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LOCAL MILLBEATZ: NEWS MERGING CULTURES THROUGH THE BEATS Written by Dr. A. Martin
H
e hasn’t been missing a single beat! In fact while most had been making an extra effort to be identified as ‘Trouble’ on the streets of Port of Spain for Carnival and the events leading up to it, David ‘Millbeatz’ Millien was busy on Jamaican soil attempting to realize his vision for Jamaican and Trinidadian culture via music. The resulting product of his labour is the soulful ‘Emotional Riddim’. While the Riddim was released in March of this year, its genesis actually dates back to three years ago. As fate would have it Makamillion walked into the studio while he was working on the beat and what would prove to be emotional catharsis for Makamillion set a tone and became the catalyst for the project, “It was a vibe that came with me and a keyboardist Ryan Hamilton…. Makamillion walked into the studio and immediately started to hum this melody for his mom who had passed away probably a few days earlier and just off of the vibes that he created we got the name for the Riddim, the nature of the riddim was actually emotional because he started to cry and break down in the studio …” Upon its resurrection a couple years later, the project, which was initially intended to be released as a single, took a different turn as the vision grew. A trip to Jamaica resulted in valuable networking with key persons in the industry such as popular female Jamaican engineer Tandra Jhagroo aka ‘Mixbylytes’ of 007 Studios in Jamaica who shared his vision and introduced Millbeatz to some of the famous studios like the prestigious Grafton Studio of Kingston, Jamaica where live drums and bass were recorded. Mega Jamaican artistes Gyptian, T.O.K and Voicemail eventually joined the project which also includes tracks from Millien’s sister, Denice Millien featuring Trinidad James and Neval Chatelal; Jah Melody; Collis Duranty; Makamillion and Faith Antoine, a Canadian artiste with Trinidad-
The ET&T WEEKLY Tabloid is published by ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP Company Limited in the island of Trinidad and Tobago and is protected by strict copyright laws and is not to be reproduced in full or in part without the written consent from the management of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP Company Limited. ©Copyright Abstract Media Group Company Limited 2013. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are expressed by the writers and do not reflect the sentiment of Abstract Media Group Company Limited. Disclaimer: The views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Employees of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP COMPANY LIMITED are expressly required not to make defamatory statements and not to infringe or authorize any infringement of copyright or any other legal right. Any such article is contrary to company policy and is outside the scope of the employment of the individual writer concerned. The company will not accept any liability in respect of such article, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising.
ian roots, “Jamaica is known for reggae music … they feel that Trinidad is only soca, soca, soca ... so it was actually a forum for our artistes to represent the country in that way because Jamaica actually has a lot more respect knowing that we can do more than soca now.” The Emotional Riddim is only one of three reggae projects that are envisaged for the future where Beatz plans to have Jamaican and Trinbagonian artistes interact in the same musical space. One of these, the ‘Stand Strong Riddim’ will be released in approximately two weeks and will feature Prophet Benjamin, Marlon Asher, Kerry John, Denise Millien, Kerry John and Jah Melody. A dancehall single with Pamputae and some other Jamaican artistes are also in the Millien mill. Buying into the concept of taking soca to artistes from other countries as well as exploring oth-
er genres and the culture which stimulates the music first hand, Beatz will journey in June to California and then to New York and Canada where he plans to partner with some reputable producers and artistes on R&B, Pop and Hip Hop projects, “This my tenth year in the industry and in Trinidad I believe that I built the Millbeatz brand to a place that I am comfortable with in Trinidad and I believe that now it is time to take the brand to the region and internationally.” While taking his brand abroad and working with regional and international artistes, he also remains committed to exposing the abundance of Trinbagonian talent and therefore intends to incorporate local artistes once he gets particular projects off the ground, “The mission is about spreading love through my music... spreading a positive message to all youths and giving hope to all upcoming artistes as well as producers so
that they can see that there is a forum for them.” These days Beatz has another accomplishment to celebrate given the international reception given to Fadda Moses’ songs ‘Touch It’, ‘Double Time’ and particularly ‘Sample’ which have been creating quite a buzz in Jamaica, the UK, Sweden and Amsterdam. Moses was even recently interviewed by BBC radio station 1Extra. Speaking on Moses’s success, Beatz stated, “In the UK it was a real nice feeling for me to see that in dancehall music, a Trinidadian was representing that strong! Because usually with dancehall you would see Jamaicans stepping forward… the last dancehall artiste that made it real big for Trinidad and Tobago was General Grant, so being a part of Fadda Moses’ success was a huge achievement for me knowing that we can actually revive dancehall music in Trinidad.” It’s indeed an exciting time for team Millbeatz. In addition to the slew of business and musical ventures already mentioned, a music label will be launched in the upcoming weeks. His sister, Denice Millien has already been signed. If you don’t want to miss a beat on this busy producer you can log on to his recently launched website www.millbeatzent.com. You can also keep track of his adventures by following Millbeatz Ent on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and more!
