IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

We live in a democracy where everyone has the right to do and say whatever he or she pleases. But there are always consequences for one's action. That being said, anyone and everyone has the right to say whatever they feel about Kevin Lyttle, even when what is said is CLEARLY empty and baseless rhetoric.

Moreover, even if you do not have a VOICE, thus making comments like "I agree", "you're right" without a thread of reasonable input on the issue, what type of impression do you believe you're RELAYING to your
AUDIENCE?

Nevertheless, in a democracy, those VOICES are eligible to be heard too, even if one might look at it as mindless. Although there are cases where such a position on an issue might be warranted, based on the person's past SUBSTANTIVE contribution on the said issue and other issues, simply saying it for the sake of saying it DEMONSTRATES a lack of having one's own voice. In other words, JUMPING on the BANDWAGON because it seems like the POPULAR thing to do, doesn't hold water, especially in a debate.

Although there is nothing wrong on JUMPING on the bandwagon, at least show that you're jumping on it because you have something CONSTRUCTIVE and SUBSTANTIVE to contribute. In other words, be a leader instead of a follower.

For example, someone can dislike R. Kelly the person, for OBVIOUS reasons, but still like R. Kelly the artist. Can one separate the man and his music? I believe that one can. Therefore, one can give a SUBSTANTIVE opinion as to why he or she believes this to be the case.

What is sweet MUSIC to one's EARS can be an IRRITANT to the next person. Nevertheless, let the RECORD show that "Turn Me On" is OVERWHELMINGLY sweet music to the MAJORITY'S ears. Yes, you're going to have the DETRACTORS screaming in VAIN about how horrible the artist is on stage and/or how PLAYED out the song is. Although the song may be three years old, it is NEW in the MARKETS that it is now CONQUERING.

As anyone knows, when you do not have your CRITICS is when you should be WORRIED. So I have to conclude that for one to have CRITICS, it simply means that one is making a DIFFERENCE. In the CASE of Kevin Lyttle, the DIFFERENCE is OBVIOUS.

I can give CASES upon CASES where this is true. But since I am dealing with a GROUP of people that on many occasions have displayed INTELLIGENCE, RESOURCEFULNESS, and an innate ABILITY to demonstrate COMMON SENSE, I do not think the EXAMPLES are needed.

FACTS are FACTS. You cannot get around it, no matter how much you YELL, SCREAM or demonstrate, CREATIVELY and/or CONVINCINGLY, arguments against it. The fact of the matter is, "Turn Me On" is a classic. "Turn Me On" has SOLD more records, by a WIDE margin, than any SOCA song, in the same TIME span, in the HISTORY of this art form.

Kevin Lyttle currently makes more MONEY than any SOCA artist on this planet. Kevin Lyttle is an INTERNATIONAL superstar by way of Europe. Kevin Lyttle has SINGLE-HANDEDLY captured the HEARTS and DOLLARS of the people of Europe moreso than any SOCA artist in the history of this art form. Those are my opinions and I STRONGLY believe that my position is HIGHLY credible based on the CURRENT and SUSTAINED success of "Turn Me On" and Kevin Lyttle.

There is going to come a time when the people of Europe, and other continents where he is making some SERIOUS breakthrough, is going to ask Kevin Lyttle, what have you DONE for us LATELY, as already MENTIONED by some of the masses within his own COMMUNITY/region. This is why his UPCOMING album "The Three Dimensions of Kevin Lyttle" is going to be KEY if he wants to maintain his current status as the new PHENOMENON from the Caribbean.

It would be LAUGHABLE for me to say that Vybz Kartel or even someone more prominent, like a Bounty Killer, makes more than Sean Paul, simply because those artists are likely to be more POPULAR in Jamaica or the Caribbean region.

Maybe there was a time when, in the case of Bounty Killer, certain dancehall artists were making more money than Sean Paul. However, that is not the REALITY that we're faced with today.

The Sean Paul of today is an INTERNATIONAL superstar. That label carries with it a certain FINANCIAL weight that a Bounty Killer or a Vybz Kartel, CURRENTLY, cannot MATCH. Although there might be cases where a Vybz Kartel or a Bounty Killer may make more money, for example, in a small market, these PERCEIVED better dancehall artists, cannot match the STAR power that is Sean Paul.

In other words, they might make more money than Sean Paul if they're playing to an audience that is simply catering to a certain demographic within that small market, not in the MAJOR markets.

So when one is LQQKING at a PICTURE, always LOOK at the picture in its CURRENT form, not its FORMER state or the STATE that you would like it to be. In other words, get with the program or times.

