Ebuzz News
Archived: ONE ON ONE With Double M- Machel Talks Critics… and His Investment In Soca Music
With power comes great responsibility. Whether soca artiste Machel Montano is powerful in Trinidad and Tobago is left for the masses to decide but one thing’s for sure and that’s the fact that come Carnival, thousands make themselves present at events where he is advertised as the feature act. In Grenada last week, ETCETERABUZZ.COM saw and felt that ‘power’ of gravitation when Montano appeared on stage at the White in the Moonlight event hosted in the prelude to the two day parade for Spice Mas. A couple hours later, we sat with Montano at the beautiful Grand Beach Hotel in Grand Anse. He welcomed the interview warmly, opening up on numerous topics, one of which was the issue of investing in Soca music.
Montano says he hasn’t listened to the words of critics for the past 15 years.
Montano said it was apparent that there was a growing level of interest being paid, globally, to the Soca genre. He highlighted the hard work that has gone into the development of the genre, noting that personally, he has been going and going almost non stop- a situation he admittedly indicated has been difficult, in the end telling us, “but this has been our life and thanks to technology now, people can see and share in the experience.”
Most recently, Montano teamed up with Morgan Heritage on a single called, “I See Lots,” a single dedicated to the Sea Lots, Trinidad community that has been scarred by poverty and crime. A video for the single which was posted just three days ago on YouTube, has already amassed over 8000 views. Montano says there are things taking place behind the scenes that people never have the chance to see. He admitted to helping silently and told us that he has invested the most money in soca music over the years. “I have invested in artistes, in shows that put us on the map, I invest in the music industry…A lot of the people that are now with bands, have passed through my institution. People don’t see that but they often ask a negative question before they even investigate,” he said.
Machel Montano told us that he has separated himself from critics. He said he did this approximately 15 years ago and as such, he doesn’t hear the words of critics anymore. “I don’t look at it on Twitter, I don’t look at it on Facebook- I don’t do Facebook. I have a very focused, tunnel vision so that while they minding my business, my business minding me,” he said.
On how he successfully woos promoters and audiences year after year with his music, Montano said it isn’t Mathematics. “We work three times as hard. We always working. Every week we recording and we have songs written and songs started and songs working on. Our objective is to make music reflecting the highest expression of who we are and take it to the corners of the globe,” he explained. With that, he noted that the team makes music when they rise daily and they keep working on that higher expression of who they are- to become better individuals, better fathers, better businessmen, better students, better listeners. He said they then take this to the corners of the globe by flying the T&T flag wherever they go.
Machel Montano has faced criticism for many things, but undaunted, he carries on. He described Grenada’s carnival experience to us as unique. He said everyone should try it. “I think we out of slavery, we out of colonisation and I think that by now, everybody should know man.. it so easy to come and check Grenada and check Barbados and check St. Lucia. It’s time for us to release these chains and barriers and really come and experience our people,” he said.
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Reggae
New ‘Jamrock’ Documentary Celebrates Unforgettable Moments. Cruise Returns to Jamaica After Hurricane Melissa, This Year.
Ahead of its 11th annual voyage in November, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise shares its story through a new film. VIBE premiered All in the Same Boat, a documentary directed by acclaimed filmmaker, Reshma B and produced by Boomshots TV that traces Marley and his manager Dan Dalton’s brainchild from a bold, outsider idea into one of the most culturally significant movements in reggae and dancehall today.
With over a decade’s worth of unforgettable moments pulled from the last 10 voyages, this 30+ minute documentary captures the spirit of a global reggae community built on shared identity, resilience, and reverence for Jamaican culture. It features iconic performances, real conversations with the artistes and DJs, and the heartbeat of it all: the “Jamrockers.” These are die-hard reggae lovers from over 40 countries who pull up every year for one reason – to feel that irreplaceable connection to Jamaican culture and keep the Marley message of “One Love” alive.
Having successfully navigated challenges including extreme weather and a global pandemic, the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise continues to thrive. Its 11th staging will return for its annual voyage from November 11th to the 16th, sailing from Miami aboard Norwegian Joy.
Stacked from foundation to future, this year’s lineup brings together reggae and dancehall’s most influential voices: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Stephen Marley (Traffic Jam Set), Burning Spear, Sizzla, Capleton, Beenie Man, Protoje, Barrington Levy, Elephant Man, Junior Reid, Lila Iké, Ding Dong & the Ravers Clavers, Tony Matterhorn “Man on the Moon”, Gyptian, 450, Richie Spice, Ghost, Mr. Lexx, Professor Nuts, L.U.S.T., Sister Carol, Sevana, Flourgon, Johnny P, and Jemere Morgan are confirmed.
The cruise’s famed Sound Clash at Sea will return alongside powerhouse sound systems including Stone Love (Geefus), King Jammy, Silverhawk Sound, Rory Stone Love, Renaissance Sound, Federation Sound, Warrior Sound, Rampage Sound, Kingston12 HiFi and Souljah1 Muzik, preserving a cornerstone of Jamaican music culture in its most authentic form.
Jamrock is a Premiere Reggae Event
The Jamrock experience has evolved into the premier reggae event at sea—one that continues to redefine how the culture is celebrated on a global stage. The five-day experience continues to immerse guests in the full spectrum of Jamaican life—from Nyabinghi sunrise sessions and sound bath meditations to dancehall workshops, fitness programming, and curated culinary offerings led by acclaimed Chef Lumley. A new addition this year includes a live theatrical production by legendary playwright Oliver Samuels, adding yet another layer to the cruise’s ever-expanding cultural canvas.
Following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in 2025, the cruise will return to Jamaica with renewed purpose, maintaining its distinction as the only chartered cruise with two Jamaican port stops. That commitment translates into tangible impact, generating millions annually for the island’s tourism and cultural economy while reinforcing a direct connection between the music, the people, and the place that birthed it.
As All in the Same Boat makes clear, Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise is a movement with its own rhythm, one that continues to bring the diaspora home, while inviting the world in. Since its inception in 2014, the mission remains the same: to create a space where reggae lives, breathes, and connects us all.
The documentary made its debut during the 10th annual cruise and later screened at Art Basel in support of hurricane relief efforts led by the Marley family’s Ghetto Youths Foundation. Damian Marley and Dan Dalton were executive producers of the film.
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