Usain the Yam eater

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
If you did not eat yams then you did not eat the breakfast of champions.
That’s what the fastest man in the world Jamaican Usain Bolt eats that according to him helped him to win the 100m race in 9.69 seconds in the Beijing.
Yams Dumplings and Green Bananas to be precise is the breakfast that Usain eats that gives him that incredible speed.
Usain’s secret is not Powerade, nor Gatorade nor Monsta nor Red Bull! He does not take Ginseng or no Vitamin B injections.
  Usain is proud and strong Jamaican YAM EATER.

So back to you, what did you eat for breakfast? Did you eat scrambled eggs, bacon and hot dogs?
You should be shame…… 
People like you make me sick; you have been ignoring good old fashion “ground provisions’ and eating all sorts of processed food.
When was the last time you eat piece of green bananas? When was the last time you eat a dumpling? Do you even know what a dumpling is?
Some of you have not eating been eating breakfast home but not waiting till u get work and having coffee and bagels and doughnuts and all sorts of igrunt food.
That why you can’t run to save your life… stop reading this now get up from your computer run out in the road and come back…..!

See how out of breath you are? That’s all the bagels, egg yolks and pork bacon keeping you back, choking your heart.
You need to start eating Yams, Dumplings and Green Bananas. You letting the Americans fool you into buying all their commercialized processed health products and ignoring our indigenous Caribbean roots. Its time to reverse that process, Eat a Yam today, Run fast tomorrow!
If it’s good enough for Usain Bolt it is good enough for you!

Picture of Yam and Sweet patato for people who play them aint know

Woman digging Yams, the exercise of harvesting them alone will make you fit….

Boyce Note: Be carefull with the Yam eating as it is not good to increase your speed at every thing… if you know what i mean… A word to the wise is enough

As a collector of movies I have became quite concerned with this new format I now hear about movies now available in Blu Ray. Let me expand.
I started collecting movies from back in the 80’s so I have quite a collection of movies on the old VHS video tape format. All legitimate mind you, there’s no place for pirate copies in my collection. For those of you who don’t know what a VHS tape looks like, look at this….

So on VHS I have titles like Terminator 1 & 2, First Blood, There’s Something About Mary, Bowfinger, Face Off, Blues Brothers and more, like over 30 movies which for Barbados is quite a collection.

Then in the 90’s something came along called DVD Format, so then I had to switch to movies in this new improved format, had to buy a DVD machine then starting with the “Matrix” some of the same movies I had on the old VHS I had to re-purchase on the improved digitized DVDs albeit with extra features.

            My “Matrix DVD

So now I have quite a collection of DVD movies and feeling good, now I hearing bout something called Blu Ray. What the ass is Blu Ray now?  Now do I have to get a new Blu Ray machine and change my movie format again? Cheese on Bread!
I went checking up on this new Blu Ray Crap and here’s what I found….

Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world’s leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

I think for the time being I will skip that new HD experience; you could go bankrupt trying to keep up with technology. I think we should all make a stand and stick with the DVD format till we die, it’s cheaper…

Boyce has always taken note of the liberal marketing which is utilized by our Barbados Turf Club as it relates to getting people to attend horse racing at the garrison savannah.
I use the word “liberal” deliberately, I have seen ads promoting “Family Day” inviting you to bring your entire house hold kids and all to enjoy a day of racing at the garrison.
No one seems cognizant of the fact that that at horse racing the primary activity is really gambling, so if it were accurate the marketing should be, “bring the whole family out for a day of gambling….”
I saw a horse racing program on TV just this week which ends with a cute five year old girl in arms saying “see u at the races”. Isn’t that like having a child in a beer ad?
While it starts out looking like a harmless activity watching men on horses racing around a track and what’s wrong with a little harmless bet, that first bet could be an opening to falling victim to a condition which is comparable to alcohol and drug additions.

Let’s look at a definition of gambling

Gambling addiction, also known as compulsive gambling, is a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive gamblers can’t control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can’t “stay off the bet.”

