Soca music is a genre of music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1970s and developed into a range of styles during the 1980s and after. Soca was initially developed by Lord Shorty in an effort to revive traditional Calypso, the popularity of which had been flagging amongst younger generations in Trinidad due to the rise in popularity of Reggae from Jamaica and Soul and Funk from the USA. Soca is an offshoot of Kaiso/Calypso, with influences from Latin, Cadence, Funk and Soul.
The music of Anguilla is part of the Lesser Antillean music area. The earliest people of the island were the Caribs and Arawaks, who arrived from South America. English settlers from St Kitts and Irish people later colonized the island. Unlike regional neighbors, however, the plantation system of agriculture that relied on chattel slavery never took root in Anguilla, causing a distinctly independent cultural makeup. The most recent influences on Anguilla's musical life come from elsewhere in the Caribbean, especially the music of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, as well as abroad, especially the music of the United States and the United Kingdom. Anguilla's Rastafarian heritage has played a role in the island's music and culture and produced influential figures like activist Ijahnya Christian and Robert Athlyi Rogers, author of The Holy Piby.
Black music is music created, produced, or inspired by black people, people of African descent, including African music traditions and African popular music as well as the music genres of the African diaspora, including Afro-Caribbean music, Afro-Latino music, Afro-Brazilian music and African American music. These genres include negro spiritual, gospel, rumba, blues, bomba, jazz, salsa, R&B, samba, rock and roll, calypso, soul, cumbia, funk, ska, reggae, dub reggae, house, detroit techno, hip hop, gqom, afrobeat, funk carioca, country, and others.
The music of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes thriving music scenes based on Big Drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and also reggae. String band music, quadrille, bélé music and traditional storytelling are also popular.
The music of Guyana encompasses a range of musical styles and genres that draw from various influences including: Indian, Latino-Hispanic, European, African, Chinese, and Amerindian music. Popular Guyanese performers include: Terry Gajraj, Eddy Grant, Dave Martins & the Tradewinds, Aubrey Cummings, and Nicky Porter. The Guyana Music Festival has proven to be influential on the Guyana music scene.
WKDU is a non-commercial educational FM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is owned by Drexel University and operated by Drexel students, with several alumni among its on-air staff. It is the only free-format non-commercial FM station in Philadelphia. Its transmitter is located atop Van Rensselaer Hall, a dormitory on the Drexel campus, in the University City section of Philadelphia. Its studio is in the basement of the Creese Student Center. WKDU was the 2010 and 2011 CMJ Station of the Year.
Edmond Montague Grant is a Guyanese-British singer-songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of The Equals, one of the United Kingdom's first racially integrated pop groups. His subsequent solo career included the platinum single "Electric Avenue". He also pioneered the genre ringbang.
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.
Drupatee Ramgoonai is an Trinidadian and Tobagonian chutney and chutney soca musician. She was responsible for coining the term "chutney soca" in 1987 with her first album, entitled Chutney Soca, which included both English and Hindustani versions of the songs. She had her biggest hit the following year when her "(Roll Up the Tassa) Mr. Bissessar" was a Road March contender. She was instrumental in tassa and chutney soca finding its place in Carnival and her efforts later led to competitions such as Chutney Soca Monarch.
VP Records is an independent record label in Queens, New York. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in reggae, dancehall and soca.
Ravi Bissambhar, also known as Ravi B, is a Trinidadian chutney musician.
Machel Montano is a Trinidadian soca singer, actor, record producer and songwriter.
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.
Clifford Smith, better known as Mr. Vegas, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.
Guyanese people in the United Kingdom are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose origins lie in Guyana.
Reggae Report was a U.S.-based music and culture magazine first published in 1983. The publication offered an abundance of news and information regarding reggae, Caribbean, and world music artists and entertainers, including soca, African, and hip hop. Reggae Report was founded by publisher M. Peggy Quattro and Michael "Zappow" Williams. With combined industry connections and experience that bridged the gap from reggae's beginnings to the artists making the most popular music of the day, Quattro and Williams began Reggae Report to spread the word, educate the fans about its rich history, and bring up-close-and-personal interviews and photographs to a targeted international fan base.
The Fabulous Five Inc. is a reggae and soca band formed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. Over a 45-year career, they have released 26 albums, had many number 1 hits in Jamaica, and were the featured musicians on Johnny Nash's platinum album I Can See Clearly Now.
Fox Fuse is a leading digital music label for Caribbean music and is the largest label worldwide for soca and chutney music. Based in Tampa, Florida, Fox Fuse has built a strong reputation working with superstar clients such as Pitbull, Lil Jon and Shaggy, and has some of the top performers and producers in Caribbean music exclusively-signed to its roster.
