Music will always bring cultures together. I feel like music will bring music and food. Yes, those are gonna bring cultures.
Bac Basse. Welcome to the Unfiltered Lining Podcast. Join us as we reflect on our personal journeys and share our insights, experiences, and stories. From food to music, language to custom we explore what it means to straddle to cultures and find a sense of belonging and both. Whether you're a first generation Caribbean American, a seasoned veteran, or simply curious about the rich tapestry of cultures that make up the Caribbean diaspora,
this podcast is for you. We are your host, Berteeth, the Hastien Sensation.
Lisa, the Dominica Diva.
No one's talking, so let's get unfiltered.
All right, We're back d Lining Crew with another episode this week. This week we're gonna be talking about the Calypso confidence, so one thing in the Caribbean. You're gonna have different genres of music. Today we're talking about Calypso okay, and how the influences with the women in Calypso. The men have a lot of influence too. And then Dominica and Haiti and how it all meshes and ties up together and we're all whining and grinding and at the end of the day, right, So.
Yeah, that's that's one thing after our music does to get pregnant.
Well, that's true, you're gonna get espect man. You know how many they talk about, how many pregnancies come up after Carnie Vaiz Because have you seen.
The way a Caribbean man whine he's waist ain't getting into three babies from that?
I'm sorry, you don't want to get pregnant.
Don't go to a Caribbean men, please wherever he is. I'm gonna say this finally on their guys, seeing will be on that Garibian Do you think that you're not gonna have four or five children popped up in you the way these men know how to wind that way. I'm just disclaimer. This is my opinion. You ain't got to believe me, but they do say Caribbean men they are very good at having multiple families.
In the diaspora and the diaspora, and you know, we all know from the motherland they believe it and they having one to two.
I'm just be careful.
I'm just I'm just a Caribbean man gonna get you pregnant. I'm just gonna tell you that right now, any all, any and all Caribbean men will get you pregnant.
I will tell you that. I'll find out.
Mind yourself. This is from burst, this is from the Belli. You're from the Belli. The music, the k the klip sol the what. Look, I'm just even a bunch of music, gospel music. My Haitian people, you're still mixing some of that komba.
I want to know. Look, I'm gonna tell you all this story, the story growing up in a Haitian church. We used to be I want to say. I don't want to say we're bad kids, but you know you had the worship. Worship was my favorite time because worship music. It's just like in comparison to the African American because there's a different type of religion. My pale Caucasian folks, your church. I'm so sorry, Well I was trying to say, but then I say Caucasian, and you know whatever, the
church and our church is different. So I'm comparing Caribbean to our African American the all of that mm hmm. Caribbean, the way we whine.
The way we wind out waste.
Boy, when you go to church, you just feel good that you're whining for the Lord.
I would say that going it rest, you wh for the Lord. Jesus. I don't even know how to take that. I don't even know how to take that right now. Now, we don't turn this into we whining for the Lord.
I don't. Okay, you know why, because it's it's ingrain and our waste. We can't help. When the music come on, whats gonna happen? All waste just automatically takes over. So that's what I'm saying. Wherever we go and the music come up, you're gonna get a wine. So I had when we growing up went to the Haitian church, and we used to look at the older women and we used to laugh because you could tell just the music come on and they could be the whole look at
the one dance. We used to be laughing because of the way they used to just go with the beat, and especially like the new gospel Haitian music, they have mixed a little bit of a compa, like the piano and the beat and stuff like that. Because at the end of the day, for Haitian culture. There's different genre, but the one kompa is basically like a three four steps is the The beats are the same. The base of kompa is the same. If you're able to get these four seats.
I like that little dip. I like that little dip they're dancing and then that dip they do.
I love it. It's so sexy beats.
It's church. We're talking about church beats.
The beat, so the piano, the drum and all that. You could take that and put it to a Haitian Gospels and the people the deep, the deep that that's a little bit. They're gonna give you the little at. They're gonna give you a little bit of the one. But it's very sexy. But there are different genres. And again we want to talk about the Caribbean music and
how it's influenced on women, us or culture. How do we keep it going, how the how it came about, because there's a lot of history and like Lisa said, black music, I feel it's all the same. Again, we just got dropped off in different parts of the world, different parts of the Caribbean, right, So, but I want to say the basis of all kind of like black people. Music comes from the Motherland. Let's be very honest about that. It comes from Africa. The beats, the drums, you know
what I'm saying. Everything. And then as we again have evolved and started to intermingle, whether through slavery, whether whatever, with the Spanish, with the French, with the British, with the Portuguese, whatever it is, then those different kind of instruments that they came, the natives and all of that, then we have kind of like like needs to say, a melting pot mesh a lot of those different you know, cultures into the music. Then that's when you have the
different genre. That's when you have compa, right, And that's why Lisa was saying, like in Dominica they have the say calypso cadns wampa.
Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, it's I'm sorry, it's the candillpso. Yes, that's where it originated. And then also the what's the other word, it's another candice rumpa.
Those different kind of genre or dance or music came from again the melting pot of all the different you know things that different cultures that we got exposed to, you know what I mean, the French, the Spanish, and all of that, because even with Haitian Creole, it's a lot of like the Haitian Creole is a language that is mixed with Spanish, French and all of that together
and you have the different patois and different dialects. It's the same thing with the music, so you have the different genre and the Haitian music that's giving you when you go to.
Because I'm trying to Carnival, but it's I'm gonna say it's kind of bad.
