By Iana Seales
Lester Charles, the reigning calypso monarch, says he will pray for the country this year in a bid to retain the title, but judging from his competition this year he also needs to slip in a prayer for himself.
Charles, who performs under the name ‘The Professor,’ said he is ready to defend the title he easily won last year. He is also firm on one thing: an upset might be looming but it is not going to happen tonight when the finals are staged at Thirst Park.
The line-up of calypsonians appearing in the finals is solid and arguably the best in years, which means that Charles has to deliver really strong. Charles is capable as he has shown over the past two years; his calypsos are usually witty, insightful and – not in least -entertaining.
But if the semi-finals, which was held at Blairmont, West Coast Berbice just over a week ago is any indication of what could happen tonight, then Charles has to pay close attention to the calypsonian singing in the number five slot, Mighty Believer. It is widely believed that the young man from Belladrum, West Coast Berbice won the semi-final but no official results were made public. “I’m taking the crown back to Berbice,” Mighty Believer declared on Friday during an interview with Stabroek News. Born Kenroy Fraser 25 years ago, Believer had a birthday just three days ago and he is hoping to cap off his celebrations with a win.
Believer feels he was not judged fairly last year because while he was on stage a shower came down and halted the performance. He returned to stage to sing his song, but according to him the judge’s score sheets were soaked at that point and the crowd had lost interest. “I don’t think I had a fair chance, but that is behind me and I am back this year really strong”, he said.
Believer was crowned junior calypso monarch in 2005, with a song called, ‘Everybody calling for change.’ He has been performing in the arena since 2004 and after the rules changes in 2008, he was forced to leave the junior stage and moved up to the senior category with the veterans. Believer said he was not intimidated and in his two years as a senior he has performed credibly; his best showing was in 2008, when he sang ‘My injection.’ Believer dressed the part of a medical doctor that year.
This year, he is singing ‘Guyana, The El Dorado,’ a song which he describes as serious but entertaining. He wrote the piece in a few hours after he sat down and decided to focus on the things bothering him in the country. In it he sings:
We got gold and diamond, nuff provision
To feed we whole nation, we got balata and exporting timber
And shame we importing sugar
You know and me know, Guyana is de El Dorado
Cause Burnham set it up and Hoyte mess it up
The El Dorado, then Jagan back it up
And they mashing it up, the El Dorado
Hot on Believer’s heels at Blairmont were The Mighty Rebel, Ras Marcus, the Mighty Voter and Lord Canary, all seasoned campaigners and all previous monarchs except for Voter. Rebel is looking good and he happens to be the controversial one this year with a song called, ‘All ah we know de man.’ The song sent shockwaves through Blairmont and had the large crowd buzzing with excitement. But it is still left to be seen whether the calypso is strong enough to win the title.
Ras Marcus is no stranger to controversy. He takes pride in daring to be different and is still remembered as the ‘Fuh Cup’ man. However, this year Marcus has departed from controversy and is singing about the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). He said that for too long the radio station has refused to play his calypsos because of the content so he went patriotic this year. Still, his calypso has not received any airtime. “I don’t know why but they just don’t play Marcus. I changed strategy this year and not just because of my problems but it is also the 40th Republic celebration,” Marcus said on Friday. He said the calypso narrates the tale of a man, who grew up hearing about money growing on trees being a myth yet today people are paying to save the forest. According to him, the LCDS proves that money grows on trees.
He sings:
When we see them trees we seeing money
The low carbon strategy got to boost this economy
So when we talking about deforestation is money
When we talking about forest degradation is money
They got to pay we fuh low carbon with de money
That is why we went to Copenhagen fuh de money
The Mighty Voter is taking on the issue of torture this year and based on the feedback he received from the semi-final people are happy he is singing about it. Voter has placed second in the competition at least two times and he is hoping things change this year. He is visually impaired, but according to him, he has looked around and can see what torture has done to the country.
He sings:
It’s time we should investigate this thing call torture inside the state
Their version some people oppose, the higher monkey climb he bottom expose
Those who feel it ought to complain, inhumane treatment can drive one insane
You running from the truth, running from the fact
That human beings shouldn’t experience that
Lord Canary has won the monarch two times and has placed runner-up many more, but he is looking for another win this year. He sings about the current state of cricket in the region and titled the song, ‘Something wrong.’ Canary said regional cricket is in decline because of a number of factors and he takes those responsible to task for it:
Just as it look like we have a team
Big stand off wid de board a scream
Something wrong, something wrong
And de selectors decided then
To pick a few lampipamy men
Something wrong, something wrong
I never though I would live to see
Right home here in the West Indies
Bangladesh come and whitewash we.