IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

Not Turned On - by stolen pop melodies, unauthorised samples in TnT soca
By Cecily Asson email: cecilyasson@tntmirror.com

DESPITE the international success of St. Vincent's soca artiste Kevin
Lyttle's (foreign melody a la All My Love) hit song Turn Me On, those in
the know in the music industry, are convinced that big labels are not yet
ready to accept TnT's soca songs using melodies they have grown up on.
"They want music indigenous to our twin island. "Please don't give back the
outside world their own music through sampling," one industry source
begged, adding, "the frequent use of pop melodies and unauthorised samples
have invaded soca to its own detriment". They are familiar with their own
and really want something new and fresh. "Our artistes must be creative
enough to do the kind of original music that will take soca to the
Billboard charts," he added. He is of the opinion that Turn Me On managed
to make it big, only because "it slipped through the cracks.

"I could tell you that it will be some time before another foreign melody
makes it big time." He went on to slam what he said was too much sampling
once again for C2K5. "The excessive sampling by the present day crop of
young artistes is putting soca in trouble. "US labels are saying they're
not turned on by stolen pop melodies as festival songs and the bombardment
of samples. "In fact, when some local bards are not really sampling, they
are stealing an entire song and just putting new lyrics to it. "Let them go
ahead as it won't be long before the real owners drop a big lawsuit and
they will have to pay for the rest of their lives, causing embarrassment to
TnT."

Sunday PUNCH has since learnt that copyright royalties for Atlantic Records
artiste, Kevin Lyttle's number, Turn Me On, which in 2004 made the biggest
soca breakthrough to date with billions around the world viewing the video
on MTV and BET, is now being shared between four people. "That is the two
original composers and Lyttle and writer Primus," he went on. One veteran
composer said he dreams of the day soca in its purest form could reach
outside just as reggae and dancehall has done. "I don't know why soca music
is so much confusion, why we have to be mixing it up with everything else
to try and get it there and not sticking to the roots." Meanwhile, much of
the sampled work done by leading soca artistes that is quite popular and
hailed as "Road March" by the younger generation, remains on heavy rotation
on the airwaves. And for yet another year, the growing practise has put
Trinidad and Tobago Unified Calypsonian' Organisation (TUCO) in a spot.

With less than three weeks before Carnival, TUCO's President, Protector
(Michael Leggerton) who for Carnival 2004, promised to deal fully with the
matter this year, is yet to issue his organisations stand on the matter.
"Very soon we will be issuing a statement," he told Sunday PUNCH. He denied
he was "blowing hot and cold" on the issue.
"We are looking at it from every angle. "The international law allows a
certain amount of bars and we are being guided by that," he ended. Sunday
PUNCH learnt that top foreign labels just aren't interested in hearing
hip-hop and rap being marketed as a soca.

interesting in trute. maybe if interest is brought up by a source such as this article, we can now have an actual convo on the topic.

now this makes for interesting conversation..we could all debate this issue..i mean this is so obvious..if i were to be introduced to a new genre of music i really dont want to hear excerpts or samples from another genre..so that would be a turn off..what the people will basically say is man these people ain all that talented

no we cant. we were and the thread got locked.

a toss for benna music my friend...... ahaha!