When you go to Cannava. The different bands play different genres of music and it's displayed in kannaval because you're gonna have the ones that they're gonna do the kind of dance. And again, my Haitian folks will come from me, this is what I've learned. You are more than welcome to correct me. I'm not gonna take offense to it. But we all know they have the gid diigity. So the people that are very traditional and like the dresses and what they present and the beat of the drum
and they're just like shaking and all of that. They kind of like have a lot of times where the white, the women's wear the white and their hairs are tied and stuff like that. So you have that kind of genre and I'm gonna give you the real name, but that music, if you listen to it is very drum based, right, very like drum based. And then you have when we talked about Coba, Couba is more sexy. It's more like yo, I want to grind. It's like grown folks kind of thing.
It's very sexy. And I feel like that one has become a little bit more popular with a lot of the music that you hear. So for me, some of my Haitian favorite Haitian art, it's like Mika Bek, Kylie Mi, Wochelle Gium, Felicia Ross and all of them. They their music is very kompa related. So when you hear it, it's kind of similar Woodie wood Boy. You know all
of these people the say this was Alan Kave. So all of these the popular music now be Geen, the new ones that you have that Kydie Lack and all that. They are very heavy on komba. So when you hear their music, there's komba, but there's also rappers in there. So like Wendy Wendy, he's a Haitian rapper and he's more Haitian creole rap, right, his music is not. But at the same time, if he does kind of have some sexy music where you could do the komba, but
he does creole rap. So again you have different genres a music, different artists, and then you have and then you have you know what I mean, if you go really old school a lot of Again, I don't really listen to the gide giddy kind of music and things like that because I felt like at the time that I started to learn and indulge myself in the Haitian music, I was more into the two thousand era, right, So the newest artists, so a lot of the like the
giddigida and all that, I feel like it's more older. So if you were not exposed to it, you wouldn't really listen to it. And another reason is my parents were really religious, right, So the assumption is with the gide gide or the I don't want to say if people call it like the voodoo dance or something like that, but they related to it's more spiritual that kind of you honest what I'm saying. So, because again, if you believe in Christianity, there are certain genre of music you can't.
I wasn't exposed to a listener to because my parents thought that it was very again spiritual, so they associated with like those people they worship, you know, they are the they practice the voodoo religion. You know. That's what I'm saying, So very like, and I want to associate it to like, you know how the natives they around the fire and in Africa they were, So it's that
kind of the thing. The music, the drums, they're out here in nature, they're just dancing, and it's like I would say, it's like how African American cast the Holy spirits, you know, how they just come out of come out of their shoes. They're just like, yeah, like that's what it is. But in that sense, that's a genre of music. And I don't know much about it because I was
not exposed to it. So I'm more into the Haitian Creole Kumbi kind of music and things like that with what I listen to, and the Haitian a bunch of leak music, gospel music. I do like those. Again that's just me. Do I have it? Yeah?
And the thing is also too like in Dominica, and I think also too with a lot of other Caribbean islands. They use the music to basically not only for entertaining, but they used it also social commentary, right, talking about what's going on in the politics also too. They would discuss you know, just people in the community, things that
were going on and things like that. Like you know, the one favorite song that we always talk about in our family is Erica Put Your Boom Women Inside, right, But that song was like really they were singing about some girl in name Erica back in the Caribbean. So they really talking about things that are going on in the community, things that are going on socially also to and politically. So they definitely not only use it for entertaining.
It was definitely to pass a message on. So that was an another thing that they will trying to make political change because the more you sing about it and you talk about it, I mean, like fast forward today, we have songs that are trying to make a political statement too. I mean, shoot, look at Kendrick Lamar.
Yes. And then the greatest, I want to say, the greatest one of all two is like with reggae Bob Marley, you know what I mean? Yeah, Like yeahs are very you know politically driven and things like that, but it was all and then you have, like in the Haitian community, I feel like they have been certain artists that I know it will have to do another segment on Kanda because I feel like Kinda and its origin and how
people do it. It's like they're different bands, right, and they come together and even though they're artists, but through this time they put this massive, you know, thing together for their fan. But there are certain ones when they go to Carnival and they bring a song out it's political, like I know what, oh yeah, which it would have the opportunity to kind of like make fun up and then come out again whatever political party is. They're too inconic about. You may be like waste and all of that.
But certain songs that come out doing oh no, there's a message they use that that's in pretty much every Carnival year, every season. Every year there's a new song that comes out based upon what's going on. So oh yeah, definitely.
And the other part is the how it connects us. I know a lot of times we feel that, you know, in our era, women don't have a voice, right, and I feel like music allows women to express their sexuality, to express their opinion, to express theirselfs in such a way that let's say they're not on the mic, or
they're not politician and things like that. I think music, for me, in my opinion, have allowed a lot of women that look like a US have our experience to express ourselves because we talk about how our Caribbean mothers we love them, but how they did not know how to express their emotion.
Right.
So I feel like music I've learned from, you know, the cultural music, how to kind of like be a woman sometimes, how to be okay with love sometimes, how to be okay with emotion sometimes. So I think being in this space with music has allowed me, especially cultural music, learn that, oh I'm not the only woman that looks like me that goes through this experience based on.
This song, Like there's a song, oh yeah, Like one of my favorite Nation.
Artists, her name is Ucha Yio. She has a song out with John Legend and stuff like that. She's really good. But she has like one of our oldest songs that I remember listening to. It's called Keeping Create and it's like let me Cry and she goes through her emotion. That's one of my favorite songs because it just talks about like there's times just because you don't see the tears coming down my face, that doesn't mean I'm not crying.