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LOCAL DECIBEL 2015 WELCOMES EMPIRE STAR TO CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP S W E N Tiana
L
iving up to its track record, Decibel Conference and Expo continues to add elements that will generate and encourage interest in the entertainment industry in Trinidad and Tobago. As the days quickly approach for Decibel 2015, the organizers are now releasing their first celebrity speaker; Serayah McNeil. McNeil who is known for her character Tiana on hit television series ‘Empire’ can be subtly characterized as a powerhouse of talent; actress, model, dancer and singer. The talented beauty embodies the meaning and purpose of the youth and industry focused brand that is Decibel. On May 01st “Tiana” would interact with students at the second day of Decibel’s Conference which focuses on Film and Fashion and on May 02nd she will meet, greet and interact with expo visitors at Republic Bank’s RSTeen Booth.
The Decibel Entertainment Conference and Expo runs from April 30th - May 02nd at Queen’s Hall, St. Anns and would feature a number of high profile speakers and exhibitors in the entertainment industry. Originally launched in 2001, DeciBel was the very first industry event in Trinidad & Tobago to focus on fostering growth in the music sector. By 2005, this event
had built quite a track record by having more than five thousand participants in attendance, plus it boasted over a hundred executives partaking in panel discussions and one-on-one networking sessions. In 2014, DeciBel was rebranded as an Entertainment Expo and partnerships were forged in both the private and public sector to stage a rebirth of this fes-
tival event. Over the years we’ve had some major players in the entertainment industry participate and/or play a contributing role in DeciBel such as Shia LaBeouf, Carmen Electra, Kes, Anya Ayoung Chee, Pras, Kerwin Du Bois, Mark McGrath, Paul Guilfoyle, Adam Sevani, Rikki Jai and the cast of Disney’s Kickin’ It. When the organizers reimagined DeciBel, they designed a model that would teach, entertain, educate, create networking opportunities and most importantly, give something back to those who need it the most. They are continuously striving to improve the DeciBel brand, and have a dedicated team working tirelessly to grow the event to international standards. Through work with both the private and public sector the mission remains the same: to make DeciBel the entertainment hub for the entire Caribbean, and a global destination for enterprises involved in any of the related sectors throughout the world.
A NEW ERA IN RADIO LAUNCHED Written by Seraiah Romero
M
usic is one of the strands of the fiber that binds our society together. Regardless of what genre one prefers, the common love for music unites people. It has become a part of our daily routine for employees to sit over the lunch table, singing along to hit songs and discussing company issues, or for students on their way to school in maxi taxis, to tap their feet and bump their heads to an energetic beat of a popular song. Radio has been one of the most popular sources of entertainment for decades. Families would sit before their radio sets to listen to their favorite program, or "pump up the volume" to dance to their favorite songs or to receive local news and current events. In the early days, the AM frequency ruled the airwaves, however those days are gone. Trinidad and Tobago said good 2
Marcus on Sky
bye to the last “AM” radio station in March 2015, when the 70 year old “Inspirational 730 AM Radio Station”, shut down their transmitters and officially signed off from the airwaves. This was the end of an era, that many still call "the golden age of radio". It marks the full transition into the age of new technology. On Easter Sunday 2015, the brand new SKY 99.5FM, powered
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by the TBC Radio Network was launched. With a fresh sound of contemporary gospel music, along with frequent news updates and live discussion on current events, this new frequency offers limitless possibilities. According to Program Director, Mr. Marcus Romero, “What we offer at Sky 99.5fm is a mix of hard news and good news. We are of the strong opinion that the country needs a positive platform that would raise the values of society as well as the need to be informed of what is happening around us each day. Our strategy is a combination of information and inspiration that will result in empowering of the nation.” Sky has also taken the interactive radio experience up a notch, with live streaming. Listeners can log on via the internet to www. sky995fm.com and view all the action and interaction, taking place in studio. Khadija Glasgow,
co-host of the drive time segment, “Route 4 2 7” commented on the live streaming experience. - “Sometimes it can be intimidating to know that people are always watching. The response however has been great. People love that personal touch of getting to put a face to the voice, as well as feeling very connected to what is happening in studio.” Ms. Glasgow joins a team of dynamic announcers, who are all passionate about catering for their 25 to 54 year old target market. A 24 hour gospel radio station, Sky 99.5fm is one of the three full gospel radio stations in Trinidad and Tobago. This makes us one of the very few counties in the Caribbean with so many niche radio frequencies. There is now a total of 33 radio stations in Trinidad and Tobago, catering for every need. The future of radio certainly looks promising for our nation.
LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS FOCUS FOR FILM FESTIVAL’S NEWS COMMUNITY CINEMA SERIES T
he trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) continues to use film as a vehicle for social discourse and transformation, through its annual community Cinergy film series. This month, the ttff and the US Embassy—sponsor of the series—will present three free film screenings to promote human rights. Working with community activists and the embassy, the ttff will promote public awareness for the protection of the rights of women, children and the LGBT community in Trinidad and Tobago. The screening of three US films with topical and local resonance, focusing on domestic violence, bullying and gay-rights issues will each be followed by a community discussion, workshop and panel discussion, respectively, in order to foster dialogue on the issues of personal freedom, security, community support, public policy and legislation. “Advancing human rights is central to our foreign policy,” Stephen Weeks, Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy said,
A still from the film Bully
“and the fantastic programme put together by our friends at ttff demonstrates how film can start conversations that build stronger, more inclusive communities.” The issues to be highlighted and films to be screened are LGBT Rights, Domestic Violence and Bullying. LGBT rights were highlighted on Sunday 12th at Woodbrook Youth Facility with the screening of Pariah. The coming-of-age film told the story of a shy but talented Brooklyn teenager striving to survive adolescence with grace, humour and tenacity—sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward. The film follows her as she struggles with
her conflicting identities, risks friendship and family, and faces heartbreak in a desperate search for sexual expression. The series continues on Sunday 19 April, 4:00pm at the Laventille Community Complex where domestic violence takes center stage in the film Private Violence. Private Violence, an award-winning documentary, takes us behind closed doors into the often invisible world of domestic violence. Through the eyes of two survivors and an advocate, we bear witness to the complicated and complex realities of intimate-partner violence. The film shatters general assumptions about why women stay in abusive
relationships, and will form the basis of a public discussion led by community activists after the film. On Wednesday April 22, 9:00am, SAPA becomes the venue for the feature on bullying. As the problem of bullying in schools becomes more critical, this presentation of the documentary Bully, to be followed by a workshop, seeks to engage students and educators in preventing the problem and finding solutions. The film offers an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched five kids and their families. This will be a special screening for students; schools wishing to attend are invited to email ttff’s Director of Community Development, Melvina Hazard, for information and bookings at melvina@ttfilmfestival.com. Admission to all three screenings is free. The trinidad+tobago film festival is presented by FLOW, given leading sponsorship by bpTT and supporting sponsorship by RBC Royal Bank and the Embassy of the United States of America in Port of Spain.
SOVEREIGNTY BACK TO TURN IT UP AGAIN
T
he last time ET&T hooked up with Sovereignty they were putting the finishing touches on a collab with European based group Vanilla Gorillas. The local hip-hop influenced trio made several major behind-thescenes moves since then. However, they have largely remained out of the public eye in recent times… until now. The group recently released visuals for their new tracks “Still Got It” and “Turn It Up.” As group member Hilton King shared with ET&T, they’ve been doing much more than that. He revealed that past collaborative efforts overseas have done a lot for their brand in the last few months. “We now have a bigger fan base since the collaborations. We were fortunate to have our song "Cloud Nine" with Franko Ovalles 4
played at Tomorrowland, which is the largest annual EDM festival in the world. Also, our song "Fame & Fortune" with Vanilla Gorillas lead to another collaboration together which also features another UK artist Redd. Its kinda like a big deal since Redd is very popular due to her collaborations with Akon, Snoop Dogg and Pitbull just to name a few,” said Hilton. King stated that these moves would go a long way toward helping Sovereignty achieve its overall goals. “Our overall goal is to break into the EDM market, but doing it our own way by keeping elements of hip hop and adding a Caribbean flavour to it. Some of our new fans may not know that we started out as a hip-hop group but since we ventured into the EDM market, we tend to fuse our music with different styles.
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Case in point, with songs like "O Mama" and "Fame & Fortune", it’s hard to class a genre since they sound like EDM/Hip Hop/R&B/Latin/ Soca/Rock music. Yeah, we were the first hip-hop group to do that.” With that said, it begs the question: what is their actual genre or specialty? Hilton answered “Our music has CDM, EDM, Hip Hop and other elements wrapped in one so we simply describe it as Bonkers”. The SVGTY member also shone some light on the video release with a concept that has people talking. “Our loyal fans didn't hear any new music from us for a while so we released "Still Got It" which was like a PSA to let the people know we still do this and we haven't forget about them. The concept then behind "Turn It Up" was us
Sovereignty turn it up coming soon
stating that even when we’re old and grey we would still be doing what we love. The video with directed by our very own "Sean 'Synister' John and the song was produced by Anson Soverall. We have to thank Ryan Girdharry (Epic Events & Aria NightClub), Laurence Williams (RockPark Hotel), Alley Khat International, Dj Situation, Deson Ayinde Designs and Adafih Artistry as they helped make this video possible” You can follow Sovereignty on their various social media handles as well as keep reading ET&T for the latest in entertainment news.
