Bassy - Love Vine
July 13, 2012
All lot ah first time

Vincy Mas 2012 has survived all de Demonic attacks and condemnation, and came thru wid only ah few minor skirmishes, good wuk by de Police and special kudos foh an improved behave-yah from de few trouble makers.

Those of us who are practicing Christians must continue to press foh ah Cultural Festival dat respects and adheres to clean moral practices and conduct; Father Mike, ah R.C. Priest and ah true Culture Man puts it nicely: “Culture must listen to de Gospel!”{{more}}

Dis year will go down as historic wid ah number ah “first time.” First Time ah single Artiste, male or female has ever won Ragga Soca Monarch, Kaiso Monarch, Road March and second in de Soca Monarch, ah Triple Whammy dat! Ah did write last week dat ah lickle Vice in me head was saying “Ah Empress would be crowned several times,” ah luv dat Vice.

Fya Empress set ah record dat will be hard foh anybody, man or woe-man to beat and Kaisonian Bump-I could add another line to his Kaiso, “In SVG de Ragga Soca, Kaiso Monarch and Road March winner, is ah Woman.” She was ah favour-hit all season and she capital-lies fully on her Trinny experience, singing in competition and as ah professional singer in de nightclubs in Toe-big-oh. It’s ah win-win situation.

In Empress, SVG got ah good Kaiso Ambassador; and foh Empress, she now has record breaking credentials to present when she takes de International Stage. Her Soca Monarch presentation was powerful but de message in her song “Rum Please” didn’t please de Judges. Ah great Monarch must be great Role Model and Lie-Za, who is Empress’ No 1 Fan is appealing to her to keep way from topics like “Rum Please” and “Bam Bam Talk,” sing songs so her children and de Nation’s children will feel proud. We luv yuh Empress!

Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestra won both Junior and Senior Championship. Dis is not ah “First Time” as Starlift might have done it twice. Starlift must go back to de drawing board, because dat lickle Vice again telling me dat we ain’t see de best ah Sion Hill yet, dey have come ah long way and wid de enthusiasm ah young Rodney Small, ah graduate in (Pan) music, dey got further to go.

BLONDIE BIRD FLYS AWAY WID EVERY-TING

But in Mas, it was ah “First Time” as “Blondie Bird and Friends” almost flew away wid every conceivable title dis year. Starting wid de Juniors, SVG Players won de Individuals 5-9 years, but Blondie won the 10-15 years categories; Junior King and Queen; Best Junior Section; Best Junior Band; first in de up-town judging. And very much de same in de Seniors: King and Queen ah de Bands; Best Section ah de Bands; Band ah de Year and Up Town Judging.

Dat never happened before and will be hard to equal. Blondie is ah Mas fanatic who figure-rate-heav’ly eats, drinks and sleeps Mas; ah bet he all ready wid his band foh next year. Lie-Za is pleading dat Blondie and Friends be given special (financial) recognition foh dis year’s historic achievement.

AND PEST GETS AH POOR TRAIT

Madam Lie-Za cry shame on CDC foh de Poor-trait dey gave to Pest Llewellyn in recognition of his 25 years service in de development ah Pan in SVG. Pest, Pan Teacher/Tuner/Arranger has been ah driving force if not ‘de driving force’ behind de Pan Against Crime Initiative, he hops de vans reaching schools and communities all over SVG imparting of his multi-skills.

Miss SVG gets ah University schol worth $75,000; de Soca Monarch and Kaiso Monarch get $22,000 each; Ragga Soca Monarch gets $15,000. Pest gets ah Poor-trait; Lie-Za asking if Pest could pay his mortgage or grocery bills wid ah Poor-trait! Why not ah piece ah land or better still, one ah dem Low Income Homes? Surely he deserves someting tangible.

BIG UP DEM YOUTHS

 
Ah want to mek special mention ah de positive contribution by de Juniors in dis year’s Kaiso Competition: Queen “Shade” Barker defended both her “Rights to Live” and her Monarchy in de Secondary School’s Calypso category. Junior Soca Monarch, Otis “Flipper” Cain registered his disgust in his song “Squeeze up,” ah humorous social commentary dealing wid one ah de problems he no doubt experiences on de Mini Van. And Singing Christy’s “Making a dream a reality,” had some strong lyrics in support ah de Argyle Airport dat won her Junior Kaiso Monarch. Ah wish some ah we senior Kaisonians would tek ah page out ah de Juniors Book.

All de teefing and wrong doing in de Guv-ah-mint Ministries and not ah word. Whatever became ah de biting social commentary kaisos and Kaisonians, Sulle, Poorsah, I-Pah and de rest; have dey lost dey Lie-sins or dey manhood? Why have dey deserted Abijah and Zion-I de last ah de Braves! De Biting Social Commentary in Kaiso is what helps to keep ah crow-kid Guv-ah-mint in check.

Look how Skinny Fabulous’ biting social commentary in his presentation ah de frightening situation at de Hospital won him de Soca Monarch Title. Approaching death, he got an injection dat turned him into ah monster! Ah enjoyed watching Vincy Mas at home thanks to VC3 Live.

And wid dat is gone ah gone again.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.