Rumours and conspiracy theories may be getting the better of many Caribbean people in the US, this even as the US President and others in authority have been trying their hardest to get things back to some semblance of normalcy after more than a year of Covid-19 restrictions. Ebuzztt had a little one on one chat with New York city based soca artist, Rayzor of The Request Band and he expressed the view that many Caribbean people remain skeptical about taking the Covid-19 vaccine.
“Within the Caribbean community there’s a lot of skepticism because really and truly we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine,” he said, adding that in conversations with his friends and other people within the Caribbean community, there were those who said they would not be taking the vaccine at all, and would simply wait it out. “Where I am on this is kind of on the fence. I don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine, but I’m also seeing that in the near future, a vaccine will decide how fast you, as an individual, will proceed with regaining some kind of normalcy in life,” he said.
The artist says he continues to monitor things. He told us he believes companies in the US will not hire unvaccinated persons and will implement restrictions where that is concerned. “Here in New York they’re going to relax a lot of restrictions – restaurants, amusement parks, clubs, groceries and the workplace… so very soon we may see the social distancing element relaxed a bit. My main concern is if I don’t take the vaccine by choice, and there are restrictions, I can obviously protect myself, but now they’ve relaxed the laws so that if you are vaccinated, you can stop wearing masks ; But what prevents a person from saying they’re vaccinated when they’re not?” he questioned.
Rayzor celebrated his birthday in New York recently.
Rayzor says there’ll be no law restricting persons from standing close together, and even speaking into the faces of each other, something that in itself, would be a risk to the unvaccinated person. He made reference to the New York City subway, highlighting the usual rush hour interactions. He said for artistes, like him, there is certainly a risk associated with not being vaccinated. “Us as artistes, we get called for shows. Are we now going to go in the club with everybody clustered, because most people are acting like they’ve gotten the vaccine and if there’s no protocol in place by the club to show your vaccination card, everybody will be in there together,” he reasoned.
Rayzor admitted that things will more than likely become a little difficult for people who are unvaccinated. “This virus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s gonna always be around, just like the flu so it’s really on the individual. My thing is if you don’t have to travel and your job doesn’t require it, you may not need to take it, but if you know you’ll need to travel and if you need the vaccine to get certain jobs or hold on to your job, you’ll have to make a decision,” he rationalised. “While we are gambling on the long term effects of the vaccine, and whether there will be any, we are 100% certain that the virus is serious,” he said.
At home in Trinidad and Tobago, the sentiments have been pretty much the same, with many still skeptical about taking the shot. Several islands across the Caribbean have been ramping up vaccination efforts, aiming to achieve herd immunity. Herd immunity is a form of indirect protection from infectious disease that can occur with some diseases when a sufficient percentage of a population has become immune to an infection, whether through vaccination or previous infections, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity.
Highlighting the importance of each individual making the right decision as the world attempts to regain its footing, Rayzor admitted that there may be a lot of misinformation being spread. “We live in a funny time and there’s a lot of information out there. We have to be careful of what we listen to, who we listen to and we we’re following,” he said.
The artist has released a new single called ‘I Believe’- a conscious soca single he felt compelled to release at a time like this. Be sure to check it out on YouTube.
A major effort to recant what is now the norm in entertainment, is here.
One team, one mission – to recalibrate the energy and bring the real party vibe back to what it once was. Radio personality and well known DJ in Trinidad and Tobago, Jus Jase is part of the Timeless Entertainment team. His brothers in the music industry, Jon Boi, Beats By Robin, Franco, Ken Simmons and Kevin Baker collectively agree that the time has come to regenerate interest in the the party scene. They’re the team that’s behind an upcoming event that’s guaranteed to leaving a long lasting impression.
Jus Jase is one part of the Timeless Entertainment team of DJs.
On September 23rd – the night before the Republic Day holiday in Trinidad and Tobago, party people are set to enjoy great music coupled with the perfect ambience, at The Gathering. This highly anticipated event that’s marketed to the grown and sexy, is being held at Sideline Sips- a venue adjacent to the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya. “We’re not new to this. In fact, we’ve been down this road before and we know what’s needed,” said Jase in an interview with Ebuzztt. He said from the days of hosting events at Ambassador Hotel and other venues across the country in the 2000’s to hosting more intimate house parties when venues became a challenge, the Timelesss team of DJs have seen it unfold in real time. Now, they’re prepared to use their knowledge of music, business and promotion to give real music lovers a product they’ll have no problem buying into. “We still have the appetite to deliver that vibe people once experienced at those events back then, today and we’ll be doing that at The Gathering,” said Jase.
Partnering with Abslut Vodka for welcome cocktails and Hookah & Chill to ensure Hookah lovers are catered to, the team is going all out to provide the very essence that makes a grown and sexy party what it should look and feel like. “We’re coming as one army of top tier DJs, powered by a quality sound system in QCW Sounds from East, Trinidad, and as tastemakers in the game, we can say with every bit of confidence, that we will leave every patron thoroughly satisfied,” Jase affirmed.