LOCAL FETE RAT PROVIDES THE REMEDY NEWS FOR POINT FORTIN JOUVERT
T
he Point Fortin Borough Day celebrations consist of an actual week of activities which include calypso shows, pageants and more. However, nothing has become more synonymous with the festival than the annual jouvert celebration. This is by far the biggest jouvert fiesta outside of the Carnival period and people come from far and wide to participate. Recent years have seen the numbers dwindle a bit at jouvert. This year Fete Rat the J'Ouvert band presents "The Remedy" for Pt. Fortin Borough Day J'Ouvert
celebrations. Fete Rat de J'Ouvert Band comprises of 2 sections; a frontline section entitled "The Specialist" and a backline section entitled “The Fixx.” The Specialist costume comprises a black sexy body suit made of spandex and sheer fabric and reasonably priced at just over $500. "The Fixx" is made up of a sultry lime-green swim suit that's very alluring and tempting to the onlooker. This retails for roughly fifty dollars less than the fronline costumes. Males will be outfitted in tshirts for the same cost. The entire band is fully
all inclusive and all masqueraders enjoy and receive a premium goodie bag with their costume, a fully stocked premium bar, cutters and security along with their costumes. In addition, a 20foot music truck will be supplying the musical backdrop for the bacchanal at hand. Event Manager Coreen Huggins told ET&T that she was excited about the prospects of bringing the vibe back to Point Fortin jouvert and from what we’ve seen so far things look promising. For more info, look for Fete Rat on Facebook.
CARIBBEANTALES WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION ACQUIRES EXCITING NEW SLATE OF FILMS C
aribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD) has recently amped up its efforts to boost the global Caribbean film industry via new acquisitions to its growing film roster. The initiative is an integral part of CTWD’s ‘3D Distribution Project’, financed by the EU’s ACPCultures+ Program. The new acquisitions include feature length films, documentaries, short-films, and episodic TV series, such as the hit Barbadian series ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ (2014), created and directed by Rommel Hall and Shane Holford, tells the story of the Jones family that reluctantly becomes the subject of a reality TV show. Over 15 episodes, the audience follows the Joneses through entertaining, awkward, and embarrassing moments. CTWD has acquired the rights to all three seasons of the series, the spin off feature film, ‘Keeping up with the Joneses - The Movie’, and the 2014 Christmas special. Three powerful films from US-based award winning docu6
The cast of Barbadian reality series ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’
mentarian, Andrea Leland, have also been added to the roster: CTFF 2014 Best Documentary Winner, ‘Yurumein - Homeland, The Caribs of St. Vincent’ (2014), which recounts the painful past of the Caribs of St. Vincent, their history, trials and tribulations and the movement to revitalize the remnants of their culture known as Garifuna; Leland’s 70-minute documentary, ‘Jamesie – King of Scratch’; and her 46-minute film, ‘The Gari-
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funa Journey’. Other highlights are new work by iconic, pioneering Trinidad & Tobago filmmaker, Christopher Laird, including: award-winning ‘No Bois Man No Fraid’(2013), which documents a journey of two young T&T martial arts experts as they set out to learn the local art of stick fighting; the feature documentary ‘Public Spaces’, an exploration of the work of Laird’s father, the architect Colin Laird; and the
short documentary ‘Hinkson’, about the artist Jackie Hinkson. Also joining the CTWD family are feature films: ‘The Gift Everlasting’ by Judith Faloon-Reid (Jamaica, 2014), ‘Thick’ by Cheryl Brown and Anthony Greene from Skyrocket Productions (USA, 2012), ‘Fire Burn Babylon’ by Sarita Seigal (UK, 2011). New shorts include: ‘After Mas’ by Karen Martinez (UK/T&T, 2013), ‘Punta Soul’ by Nyasha Laing (Belize, 2008). Original series include: ‘A Day in a Bajan Life’ (Barbados, 2012), ‘Illegal Aliens’ (USD/Jamaica, 2013),‘Life with the Ramsinghs' (T&T, 2013). CTWD’s extensive marketing and outreach strategy to maximize revenue for filmmakers will include attendance at markets across North America, Europe, and Africa, such as the American Film Market (AFM) and the Marché Internationale de Programmes Communications (MIPCOM) in Cannes, France. Courtesy Sonique Solutions
REGIONAL NEWS
CHRONIXX RECEIVES PUBLIC BACKLASH FOR OBAMA DISS Upon the arrival of President Obama’s visit to the island last week, Reggae artiste Chronixx saw it fit to post his personal views on his Instagram page on what many are calling a direct hit at the President. While no name was called, the shade was definitely evident amidst the island-wide anticipation of the President to the country. Here’s what he posted: “This man … Still have criminal record on the United States and we glorify-
ing some waste man! This man was hunted and imprisoned by our Jamaican government … who some years later, paved a peaceful and safe path for the US president to address is a … “race of good for nothing’s”. That’s why black faces don’t mean anything to rasta anymore” His post opened the gate to a barrage of commenters, most of whom expressed their disappointment in him and said that he was out of line. Chronixx also felt the heat from fellow dancehall artiste, Rvssian and Minister of Youth & Culture, Lisa Hanna. The Dread and Terrible singer has since replaced the post with one that aims at clearing the air. Check it out: “I love every human on this planet, and as hard as it is, I show nothing but perfect love even to the waste man dem at home and abroad. Love has nothing to do with truth! And I did not call the president a waste man.”
