Simba and Chev, Chev and Simba. No matter the order of their names, their power remains the same. Simba was born and raised on Anguilla. Chev Jamaica. The two met at Toronto’s famed York University and became fast friends. Their personalities melded and they eventually started dating. Chev and Simba’s energies and personalities propelled them to become much more than a romantic couple. With the power of YouTube and other social media platforms in their grasp, Chev and Simba are well on their way...
Aug 27, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 26
Dorinda Medley an entrepreneur and cast member of the Real Housewives of New York once said “Money shouts, wealth whispers.” Chad Kent whispers. He speaks softly and never too much. His work however, shouts at the highest possible measures of amplification. Growing up on Anguilla, Chad had dreams… big dreams. While walking home from school one day, he asked his friend “Do you ever feel like we were put here on earth for a bigger purpose than we think?” His friend said yes and advised that whatev...
Aug 25, 2020•59 min•Ep. 25
My last encounter with Young Devyn was when I ventured into Manhattan to see her perform at an all-women’s hip-hop event. There is nothing quite like a crisp fall evening in New York City. Every time you enter the city’s chambers, it speaks to you. What it says depends upon its mood. New York City needs no introduction and brings with it a slew of preconceived notions. Its own modern day anthem boasts that “These streets will make you feel brand new” and “its big lights will inspire you.” On tha...
Aug 20, 2020•41 min•Ep. 24
Iyaz, did the unthinkable. Historically, artists from the Caribbean who have had world-wide success, have been from one of the larger islands in the Caribbean. Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados all lay claim to internationally successful artists. Iyaz experienced wonderful childhood complete with a large family and loving parents on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. After high school Iyaz decided to spread his wings and attend college in the United States. He had big dreams of be...
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 23
Cordane Richardson stands 6 feet 7 inches. Let me say that again. Cordane Richardson is 6 feet 7 inches tall. Cordane, moves as gracefully on the basketball court as his fingers do on the ivory keys of any piano. His dad? A painter and well-loved high school science teacher. His mom? A legendary instructor and authority on all things music. Being raised by these parents allowed Cordane to explore several subjects within the sphere of academia, in addition to diving head first into the arts. He a...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 22
Jermaine Payne is a burst of energy. Then again, why wouldn’t he be? He grew up with the ambition to be a singer or an actor… or both really. His formative years were spent around his grandmother’s restaurant. Little did he know, he was absorbing the fundamentals of business even at that early age. While playing with his friends around his grandmother’s restaurant was fun, Jermaine had his sights set on the big stage. By the time he was in his early teens he started a Soca and Reggae band with s...
Aug 11, 2020•2 hr 13 min•Ep. 21
Amanda Lewis is as funny as she is talented. As a child, she dreamed of being a dancer. From jazz to ballet she studied different styles of that art form move by move. She dreamed of attending one of Baltimore’s best institutions to study dance. However her world was overturned when she was not placed into the dance program. That disappointment resulted in what perhaps was the biggest victory in her life. Amanda grew up in a musical family. A grandmother who was the director of a church choir, a...
Aug 07, 2020•2 hr 9 min•Ep. 20
When we started the Planet Thirty project, a huge part of our mission was to not only inspire others by interviewing persons with a wealth of experience, but also to expose the world to those that were ambitious, passionate and aspiring. Hence our tag line is “Planet Thirty. Where aspiration meets inspiration.” A few weeks ago, we got a message from a gentleman named Vicente who explained that he was working for a new company called Staple Clothing. He thought a Planet Thirty interview with the ...
Aug 04, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 19
It may be safe to say that by the time Omari Banks was a teenager he was a veteran stage performer. Church and community concerts, official ceremonies, serenading ladies on stage during pageants, talent shows and every conceivable choir that requested his vocals. In the late 80s and early 90s Omari Banks was a hot ticket. By his pre-teen years, Omari showed signs of separating himself from the thing that up until that point he seemed destined for. A career in music. Many were shocked and disappo...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 18
According to a 2017 article on babbel.com, Queens holds the Guinness World Record for “most ethnically diverse urban area on the planet,” and it's also the most linguistically diverse, with at least 138 languages spoken throughout the borough. It is also a fact that many kings and queens of the entertainment industry have emerged from this storied borough. One of the most talented Queens from Queens is Kira Divine. Kira is a reflection of the potpourri of accents, music genres, cuisines and cult...
Jul 28, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 17
Denise Caldwell’s dream was to be a professional choreographer. As a child she spent hours being instructed in the finer points of the artform at schools for the performing arts in her native St. Louis. In addition to being a talented dancer, Denise was also gifted in math and science. During her high school years, Denise would focus her efforts toward the sciences with a new dream of becoming a doctor. By graduation she was poised for success as a pre med student. When the time came for that al...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 16
Arthur Ward has always been curious. His childhood in the Caribbean saw him taking hikes with friends into caves and bushes for the sheer purpose of exploring. Much to the chagrin of his mother, Arthur’s curiosity led him to dismantle many of his toys and upon occasion, some household appliances. Arthur just wanted know how things worked. In time Arthur discovered cameras. Instead of merely finding out how things worked, he now had a zest for documenting them. His curiosity about things and peop...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 15
The year is 2002. Kris Dawkins and I are de-stressing in our favorite place on Howard University’s campus. The Office of the Caribbean Students Association. Amid verbal reviews of the day’s dancehall artists’ latest offerings… Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Wayne Marshall, Wayne Wonder… Kris and I arrive at a discussion about our futures post University. We discuss business ideas and financial goals. Jokingly I say to him “Kris, do you want to be rich one day?” In his distinct Jamaican accent, he swif...