The event is not a Back in Times party. Music from every period will be juggled with the level of refined expertise that only these seasoned selectors, can deliver. “Early bird $200 tickets are now sold out and $250 tickets are still available, but we encourage everyone to secure them soon. We have a special that offers three ladies on one ticket for the price of just $400,” said Jase, highlighting that a cash bar will be available for patrons’ convenience. “This event is everything people have been asking us for, over the years. We’re catering to the thriving cigar culture with a cigar station as one of our features, along with flavored Hookah, and even a Paparazzi area for the selfie lovers. It will be an overall sexy, mature experience and we want our patrons to come out looking their best and feeling their best to truly enjoy the kind of experience they’ve been yearning for.”
Ready to welcome folks from all walks of life and certainly the young and mature alike, the Timeless Entertainment team is promising music that’ll invoke emotion on September 23rd- music that will be played to make everybody move. “Our team isn’t a team of DJs that are in competition with each other. In fact, we hang out a lot together and we’re a family. This is the energy that will show itself in the way this party feels from beginning to end,” he assured. Jus Jase, like the rest of his crew, understands that music holds immense power and how music is played is essential to how the event is enjoyed. “We formed this alliance after meeting at a party that we were all at in Chaguaramas. We were standing there together and we all had the same facial expression in observing the way the DJs were playing the same old school music. They just were not doing justice to the music. We started laughing about it and that’s how the conversation to create a proper option for party lovers, started.”
From a simple desire to do things the right way for patrons who truly want to get out and have a good time, to now preparing for the first of what they guarantee will be many more to come, Timeless Entertainment is bringing back the heat. “We’ve lost the art of people meeting people at events because of the phone culture over time. People are not going to experience the true authenticity of an event through a phone screen. Over time, there has been a divide in what people do when they come out to party nowadays. Even carnival has suffered from that. We don’t want to encourage that,” said Jus Jase. He says The Gathering will show music lovers just what it means to chase all inhibition away.
The team plans on delivering club-style events across the country. Together, they’re embarking on something that many have been calling for, for quite some time. “We won’t be at this particular venue all the time. We may bring back some clubs again and we’ll eventually do a Boat Ride and other types of events. Timeless Entertainment is bent on showing everyone, everywhere exactly how the party vibe should be.
The Atlantic Ocean has long connected Africa and the Caribbean through history and culture. That connection finds a powerful new expression with “Love Again,” an Afro-Caribbean collaboration between global Ghanaian superstar, Black Sherif and Trinidad and Tobago’s acclaimed songwriting and performing duo, brothers Kory and Kevon Hart of Full Blown.
The single was released globally through EMPIRE on September 4th. Built around themes of vulnerability, healing and the courage to love again, the record arrives at a time when creative partnerships between Africa and the Caribbean are reshaping the sound of global music.
‘Love Again’ captures the emotional highs and lows of choosing hope after heartbreak. For Black Sherif, whose introspective storytelling has earned him over 1bn+ streams from his previous album “Iron Boy,” over 5bn+ streams across his catalogue, and a global audience, the collaboration represents another step in expanding the dialogue between African and Caribbean music.
For Kory and Kevon Hart, internationally respected producers and songwriters whose work has shaped countless Caribbean hits, it marks an opportunity to showcase their artistry alongside one of Africa’s defining voices. As Black Sherif continues to share his life through his music, he is not shy about discussing intimacy and love. “Almost all of the necessary affections that I have needed, and have gotten, came from afar, physically and figuratively. As a result, I have a tough time receiving and keeping love or better say intimacy, even though I crave them intensely,” he shared.
Black Sherif
He admits that in his adult years this topic “has become one of the greatest discussions in my bedroom mirror and with this project, I have allowed you a glimpse of it.” Remarkably, despite creating this song together, the artistes did so from different parts of the world. They did not meet until the filming of the official music video. The reality TV-inspired video, which drops on October 15th, further celebrates the undeniable musical chemistry between West Africa and the Caribbean – regions whose cultural ties continue to inspire some of the world’s most exciting sounds.
Full Blown’s involvement in this project further supports their continued exploration of themes related to love and relationships. “This project felt natural and fits our vibe and style perfectly,” the brothers expressed cohesively.
Hailing from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, where Soca music is the dominant genre, a big part of their dream for the genre has always been to carry the sound of Soca music to the corners of the globe, and to collaborate and share their particular vibe with artistes from different cultures. “This project is another step forward for Full Blown. We’re keeping our dream alive,” said the duo.
As Afrobeats continues its global rise and Caribbean music expands its international reach, ‘Love Again’ reflects a broader movement bringing African and Caribbean artistes closer together. Rather than borrowing from one another, the record celebrates a shared musical lineage while pointing toward an increasingly connected future.
‘Love Again’ is one of 6 tracks featured on his EP titled SUN SHERIF, which is set to follow the success of his second studio album.
error: This content is protected. if you wish to use this content in anyway please contact us.
GATHER
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.