Like just the powerful message in some of the songs that some of these women you know, give or show or share about who they are and their vulnerability. I think it's so empowering for you know, women, you know, and just women male and then male can learn too sometimes how to treat women right because there oh.
Yeah, there's been plenty of songs out there telling men exactly what they.
Need to do right. So I feel like music there are so many messages about, you know, how to raise your kids, you know what I'm saying, that women can share with you or the struggle that they share with you. But it's not how would I say aggressive or invasive, because it's through music you just help relate to it and in a way that maybe you just differently. Should they have been politician, you know, That's what I'm saying. Music just oh yeah, yeah, brenched the gap and things like that.
But yeah, there's another definitely.
There's another artist in Haiti. His name is Big b The and he's another one. His songs are very political not political driven, but he speaks the truth and his songs about like knowing and Mi co Ben was another one too, he passed away, but me Coppen Big and there's some other ones. There are certain artists from where they're from, and I'm gonna use my history of people because they were the first independent their music also show the history and the lineage of where they came from.
How we should be proud and also how we should be able to continue our legacy through the music that they're sharing. So they're sharing like the true history sometimes through the music that people don't realize, you know, things that we're stolen or things that they're experiencing now with the politics fit on to just show the youth. You're just stand what I'm saying, like listening to the words like this is where we are, this is what's going on,
and this is what we should do. So I know I'm rambling, but like music is very powerful to either you know, it could either bring us together but it also divide us.
You know, there's music no absolutely absolutely, and the also too with the music is passing on the history. That's that's an important part too, is that we have to pass on the history in those songs that we continue to play over and over again. Also as well, because I know that the Calypsonians and Dominica, they're constantly passing on the message, whether what's going on in the community politically, and also the history of the island, right, so those
things are important. And you know, as we talk about the Queens of Callipse So also too, like in Dominica, you have Ophelia Marie. You know, she was one of the ones that was history and celebrated Calypso and definitely passed on the message for the generations to come. We definitely have to celebrate her. And then you know, you have the other bands too, like the Swinging Stars and Lord Tokyo and w c K, which is more modern,
you know, So I wouldn't say more modern. W CK was probably when I was younger, but yeah, I'm gonna say teenage, Yeah, teenage ish, you know, but you know. And also two in the songs, as part of passing down history, they use the music to help them get through natural disasters, as we know that in part of being in the Caribbean is having hurricanes, coming through tornadoes, whatever, so it also helped them get through those hard times,
you know, turning their tragedy into music as well. So yeah and now yeah so and it's usually male dominated, so when we have our women, we definitely have to remember them. There's another one also too, besides Exile One is another it's a male group. Exil One is another one from down back when Ophelia Marie Time. That also was another dominiquean band that you know passed on that we need to celebrate too as well.
I know one of my that everybody, And it's so funny because it's like I was again born in Guadeloup. Of course my parents are Haitian, but in Guadeloup we had the band called Casa Right, And it's so amazing, you know, originated from Guadeloup. And how many people in the Caribbean that I've met, Jamaican, Trinidad, even Africa, like from Africa, know about So it's also and I am seeing that now a lot of the Haitian artists are
crossing those international over like Usha Gio. She has again, like I said, she has a song with John Legend a couple of months ago that's called safe right. But she also has collaborated with like Africans artists and things like that. So they are going to and they perform in Africa, you know what I mean. There's a lot of them that performed international in them. But it's so great to see the barriers for coming down and for a lot of them, because even Felicia, Felicia, I need
to get this any name, Felicia Ross. I want to say. Her last name is Ross. Let me let me look at her last name before I mess it up for y'all.
I just call it when you say Felicia, I think, but I know that.
No, no, no, no, Yeah, she's another one that she has crossed barriers. You know what I'm saying within the Haitian Alicia. Well, at Lisa's talking, I'm gonna look it up for y'all. Leicia Ross.
But while you're doing that, also too, I wanted to also also acknowledge the fact that Ophelia Marie and Exile one are one of the two people that also helped forge that Calypso sound over the different you know Caribbean Islands as well too.
Yeah, her name, her last name is Ros. Sorry, Alicia Ross, I was right, yeah, right, yeah. So it's like she's another one and she's collaborated with like the likes of mom was it one of Barbarley's son, and she's just it is funny because her music, like she has a little bit of the kopa and then she also has a reggae so it's it's it's also it's also unique to see how we don't have to stay in one genre.
Like like I said, in the Asian community, you have so many different genres that fit that particular that particular region as well. And then you have people's belief is what you know what I mean connects them to the music. And then also for the younger generation, the popularity of the music of what's going on, you know what I mean. So there's so many different genres that we don't have
to stay just connected to one. You are able to ex if you're a spiritual like I said, the Haitian have evangelique, you know, gospel music that they listen to. If you're like one of those, like you don't want to do the spiritual music because you think it, oh just whatever. You have the regular kombab which is just sexy and all this other stuff. So there's different genres in the Caribbean culture. And if you don't. Reggae music is always soca music. It's always you.
Know what I mean, one of those you have zoom too, you know you have zoom exactly.
