“I do agree, however, that there are certain Crop-Over events which lend themselves to this sort of partnering. Cohobblopot is one good example of this, and it is certainly my hope that next year we can have enough time to invite tenders for the staging of this potentially lucrative event.” Quote from Minister of Culture Steve Blackett at 2008 Crop Over Awards Ceremony

Yeah right, where have we heard that before..

While the Ministry of culture speaks of out sourcing Cohobblopot their words and actions don’t add up.

Not taking into consideration their failure to operate above board as it relates to entertaining bids for the Cohobblopot this year, at the launching of the same event it was stated by the cultural administrators they had a 3 year plan for organising the event. That does not correspond to the minister’s statement they intend to out source it.

The question will be asked why would the government give up an event that is profitable when it can generate revenue for it self at the expense of private promoters.
While from the outside cohobblopot 2008 appeared to be successful the question must be asked will that “success” equate to profits?  
We have been hearing of excessive sums of monies that were spent including those on regional and international acts.
We have been hearing how $40,000 was paid to Brian Lara to host the VIP area at the event plus a commission from the door, When it came to Cohobblopot 2008 the regional people can’t complain at all.
All the pay outs kick backs and expenses that we have been hearing about we await to see in the final analysis exactly how profitable Cohobblopot really will be.
As for the minister’s statement of privatisation, with out action behind them they remain mere empty words, lacking in credibility, sincerity or legitimacy.

Ayana John Winner of $5000 Got Rhythm Competition 

The GotRhythm.com eSoca Competition 2008 came to an end at mid-night August 8th. Congratulations to Ayana John for winning the inaugural competition with Kimberley Inniss in 2nd place and newcomers Rhea & JayCee in third. The order is as follow:

             Song                                          Artist      Prize
1.          Just The Way                          Ayana John         $5000
2.          Merry Go Round feat. Alicia    Kimberley Inniss     $2500
3.          Handle It feat JayCee             Rhea          $1250
4.          Nah Missin Meh                       Edwin Yearwood       
5.          Wrong Gal                                RPB
6.          Show Me                                   Kirk Brown       
7.          Dat Is What I Talkin’ Bout       Andy Armstrong (Blood)       
8.          In a Party Mood                        Hypa Soundz       
9.          Big Girls                                   Biggie Irie       
10.        Baby Oh Baby                          Adrian Clarke       

The producer of the winning song is Darron Grant and he will receive $1000.The customer who purchased the most downloads is Jackie Clarke with 428 downloads and she will receive a Video Camcorder. This competition attracted customers from Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Japan. Special mention must be made of Ikeda Kiyotaka (Kanagawa Japan) who purchased 80 downloads and was leading the customer download competition for over one month and was only passed during the last few days of competition.

The awards will be presented at The VIP Party, which will be held at Café Jungles in The Gap on August 30th. There will be performances by several Top 10 artists. Additionally all eSoca customers are eligible to enter the customer draw for a Blackberry Smartphone, Digital Camera and an MP3 player, which will be held at the VIP Party.

The eSoca competition ran from May 22nd – August 8th 2008, and a total of 189 songs from 126 artists were entered mostly from Barbados but there were entries from United Kingdom, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica. The winners were determined based on the number of songs purchased from GotRhythm.com. This competition is the first of it’s kind and Got Rhythm Inc. will present similar online competitions in other regional territories. The next eSoca competition is scheduled to kickoff in November and will be centered around T&T Carnival 2009. GotRhythm Inc. intends to continue to use technology in innovative ways to promote the music and art of the region by making it easily accessible to local, regional and international customers, in a manner that provides tangible revenue streams to artists and music producers.

Boyce note;Congrats to all the winners of the Got Rhythm from Boyce Voice!

Ayana please remember I was always a fan of yours and Darron Grant as administrator of Boyce Voice we are partners in any money prizes u benefit from..

Congrats to Got Rhythm management in orgainising this innovative competition to spruce up interest in their site and encourage more download sales…

MACHEL MONTANO CONQUORS CROP OVER
Lil Jon, Pitbull, TOK in Tow
FOX FOTOS: Machel Montano with surprise guests Lil Jon and Pitbull
headline Cohobblopot in Bridgetown, Barbados on August 3, 2008.

“NEW YORK, NY (RHONA FOX, INC.)- Soca superstar Machel Montano brought the excitement and thus the masses to the annual Crop Over celebrations in Barbados, last week. First with the bMobile EnVy concert on July 26, followed by the Brian Lara All-Inclusive Fete on August 2, then performing to a sold-out crowd at Cohobblopot on August 3, and finally hitting the street parade for Grand Kadooment on August 4, Montano was the face of Crop Over this year.”
 
