There's no question that soca today is going through some kinda change with the fusion of every popular music under the sun into it. Everybody seems to be pushing the envelope more and more when it comes to this, and ofcourse I doh have anything against experimenting as long as SOCA itself is somehow preserved in this transformation (which it isn't).

Here's my question...since people seem to be so much into this fusion thing these days, how come they doh look to fuse today's soca with old soca? If you think about it, the music we call Soca today isn't even close to what it was like 10 years ago, so why not fuse them? I think musically it would sound so much better then looking to fuse soca with the next Jay Z or Lil Jon beat that drops...

Well I think that is the rationale behind all the new remakes of old tunes, (i.e Bunji on Lorraine, Destra on The Hammer).

But even that supposedly hasn't been THAT well recieved (on this site).

I wasn't including the remakes in this really, I was more talking about new tunes that artists are making...they don't have to be carbon copies, but rather take an old bassline, brassline, some element and incorporate it somehow. Superblue and them used to do that all the time, and it contributed alot to the success of their music.

IC....well, there are obviously a million factors why this isn't happening...but...here are a few that I think contribute in a big way (MY OPINION ONLY PPL)

1) There is a new age of producers out there heavily influenced by music from around the globe...The MTV generation will tend to try to fuse its music with the most popular of genres out there....because it appeals to their sense of pariotism to their culture and at the same time pleases thier tastes for such music as hip hop and reggae.

2) I feel a lot of the artists are not so willing to take music from an original calypso masterpiece because it is easily recognizable. Bottom line, we all know that somehow somewhere 2k5 is a year heavily interpolated from 80's dance music....but we can't quite put our hands on the tune right away...Now imagine the youths out there who never even heard that music...they think that its an original...and all of these artists and producers are geniuses...and they are right....because the music is selling.

3) Record labels have to appeal to thier number 1 demographic...and its not the 25 and over club.....Its the teenagers and those right after teenagehood who run to the store every week to get a new album...so the music has to appeal to them....a lot of them cannot appeal to brass or a tassa drum.

I AGREE WITH U TRIXX BUT MOST OF THE MAJORITY OF IMIXERS R IN THEIR TEENS AND EARLY 20'S SO THEY CAN.Y REALLY APPRECIATE SOCA FROM 10 YRS AGO BUT IF TODAYS ARTIST TRY TO KEEP PUSH THE ENVELOPE FOR OLD SOCA/NEW SOCA COLLABORATION THEY GROW TO APPRECIATE IT.
IT ALSO SHOULD BE RADIO DJ PERSONALITIS TO GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE TODAY YOUNGER SOCA LISTENERS

I've heard this argument come up several times in discussions. People in general need to stop comparing soca to other categories and start to recognize its own characteristics. That demographic argument I think is true for many genres of music, but I don't see it being true for soca. Unlike Hip Hop and other genres, soca artists actually have fans of all ages. You can go to soca fetes and see people from 16 to 50 years old carrying on. The 25 and over is exactly who I see buying most of the CDs that come out (but then again the 25 and under is who does sit at home and download everyting).

25 and over sits at home downloading music as well...that is just a sign of the times....and I agree with you that soca is unique in that it seems to draw a much wider age range that most...But hip hop has a fan base in the 30 and over range, as does reggae....But I will have to disagree with u on the point that its mostly 25 and over buyin the music.

I have a habit of running in town every Sunday before carnival to go in Crosby's to see if anything in there is missing from my music collection...Every year, the majority of the patrons I see in the store are youths or DJ's from abroad. But there is no real fact to this argument, just my humble observation, so I won't debate the point too long.

I have also frequented clubs in Trini and Tobago throughout the year...and most of what I see in those clubs are youths...so if I was to suppose who is spending thier money on the entertainment, its the youths...(at least as far as this new popular form of Raga Soca goes) In every description of Raga Soca I have heard, it is said that it appeals to the younger generation.

Now the 25 and over crowd do buy music...but its mostly from the artists they grew up on such as Shadow or Scrunter...cause they know those albums will have music that they appeal too.

anothe problem I have is that Do u think kevin little would have blow up had he not put spragga benz on it ? Then have radio station call it reggae. And how come VP now jus come and sign edwin yearwood to ther waistline records what happen all these years before ?
SOCA artist & producers find that the pop sound is what's gonna get them more of the international attention in the music biz !
they're afraid to put it out in it's true essence with the drumsbaselines, horns, tassa, etc

I've observed what goes on in Trinidad as well and those are valid points, but the soca market goes much further then what's in Trinidad. I think the current soca market outside of Trinidad is several times bigger, and this is the picture people should focus on more rather then restricting their vision. The youths in Trinidad would still go out and spend they money regardless of how the artists sing it, specially if the stations there continue to push the music properly. I think no matter how young some of the soca fans might be, I think alot still appreciate the artform.

well the fact that some youths would love themselves some authentic soundin soca is of course vaild....but I don't think the investors, producers or even most artist see it as a game of perserving the original form of the music...I think they see it as adapting to the ever changing style of music overall as well as chase the biggest profit possible..


Not to mention, the soca grammy race is on....u can't win with drums and horns...unfortunate yes.....

hey whats up fellas

long time no see

okay i'll throw in my $0.02

I think producers & artists today are looking for something "new". Meaning doing something a little different with soca, basically experimenting. It will come back to more original rhythms in a timing i feel. There are so many new faces getting into the soca producing game that I feel there will be a lot of "garbage" (as everyone finds their way) & a good bit of good stuff.

Also I think that songs today have elements of yester years soca influenece but because their are now so many other things in the music too it isnt realised.

Listening to a Maximus tune of today I can hear sounds of yesteryear in the rhythm.

one more hting b4 i go, the change in music only makes the older songs sound sweeter because you dont get the style as much these days. Just think when (or maybe if) Machel retires when people here they go say "oh gosh, u remember this tune..why they can't make music like this anymore?"

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Yeh I agree...Maximus doing he ting in that respect, the man really putting out good music for true. The music in Machel's "Madder Then That" have an ole time ting in it too, and it just SIIIIIIIICK!!!!!!

good post, i coming back after my ball game...

In my opinion the producers today are fusing soca with whatever is hot now.
Pretty soon you will hear Lil John on a soca song sayin
WHAT!!!!!!!!??????? YEAHH!!!!!!!!

whats Up Guyz, Concerning This Post T I Think That Its A Great Idea By Mixing Todays Soca Music With Those From The Past. The Only Problem I See With This Fusion Is The New Listeners, Example We Who Are Expose To Soca Music All Our Life Will Know What A Big Tune Is When We Hear It Something Like Macheal "Bubble Butt" With KITCH Beat, For Me Now Thats A Big Big Mix. But Now Consider The New Audience, Soca Music Is Hitting The Big Market Know And One Of The Only Way For The New Listeners To Understand Our Soca Music Is To Somehow How Keep It Within That R&b Environment. But My Opinion Is As Long As Soca Artist Dont Get To Carried Away Into The American Industry They Can Experiment As Much As They Want, I Mean Thats Talent Right There. Hey Blessings Form D Famalie And Keep Yu All Head Up.

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