So calypso. So there's so many different genres. And in the Spanish Caribbean where they have marangue, they have marangue and there's like a salsa salsa, so one of the is also like I think of marangue in there. So all our music may be different, but we can still connect through the love of music with our community after it along to our children again the world, you know, sharing it with the world, because music, what they call it,
music is transcending. Music its transcending, you know what I mean? Does it carry any type of how would I say it? It's not prejudice? Is it prejudice? I'm gonna say it's just, but it's just welcoming. Music is a welcoming form of You may not speak the same language, but you hear music and it connects us. That makes sense, as it's just it's just one of those things like you and I can meet and be like I don't understand what you're saying something like that, but you put your music.
On and then you hear the music and then you guys are having a good time exactly. Music will always bring cultures together. I feel like music will bring music and food. Yes, those are going to bring cultures together.
They are and like they say, we have to remember, you know, to continue the movement. So music continue to support you know, Caribbean artists, women and male, because they have come a long way to spread their music and to spread the culture around and they have a artbreaking the barrier to be able to be you know, seen and heard and just experience it. If you've never you know, went out of your way to just pick a different type of genre to listen to, pick one and see
if you like it. Just just just search artists, do you know what I mean that have even if you listen to just only African American music, gospel music, see if that artist that you like has partner up with a Caribbean person, because I promise you some of them they partner up and collab with with other cultures. So see if you like that music, and then that's going to introduce you to a lot of different artists, a lot of different other genres of music that you you know,
probably thought that you didn't know. So I would say the history and being diverse is very important to all of us to continue to share, to continue to support, to continue to just elevate ourselves. Yeah, because there's very talented I feel there's are very talented musicians out there. And until you are able to step out of your her own self, you know what I mean? In what you think, you know what you think it is, sometimes it's not really what you think it is. You gotta
you have to learn the freedom behind a song. Sometimes you have to learn the message behind a song. Sometimes you have to learn that a song is just to make people happy.
Like Lisa, that's that they have so many messages. There's so many messages. There was another woman that I forgot to mention also to is joy Stout. She's actually became Dominica's she's an artist out of Dominica. But she's the second ever female Calypso monarch. Oh wow, n yeah, so in Dominika. Yeah, she's become the second female. She was the dethrone by the ten time Calypso monarch Dice. Okay, so Dice was a monarch ten times and she did thrown it. Who took first place? Followed by Chernice and
the Bob Okay. Yeah, so it was a Calypso competition in Dominica, so that's another thing. They have the competitions in Dominica too, So that was another artist that I wanted to mention from the Calypso queens of Dominica. So that have definitely impacted the Calypso culture over the Caribbean islands too as well. Right, So, if you are so many artists, if.
You're interested in getting a list from us, we're gonna do another episode where we might play, you know, some of our top songs or artists from you know, different cultures and different things. I am very eclectic. I listened to all type of music, so for me, you know, soka, reggae, kompa, rap, whatever,
all of those things. But we might do an episode and if you want us to feature maybe you know, some songs for y'all to you want us to recommend songs for y'all and if you feel like there are some songs or artists that we didn't mention that you want us to and it doesn't matter. It could be from East West part of the world. We are open to all because we want to reach the gap and
show how similar we are Spanish. Whatever it is, bring it to us and we'll do We'll do one what we're playing our song because I'm gonna telling you there is a song for heartbreak. There's a song for children that are born outside of marriages. There's a song on how to get a woman, how to lose a woman, how to be a player, how not to do a player. There are songs for everything, and I'm telling you we're gonna do it. One day. We're gonna teach y'all how
these Caribbean songs cultural songs. I'm telling you you want to get saved today and be ratchet tomorrow, We're gonna do ye, y'all.
And then we're gonna also list down in the comments some of the artists that we've mentioned today, so you yourself can go and check them out. But we're definitely celebrating the women in the genre, in the Caribbean genre, so you know that bring calypso zook, reggae, all the different genre genres in the Caribbean that help us pass on that are basically our storytellers of the past, the future, in the present.
So again, if you want to share with us. How does Caribbean music influence your life day to day? Please share that with us as well, and Lisa take it away with our tips for this episode.
We got tips. Oh god, we got tips. Hold on, yeah, I'm not ready for the tips. So tips for two day for this episode are is fine your anthem? What does that mean? There's a Caribbean song for every mood. Find the ones that resonate with you. So that's tip number one. Number two, learn a new dance style. Let loose and celebrate your heritage through movement. If there's a dance style that you've been wanting to learn that you don't,
definitely get out there and try it. I mean, the good thing is we have YouTube nowadays, so there's no excuse for anyone not learning a new dance. I'm just saying. My actually is so funny because even though I'm from Dominica, one of my favorite dances is salsa. Okay, that's one of my favorite nice and for our third tip, third and final tip is support Caribbean artists. Show love to
the musicians who keep the culture alive. So whether that means you go on YouTube or you go to Apple Music, or you go to Spotify and stream their music search and it's so interesting. What I like about Spotify is that if you search a new artist that you've never searched be for, it'll start bringing up more of their music and more artists in this genre. So that's a perfect place for you. I'm sure Apple does it too,
but I know I use Spotify. But that's another way for you to learn about new genres, learn about new artists, and support the current artists that are out there today.
Pandora is good too, and then again, you you have a YouTube account, YouTube.
Mixed, Yeah, YouTube mixed because you know YouTube is free, that's easy.
Yeah, so YouTube and Pandora have the well no I pay for my Pandora. Well yeah, but still you know you can still get onto those and then find the music. And like Lisa said, the other way to support is also a ten of concert, right because the fun So if you can't afford to go to a concert near you, support that. Again, your community. There's community events that do
celebrate kind of you understand I'm saying. Florida, they have a lot in New York they have where they have these cultural events every Well.