As entertainers and Barbadians, we should note with concern the above international media report.I have been hearing local cultural administrators patting them selves on the back on a successful Cohobblopot and I have been seeing your comments as to how “ram” the show was. Let’s examine its success more closely shall we?
The National Cultural Foundation has a mandate to develop the Barbadian entertainment industry, I believe that’s what “National” means. To re enforce concepts that are suppose to help us define our bajan identity and highlight things that are Bajan. Cohobblopot 2008 failed miserably in that regard. As evidenced by the above excerpt NCF produced a show where bajan acts were relegated to second bananas “begging for a blight”, while Machel was paid the biggest fee and given the most performance time (2 hours) and the highest production budget. Our own Lil Rick had his stage time reduced to “five stinking minutes” as he described it. Other bajan acts had their time reduced which would have diminished their impact. Rupee’s set was interrupted several times to facilitate drawing the car.
There was not enough room in the budget for Bajan Alison Hinds or Mr Dale but enough for an American rapper.
 Cohobblopot 2008 deviated so far from highlighting Barbadiana it was not funny, Bajans were on it but merely as supporting acts. While NCF achieved the objective of cohobblopot being a financial success, it was a cultural failure.  In the opening review of the event they are not saying that Krosfyah, Lil Rick Asiba or RPB dominated the show, they say it was conquered by the Trinis’s and Americans. Instead of 100% bajan music being featured on radio stations as with previous Crop Overs, our national festival airplay time was now diluted with Trini music.

It is not unknown that a Cohobblopot featuring 100% local acts would work, in the 1990’s the event was given to a private promoter and with only local entertainment being featured attendence went to over 25,000 patrons.
Any commercial promoter could have put on a show featuring every foreign Tom Dick Machel and Jon and generated money, the National Cultural Foundation had a further cultural responsibility which they needed to adhere to.    

Here’s one of the burning issues you want me to deal with, Euphoria 2008.             

Regardless of the financial results of the event, its existence is essential to challenging the commercial government strong hold which continues to be maintained on Crop Over the night before kadooment.               
Let’s look at some of Euphoria’s achievements, because of this event there were many Bajan acts included on Cohobblopot that would have been left off.     
The last minute inclusion of 2008 Pic o de Crop monarch Adrian Clarke is an example of this. It was only after Euphoria added him to our line up and started promoting this, did cohobblopot follow suit. It had become the norm for several years that the Pic o De Crop monarch was no longer included in the cohobblopot event.          
The fact that Euphoria was able to overcome the obstacles speaks to the fact that entrepreneurial involvement is being allowed in the festival.                       
Stated government policy supports efforts like euphoria, but certain key individuals are deviating from the policy for their own ends. (If you have a key in your pocket maybe its you)                      
Euphoria offered an opportunity that artistes who were not included on Cohobblopot could still work, it also offered a competitive alternative in terms of ticket prices. If not for the technical challenges, we would have achieved our objective entertainment wise and not have lost out on the flow of patrons who had started to enter the venue.                                    
We want to thank the Prime Minister for endorsing Euphoria publicly and his assistance and Senator Irene Sandiford Garner for attending the event.                             
Euphoria’s misfortune was daring to challenge a government statutory entity which was willing spare no expense of tax payers money to crush a private sector effort.                     
Euphoria’s fortune is that there is still a government intent to truly assist, develop and involve the entrepreneur in Crop Over.

Euphoria Inc would also like to thank our sponsors Starcom Network, Eqity Insurance and major sponsor The Plantation Garden Theatre, with out them and others who assisted and gave advice behind the scenes, the event would not have been possible.

Coming up:Cohobblopot Analysis

Edwin

Congratulations to all the winners of Crop Over 2008!

 All hail Pic o De Crop King Adrian, Party Monarch King Khiomal, People’s Monarch and Tune of the Crop King Edwin. Seven years ago Adrian won the Pic o de Crop crown and has done it again in 2008. He is one of the few talented Calypsonians who can do both party music and social commentary effectively. Plus Adrian does great character voices too it is he who voiced the Euphoria grandmother ad.    

Speaking of “grand mother” wasn’t it she that always said perseverance seldom fails, well the next winner is evidence of that.
Khiomal has been working at it for years and finally won the Party monarch this year. Once seen as a side kick to Edwin he has now stepped into his own and is proving he will stand in no one’s shadow. Khiomal is a shinning example to young people that if you keep working at your dreams you can achieve them.                 