As much as I would like to take some of the IMIXERS' comments serious, and believe me, I have TRIED, I simply cannot. To take some of these comments SERIOUS would be to IGNORE the GLARING absence of SUBSTANCE. Furthermore, it would be like SUPPORTING a position where the EVIDENCE clearly demonstrates it to be FLAWED or ill advised.

One of the reasons why I believe the name ISLANDMIX is so APPROPRIATE and a GREAT site is, you have a MIXTURE of people from the CARIBBEAN sharing their thoughts and opinions on MATTERS that might be FOREIGN to the mind and ears of others, simply because WE might not have had the HONOR and PRIVILEGE to experience the DIVERSE history and CULTURES of our brothers and sisters from the region.

Along this BEAUTIFUL ride, you're going to have your BUMPS, because of the PERCEIVED differences amongst us. But hopefully in the END, we will all REALIZE that our SURVIVAL, as a VIABLE REGION, and as a people, is INTERCONNECTED, thus will DEPEND on us coming together as ONE.

So as HAPPY and PROUD I am, when Sean Paul performed on Grammy night, although the BIGGEST outrage, in the reggae category, was the EXCLUSION of Sizzla's album "Da Right Thing", I am likely to display SIMILAR feelings WHEN soca makes it on the WORLD stage too.

And if it turns out that it was the SUCCESS of, lets say a soca artist from NEVIS, who is given CREDIT for it being ACCEPTED mainstream, it will not LESSEN the JOY and PRIDE that will ENGULF my SOUL on that day

One thing that is a CLEAR about SOCA, it is the UNIVERSAL sound of the so-called ENGLISH speaking Caribbean. So all of us have a STAKE in its SUCCESS. So why fight down a BROTHA of the SOIL?


PS: I am not LQQKING for a CUSS session. It is not my STYLE. I will leave that type of BEHAVIOR to juvenile delinquents. I am simply looking for CONSTRUCTIVE feedback.

You stated your points very eloquently padna.....hey don't let dem keep you down....

Constructive feedback: Dude, I've never understood why you always feel it necessary to fight back every argument against Kevin, and always feel to have the last word.

1- You know, in every such industry, the strong-willed artists are strengthened as much by their detractors as anything else. The ones who say they can't only make them try harder. recent e.g. a majority of ppl said Destra couldn't make it w/o Roy Cape. Time proved that very wrong.

2- If you are so resolute in the fact that Kevin will undoubtedly succeed, I don't understand why you have to jump into the fray every time to defend him. It would seem that your energy is much wasted.

You must know you're not going to convince anyone who's convinced already. Sometimes you just gotta let things in life happen. No?

So I guess the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES is WASTING his time trying to CONVINCE the MAJORITY of AMERICANS that the WAR on TERRORISM is a JUST CAUSE?

Anyhow, I do not believe that I reply to EVERY comment made about Kevin Lyttle.

But I do understand where you are coming from. Thanks.

No, that's different. Give yuhself more credit. He's a brainless chunt.

I've read your posts; I can see at the very least that you can spell, use words that exist, and express yourself without sounding like a mindless twit. Bush on the other hand....

Haha

I admire how hard you defend your positions on KL. At least it shows that you have strong convictions. Unfortunately I am never satisfied with argument based on opinion. I believe in facts!! When you say sold most I automatically want to see a credible source of sales figures. When you say biggest since I want to see credible evidence contrasting that which TMO is being compared to. When you say makes more than any other soca artists again I want a credible source. Until I can see evidence of ones position you can never get even remotely close to me agreeing on anything where my opinion differs (especially since I base my opinions on facts that I'm readily willing to point those who feel the need to "see with their own two eyes" to). You call TMO a classic and there's no argument that it has wide appeal but I as a DJ see it for myself when I play out that people in soca parties aren't responding to that song with nothing more than a slight chip in recent times. And make no mistake when it first began to play in NY it almost seemed as if it was being forced on the partygoing public. It was unknown yet it was playing 5 and 6 times a night in parties. Maybe some people are Just simply tired of TMO. Its been almost 3 years and at least 5 remixes, is only so much of it people can stand.