First of all, you know Carnival kind of that is all over the gloriding, I mean, starting with Trinidad in February and all the way down to it ends in October with Miami Carnival in October.
Yep. So if you can attend these events, you're more than welcome to. If you know, to just go and have fun and enjoy, you're gonna get exposed to the music, exposed to people, exposed to the culture, exposed to food. And that's the best way too sometimes to just go and listen and vibe and meet other like minded people. If you like music, and if you don't, if that's not your speed, go to you know, a Caribbean church,
you know what I'm saying. They also play their own type of music, And that's one way if you're a more religious person. We're not telling you to be out there. And but there's again, there's plenty of genre whatever suits your soul.
Yeah, so thank you for joining us d Liner crew. Till the next episode they talk about how many pregnancies come up after carnievies, Because.
Have you seen the way Caribbean man wan his waist, ain't no way you ain't getting into three babies from that. I'm sorry you don't want to get pregnant. Don't go to a Caribbean man, please, wherever he is. I'm gonna say this finally on their guys seeing or be on their Garibian Do you think that you're not gonna have four or five children popped up in you the way these men know how to wind that way? Disclaim her. This is my opinion. You ain't got to believe me,
but they do say. Caribbean men they are very good at having multiple families.
In the diaspora and the diaspora, and you know, we all know from the motherlands they believe and they.
Have it one to to I'm just be careful.
The Koreban man gonna get you pregnant. I'm just gonna tell you that right now, any all, any and all Caribbean men will get you pregnant.
I will tell you that.
Mind yourself.
This is from burst, This is from the belly. You're from the belly. The music, the ka, the glipsol, the what look even a bunch of music, gospel music. My Haitian people, you're still mixing some of that komba and want to know. Look, I'm gonna tell you all this story, tell you the story. Growing up in a Haitian church. We used to be I don't want to say we're bad kids, but you had the worship. Worship was my
favorite time because worship music. It's just like in comparison to the African American because there's a different type of religion. My Caucasian folks, your church. I'm so sorry your church and our church is different. So I'm comparing Caribbean to our African American the.
All of that mm hmm.
Caribbean, the way we.
Whine, the way we whind o waste.
Boy, when you go to church, you just feel good that you're whining for the Lord. I would say that's gonna rest for the Lord.
Jesus.
I don't even know how to take that. I don't even know how to take that right now. Now, we don't turn this into we whining for the Lord.
I don't. Okay, you know why, because it's it's ingrain and our waste. We can't help them. When the music come on, what gonna happen? All waste just automatically takes over. So that's what I'm saying. Wherever we go and the music come up, you're gonna get a one. So I had when we growing up went to the Haitian church, and we used to look at the older women and we used to laugh because you could tell just the music come on and they could be the whole one dance.
We used to be laughing because of the way they used to just go with the beat. And especially like the new gospel Haitian music, they have mixed a little bit of a compa, like the piano and the beat, because for Haitian culture there's different genre. But the one kompa is basically like a three four steps is the The beats are the same. The base of compa is the same. If you're able to get these four steps.
I like that little dip. I like that little dip they're dancing, and then that dip they do.
I love it. It's so sexy beats. It's church. We're talking about church beats. The beat, so the piano know the drum and all that. You could take that and put it to a Haitian gospels and the people the deep, the deep. At least that's a little bit risque. They're gonna give you the little at They're gonna give you a little bit of the one. But it's very sexy. But there are different genres, and we want to talk about the Caribbean music and how it's influenced on women,
us or culture. How do we keep it going, how to how it came about, because there's a lot of history and like Lisa said, black music, I feel it's all the same. Again, we just got dropped off in different parts of the world, different parts of the Caribbean, right, So but I want to say the basis of all kind of like black people music comes from the Motherland. Let's be very honest about that. It comes from Africa,
the beats, the drums on everything. And then as we have evolved and started to intermingle, whether through slavery, whether whatever, with the Spanish, with the French, with the British, with the Portuguese, whatever it is, then those different kind of instruments that they came, the natives and all of that, then we have kind of like like this to say, a melting pot mesh a lot of those different you know, cultures into the music. Then that's when you have the
different genre. That's when you have compa, right, And that's why Lisa was saying, like in Dominica, they have the say Calypso caadns Wampa.
Yeah, it's the Candalypso. Yes, that's where it originated. And then also the what's the other word, it's another, oh Candice.
Those different kind of genre or dance or music came from again the melting pot of all the different things that different cultures that we got exposed to, the French, the Spanish and all of that. Because even with Haitian Creole, it's a lot of like the Haitian Creole is a language that is mixed with Spanish, French and all of that together and you have the different patois and different dialects.
It's the same thing with the music, so you have the different genre and the Haitian music that's giving you when you go to Canaval. Because I'm trying to Cardinal, but it's ka. I'm gonna say it's kind of vald When you go to Cannaval. The different bands play different genres of music and it's displayed in Kannava because you're gonna have the ones that they're gonna do the kind of dance. And again, my Haitian folks will come from me. This is what I've learned. You are more than welcome
to correct me. I'm not gonna take offense to it, but we all know they have the gidigity. So the people that are very traditional and like the dresses and what they present and the beat up the drum and they're just like shaking and all of that. They kind of like have a lot of times where the white, the women's wear the white and their hairs are tied and stuff like that. So you have that kind of genre.