And speaking of Edwin, the perennial winner who has lived up to his name from the time he started in 1995. (His name is Ed-Win, get it?). Back in 1995 Edwin won all the major calypso titles, Pic o De Crop, tune of the crop, and the first Party Monarch, which was quite an impressive triple win. 
His People’s Monarch and Tune of the Crop wining in 2008 speaks to his consistency and his talent as a seasoned performer.                                                                                                                                       So once again in closing Boyce Voice hails all the Kings of Crop Over 2008.                                

Log on Tomorrow for “where are the queens?”            

Just to show there is no hard feelings, this morning I am going to give Cohobblopot some free promotion! Lets focus on the latest addition to the Crop Over National Festival Cohobblopot, American Rap artiste Lil Jon.
Lets take some time to peruse some lyrics of Mr lil Jon, here”s his song ‘Bitches aint Sh*t’.

Back in the days i use to like bitches
But i tell you now days bitches aint sh*t
And if you wonder why i say this
I’ve had a lot of women and bitches think they slick
Sneakin’ around f**kin’ around whenever were not around
Actin’ all sophisticated spending money that she didnt make
I get so mad that i could slap her actin like she cleopatra
Aint no need to ask shes a slave to tha money and im the master  
Thats why i smoke sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday
Dont let no girl no bitch (hey) no man no nigga get in my way
I keep my gun with me (always) for peace i keep it right by my side
Big nate long beach we’ll keep Lil’ Jon tight beat

Whoa, that is what you call hard hitting lyrics, I now see why Soca Queen Alison Hinds and Mr Dale could not get on Cohobblopot. Decision makers at the National Cultural Foundation have F@#king out done them selves in their attempt to deepen our cultural awareness. I take my F@#king hat off to them, I am learning something from Lil Jon already…

Every year consistently without fail, the Royal Barbados Police Force does its utmost to stop Euphoria!
In our first year 2005 they denied police security and then spent the entire weekend of the show harassing the euphoria venue owner contriving reasons the show should not go on. They failed.                                 
 In 2007 the letter we sent to police requesting security mysteriously disappeared and conversations we had with them they could not remember having. They failed to stop the event then too.                           
Now in 2008 the Police once again  has stepped up to the plate in its draconian and even more aggressive efforts stand in the way of cultural entrepreneurs.Not only are they denying security but by calling the media to ensure that the message is sent that Euphoria production is in joepordary achieves a more sinister objective we will reveal.                         
Why has the agency whose primary task is to prevent crime also added to its objectives stopping an entertainment event?         
Let Boyce tell you why, because every Euphoria event has been on the same night as cohobblopot. Therefore the police has been constantly used as a tool to protect the financial interests of the government by stamping on private enterprise.
Even if you look at their call to the media, as you would know the police is not known to be a friend of newspapers as media has a nasty habit of reporting on incidents of abuse done by the police.                                 
The malicious intent of the timing of their phone call is to effectively remove “euphoria” as competition so that cohobblopot tickets would be free to sell. 

In all the previous years that we have had Euphoria there is one person who stood by us in these times of difficulty with the police.
 That person is our now Prime Minister David Thompson. Back then he was David our legal advisor and he was very effective in representing us in these Police issues.
I can honestly say if not for the efforts of David there would be no Euphoria.

Guess who I have written too?

Euphoria Cliff hanger continues tomorrow….

Local entertainment company, Euphoria Inc. looks set to stage one of the hottest casts of  Barbadian artistes and bands for Crop Over 2008. At a time when all eyes and ears patiently await the release of music from Barbados’ top entertainers and producers, the organisers of Euphoria will pay tribute to the Barbadian contingent of musical ambassadors who have dominated the soca industry in recent times whilst at the same time providing a platform for several emerging artistes. 

The all star line up which will feature performances from soca diva Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwoord, Khiomal and Adrian Dutchin of Krosfyah, Lil Rick, Peter Ram, Biggie Irie, Mr. Dale,Blood, Rameses and Jabae 
will join Contone, Pong, Fraud Squad, Stabby the Guard, Versiwile, Unda Dawg and many others at the Wildey Gymnasium on the 3rd August, 2008. DJ’s will include Jon Doe, Dave Smooth, Bubbles and Hurricane.

“The organisers promise that this event will empower all Barbadians to support Bajan brands particularly at a time when the changes in the global economy are likely to impact on the earning capacity of all Barbadians. We need to support each other now more than ever as a demonstration of our collective strength as a people but more importantly we need to create viable platforms to promote, market and exploit the talent of our artistes.Events such as Euphoria are a true demonstration of a Bajan brand which contributes positively to the entertainment sector and to the wider Barbadian economy,” states torganisers.   

Early bird tickets will start at at an affordable price at $30.00.