So when you look at the possible consequences is it responsible to be taking your whole family to a day of horse racing where gambling happens? Further less using a five year old girl in the advertising.
Maybe it something Joey Harper chairman of the childcare board needs to look into and get off harassing people about children at calypso tents and cavalcades.

Looking for a place to take your chile* this Saturday?
(*Chile is Bajan for Child)
Well Pyramid Entertainment has a special kids event on 19th July 2008 which you can read about below….If you notice how well it is written its because I didn’t write it, it’s a press release they sent Boyce Voice….

The spacious grounds of the Plantation Garden Theatre will be transformed into a fantasy playground with activities which include rock climbing, jumping tents, a petting zoo, train rides, face painting, balloon artistes, several games and special guest appearances throughout the evening by various children’s television characters. The evening will climax with a showdown of performances by some of the season’s hottest soca artistes - Lil Rick together with his son the Unda Dawg, Peter Ram, “Soca Queen” Alison Hinds, Mr. Dale, Biggie Irie, Philip 7 of the band Masala, Statement, William Watts, Buggy, the Fraud Squad, twin brothers Barry & Bruce Chandler of the Jabae band, Shanta Prince, Hypasounds, John Mahameed, Stabby the Guard and Nard to name a few.

CEO of Pyramid Entertainment, Santia Bradshaw

noted that, “the event was inspired by the participation of several of the artistes on the Pyramid roster at various children’s parties and children homes during Trinidad carnival to promote their music. During our last visit to Trinidad, Lil Rick, Peter Ram, Mr. Dale and Biggie Irie were so overwhelmed by the reaction of children to their music and the opportunity to meet and take photographs with them that they insisted that we not only host an event of this nature in Barbados but also to donate all profits to a children’s charity.”
Based on the overwhelming public response to this initiative by some of Barbados’ most loved entertainers, this event is likely to become an annual event during the Crop Over season. The demands of the entertainment industry often takes several of the artistes away from their families in order to make a living. Our intention is to create an event which allows the artistes to give back to the community and also to provide an outlet for the artistes to enjoy a fun filled day of activities with their families as well,” Bradshaw added.
Admission to the event is $20.00 per person and entitles all ticket holders (adults and children) to five (5) passes which can be redeemed for access to any of the activities, food and drinks. The event is slated to start at 1 pm and finish at 7pm.
All profits from the event will be donated to the Children’s Variety club,

 

The little Rick leadeth his son

I mentioned it in passing but I felt the need to go back and expand on it.
Blogging about the concept of the Hypa Dog and the Under Dog duet which consists of Little Rick inducting his real life son to the 2008 Crop Over stage.

I see this as a significant event and I will tell you why because I usually do. And you usually read it as you have nothing else to do.

Little Rick whether you like it or not, is looked up too as a role model by a majority of Barbadian youth.
His widespread popularity is evidenced by the huge listener ship of his Guinness radio rush hours and the dominance of his music among the youthful demographic speaks to this fact.
Often you hear Lil Rick’s influence mentioned in a negative light usually at government consultations where it is often stated he is leading the youth astray promoting alcohol and wuckless music.
How ever you must consider this.

There is a widely accepted practice among young Barbadian males of getting their girlfriends pregnant and then leaving them to raise the children alone with out living up to their responsibilities as fathers.

Lil Rick therefore by publicly acknowledging his role as a father is providing a positive role model to the misguided wuckless men out there who need to be shown the way.

So those Lil Rick detractors who are always pulling him down need to take note of that.

Son of Little Rick “the Under Dog”

Behold the Migfhty Sparrow

Children go to school and learn well

other wise later on in life u gun catch red hell

yesterday was 11 plus exam day in Barbados, and they were playing this old calypso on the radio.

These potent lyrics are from the calypso “education” written and sung by Slinger Francisco aka the Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad and Tobago.

If Al Gilkes is 100 years old Sparrow must be a 1000!

I remember hearing that Sparrow song when I was a small child in primary school 4 decades ago.
At that time even my 11 plus exam seemed like ages away and going to Combermere was a school fantasy.
The lyrics to this song impacted on me even at that young age, it took the words of my mother who was always drilling me to do well at school and converted them into memorable lyrics that imbued themselves into my brain.