DANCEHALL ARTISTES SEEK OBAMA’S HELP FOR VISA Dancehall artistes Busy Signal & Bounty Killer reached out to Obama to return their traveling rights to the United States. Currently without a US visa, Busy Signal
WORLD NEWS label Colcci before making her finale alongside models dressed in jeans and T-shirts printed with sketches of her. Holding back tears, she smiled and waved to the cameras and audience. A household name the world over, Bundchen rivals soccer legend Pele for the status of Brazil's most internationally famous citizen, and her meteoric rise from a middle-class family in a small, rural town to superstar is the stuff of modeling legend. In a posting on her Instagram account, Bundchen wrote, "Today after 20 years in the industry, it is a privilege to be doing my last fashion show by choice and yet still be working in other facets of the business." "I am grateful that at 14, I was given the opportunity to start this journey," she wrote.
EMOTIONAL GISELE RETIRES FROM THE CATWALK AGED 34 Gisele Bundchen, the world's highest paid model, has taken her last strut down the catwalk at Sao Paulo Fashion Week, retiring from the runway after 20 years in the fashion industry. To loud cheers from the audience, the 34-year old modeled summer dresses for Brazilian 8
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took the opportunity to beg President Obama to return his travelling rights to the United States. “Mi just wah tell Obama sey big up yuself, big up yu family, big up United States. Pardon the turf president, yu know wey mi mean and mek the thing work. Mi wah reach een and duh the things the right way. Wi nah get wi self inna no more trouble Obama, yu know how the thing set,” he said. Busy Signal’s mentor Bounty Killer also commented on social media that he wants to ask Obama to return his United States visa. “The world boss is here mi a guh deh guh ask him bout my visa yo,” he said.
KENDALL JENNER TAKES HER TOP OFF FOR GQ Kendall Jenner is gracing the cover of GQ's May 2015 issue, and the rising model is flaunting all of her assets in the photos. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, 19, smolders in the cover shot, which features Jenner in a white string bikini teamed with a Calvin Klein denim jacket. (She's a brand ambassador for the label.) But for the accompanying feature, Jenner
gets a little goofy. The Estee Lauder spokesperson smiles and mugs it in a series of black and white images, including one where she lifts her extremely cropped CK top up (while still covering the goods with her hands). In another, she takes the shirt off completely, crossing her arms over her chest while rocking a pair of Marc Jacobs pinstriped pants. Jenner's become quite the magazine darling as of late. Not only has she appeared on the covers of Harper's Bazaar, Allure, Teen Vogue, and Interview, she's also been featured inside Vogue on numerous occasions.
DREAM
GUY
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Photographer: Roger Jackson of Absolutpics
NAME: Kevon Josh Wharff AGE: 22 HEIGHT: 5 “10 WEIGHT: 155 BRIEFS OR BOXERS: Definitely briefs… It shows my package more and it's sexier. FAVOURITE SCENT: The smell of peanut butter. It's intoxicating. (lol) FAVOURITE THING: Watching movies or spending time with my family and friends. I also love football. YOUR DREAM GIRL: Brown skin, about 5’5, with curly mixed hair, a small slender body type. She’s always full of energy and passion and never afraid to challenge herself (physically and mentally). She’s able to cook simple and tasty meals and is never afraid to admit when she can't do something and is humble enough to ask for help. YOU WERE HEARTBROKEN: Yup. That’s all I’m saying. YOUR HERO: My mom and dad… they always tried to show me how to treat others with respect. They taught me to do everything to the best of my ability. FAVOURITE FOOD: Wendy’s burgers. THE WAY TO YOUR HEART IS: There are a few ways to my heart. One of the ways is food. Also, allowing me to just talk and confide in you my thoughts
and feelings without being judged or discriminated against. YOU’D NEVER: I don't think I’ll ever do bungee jumping! Hell no! WHAT ABOUT PETS: I love pets. I’ve got two dogs. BEFORE YOU DIE YOU’D: Skydiving. I definitely want to get married before I die as well. FAVOURITE ARTIST: Locally, it’s Machel Montano… his energy, vibe and music are amazing. Intentionally, it’s Chris brown. His music, his style, his creativity and his performances have always captured my attention. FAVOURITE MUSIC: I’ll say R&B and Rap, but at times I could enjoy a little bit of jazz music FAVOURITE PLACE FOR A MEAL: I’ll have to say at my dad’s house when the entire family is there because that's when the embarrassing stories come out. HAVE YOU EVER CHEATED: I haven't and I plan on keeping it that way forever. (lol) THE FREAKIEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE: I had sex in a public park on the swing and stairs for the slide. YOUR WEAK SPOT: My neck and my back. YOUR MOTIVATION: The satisfaction of going beyond what you think you couldn't have passed. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR BODY: I maintain my body by doing simple home workouts five times a week using my body weight (ground abs, pushups, pull-ups, squats, lunges and abs cardio). Also, eating healthy and in good proportions is very important.