For more updates and a full line up of the confirmed artistes log on to www.pyramidartists.com for more information

In September 2007 Pyramid Entertainment became the first entertainment company from the Caribbean to sponsor a music truck at Labour Day Carnival in conjunction with Mount Gay Rum. The 40 ft truck set the Eastern Parkway ablaze with performances from some of the Caribbean’s leading soca entertainers. Alongside the Pyramid line up of acts which included Lil Rick, Peter Ram, Biggie Irie and Barry Chandler, was soca queen Alison Hinds, Omar Mc Quilkin and Tizzy from the El A Kru band, Antigua. Also on board was Bajan born, New York based deejay Dahved Levy and AJ Calloway (formerly of BET).
The truck attracted significant media attention as it proceeded along the carnival route of the Eastern Parkway in high visibility to the more than 1 million spectators and revelers who attended the Labour Day celebrations.
This year, Pyramid and Mount Gay Rum will once again join the Sesame Flyer’s band as it celebrates its 25th year in the entertainment business as one of the largest mas bands in New York.  Sesame Flyers not only boasts over 1500 revelers but has won the title “Band of the Year” for ten consecutive years. Sesame Flyers International remains one of the most highly respected community oriented organizations in New York and recently made yet another unprecedented step when it launched Sesame TV, an online television programme featuring some of the work of the organization and its affiliate companies. 
Following on the success of their hugely popular hits at Barbados’ Crop Over this year, Pyramid artistes will join a line up of other hugely successful Caribbean artistes on the branded music truck to entertain their fans and promote their music. 
Pyramid is proud to be associated with the Sesame Flyers band as it celebrates its 25th year in the entertainment industry. “We are heartened by the professionalism of this organization and welcome the opportunity to celebrate with them under this year’s theme “Caribbean Heritage.” Music is enjoyed by people of all nationalities and the opportunity to perform and promote our music during this prestigious year for Sesame Flyers will undoubtedly further fuel the harmony, integration, diversity and unity amongst all Caribbean people. The alliance between Pyramid Entertainment and Sesame Flyers is a true demonstration of Caribbean unity and has greatly expanded the promotion of our artistes beyond those which were previously utilized during the Labour day celebrations,” says CEO of Pyramid, Santia Bradshaw.

Here are the official results of the 2008 Crop Over preliminaries sent to Boyce Voice from the NCF, those of you who think we are not friends are wrong, check the results….  

19 –PIC-O-DE CROP SEMI-FINALISTS 2008
All Stars   Adrian Clarke    Adrian Clarke
All Stars   Ronnie Clarke    De Announcer
Bacchanal Time  Charles Smith    Romeo
Bacchanal Time  William Waithe    Classic
Bacchanal Time  David Piggott    Kid Site
Bacchanal Time  Rameses Browne    Rameses
De Big Show  Anthony Carter    Gabby
De Big Show  John King     John King
De Big Show  Sheldon Hope    Sheldon Hope
De Big Show  Clairmonte Pilgrim   Pompey
Headliners   Anderson Armstrong   Blood
Headliners   Ishiaka McNeil    Ishiaka McNeil
House Of Soca  Jude Clarke     Hee Haw
Super Gladiators  Andre Inniss    Dre
Super Gladiators  Patricia Noel    Lady Isha
The Experience  Chrystal Cummins-Beckles  Chrystal
The Experience  Margaret Holder    Enobong
The Experience  Rommell Hall    Rommel
The Experience  Mathew Clarke    De Original Clarke Dan
Trimart Hit Parade Anderson Ward    Mr. Impact

19 – PARTY MONARCH FINALISTS 2008
TENT    NAME     SOBRIQUET
All Stars   Kimberley Inniss    Kimberley Inniss
All Stars   Miguel White    Miguel
Bacchanal Time  Khiomal Nurse    Khiomal
Bacchanal Time  Justin King     Justin King
Bacchanal Time  Donella Weekes    Donella
Bacchanal Time  Rameses Browne    Rameses
Bacchanal Time  Peter Wiggins    Peter Ram
De Big Show  Natalie Burke    Nathalee
De Big Show  Stedson Wiltshire    RPB
De Big Show  Terencia Coward-Thompson  T C
De Big Show  Ryan Chase     Buggy
De Big Show  Jafar Burnett-Burnett   Jafar
Headliners   Michael Mercer    Mikey
Headliners   Anderson Armstrong   Blood
Headliners   Dale Rudder    Mr. Dale
House Of Soca  Jude Clarke and Owen John  Hee Haw & Dragon Slayer
House of Soca  Daniel Borman    Jimmy Dan
House of Soca  Owen John     Dragon Slayer
Tomorrow’s Children Jamar Bradshaw    Jay-B

Reigning Monarch
Headliners   Ricky Reid     Lil’ Rick

RESERVE
De Big Show  Elenza Brewster    Serenader