I can remember almost all the lyrics to this song word for word, and 40 years later the same song that helped to motivate me is still there to motivate my children, and their children.
Sparrow’s “Education calypso has endured and survived the test of time and will continue to be a favorite for ever, it epitomizes how long a well written calypso can survive.
I hope the children who sat their 11 plus exam yesterday did well, I hope they listened and adhered to the warning tone in Sparrow’s lyrics which I will finish with…..

“For there is simply no room
in this whole wide world

for an uneducated little boy or girl

don’t allow idle companions to lead u astray

To earn tomorrow u got to learn today”

I challenge a calypsonian to release lyrics for Crop Over 2008 more potent that those…!

The prestigious Sherbourne Center

Where were the bakes?      That is the question I asked when I attended the “Sponsors breakfast” yesterday morning at Sherbourne Center hosted by the Government and NCF.

In case you don’t know, the “Sponsors Breakfast” is an annual event where the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) invites sponsors to breakfast with the objectives of wooing them with highlights of the coming Crop Over season and hopefully acquire their financial support through sponsorship.Or the government gives sponsors some hot tea in an effort to help them “brek de air” and “brek some money” at the same time…

The presentation of the ‘Breakfast event” was impressive, the entertainment was excellent especially the multimedia piece performed by Merle Niles and Jennifer Walker. Prime Minister David Thompson was there along with Minister of Culture Steve Blackette, the NCF Chairman, CEO and a cadre of government ministers.

NCF Corporate Communications officer Wayne Simmons performed M.C duties and along with media specialist Doug Hoyte presented the 2008 Crop Over theme for this year “We Ready”.

Will go into what the Prime Minister said tomorrow but today I want to focus on a more important point. The food served at the event was excellent with eggs, fried plantain, fruit and other breakfast gastronomical delicacies. Except for one thing, look as I may I could not find any bakes….! Fish cakes were there, but no “bakes” that popular bajan delicacy from years ago made with flour and water.

Come to think about it I have never been to a function and been served “bakes”, that needs to change. NCF being the vanguard of our culture needs to take the lead in this indigenous food matter. Next time we have a traditional Bajan breakfast, I want to see some bakes…!

Otherwise Great Event, Can’t wait for Crop Over 2008!

Tomorrow; The PM say dat…….. (to be continued)

Boyce Voice mentioned Mr Antonio ” Boo” Rudder yesterday and as if on cue I looked in the newspaper and see him associated with an interesting entertainment development.
“Rudder heads new Copyright Group” stated the headline, the article announced a new copyright organization had been formed entitled the “Barbados Copyright Industry” (BCI).
The list of directors were given and the fact it had been incorporated since December 19th 2007.
The formation of this new copyright group makes interesting food for thought, most performers and song writers are already members of the long standing rights collection agency in Barbados COSCAP (Copyright Society of Composers Authors and Publishers Inc)

Does this new entity BCI compete against COSCAP?

Maybe COSCAP CEO Erica Smith and staff Gail and Paulette are quaking in their boots? (Not that I have seen them wearing boots that’s just an expression, I would like to see Erica in boots though those tall black ones that…. sorry I digress, lets get back to the point..)

This new agency BCI deals ONLY with the collection of reproductive rights as it pertains to books and other publications.
COSCAP is known for collection of music royalties but by virtue of the “authors and publishers” in their name I would assume maybe they collect for books too, of course “I could be wrong and I usually am” (Quote from COSCAP director Smokey Burke)
So poet khaidji should be looking to join up and collect some royalties on those excellent pieces he has written, Asiba writes some pretty long comments he could publish them as a book.
It also still means that maybe Boyce can join and benefit as I write, see what you are reading here…? That’s writing yuh idiot, therefore I can de deemed a writer.
Hence when I am finish here I will print off a couple stories from Boyce Voice staple them together  mek a book and bram! I joining up.
Question is as a writer which organization do I join, COSCAP or the new collection kid on the block BCI ?

