunji Garlin "The girl's dem darlin."
He exploded onto the music scene in 1999 and there has been no stopping him ever since, with Machel taking a backseat for Carnival 2001. Bunji seems poised 2 take the crown of Soca King of Carnival. Winner of the Ragga-Soca competition last year, he drove away with the first prize of a Hyundai motor car. The man himself goes much deeper than just an ordinary soca artiste as exemplified by his most recent release "Take That"
Who else could take such a serious issue as rape, make it into a song that is catchy, not drawn out like a social commentary 4 Dimanche Gras, yet retains its value?. Another aspect of Bunji that sets him apart from his cohorts is his ability to freestyle, or make up lyrics on the spot. Although this style has been present in extempo competition for years no one has been able to incorporate it into everyday performances. His delivery may be flavored with reggae style chanting, but he is able to mend the both styles seamlessly. He has grown as an artists over the years as he has been able to just come up with lyrics for songs on the spot instead of writing them down with pen and paper like he used to for his "chant-outs" in school.
Though his detractors are all too quick to state that he is destroying the culture, Garlin has been able to be at the forefront of developing a new wave of music known as Ragga-Soca/Rapso. At the same time he has been able to build a loyal fan base among the younger population of Trinidad & Tobago, who can identify with his style and lyrics. Bunji Garlin Carnival 2001.
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