It's been a long time, hasn't it? July 13th to be exact. In the height of Florida band launch season... Well, what can I tell you? I have no excuse for it other than LIFE yes.... Life has been happening and sadly, this blog has been suffering. Not too much has been going on down here in South Florida but you know, there's always something to talk about.
This South Florida party scene is really...................... touchy (for a lack of a better word) and there is an area that I'd like to touch if I may without being crucified.
Since Trinidad carnival there have been a number of carnivals, in many countries. True or not true? Now I am a proud Trini...Trini to d bone as the people does say but last I checked on my TeamSocaMeter, Trinidad and Tobago wasn't the only country in the Caribbean that spew soca music. Do you know how much MUSIC it have for 2016? Out of Barbados, St Vincent and OMG G-R-E-N-A-D-A?!?!?!?! I sit at work daily, literally killing myself with wine from morning to evening with all new soca from the PullOutBoyz. To be on such a high from Monday to Friday, the anticipation is on 1,000 and I'm actually hype to reach a fete when the weekend comes. What actually happens is I hear the same shit that I not only heard from late November last year to present but man still playin mudda cunt PALANCE! *Sorry, I had a moment. "Palance", "Roll It Gyal", "Jump" and the worst song known to any woman named Kim (for the obvious reasons), "Who D Hell Is Kim". These songs should be retired until South Florida has caught up with the rest of the.....WORLD! Save those classics for when the vibes are right or earlier in the night as warm up chunes. At 3:45 no one should be sweaty to any of these songs. There is entirely too much new music out there to hear and see the crowd excited to hear these songs. I'm not saying they're shit songs because they are not, they just have their time and the time is NOT NOW. It has music to get the people familiar with.
Last two parties I attended, BOTH parties had completely different DJ's and all the DJ's made excellent attempts of playing new music (new to South Florida because dem chune kickin up all over the place but here) but it was like beating a dead horse. As the new music came on, I specifically remember the DJ saying and I quote, "GET FAMILIAR" and that he had some brand new chunes to buss. After two songs were played, it was back to the BS. It was at that very moment that it clicked. IT'S NOT THE FAULT OF THE DJ's because they are actually trying.
THE PARTY SCENE IN SOUTH FLORIDA DEAD BECAUSE OF THE PATRONS!!!!! IF ALLYUH NOT TRYIN TO HEAR NEW MUSIC STAY IN ALLYUH HOUSE!!!!! IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE SAME TIRED SONGS SIT DOWN AN PLAY THEM ON YOUR WHOOOOOLE PHONE!!! Lol, I had a #RankinBossKia moment. WE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LOVE SOCA MUSIC WANT TO ENJOY THE OLD AS WELL AS THE NEW MUSIC AND EMBRACE IT ALL AS IT COMES!!!!
THE PARTY SCENE IN SOUTH FLORIDA DEAD BECAUSE OF THE PATRONS!!!!! IF ALLYUH NOT TRYIN TO HEAR NEW MUSIC STAY IN ALLYUH HOUSE!!!!! IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE SAME TIRED SONGS SIT DOWN AN PLAY THEM ON YOUR WHOOOOOLE PHONE!!! Lol, I had a #RankinBossKia moment. WE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LOVE SOCA MUSIC WANT TO ENJOY THE OLD AS WELL AS THE NEW MUSIC AND EMBRACE IT ALL AS IT COMES!!!!
DJ's: I'm soooooo sooo sorry. All the time I was thinking it was you all. When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong but you too have a responsibility to continue playing those same new chunes because that's how the crowd will learn. People learn music from repetition. Not everyone is as fortunate as I to listen through headphones all day as new chunes buss on Team Soca. They can also be very much like me and NOT listen to all the new music on YouTube. YouTube soca searching has no vibes in it. It's up to you, the DJ's to MAKE them listen. Swallow a little pride for two or three parties and unfortunately yes, see your crowds not moving. Give them a little time to get familiar. There has to be an understanding that there are times of the year that new music comes out and true soca lovers will have to (and will) adapt. 'New York DJ's', they don't have anything different than you do. The only difference is they actually play it and don't mind if the party stop jumping two three times. I bet you by the third time the people know the chune, love the chune and could sing most of the words... I have sat in the houses of multiple DJ's and listened to them play exactly what I (along with others) long to hear but they just don't play it outdoors because they know the type of crowd that they're dealing with. My suggestion: PLAY THE CHUNES YOU HAVE STORED ON YOUR LAPTOPS!!!! I KNOW YOU HAVE IT!
An hear nah, don't try coming at me sideways when you see me.. I am just the messenger. I am the voice of many, many maaaaany people. Most have asked that I do this blog through voicemail, Facebook inbox messages and venting this hard truth to me in person. This is in part the reason so many of these parties are unsuccessful, losing money, lost the vibes and are dying a slow death.
Lastly,
South Florida REAL TALK: Come in close.
