Soca music, or the "soul of calypso", is a genre of music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1970s. It is considered an offshoot of calypso, with influences from West African and East Indian rhythms. It was created by Ras Shorty I in an effort to revive traditional calypso, the popularity of which had been declining amongst younger generations in Trinidad due to the rise in popularity of reggae from Jamaica and soul and funk from the United States. From the 1980s onward, soca has developed into a range of new styles.
CFXJ-FM is a radio station in Toronto, Ontario. Owned by Stingray Radio, it broadcasts a country music format. Its studios are located on Yonge Street at St. Clair Avenue in Toronto's Deer Park neighbourhood.
The Canadian hip hop scene was established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much slower than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained largely an underground phenomenon until the early 2000s.
CHRY-FM is a Canadian radio station in Toronto, Ontario. Broadcasting at 105.5 MHz, it has also served as a community radio station for the residents of the Jane and Finch corridor in North Toronto.
Byron Lee and the Dragonaires are a Jamaican ska, calypso and soca band. The band played a crucial pioneering role in bringing Caribbean music to the world. Byron Lee died on 4 November 2008, after suffering from cancer for a sustained period.
Destra Garcia is a Trinidadian musician, singer and songwriter of soca music. She is also known by the mononym Destra. She is one of the most popular female soca artists in the world.
The Dudley & Bob Show was a weekday morning comedic radio talk show airing on 93.7 KLBJ-FM, from 6:00 to 10:00 am CT in Austin, Texas that consistently ranked among the city's top-rated drive-time shows.
Alison Amanda Hinds is a British-born Bajan soca singer based in Barbados. Alison is often referred to as the "Queen of Soca" due to her significant impact on the genre.
The Antiguan Carnival is a celebration of emancipation from slavery, held annually on the island of Antigua. It is a thirteen-day festival of colorful costumes, beauty pageants, talent shows, and music. The festival begins in late July and ends the first Tuesday in August, known as Carnival Tuesday. Both Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday are public holidays on the island. Antiguan Carnival replaced the Old Time Christmas Festival in 1957, with hopes of inspiring tourism in Antigua and Barbuda. Some elements of the Old Time Christmas Festival remain in the modern Carnival celebrations.
Ravi Bissambhar, also known as Ravi B, is a Trinidadian chutney soca musician.
Machel Montano is a Trinidadian soca recording artist and record producer. Known for his high energy, fast-paced, and often unpredictable on-stage performances, he is one of the genre's most popular artists.
Caribbean music in Canada has existed since the early 1920s, becoming increasingly prominent after the 1960s as Caribbean immigration to Canada increased. Anglo-Caribbean genres such as reggae, soca and calypso are especially prominent in English Canada, while French Caribbean genres such as cadence-lypso, zouk and konpa are more prominent in Quebec.
Johney Brar, also known as DJ JoN-E or "Johnny No Best", is a Canadian DJ, producer, writer and radio host. He was the host and executive producer of the primetime Desi Live Radio Program which first aired on CHRY 105.5FM then was nationally distributed in the United States on HD Radio in New York/New Jersey WRKS 98.7FM HD2, Washington WTOP 103.5FM HD2, Chicago WKQX 101.1FM HD2, San Jose/Bay Area KIOI 101.3FM HD2 and Los Angeles KPWR 105.9FM HD2. He is currently head of operations for Sixcity Media.
Desi Live Radio Program was the first nationally distributed South-Asian radio show in the United States. The show was produced and hosted by Johney Brar and distributed by HumDesi Radio Network in HD Radio format. The program first aired on CHRY 105.5FM then moved in 2008 to HD Radio airing in New York City/New Jersey - WRKS 98.7 FM HD-2, Los Angeles - KPWR 105.9 FM HD-2, Chicago - WKQX 101.1 FM HD-2, San Jose/Bay Area - KIOI 101.3 FM HD-2 and Washington - WTOP 103.5 FM HD-2.
CKFG-FM is a radio station in Toronto, Ontario. Owned by CINA Media Group, it carries an urban contemporary format. The studios and offices are on Kern Road in the Don Mills neighbourhood of North York.
Mark Antonio Jiminez, better known by his stage name Ataklan is a Trinidadian singer-songwriter and performer primarily of the modern rapso tradition. Ataklan has been referred to as "Trinidad's answer to Beck" and a "fiercely independent songwriter and singer and arguably the most original artist to have emerged on the island since David Rudder". Since his emergence in 1993, Ataklan has released tracks including "Flambo", "Naked Walk", "Flood on the Main Road", "Shadow in de Dark", "Soca Girl" and "Caribbean Swagga", among numerous others.
Marvin's Room is a Canadian radio program, which airs on CBC Music. Created and originally hosted by Amanda Parris, the program explores the genre of rhythm and blues, incorporating both historical and contemporary music in the genre.
Andre Parris, Professionally known as DJ Puffy, is a Barbadian disc jockey and 2016 winner of the Red Bull Music 3Style World DJ Championships. He competed as a wildcard entry in Santiago, Chile, making it the first time the Caribbean has ever been represented in the finals. It was the first time a Barbadian qualified and won a qualifying round. In addition to his Red Bull 3Style victory, DJ Puffy has achieved another significant milestone by winning the Culture Clash championship with the team "No Long Talk", making him the first and only person to hold titles in both major DJ competitions. His success in these events underscores his talent and dedication to DJing.
Fitzroy Anthony Gordon was a Jamaican-Canadian broadcaster, radio host and DJ, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was most notable as the founder of G98.7, Canada's second radio station geared specifically to Black and Caribbean audiences. As a broadcaster, he was dedicated to community service, notably through his shows Dr. Love on CHIN Radio and Grapevine on G98.7.