Imix is a microcosm of the soca loving public. We have various opinions, favorites and tolleration levels. It would seem that here on Imix people like the song but don't necessarily buy into the hype about it being the foundation for success in the future of soca. What you don't seem to want to acknowlege is that in most music genres your base audience has to embrace it and love it for it to have an effect on the industry. The other issue for mr is KL's chameleon like abilities. Whomever is interviewing him he seems to try to adapt to their style and culture. Interviewing with a dancehall DJ or show host you will hear his accent gravitate towards the jamaican dialect and very little mention of soca. When he interviews with soca radio personalities his natural accent is much more prevelant and you hear the word soca any number of times. You can't want to tell the soca public "I trying to make soca a force in the world markets" but when you interviewing elswhere you willing to allow them to place your music in another music category. The version of TMO that the European and American public is hearing and enjoying is Identified as reggae. If it were being identified as soca I would gladly embrace some of your arguments but until Billboard has a genre called soca KL eh helpin soca much at all. (My opinion)

Gonna have to go with my boy Scorp on this....

KL is not the biggest selling artist of all times. That is a fact. And he definitely isnt the richest "soca" artist of all times, or current, cause Anslem Douglas is.

What does he do for Soca, when he allows the music to be place under dancehall reggae in record shops. (Check all over Europe)
and like I said before many artist have done what he has done,
Ex. Madstunt man with - Move it (probably the most played soca song around the world)
Machel- Come dig it, which was very big....Was on MTV......alot...

But at least this time you presented your agruement very proffesionally and eloquently. I can respect that any day.

And what you also have to understand about the music industry is that not because you sell allot of records means that you make a lot of money...The labels and executive producers make the money...that is why they invest the money. Artist get paid according to a point system. I guarentee you that KL has maybe 3 points on his album. Which is nothing...If it is out of 10, that means he is getting 30% of the profit, but if it is out of 100 he only gets 3%. Mind you, it isn't his album that is being sold, it is that single, which means he only gets a percentage of the original points he has on the album (talking pennies on the dollar)

and also, Kevin Lyttle is a pure studio artist. Without invert reverb where would he be. He sounds like pure shyite on stage. He can't perform either..

But with that all said and done, I am happy for his success, and if this helps get Soca to where it deserves to be amongst music in the world, I am happy he contributed in some way.

All I can say about your response is, I respect your OPINION.

Although I can CALL U on a few of your comments, I will leave it at that.

I respectfully AGREE to disagree.

"Unfortunately I am never satisfied with argument based on opinion. I believe in facts!!"

....funny how this 'opinion vs. fact' thing duz follow yuh arung, ent?

The main thing here is CONSISTENCY....face it...SOCA as an artform is a success...soca as a medium to crossover has failed as a business....everybody was all full of applause when Machel was signed how ever far back, but was there cinsistency?...hell no...and reports out that camp suggests that spoil boy Machel didnt like to "stoop to conquer" the way Sean Paul has..Sean understands the idiom of stooping......thing with him is that now ppl are beginning to get bored of him (read December 20 issue of TIME mag)....

Consistency....we have spurts and spats of ppl doing things in the name of SOCA..unlike the REGgAE scene when there is a unified front...even if there are bitter bickerings in the background.... i am not talking just of making money..i am talking of pure artfom being used....

Now we have Rupee being signed to Atlantic Reocrds to do a 4 album bit...can he survive?...will he "Stoop to conquer" the way Dutty Rock did?.... i think not....

We have Xtatik getting 50K per fete and Maximus Dan getting 3K per fete......we have Atlantic getting 340K per stint and ppl like Bungii collecting 4K per fete....and everybody smiling...pls...SOCA as worldwide sucess?

u can argue this point back and forth this kingdom come..fact still remains that our soca artistes are not consistent....

:) Nice job Vincy you're learning fast. :p We have a lot of passionate people in here. Try not to take other people's opinions personal and you'll be okay. Just keep doing you.:)

__________________
Urges Caribbean Americans and immigrants to stand up and be counted in Census 2010. Over $35 billion in federal dollars is going to be decided if its allocated into Caribbean communities and media houses by the government from the results. So make sure to write in your birth place of origin under questions #8 and #9 of the Census form. Email me for more information on helping this process to get us truly respected, counted and empowered.

If only you knew....lol

What I'm I missing here
More people have to be able to respect the fact that sometimes we are all not going to argee on every issue/subject and that should be okay as well cuz no two people think alike. But then again you of all people should know about this subject. lol

__________________
Urges Caribbean Americans and immigrants to stand up and be counted in Census 2010. Over $35 billion in federal dollars is going to be decided if its allocated into Caribbean communities and media houses by the government from the results. So make sure to write in your birth place of origin under questions #8 and #9 of the Census form. Email me for more information on helping this process to get us truly respected, counted and empowered.

I never said I disagreed. I'm curious about the 'you of all people' thing though...