And I'm gonna give you the real name, but that music, if you listen to it is very drum based, right, very like drum based. And then you have when we talked about Kuba, Cuba is more sexy. It's more like yo, I want to grind. It's like grown folks kind of thing. It's very sexy. And I feel like that one has become a little bit more popular with a lot of the music that you hear me some of my favorite Haitian artists, it's like Mika Benk, Kylie Me, Wuchelle Gillom,
Felicia Ross and all of that. They their music is very related. So when you hear it, it's kind a similar Woodie wood Boy. You know, all of these people the say this was Alan Kave, so all of these the popular music now Bejeen, the new ones that you have now, Kadi Lock and all that. They are very heavy on komba, so when you hear their music, there's komba, but there's also rappers in there. So like Wendy Wendy, he's a Haitian rapper and he's more Haitian creole rap, right,
his music is not. But at the same time if he does kind of have some sexy music where you could do the komba, but he does creole raps. You
have different genres a music, different artists. If you go really old school a lot of Again, I don't really listen to the getde gende kind of music and things like that, because I felt like at the time that I started to learn and indulge myself in the Haitian music, I was more into the two thousand era, right, So the newest artists, so a lot of the like the Gidigida and all that, I feel like it's more older. So if you were not exposed to it, you wouldn't
really listen to it. And another reason is my parents were really religious, right, so the assumption is with the Gendegide or the I don't want to say if people call it like the Voodoo dance or something like that, but they relate it to it's more spiritual if you
believe in Christianity. There are certain genre of music you can't I wasn't exposed to or listen to because my parents thought that it was very again spiritual, so they associated with like those people they worship practice the voodoo religion. I want to associate it to like you know how the natives they around the fire and in Africa they were,
so it's that kind of the thing. The music, the drums, they're out here in nature, they're just dancing, and it's like I would say, it's like how African American cast the Holy spirits to church, you know how they just come out of come out of their shoes. They're just like, yeah, like that's what it is. But in that sense, that's a genre of music, and I don't know much about
it because I was not a closed switch. So I'm more into the Haitian creole kind of music and things like that with what I listen to, and the Haitian a Bancheak music, gospel music. I do like those again, that's just me.
Do I have any also to like? In Dominica and I think also too with a lot of other Caribbean islands, they use the music to basically not only for entertaining, but they use it also social commentary, right, talking about what's going on in the politics also too, they would discuss you know, just people in the community, things that
were going on and things like that. Like you know, the one favorite song that we always talk about our family is Erica put Your Boom Woman Inside, right, But that song was like really they were singing about some girl in name Erica back in the Caribbean. So they really talking about things that are going on in the community, things that are going on socially and politically. So they definitely not only use it for entertaining. It was definitely
to pass a message on. So that was another thing that they were trying to make political change, because the more you sing about it and you talk about it, I mean, like fast forward today we have songs that are trying to make a political statement too. I mean, shoot, look at Kendrick Lamar.
You know, I is like with reggae Bob Marley, yoh yeah, yeah, we're very you know politically driven and things like that, but it was all and then you have, like in the Haitian community, I feel like they have been certain artists that I know it will have to do another segment on kind because I feel like ka its origin and how people do it. It's like they're different bands, right, and they come together and even though they're artists, but through this time they put this massive thing together for
their fan. But there are certain ones when they go to Carnival and they bring a song out it's political, like I know, oh yeah, it would oh yeah, the opportunity to kind of like make fun up and then come out again whatever coal party is. They're too being fund about. You may be like why no waste and all of that, But certain songs that.
Come out doing oh no, there's a message they use that that's in pretty much every Carnival year, every season. Every year there's a new song that comes out based upon what's going on. So oh yeah, definitely.
And the other part is the how it connects us. I know a lot of times we feel that in our era, women don't have a voice, right, and I feel like music allows women to express their sexuality, to express their opinion, to express theirself in such a way that let's say they're not on the mic, or they're
not politician and things like that. I think music, for me, in my opinion, have allowed a lot of women that look like us have our experience to express ourselves because we talk about how our Caribbean mothers, we love them, but how they did not know how to express their emotion. Right. So I feel like music I've learned from, you know, the cultural music, how to kind of like be a woman sometimes, how to be okay with love sometimes, how
to be okay with emotion sometimes. So I think being in this space with music has allowed me, especially cultural music, learn that, oh I'm not the only woman that looks like me that goes through experience. Based on this song, Like there's a song, oh yeah, Like one of my favorite artists, her name is Ucha Gio. She has a song out with John Legend and stuff like that. She's really good. But she has like one of our oldest
songs that I remember listening to it. It's called Keeping Create and it's like let me Cry and she goes through her emotion. That's like one of my favorite songs because it just talks about like there's times just because you don't see the tears coming down my face, that doesn't mean I'm not crying. Like just the powerful message in some of the songs that some of these women give or show or share about who they are and
their vulnerability. I think it's so empowering for you know, women and just women male and then male can learn too sometimes how to treat women right because there oh.
Yeah, there's been plenty of songs out there telling men exactly what they need to do right.
So I feel like music, there are so many messages about how to raise your kids that women can share with you, or the struggle that they share with you. But it's not how would I say aggressive or invasive, because it's through music. You just help relate to it and in a way that maybe you just differently. Should they have been politician, you know, That's what I'm saying. Music just oh yeah, yeah, prinched the gap and things like that.
But yeah, there's another definitely.
