It has been one year since he stormed on stage declaring “God Don’t Sleep” and unnerved a government minister who had the calypso pulled from the air. Unfazed and still in preacher mode, he returned to the calypso scene last week to say that his social commentary often stabs because it’s “De Truth”.
The truth hurts and Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles has a way of telling it that could inflict injury. But such is the man’s music – it engages, it electrifies, it stabs and it soothes. He has been consistently good for the last few years and on February 14 he successfully defended his calypso crown with the hard-hitting piece, “De Truth”.
And judging from how the night unfolded De Professor could easily make it a three-peat. His competition, with the exception of Young Bill Rogers and the Mighty Believer, kept blowing steam on a night when they were supposed to be on fire. No calypsonian has won the monarchy in three consecutive years but come next year, keep your eyes on De Professor.
“De Truth” offered up a study of the society and its ills, and De Professor held very little back when he hit the stage. He delivered the calypso like a testimony in a courtroom and every few minutes he would turn to the audience and say, “Judge meh!”
“Not guilty!” a fan shouted throughout the performance, chiming in as if on cue every time De Professor asked for judgement to be passed on him. People were on their feet the minute he took the stage and started singing about “De Truth”.
He was going back and forth with the massive crowd throughout the entire performance, it was the kind of thing you would never see in a courtroom but amazing to watch. When De Professor turned his attention to the state of President’s College people kept screaming, “Is de truth!”
He sang:
“Some politicians got some dutty mind
Dem wuss than beef, dem wuss than
swine
Is de truth, nothing bout de truth
Ya honour look at President’s College
How it in such a terrible state
Jus because de kabaka build it
Dem allow it to deteriorate
But it’s for the six beautiful races of
children on we map
But because of childish politics dem
allow de standards to drop”
By the time he said the last “Judge me!” to exit the stage De Professor had the massive crowd at Thirst Park firmly in his corner. And the performances that followed his all looked like they did before he appeared on stage, shaky. But there were some good moments like when Young Bill Rogers appeared on stage with “Ain’t Singing Bout Dat”, an amusing calypso which parodied the ban slapped on De Professor last year. Young Bill Rogers usually comes out blazing with serious lyrics and solid vocals, and he did nothing wrong but compete on the same night with De Professor.
Young Bill Rogers, a one-time monarch, finished second in the competition. He has been going head-to-head with De Professor for years and as in past competitions, they raised the bar and challenged others to get to their level – it’s a fascinating duel.
Strong on Young Bill Rogers’ heels was Kenroy Fraser who sings under the name, “Mighty Believer”. Kenroy was a junior calypso monarch and since entering the adult competition he has really come alive. His songs are catchy and fiery, often serving up some of the best lines in the competitions.
Believer took on the administration in the calypso titled, “Tell Dem let Dem Know”. Pointing to everything from corruption to unemployment, he delivered this catchy line that had the audience singing along: “Tell dem to pack up and go, we can’t tek de government no mo”. He finished third in the competition.
Dawn Edwards finished in fourth while other notable performances came from the Mighty Roots, Sniper and Shauntel Gittens, the recently crowned junior monarch.
Before the competition got underway it was announced that veteran calypsonian Lord Canary was in hospital. His absence from the competition was felt, very few could serve up charm, wit and serious commentary in the same authoritative and fun way. Get well soon Canary!
