HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

If you grew up in Trinidad or even spent time there you get to realize that Trinidadians are a very critical people, especially when it comes to carnival. Steel pan enthusiasts, critique arrangers and pan sides, mas enthusiasts pass criticism on mas bands and Kings and Queens, Calypsoians, criticize politicians, and Governments, and even Calypsoians and soca artiste can be severely criticized by the public. One aspect of all the disciplines of carnival that Trinis are most critical of is lack of originality, to borrow, re-mix, thief, or copy, a design, a performance, a lyrical construction, can be quickly rejected by the masses with comments like ‘I see that already’, ‘Sparrow do that long time that eh new’, ‘he feel he is Minshall or what?

It is out of this critical aspect of my culture and its scorn of the ‘copy cat’ during Carnival that I found myself rejecting the very notion of a Poison UK.

Born during that period when the Mas band Poison was all the rage in Trinidad, some creatively bankrupt individuals decided that it was a great idea to transport that Poison vibe to the UK, the name, and all the crap Trini bougoues luggage that comes with it,yet another ingredient to add to the London soup of bad imitation parties that take the names of the biggest and best fetes in Trinidad. They even put together a Frankenstein mas band of this and that section of this and that band in Trinidad and pass it of as a Trini experience. Creative Bankruptcy I tell you.

So yesterday I got an email from Specialist Entertainment, a disclaimer if you please, this is what is stated.

The Socalicious Disclaimer - Official Statement from Specialist
Entertainment

Specialist Entertainment would like to make the point that the
'Socalicious' event in Holland is in no way connected to the official
'Socalicious' event which takes place in London, UK. The original event
is an international brand where we promote the ‘World's Best Soca DJs’
annually in the UK, giving them international exposure.

Specialist Entertainment is disappointed with the use of plagiarism
which has been applied in this instance, and is particularly surprised
by the actions of Trini Connection and their ‘brother company’ Poison UK
as both companies are familiar with the original Socalicious brand,
which means they have consciously appropriated the name and concept.

The use of the name 'Socalicious' is subject to legal protection and
should not be misused to promote events which are not linked to or
promoted by Specialist Entertainment.

We will be sending this disclaimer out to the Specialist Entertainment
membership of over 1000 people, as well as all relevant parties and
associates within the industry. Please be sure to do the same.

Please also find attached the current “Original Socalicious” flyer for
your information.

Regards

Now taking a concept from Trinidad is bad enough, but aiding and abetting in the hijacking and boldface plagiarism of an established (since 2001) international Carnival event based in London, like SOCALICIOUS and profiting from it in Amsterdam is asinine to say the least, but my questions to Poison UK and their sister company, Trini Connection & Friends, is, does thinking hurt? Is being original impossible? Is apathy the new style? And, why allyuh so damn LAZY and SHAMELESS?

Anyway Thursday 21st August I know where I'm gonna be .


if you want to be a leader blaze your own trail,