There's another artist in Haiti. His name is Big b Ice, and he's another one. His songs are very political, not political driven, but he speaks the truth and his songs about like knowing and me. Copen was another one too, he passed away, but me coping big and there's some other ones. There are certain artists from where they're from, and I'm gonna use my history of people because they were the first independent their music also show the history
and the lineage of where they came from. How we should be proud and also how we should be able to continue our legacy through the music that they're sharing. So they're sharing like the true history sometimes through the music that people don't realize, things that we're stolen or things that they're experiencing now with the politics, that just show the youth like listening to the words like this is where we are, this is what's going on, and
this is what we should do. So I know I'm rambling, but like music is very powerful to either you know, it could either bring us together, but it also divide us.
You know, there's music no absolutely absolutely, and the also too with the music is passing on the history. That's that's an important part too. It is that we have to pass on the history in those songs that we continue to play over and over again. Also well, because I know that the Calypsonians and Dominica, they're constantly passing on the message, whether what's going on in the community politically and also the history of the island. So those
things are important. And you know, as we talk about the Queens of Calypso also too, like in Dominica you have Ophelia Marie. You know, she was one of the ones that was history and celebrated Calypso and definitely passed on the message for the generations to come. We definitely have to celebrate her. And then you know you have other bands too, like The Swinging Stars and Lord Tokyo and w CK, which is more modern, you know. So
I wouldn't say more modern. W CK was probably when I was younger, but yeah, I'm gonna say teenage, yeah, teenage ish. You know, when the songs is part of passing down history. They use the music to help them get through through natural disasters as we know that in part of being in the Caribbean is having hurricanes, coming through tornadoes, whatever. So it also helped them get through those hard times, you know, turning their tragedy into music
as well. So yeah, yeah, so, and it's usually male dominated, so when we have our women, we definitely have to remember them. This is also exile one is another it's a male group. Exil One is another one from down back when Ophelia Marie Time that also was another Dominique in band that you know passed on that we need to celebrate too as well.
I know one of my everybody And it's so funny because it's like I was again born in Guadeloop. Of course my parents are Haitian, but in Guadeloup we had a band called Right and it's so amazing. Oh yeah, originated from Guadeloup. And how many people in the Caribbean that I've met, Jamaican, Trinidad, even Africa, like from Africa, know about Kasa. So it's also and I am seeing that now a lot of the Haitian artists are crossing
those international over like Usha Guio. She has again, like I said, she has a song with John Legend a couple of months ago that's called Safe Right. But she also has collaborated with like Africans artists and things like that. So they are going to and they perform in Africa. There's a lot of them have performed international in them. But it's so great to see the barriers for coming down and for a lot of them because even Felicia Felicia. I need to get this any name, Felicia Ross. I
want to say. Her last name is Ross. Let me let me look at her last name before I mess it up for y'all. I just call it.
When you say Felicia, I think, but I know that's not no.
I know. Yeah, she's another one that she has crossed barriers. You know what I'm saying within the Haitian Alicia, well a, Lisa's talking. I'm gonna look it up for y'all.
But while you're doing that, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Ophelia Marie and Exile One are one of the two people that also helped forge that Calypso sound over the different you know Caribbean Islands as well too.
Yeah, her name, her last name is ros Sorry, Alicia Ross.
I was right, yeah, right, yeah.
So it's like she's another one and she's collaborated with like the likes of was it one of Barmarley's son, And she's just it is funny because her music, like she has a little bit of the kumpa and then she also has a reggae. It's also unique to see how we don't have to stay in one genre, like like I said in Na she Can community, you have the so many different genres that fits that particular that particular region as well. And then you have people's belief
is what connects them to the music. And then also for the younger generation, the popularity of the music of what's going on. There's so many different genres that we don't have to stay just connected to one you are able to if you're a spiritual like I said, the Haitian have evangelique, you know, gospel music that they listen to. If you're like one of those, like you don't want to do the spiritual music because you think it oh and just whatever. You have the regular kombab which is
just sexy and all this other stuff. So there's different genres in the Caribbean culture. And if you don't reggae music is always so comped. You have zoo, you know, you have zoom exactly so calypso. So there's so many differ, diferent genres. And in the Spanish Caribbean where they have marangue, salsa salsa, so one of the is also like I
think of marangue in there. So all our music may be different, but we can still connect through the love of music with our community after it along pacidated to our children again the world, you know, sharing it with the world because music is transcending. Music its transcending. It doesn't carry any type of how would I say it, It's not prejudice. Is it prejudice? I'm gonna say it's just, But it's just welcoming. Music is welcoming form of You may not speak the same language, but you hear music
and it connects us. That makes sense as it. It's just one of those things like you and I could meet and be like, I don't understand what you're saying something like that, but you put your music.
On and then you hear the music and then you guys are having a good time exactly. Music will always bring cultures together. I feel like music will bring music and food. Yes, those are gonna bring cultures together.
They are and like they say, we have to remember to continue the movement so music. Continue to support Caribbean artists, women and male because they have come a long way to spread their music and to spread the culture around and they have an art breaking the barrier to be able to seen and heard and just experience it. If you've never went out of your way to just pick a different type of genre to listen to. Pick one
and see if you like it. Just search artists, even if you listen to just only African American music, gospel music, see if that artist that you like has part her up with a Caribbean person, because I promise you some of them they partner up and collapse with with other cultures. So see if you like that music, and then that's going to introduce you to a lot of different artists, a lot of different other genres of music that you
you know, probably thought that you didn't know. So I would say the history and being diverse is very important to all of us to continue to share, to continue to support, to continue to just elevate ourselves because there's very talented I feel there's are very talented musicians out there. And until you are able to step out of your own self in what you think, you know, what you think it is, sometimes it's not really what you think it is. You got to you have to learn the
freedom behind a song. Sometimes you have to learn the message behind a song. Sometimes you have to learn that sometimes a song is just to make people happy. Like Lisa said, to bring.