Now, I have nothing against outside DJ's especially the ones from New York cause I'm from there. But why allyuh feel that once an outside DJ/party (most of the time from New York) comes, it sell out? What do you think they have that we don't? Florida people, allyuh fighting down one another SO MUCH that you have allowed people from other states to come in and damn near taken over your fetes AN YUH CARNIVAL!!!! FACTS. When will the presence of Florida hit the Miami Carnival again? THE BEST FETE was at the Coconut Grove Convention Center. Everything was Miami based. Now what? Who from Florida actually eatin' ah food for the Miami Carnival? I can't begin to count the size of One Island Mas band NOR their jouvert!! THEY HAVE SPICE AN FREEZE INTERNATIONAL!! *OUTSIDE DJ'S. As I said, I have nothing against people coming in but it's time for we as Floridians to step up the game. Become more familiar with FLORIDIAN DJ's, many are quite talented. PLAY MORE LOCAL! Patrons, GET FAMILIAR! This way you don't have to send me messages expressing your boredom, missing vibes and utter disgust.
DJ's don't feel the patrons not talking to one another, they all agree more or less. An they also know that some of you are following orders of promoters but step out on faith.... Be proud of your craft and please the patrons. Be the ones responsible for playin dem chunes first. Bruk out the shell. Florida too 'safe'. South Floridians too tun up as a people to be the LAST state playin these chunes man. We are the closest to the Caribbean but like the chunes an dem flyin' over we head.
Think about it.
Bless.
An hear nah, don't try coming at me sideways when you see me.. I am just the messenger. I am the voice of many, many maaaaany people. Most have asked that I do this blog through voicemail, Facebook inbox messages and venting this hard truth to me in person. This is in part the reason so many of these parties are unsuccessful, losing money, lost the vibes and are dying a slow death.
Lastly,
South Florida REAL TALK: Come in close.
Now, I have nothing against outside DJ's especially the ones from New York cause I'm from there. But why allyuh feel that once an outside DJ/party (most of the time from New York) comes, it sell out? What do you think they have that we don't? Florida people, allyuh fighting down one another SO MUCH that you have allowed people from other states to come in and damn near taken over your fetes AN YUH CARNIVAL!!!! FACTS. When will the presence of Florida hit the Miami Carnival again? THE BEST FETE was at the Coconut Grove Convention Center. Everything was Miami based. Now what? Who from Florida actually eatin' ah food for the Miami Carnival? I can't begin to count the size of One Island Mas band NOR their jouvert!! THEY HAVE SPICE AN FREEZE INTERNATIONAL!! *OUTSIDE DJ'S. As I said, I have nothing against people coming in but it's time for we as Floridians to step up the game. Become more familiar with FLORIDIAN DJ's, many are quite talented. PLAY MORE LOCAL! Patrons, GET FAMILIAR! This way you don't have to send me messages expressing your boredom, missing vibes and utter disgust.
DJ's don't feel the patrons not talking to one another, they all agree more or less. An they also know that some of you are following orders of promoters but step out on faith.... Be proud of your craft and please the patrons. Be the ones responsible for playin dem chunes first. Bruk out the shell. Florida too 'safe'. South Floridians too tun up as a people to be the LAST state playin these chunes man. We are the closest to the Caribbean but like the chunes an dem flyin' over we head.
Think about it.
Bless.
Perhaps the promoters can put in their party advertisements that new music will be played. "Don't board the plane to Trinidad if you don't know these tunes. "
ReplyDeleteThank youuuuuuu!!!!!! You hit the nail on the head and said it plain plain in this writeup. I tired complain about these out of date Florida people only whining up to old soca at some of these fetes, and standing stiff as a board when new soca come on. Like where are they living, under a rock? How do you not know or keep up with and enjoy the new soca. It's a vibes killer when you dancing up to new soca and the out of date feters not moving and the DJ change to some old tune like Jump to get them moving. I feel like I'm living in a Twilight Zone. Beat the new tunes in dem ears til they move yes.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, these people have got to stawp the BS. You cannot expect to be hearing old soca whole day and night at every fete. If you want old only stay at home and listen it or only go to a back in times fete. It's ridiculous to think this way. Sorry, but the people will learn to jam to new once new is played. As with anything new they listen, learn and grow to the new tunes. I don't see this anywhere else but in Florida. We practically living right in the Caribbean but some people behaving like back woods feterans.
Bottomline, when new soca comes out it needs to be played. Jump, Palance and dem ting is dated and cannot be the only music played in a fete. It's dated and makes the market boring. So DJs run the new soca, please and tonx.
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ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect way to sum this up. I feel if you claim to truly love Soca music and the artist we have a responsibility to keep abreast of the new tunes on the scene. Not just so we can get on bad when it comes on but to show these artist who work so hard to bring great music to the people that we appreciate the creatively and skill they put out. Old soca has its place yes. But I've been to a fete this year where the played palance more than once. Nothing against palance but come on now. We have to do better. Our Miami DJ are great and shouldn't dumb down their set because people don't know the tunes yet. It's your job to make sure they want to know it by heart by the next fete.
ReplyDeleteVery good article. Many Soca Fans worldwide have expressed the same opinions that are explained in this article. But, for all those who want the Soca scene to be a certain way need to take action. These folks need to create their own parties and events and hire DJs and entertainment that will satisfy their needs.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that creating new events would solve the issues at hand. People aren't having an issue with the events per say but the boredom at these events. Everyone needs to just listen to what each other wants and come to a happy medium. Then too, patrons like to expect the most and don't like to pay to get into these same fetes. Smh.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I have no expectations.