MODEL MANIA
Name: Maricia Patrice Age: 21 Hometown: San Fernando Hobbies: Entertainment and shopping Career: Cosmetology This southern belle is a simple woman with simple needs and wants. However, she is no simpleton. Maricia is as ambitious as she is pretty and she puts in all the hard work needed to attain her goals. Her dream is to become a successful businesswoman and
she is no slouch in her current career stage in cosmetology. Work in that field is undoubtedly ideal for the model with three years of experience. She worked extensively with popular photographer Nigel Reid and she is open to doing work with other upwardly mobile people brands that best reflect her. Ms. Patrice claims her favourite designers are Versace, Chanel and Peter Elias and with a figure like hers, she’s sure to do them
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Photos by Nigel Reid of Frame Photography
MARICIA PATRICE
all justice by wearing their pieces. Speaking of her figure, she admits it’s all down to genes as she’s only been to the gym once in her life. However, she does facials every month. Do your reseach on this beauty now, because soon she might blow up so big you may not be able to talk to her. By the way, her pet peeve is bad breath, so you may not be able to talk to her anyway if your hygiene isn’t right. Check out her pics.
FASHION
RELIVING THE WORK OF
KERRON RILEY
Break Through shots from Poland building new portfolio in Europe
While shooting in Amsterdam one of his proposed model took a shot of me which turned into his “fav” pictures.
K
erron Riley is one of the biggest names in local photography circles. His photos have graced every relevant form of media in the country and he has worked with a who’s who of people from all walks of life. However, there is much more to the man than just being a magician behind the lens. Here, we share some facts about Riley supported by a few handpicked photos from various points in his career.
• Originally from Princess Town, Riley migrated to Maryland at age eight before returning home 7 years ago. • He formed an extremely successful graphic design and web management company called Rev Media along with three other people at age 19. Among his clients were noteworthy politicians in the DC area. • Riley graduated college with a degree in architecture. He used his artistic and technical skills to design ornaments for the white House Christmas tree. • Kerron became an understudy to respected DC fashion photographer Martin Schuman. This connection led him to start editing White House photos. • Upon his return to T&T Riley did campaign photography for his aunt - politician Pennelope Beckles. • Calvin French took him under his wing and introduced him to the glam side of photography. • A shoot featuring Vogue Paris cover girl dressed in Claudia Pegus at Blanchicheusse drew high acclaim and opened several doors for him to work in Europe. • Riley has done a Carnival exhibit in Holland where photos were sold, leading him to receive several offers to do workshops abroad.
Promo fashion show shoot down the islands for “Bad Granny” with one of T&T’s high profile models (Marieange Bovell). Outfitted in “Rebel” Swimwear.
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Female fashionably fraternity shoot out of the box – Model Cavelle
FASHION African girl and Asian boy, mix couple coming together in a modern relationship – Titled “love story”. The idea was to highlight Trinidad and Tobago as an multi cultural nation with different types of couples and relationships. Personal project Credits – Outfit Claudio Pegus and Make up Lu donna Kong. Model Gerard low Foon (male) and Iyepha Biggot (female)
Miss Universe 2012 contestant placing second overall within the completion. Location: Brian Lara House, poolside POS One of his favorite images after shooting 18 finalist.
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FEATURE I
THE THINGS PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY
THINK NO ONE IS LOOKING
f someone were to tape every minute of my day without me knowing and then show me the film, I would fall over laughing. My daily routine is often mixed with a lot of comical and personal improvising that sometimes surprises me. The fun of it all comes when you see someone doing the exact same thing that you thought was unique to you. Here are some of the things that many people do when they think no one is looking. Have you ever got the urge to scratch that one little itch that’s right on the crotch of your pants? Now this is really itching and you begin to squirm and walk funny because it is becoming unbearable. What do you do? A. Just go ahead and scratch it despite people being around? or B. Wait till you think no one is looking to start scratching while you try to hide your hand and crotch with a bag? We often choose the solution that actually causes more people to look at us. People pay closer attention to someone who is standing still with one hand hidden behind a bag. I certainly would want to know what is going on with that person. My advice is if you got an itch just scratch it. I don’t know why some people like to buy their clothing a size smaller than their actual size. They are accustomed to wearing a size ten, yet they squeeze themselves into a nine. Now if you feel comfortable wearing a size too small that’s okay by me as long as you are comfortable with yourself. The problem comes when you are uncomfortable with yourself and trying to hide it. If before leaving the house you were uncomfortable with the underwear that you were wearing why leave the house wearing it at all? To make matters worse you try to do a quick pulling out which only makes the situation more uncomfortable. Some try to make the motion so fast that they end up stinging themselves with the underwear. In schools there is something called the five-second rule. This
rule states that anything to eat that falls on the ground can be picked up and eaten within five seconds. Apparently as we get older we forget about this rule. Let me correct that, we pretend to forget. Picture this you ‘ve just bought a nice box of K.F.C and just as you are about to take a bite out of the leg it falls to the ground. Again because we get too big to remember the basics we wait until no one is looking to pick it up. If you pick it up as soon as it falls the germs will have less time to take over. Don’t worry about who is looking at you, with the price of food these days trust me they would do the same thing to. You ever had an annoying friend who just doesn’t seem like they want to shut up? You know the kind that says all sorts of irrelevant things and makes you feel to literally shut them up. I have seen