So they have so many messages. There's so many messages. There was another woman that I forgot to mention also too, is joy Stout. She's an artist out of Dominica. But she's the second ever female Calypso monarch.
Oh wow.
So yeah, and Dominika, she's become the second female. She was the dethrone by the ten time Calypso monarch Dice. Okay, so Dice was the monarch ten dimes and she did thrown it who took first place, followed by Charnese and the Bob Okay. It was a Calypso competition in Dominica, so that's another thing. They have the competitions in Dominica too, So that was another artist that I wanted to mention from the Calypso queens of Dominica. So that have definitely
impacted the Calypso culture over the Caribbean islands too as well. Right, So, if you so many artists.
If you're interested in getting a list from us, We're gonna do another episode where we might play, you know, some of our top songs or artists from different cultures and different things. I am very eclectic. I listen to all type of music, so for me, you know, soka, reggae, kompa, rap, whatever,
all of those things. So we might do an episode and if you want us to feature maybe some songs for y'all too, if you want us to recommend songs for y'all, and if you feel like there are some songs or artists that we didn't mention that you want us to and it doesn't matter. It could be from East West part of the world. We are open to all because we want to reach the gap and show how similar we are Spanish, whatever it is, bring it
to us and will do. We'll do one what we're playing our song because I'm gona tell you there is a song for heartbreak. There's a song for children are born outside of marriages. There's a song on how to get a woman, how to lose a woman, how to be a player, how not to be a player.
There are songs for every everything.
I'm telling you, we're gonna do it. One day. We're gonna teach y'all how these Caribbean songs, cultural songs. I'm telling you you want to get saved today and be ratchet tomorrow.
Yes, yes, And then we're gonna also list down in the comments some of the artists that we've mentioned today, so you yourself can go and check them out. But we're definitely celebrating the women in the genre, in the Caribbean genre, so you know that bring calypso, zook, reggae, all the different genre genres in the Caribbean. Yes, that will help us pass on that are basically our storytellers of the past, the future, in the present.
If you want to share with us how does Caribbean music influence life day to day? Please share that with us as well, and Lisa take it away with our tips for this episode.
We got tips. Yeah, I'm not ready for the tips. Ah. So tips for two day for this episode are is fine your anthem?
What does that mean?
There's a Caribbean song for every mood. Find the ones that resonate with you. So number two, learn a new dance style. Let loose and celebrate your heritage through movement. If there's a dance style that you've been wanting to learn that you don't, definitely get out there and try it. I mean, the good thing is we have YouTube nowadays, so there's no excuse for anyone not learning a new dance.
I'm just saying my Actually is so funny because even though I'm from Dominico, one of my favorite dances is salsa. Oh okay, that's one of my favorite nice and third and final tip is support Caribbean artists. Show love to the musicians who keep the culture alive. So whether that means you go on YouTube, or you go to Apple Music, or you go to Spotify and stream their music search
and it's so interesting. What I like about Spotify is that if you search a new artist that you've never searched before, it'll start bringing up more of their music and more artists in that genre. So that's a perfect place for you. I'm sure Apple does it too, but I don't know. I use Spotify, But that's another way for you to learn about new genres, learn about new artists, and support the current artists that are out there today.
Pandora is good too.
And then again you oh yeah, Pandora.
You have a YouTube account youtubex.
Yeah, YouTube, because you know YouTube is free, that's easy.
Yeah, so yout the Well no I pay for my Pandora? Well yeah, but still you could still get onto those and then find the music. And like Lisa said, the other way to support is also a ten of concert right because the fun. So if you can't afford to go to a concert near you, support that again and your community. There's community events that do celebrate Kana. In Florida they have a lot. In New York they have where they have these cultural events every well, first.
Of all, you know, Carnival kind of valve is all over the gloriding. I mean, starting with Trinidad in February and all the way down to it ends in October with Miami Carnival in October.
Yep. So if you can attend these events, you more than welcome to just go and have fun and enjoy. You're gonna get exposed to the music, exposed to people, exposed to the culture, exposed to food. And that's the best way too sometimes to just go and listen and vibe and meet other like minded people. If you like music, and if you don't, if that's not your speed, go to a Caribbean church, you know what I'm saying. They also play their own type of music. And that's one way.
If you're a more religious person, We're not telling you to be out there and while but I'm again, there's plenty of genre whatever suits your.
Soul, So thank you for joining us d Liner crew till the next episode. Keyp Vibing, Please.
Thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of the Unfiltered Lining podcast. We hope you enjoy the conversation and gain some valuable insight. Don't forget to subscribe to the show so you could catch every new episode and leave us a review so we can continue to bring you fresh, exciting content. And if you have a topic you'll like us to discuss or a story you'll like us to share, please reach out to us. Join us again next Thursday for another Unfiltered conversation about the rich,
diversity and complexity of the Caribbean American experience. Until then, keep exploring, keep learning, and keep celebrating the unique cultural heritage that make us who we are. Unfiltered Lining edited and produced by Unfiltered Lighting