IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

Inspired by people like bumbum, topclass, rock, mystic, bp and even pebbles :devil, i'm posting this thread with the hopes that we can highlight some recent "soca" songs which have strong lyrical content and are about more than just jumpin, wavin, winin and wukkinup. My position is that a good deal of "conscious" music does get made but is underexposed and under-appreciated. i also think much of this music can be played at fetes (DJs step up!) without killing the vibes since they are also danceable. i would like to see people post links (if yuh have them) to some of these types of songs so we can listen and have some fun discussing what these songs are saying.


i'll start with this one since i think it deals specifically with part of the problem. Tek a listen and break it down...

Play De Music

Nice idea soli...but I personally wouldn't dance to that one in a fete. I not too sure on this years tunes that have meaningful messages, but there are plenty songs from previous years that yeah...I wonder why they never get played.

This is a VERY good idea, I don't have no links to share at this time though , but, let's get this thing going!

The djs definitely play a big part as well, maybe if ppl heard different types of songs from an artist other than their "jump & wave" songs, ppl would actually support the whole album as oppose to getting a mixed CD...this is great!

__________________
myspace.com/bajanpryncess :)

i like imij and co's "one day"; definitely one of the best songs of the year from one of the best bands of the year.

One Day

A lot of music from Dominica is political. I remember mi grandmudda get a CD sent to her from friends back in dominica with a mix of the latest songs thats currently hot there. Unfortunately I cant remember off the top of my head all the artists and song titles but I remember one of the songs was called "Animal Farm". This song (along with plenty others) is more or less about Dominica's government and the idiots running it (yea.......Dominica's not as innocent as one my think).

Yuh jus stuck on wukkup! :p

Seriously though, they don't have to be songs from this year...a couple years back is fine. This particular tune is more of a change of pace, chip & jam tune...definitely not high energy but still "danceable" IMO. i love de way 3canal challenges the radio establishment in Trinidad (and maybe beyond) to "play de music" year round while extolling it's power. Imagine if they took heed.


BP - if yuh don't have de links then maybe some lyrics or jus simply talk about de tunes dat come to mind.

LS - One Day is good stuff, had it my sig for a while.

Observer - i admit, i really don't have that much knowledge about the music from some of the "smaller" islands but i'm sure there's plenty quality and would love to hear. So, if you (and others) have links, please post.

Good idea Solidarity.

Again, here is another excellent conscious soca, and very danceable too, from Maddzart.

He could have added another verse to the song, nevertheless, another lyrically conscious soca song by Maddzart.

Enjoy

Hold It Up


Written and composed by Ra`eon "maddzart" Primus
Hold it up
INTRO

(Nah hold it down we ah hold it up now) x2

Verse 1

(Why) They want to hold it down
(Why) They want to fight it down
(Why) They want to keep it down
(Why) They want to put it down
(Why) The people nah unite
(Why) They give youths ah fight
(Why) And every day and night
(Why)they want to take yo life
Gun thing we go (Hold it down)
And the war thing we go (Hold it down)
Knife thing we go (Hold it down)
And the fighting we go (Hold it down)
But if yo know yo heart clean and them can't hold yo down raise yo hand in the air hand
in the air we ah hold it up, jump up!



Chorus
Yo got yo rag them (Hold it up)
Ah wana see them (Hold it up)
Yo got yo flag them (Hold it up)
Show me the hand them (Hold it up)

Verse 2
(Why) No matter how we try
(Why) We just cant get a bligh
(Why) Me nah go tell yo lie
(Why) Tears come to me eye
(Why) Rich man driving jeep
(Why) We cant get food to eat
(Why) why to poorer class
(Why) Always catching we...........
But the hating we go (Hold it down)
And the thiefing we go (Hold it down)
And the funny bussines (Hold it down)
And the negativeness (Hold it down)
But from yo know yo live clean and them can't hold yo down raise yo hand in the air hand
in the air everybody jump now

Soli this was one of the tunes that actually got nuff airplay in my car last year. The rhythm is sweet and the lyrics are positive. This is a good idea and I'll post some links for some of the positive tunes that I enjoy.

doh worry i bring a house ah tunes in a day

I agree w/ you about this song rummy, not danceable enough to play in a fete but I'm a huge fan of 3canal's music. would love to hear some of their tunes played in a fete. their lyrics are powerful & their wicked riddims are infectious. I could definitely see people gettin on to Revolution/we free, black attack, 1 in a million, las carnival, mud madness if the dj was only brave enough to play them

My fav tune by them is still Salt. Something about that one...lawd I real love it bad.

1 of my faves too but I really really love las carnival & Revolution/we free (the video is sick)

i still need to see more videos. All I saw when I went was It's carnival, some performance of Tony Prescott(lawd what era was that), Dip Down Low, Sweet Soca Music...but not a damn 3 canal.

it's true, the same 7 soca videos get played in TNT but forget about how much reggae videos they does play
I only see all 3canals videos 'cause I bought their best of cd & it comes with a separate dvd of all their videos

i might have to send u some money for next time you go down to Trinidad