Ashley “Honey Money” Dupre

Do you know who Ashley Alexandra Dupre is?
You soon will, she is on her way to fame and fortune, Ahsley is the 22 year old call girl that Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer paid thousands of dollars for her sexual services, an act which is now costing him his political career.

Lets not digress people, let us stick too Ashley, well as much as we can afford to being she costs thousands of dollars a “stick”. In Barbados and the Caribbean, when you are exposed as woman of dissolute nature who exchanges money for sex, you are known as a whore and people whisper behind your back and call you slutty names.

In America now the same act can get you instant fame and a book and movie deal leading to untold fortunes.
In America selling your “honey” can put you in the money, depending on who you are selling it too.
Since Ahley’s whorish activities have been exposed over 5 million people have visited her MySpace page to view her photos, music and biographical information.
Ashley is not only good on the “mike” in the bedroom (thousands of dollars worth) but she’s also good on the real mike as well (if you can’t figure that out you are an ass).
Ashley also sings and actually went to New York to pursue a musical career, whoring was just to a way to pay the bills at the end of the month. So now the two songs she did are selling like hot cakes on the net. And of course a label is showing an interest in signing her up, next she will sell her side of the story to “The Enquirer” and write a tell all book of which Universal Studios will buy the rights and the movie will be directed by Oliver stone.To show you how famous Ashley is becoming, you are now reading about her on Boyce Voice, last month we would not have given a rat’s ass about her.
The Ahley Dupre situation epitomizes how sexual notoriety can be used in America to achieve instant fame. This reminds me my favorite classic Eddie Murphy comedy sketch where he plays a pimp selling a book on “How to be a prostitute”; Eddie’s pimp punch line was “Be some body …. Be a hoe”

Before I Go, a Boyce Voice Quiz:

Question: What do you call a West Indian Politician who pays money for honey?

Answer; A West Indian Politician! As that sort of thing does not cause a stir down here,

Governor Spitzer; “Damn! why did I spend my money on that young honey?”

I always keep my promises except for when I don’t.
Last week I mentioned how lia deserved her own write up, and here it is.

                                    This is Lia

I first met Lia Gajadhar back in 2004 when Madd was working on a dance idea to the song “Hard Ears”.
It came to me that we could use an idea similar to “Thriller” with ghouls dancing with our lead singer Eric Lewis and choreographer Trevor Priddie recommended Lia and told me she was good, just returned from studying make up in the States.

So Lia came to the Madd office and told her I wanted her to make up dead people to dance with Eric, so she asked exactly how intense to I want them to be as she can do some pretty gruesome stuff.
And I was saying to my self “yeah right” who is this lil girl claiming she can do make up gross people out?”
Well I could not have been more wrong, look at this picture…

Here is Eric with the Trevor Priddie and his dancers made up by Lia, she did some make up that was so horrific that patrons actually scampered from the dancers in horror when they went into the audience.
Even Eric’s own daughters became afraid of him after seeing him performing with the “duppies”.

Lia used a technique where she started with one level of horror make up effects that intensified as the season progressed, so you ended up with the dancers looking like accident victims with chunks of flesh hanging from their body.

I remember once being back stage when lia was finished working on the “dead people” and they looked like bodies that had started to decompose. “It was freaked me out and I had to leave. It reminded me of seeing Ingrid with out make up once.
 

Because of the excellent make up effects from Lia and effective choreography by Trevor Priddie and his dancers “Hard Ears” became one of the most effective live presentations Madd has ever had in Bacchanal Time calypso tent, my only regret was that I was in it as an undertaker and didn’t get to sit in the audience and enjoy the spectacle of it.

Lia making up Soca Queen Alison Hinds

We are always talking about the front line performers and not enough on the talented people behind the scenes, Lia Gajadhar is one of those people.
The ultimate testimony to Lia’s talent how ever is what she did with Ingrid Holder, a make up person that can make Ingrid look beautiful has got to be good!

Boyce is leaving the computer before Ingrid finds me ….