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 14
Davon Carty is a thinker. Davon Carty is a doer. He is sometimes controversial. However he is always willing to teach and assist anyone in need. These days, Davon has rekindled his passion for restoring vintage cars, trucks and SUVs. The brands range from Britain’s Land Rover and Italy’s Alfa Romeo to Sweden’s Saab. He says that the process brings him joy. Just as these cars migrated and ended up in junk yards on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, Davon too has left the island’s shores to as he p...
Jul 14, 2020•54 min•Ep. 13
Nisha Dupuis experienced a joyous childhood in a rural village on the Caribbean island of Dominica. The lush green forests of Dominica produce just about every tropical fruit and flower that one can think of. Perhaps what the village did not know, is that along with the trees and flowers, it was producing one of the Caribbean’s future media prodigies. Later in her childhood, Nisha moved to Anguilla, where she immersed herself in debating and academic competitions. By the peak of her teen years, ...
Jul 09, 2020•44 min•Ep. 12
The late 1970’s and early 80s saw job opportunities opening up for African Americans. The country was still soothing the fresh wounds of the civil rights era which was a mere 20 years prior. Henry J. Watkins grew up surrounded by the chaos of the times, but embraced the promise of a better America for young black boys. Growing up in Queens, New York, Henry clung to optimism and was audacious enough to dream. And dream he did. By his late teens, Henry was ready to explore the world. His ambition ...
Jul 07, 2020•51 min•Ep. 11
The American South. The region that brought us the infectious rhythms of New Orleans bounce music, sweet tea, candy painted cars and perhaps less known but just as important… Samjah Iman. Raised in the 80s and 90s on a fashion diet of neon colors, puffy sleeves and popped polo shirt collars, Samjah developed a love for all things stylish and fashionable. Clothing however was not the only thing that Samjah showed a flare for. From an early age her passion and talent for writing were noticeable an...
Jul 02, 2020•56 min•Ep. 10
As a child you are innocent, curious and ready to discover the world. When I was 5 years old, I sat in my teacher Ms. Kinnear’s kindergarten class. It was the 80s. Reagan was president, Michael Jackson was everyone’s favorite artist and MTV and CNN were less than 10 years old. I befriended a girl named Donna. Donna her best friend and my friend would all play in our school’s yard every day. It was appointment recess. After two enjoyable years at Catholic School, my parents and I moved away. I re...
Jun 30, 2020•59 min•Ep. 9
This is the true story of how reggae music brought forth this episode’s guest. A young brunette from the American Midwest somehow found the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla and decided to vacation there. Her introduction to reggae music would lead her to a local deejay who she would eventually fall in love with. That LOVE, gave the world Vanessa Croft. Vanessa was raised between the slow pace of the island and the bustling streets of Tinsel Town. A chance meeting at a Kinkos, yes… it was the 80...
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 8
Any child who is raised in, and allowed to explore the boroughs and streets of New York City, is bound to come away with a love and deep appreciation of the arts. The Garment District in midtown Manhattan, the storied theaters of Broadway and the sounds escaping the walls of Carnegie Hall found their way deep into the psyche of Trystin Kier Francis and led him into the world of art. As a young adult, Trystin explored becoming a filmmaker, however it was his passion for design that would eventual...
Jun 23, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 7
Eljon Wardally is a perfect combination of her Grenadian father and Italian mother. According to her, her curried chicken is a tasty as her eggplant parmesan. She grew up in New York City, surrounded by an abundance of sights, sounds, scents but most importantly, the arts. Eljon therefore set her sights on becoming an actor. She would later realize that her passion lived behind the camera. After stints behind the scenes at a major News Channel and MTV, Eljon decided to try writing. A decision th...
Jun 18, 2020•39 min•Ep. 6
Growing up around Anguilla’s charming food scene is what allowed Kerth Gumbs to develop his eclectic palette. A chance opportunity to join a food and nutrition class while in high school would further usher him into the world of the culinary arts. More than a decade on, and several adventures in kitchens throughout Europe and Asia, Kerth is now the Executive Chef at one of London’s top restaurants. Here is the story… thus far… of Chef Kerth Gumbs.
Jun 16, 2020•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 5
The 90s would see the rise of what would be coined “plus size” models. One of the models to push the boundaries and emerge at the head of the pack was Wendy Brooks. A Toronto based beauty of Jamaican heritage. Now retired, I sat with her on a bright Sunday morning overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea to discuss her rapid rise and years of success in the fashion industry. We discussed the early days of her career, details about the business that aspiring models should definitely ...
Jun 11, 2020•29 min•Ep. 4
In the late 1970’s a high school kid from New York was gifted a Bob Marley album by his friend. From the moment he dropped the needle on that record he fell in love with Reggae Music. That kid was David S. Kapp. In 1992 Kapp was instrumental in the launch of CSN (The Caribbean Satelite Network), the world’s first 24-hour TV channel dedicated to Caribbean music. With no budget, a limited staff and even less equipment Kapp walked away from CSN after two years with great experiences and even better...
Jun 09, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 3
Latest is the reigning King of Soca music on the island of Anguilla. He has a track record of six (6) Roadmarch titles and counting, multiple Band Clash titles, a power and a groovy Soca Monarch title and a slew of hit songs in the past 15 years. In this interview we explore Latest's love for literature and spirituality and what he REALLY hopes to accomplish in the music business. As the sun set on another warm Caribbean evening, Tyrone ‘Latest’ Brooks and I sat on the verandah of his cousin’s r...
Jun 04, 2020•52 min•Ep. 2
Soca Music’s premiere Marketing, PR and branding architect opens the door and reveals how she built her company and where she intends to take her artists and by extension the genre.
May 31, 2020•41 min•Ep. 1