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a lot of people driven to the point of insanity by these friends. They mimic each word and action that the friend does in a goofy and over exerted way when the friend is not looking. The amazing part is they become quite normal and very well into the conversation when the friend turns around. Take it from me this place is full of mad people. On the topic of mimicking have you ever watched a karate movie and suddenly after watching it you mysteriously turn into Jet Lee when no one is looking? This seems to be a serious case in the Caribbean, after every Kung Fu movie you are sure to see all the bins kicked down but no perpetrators. I myself have seen one of these Jet Lee wannabes in action and I must say it was quite entertaining. If you don’t believe me try hiding close by after a Kung Fu movie, if you are lucky you are
sure to see at least one. Smelly armpits seem to be the order of the day. There is a lot of yawning going on but if you take a closer look there is also a lot of smelling too. With the yawn comes the inconspicuous smell of the armpits. Apparently these days’ deodorants don’t seem to work very well. If you have tried the conventional method and it has failed you then you should go back to basics, use lime. The constant yawning in public is not right, especially these days when men are wearing their fiveyear-old children’s jerseys. Another common and I must say rather nasty habit is the picking of the nose. The problem is not only that they pick their noses, but also the fact that they put whatever comes out of their nose into their mouth when it seems no one is looking. For those of you who do this we know that you are not biting your fingernails. Mucus is waste from your body why would anyone want to put that back into their system. These are a few of the things that people do when they think no one is looking. Thanks to the curious people that we are, we always tend to see them. I wonder what they do when they believe that absolutely no one is looking. Hmmmm….. that sets me wondering.
ET&T
HOT
Y
LIL SAINT ET&T: You’ve worked with several people before, but which artistes are you most looking forward to collaborating with currently? Saint: Nebula.
SEAT
oung entertainer Akeem ‘Lil Saint’ Williams has been spitting venomous hip-hop bars professionally for roughly six years. He has enjoyed moderate success on the nation’s airwaves, usually combining street savvy allegory with clever punch lines and catchy hooks over bouncy production. The artiste who came from a background of writing calypso songs during his formative years thinks 2015 is his for the taking. ET&T caught up with him for a short chat where we discussed current and future endeavours, the state of the music industry and more!
ET&T: Do you see yourself branching off into other genres of music? Saint: I don’t even see music in terms of genres anymore. Art is art. Once there is an avenue to make good music and it suits me I’m willing to do it or work with anyone else for that matter. ET&T: If you had the power to do so, what is the one thing you would change about the local music industry? Saint: We don’t really have an industry here. I would see what I could do to get everyone on board and actually promote a singular industry with the best interests of everyone at heart.
ET&T: Share a bit on your new projects. Saint: I have the Rebirth single out (featuring Raskality). It was #4 on the We Music hottest singles list in the first week. Soon I’ll be releasing a track entitled Drunk featuring D Nyce. I’m also looking forward to releasing a mixtape around August.
ET&T: As someone who started off writing calypso, what are your thoughts on the art form in its current state? Saint: I don’t follow it as much anymore more; but I hear people talk and I see that a lot of young people are involved and doing social commentary and stuff, so it’s still going strong. I do think that we need to change things up a bit and try to make calypso more palatable for the younger people.
ET&T: Who are your top 3 local MC’s? Saint: Chromatics, Nebula and Brendon Star. ET&T: Who do you think is the most overrated rapper out now either locally or internationally? Saint: Young Thug. Some people rate him, but he is overrated for me. ET&T: Why do you think non-soca artistes aren’t getting more shine than they are on the airwaves? Saint: I think people depend on the radio too much. They depend on others too much in general. As an artiste, you have to do your own groundwork and be prepared to spend your own money to make things happen. You have to invest in yourself. How do you expect
people to invest in you if you don’t invest in yourself? ET&T: What do the next five years hold in store for Lil Saint? Saint: I plan for 2015 to be my
most successful year ever. Five years from now, I hope to use that momentum to become the biggest hip hop artist in the game locally and also have my name regularly mentioned with other greats internationally.
ET&T: Any parting words for the readers? Saint: I just want to thank everyone for the support I have received throughout the year and my career. I urge everyone to look forward to greatness. The Rebirth video is coming and there are some big surprises that I’m not going to let loose at the moment as well. 2015 will see me release the most singles ever in a year. Look out for big things from TSE (Team Saint Entertainment).
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APRIL, 2015 • ET&T 17
OPEN HOUSE: BE TRANSFORMED
EVENTS
rinidad & TobaT go Urban Ministries presented its
8th Open House event titled OPEN HOUSE BE TRANSFORMED at the TTUM venue in St. Helena. The event took the form of three continuous nights of fellowship where attendees danced to sweet music onstage and also received poignant messages about God. The event was arguably the biggest concert event in Trinidad & Tobago outside of the Tobago Jazz Experience as it featured a host of local and international stars. J-Prince, Gitta Dan, Positive, Hilary Jane, Nehilet Blackman, Brandon Best, Derek Minor & Canon and more hit the state of the art stage and gave sterling performances much to the delight of the patrons. There were also awesome giveaways throughout the event even though the experience was absolutely free. ET&T was there.
