Paying homage to creatives in Trinidad and Tobago’s culture is something that one major promotional outfit holds fast to. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Randy Glasgow Productions, through their Chutneyland 2020 event, paid tribute to leading East Indian choreographer and dancer, Nigel Salickram. As the RGP team prepares for 2023, three of the chutney music industry’s finest music producers will be honored.
“It is tremendously important for those who dedicate their lives to making others happy through music, culture and the arts, to understand that we appreciate them,” said Glasgow. He believes music producers like Zaheer ‘Big Rich’ Khan of the Pungalunks factory, Rishi Mahato of Maha Productions and Rishi Gayadeen, are deserving of sincere recognition. “We will pay tribute to these gentlemen who, year in, year out, contribute the music we need to make our events within our carnival, a major success. Without them, what would our festival be?” he quizzed.
Big Rich is a consummate example of true success in the business. With no formal training in music, the Princess Town native who later moved to Couva, went from creating Indian dub cassette mixes to touring as a result, then to landing a job on radio, and finally to becoming a music producer. He’s made an indelible mark on the industry, creating some of chutney music’s biggest hits, among them ‘Radica’ sung by Kenneth Salick, Hunter’s ‘Jep Sting Naina,’ and Ravi B’s ‘Ah Drinker.’
Rishi Mahato of Maha Productions has been in the business for many years, and he too has worked with some of the Caribbean music industry’s most credited entertainers, among them Machel Montano, SuperBueFay Ann Lyons, Iwer George, Nishard M and even dancehall artistes, Konshens and Tommy Lee. Mahatoo won several regional titles in the last ten years.
Big Rich Rishi MahatooRishi Gayadeen
The third producer to be honored is Rishi Gayadeen. He has proudly created and recorded music for world renowned artistes in the Soca, Chutney Soca, traditional Chutney, Parang, Soca Parang, and Dancehall genres. His musical knowledge dates back to his childhood, having been inducted into his father’s band, The Guyatones, from the age of 12. At 22-years-old, he became the band’s leader. Rishi Gayadeen is known to be a multi-talented musician, capable of performingperfectly at any given moment, for any artiste, in any genre of music.
For Randy Glasgow, the decision to honor these three musical minds, was an easy one. “Their worth to our industry is immeasurable and we must treat them as such,” said Glasgow.
On Saturday, February 11th, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host the 2023 edition of Chutneyland, and on stage, three of chutney music’s greatest producers will be honored. “This will be one of the biggest events in Carnival. We guarantee it! What better stage to honor the greats than among their fans and supporters of the music? We can’t wait!,” said Glasgow.
Canadian rapper, Drake is once again teaming up with Caribbean entertainers, delivering a brand new album called, ‘Maid of Honor,’ which is now available on all streaming platforms. It was one of three albums the artiste simultaneously dropped on May 15th – the other two being ICEMAN and HABIBTI.
Rapper, Drake has released three new albums simultaneously.
One of the singles on ‘Maid of Honor,’ called ‘BBW’ features the work of Trinidad and Tobago entertainer, Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon – her 1998 track, ‘Work.’
The lyrics, ‘Put Yuh Back in It’ became a trending expression on TikTok in 2020 when it became a challenge on the popular platform. That viral opportunity six years ago, led to the song’s resurgence and Belfon’s name being called by younger generations whose parents, aunts and uncles would’ve more than likely grown up on her music and performances in the Caribbean. Fast forward to 2026, and Belfon is once again enjoying a viral moment as news broke that her song had been sampled by Drake. “Everything is legitimate and I want to thank the team – Fabian Alfonso, a copyright specialist out of Trinidad and Tobago ; He was very instrumental in making this deal become reality, said Belfon in a chat with Ebuzztt, before expressing gratitude to several other instrumental people, and Drake’s OVO team.
In 2022, dancehall artiste, Shenseea and rapper, Megan Thee Stallion also sampled ‘Work’ on the single, ‘Lick.’ Belfon, who lives in New York, had, at that time, attended a release party at a nightclub in New York, where Shenseea acknowledged the Soca artiste’s influence on the new release.
The Maid of Honor album delivers 14 singles and added to T&T’s Denise Belfon, Jamaican artiste, Popcaan is also featured on a single called, ‘Amazing Shape.’
Denise Belfon’s personality and charisma has, for a very long time, made her a fan favorite in the Caribbean. A vocal powerhouse and unique stage performer, she has stood the test of time in the Soca music industry, having created massive soca anthems like ‘Work,’ ‘Wine and Bend Over’ and ‘Wining Queen’ among countless other flavorful singles.
Caribbean fashion is top tier. In a world of copy and paste designs, Caribbean brands like the incomparable Ecliff Elie, stand in a class of their own. Earlier this month, the menswear brand made a major announcement and whether you’ve heard or not, we’re here to tell you, this is huge.
The Ecliff Elie brand will now be delivering its seamless, tailored appeal to women. The brand is known for its precision tailoring and disciplined garment construction so with that at its foundation, women can now feel the complete effect of the Ecliff Elie touch. The company steps out into this aspect of its business after what it says has been years of delivering this service privately to women. Dubbed ‘Bespoke — Tailored for Women,’ Ecliff Elie is now offering the service, at scale.
The introduction reflects a focused extension of Elie’s established approach to tailoring – one built on proportion, control, and consistency. Each garment is developed through a guided process that considers posture, movement, and presence, ensuring that the final result aligns with how the individual operates and presents herself.
From custom blazers to trousers, skirts, and dresses, customers will now be able to get their custom designed Ecliff Elie apparel, through a consultation-led process where every decision—from cut to finish—is deliberate. The company says fabric selection will be approached with the same level of discipline, with materials chosen for structure, performance, and longevity, allowing each piece to maintain its standard over time.
“This is not a new direction,” Elie states. “It is a continuation of work I have done over time, now introduced with structure and clarity.”
With more than three decades of experience, Ecliff Elie has consistently positioned presentation as a defining factor in how individuals are perceived. His work has guided clients across industries to approach style as a matter of precision and intent rather than preference.
“When the garment is correct, everything changes,” he adds. “You move differently. You carry yourself differently. That is the standard.”
As more women continue to operate at the highest levels across business, leadership, and professional environments, the demand for tailoring that reflects both authority and individuality has grown. This offering responds to that shift with a process designed to deliver consistency, clarity, and control.
Through Bespoke — Tailored for Women, Ecliff Elie continues to refine his approach while maintaining a clear focus on craftsmanship, attention to detail, and a disciplined standard of execution.
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