Archived: Tarrus Hops The Soca Train Again. Jamaican Crooner Says “I Have A Special Love For Trinidad.”

One year after making musical magic alongside Machel Montano, with a track called, “Memory”, Jamaican reggae hit maker, Tarrus Riley is back in T&T again, having recorded another Soca influenced single called, “Who Am I To You.” The track, which was written by Trinidad and Tobago’s Dale Ryan and Emmanuel Rudder, and produced by Cherrod Lewis out of Anguilla, is a fusion of pop and Soca beats- a unique blend that has once again proven to music fans world over that there is still so much  to be done with Caribbean music.

Tarrus Rileys says one word that describes Soca is “lively”.

Riley, chatting with EBUZZTT this morning, just after the single had dropped in Trinidad, said he really loves the vibes in Trinidad and Tobago. “I really have a special love for Trinidad. It comes like home,” he admitted after reminiscing on his appearance on stage at Machel Montano’s Machel Monday concert event in 2016. Riley said he had no idea what to expect then, especially since he only had that one Soca track to his credit. “Machel Monday was an experience. Me nah wah cuss no bad word but wooooyooooy,” he said with a laugh. “I love the whole unity of the concert. People from Africa, people from all over were there. Meh never really know wha fi expect,” he said. At the end of it all however, Riley said his performance at Machel Monday, which included his performance of his reggae ballads, was a truly memorable one.

Even with a passionate embrace for Trinidad and Tobago’s culture, the Soca art form and the people, the Caribbean musician admitted that the crime scourge is clear and present, much like at home in Jamaica. He said sadly, crime is everywhere. “It have some people who don’t have nothing to do and dem just wah cause problems so we cyah even talk to dem, we cyah fight with dem because dem like fi fight,” he expressed in his native Yardy dialect.” Tarrus said when you’re unable to change the minds and hearts of such people, the only thing you could do is try to lead by example and avoid any kind of participation in any kind of negative behavior.

Riley says people need to listen to the voice that speaks to them.

With crime a hot topic in the Caribbean, the entertainer who has delivered songs like, “She’s Royal”, “Contagious” and “Parables” among countless other hits, says he’s a part of a movement called Crime Free Christmas, which seeks to encourage people to do good and avoid criminal activity going into the New Year. The campaign, which was launched in Jamaica, has gotten social media support with photos of #CrimeFreeChristmas being endorsed by the people of that island. Riley however told EBUZZTT that he’s taken it a step further by creating a song that encourages same. He called on mankind to listen to the voice within them, a voice he says can be heard by every person. “If you wah advice, listen to the voice inside of you. When you’re sitting quiet, when you’re away from noise, there’s a voice that talks to you. If you listen to that voice, it can talk to you stronger than me and more sincere than me,” he said, as he urged people to strive to be better human beings.

On the new Soca release, Riley says he hopes to return to T&T for carnival but admitted to having overseas bookings for the period. He excitedly sang the new tune when he made the media rounds on the island, expressing nothing but good vibes for a genre that he said he has now come to truly love.

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