Couldn’t be us he was pointing at
Backups to make you back up
Smooth moves on display
Sharing the message by any means necessary
Great to see the youth involved
Happy to be a part
Conga line for Christ
It’s all about love
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He spread his message effectively
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EVENTS
Pleased as punch
They enjoyed the experience
Selfie time!!
Jadee engages the patrons
A beautiful threesome
Taking a moment for a photo
These ladies were all smiles
Sharing a post-performance pic
Love to see artistes enjoy their performances
Quite fashionable
Having a ball
A stylish supporter of the Word
Jamie Thomas addresses the masses
Feeding off the crowd
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EVENTS
HORN PASS 5
ears ago it was an abomination to have Y parties during the Easter period, but these days it’s common to have several
events battling for supremacy throughout Lent all the way through to the end of the actual Easter holiday. Popular cooler party Horn Pass 5 took place aboard the Harbour Master on Easter Monday and it was one of the more talked-about events that occurred. Scantily clad ladies boarded the boat and the guys toted coolers filled with their favourite brews while DJ’s such as Rapid Response kept the boat rocking without the need for Gravol.
Mush and Avo
Chilling on the lower deck
Friend Photo Time
Rocking out in blue
Now that’s a close up!
Liking himself
Posing with drinks in hand
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These chicks were chill
Friends pose on the upper deck
Relaxed in red
Yes, they’re twinning
EVENTS
Getting her pose on
Showing some skin
Yes bai!
A former model in the mix
Out on the open deck
Dude behind her looks creepy
Taking a photo time out
Smiles
Ronnie McIntosh meets Shadow
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Dancing + Posing = Multitasking
Noice!
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EVENTS EXTRA
RADIO 90.5’S ANNUAL KITE-FLYING COMPETITION
adio 90.5fm’s annual Easter Kite-Flying competition went down at the Queens Park Savannah during Easter weekend. The event drew a massive turn out as usual and the family fun was boosted by the R addition of several chutney artistes who performed their hits. It was a joy to see such a wholesome pastime being promoted in such a way and ET&T would have been remiss to miss out on the action provided by the self-professed “People’s Station.”
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APRIL, 2015 • ET&T 25
THE BOLD AND THE BELTLESS CONTINUES
n a previous edition, ET&T’s Fashion 5-O singled out some miscreants who were either ridiculously bold with their choice of Icontinue attire, or lacked an important and functional fashion accessory. We deemed the exercise “The Bold and the Beltless.” Here, we with some more offenders who didn’t seem to get the memo the last time around. Dude, your pants are hanging below your waist. We acknowledge that there are men’s low-rise jeans, but this is even low for that. A simple belt would have solved the issue, but we guess you’re just a badass. That’s just too bad.
If this isn’t bold, we don’t know what is. This woman really hurt our feelings with this outfit. This tight (largely see-through) outfit was worn in plain view of others. Worse yet, there seems to be nothing under it. We hope she didn’t dance till it tore.
ISLAND CELEBRITIES
PAPARAZZI
ROYALS LEAD SINGER AND WIFE OF POSITIVE, ANA-LISE ‘MINTY’ MURRAY IS PICTURED AT OPEN HOUSE.
GITTA DAN CHILLS WITH HIS FAMILY AT OPEN HOUSE
RAVI B AWAITS HIS INTRODUCTION TO HIT THE STAGE AT 90.5FM’S KITE-FLYING EVENT
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APRIL, 2015 • ET&T 27
CELEB PROFILE
WWE STAR ROMAN REIGNS
Name: Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa‘I’ Age: 29 (May 25, 1985) Profession: Professional Wrestler Claim to Fame: Former American football player Anoa’i is one of WWE’s biggest names. The 6’3, 265 pound Samoan is loved by the ladies for his exotic look, while male fans admire his intensity and strength. Anoa‘I’ retired from football in order to pursue a career in professional wrestling and was signed by
WWE in 2010 as Roman Reigns, reporting to their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling and later NXT. Reigns made his main roster debut in 2012 together with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose as part of the Shield. While part of the trio, Reigns was a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion with Rollins. He also equaled the record for most eliminations in a Survivor Series elimination match with four in the 2013 match, and set the record
for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble match with 12 at the 2014 match. After moving into singles competition in 2014, Reigns won the
MOVIES
BRINGING THE CLASSICS BACK W hen it comes to movies, more harm is usually done than good when classics are remade or interfered with. However, these two are pretty much welcome. Jurassic World Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction
is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly. Chris Pratt leads the cast of this big budget continuation.
Mad Max: Fury Road George Miller directs some A-list stars in this adaptation of Mad Max. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are among the stars that appear in this film. The movie is based in a post-apocalyptic world, in which people fight to the death. There, Max teams up with a mysterious woman, Furiousa, to try and survive.
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2014 Superstar of the Year Slammy Award and the 2015 Royal Rumble match. He has headlined multiple pay-per-viewevents for WWE, including WrestleMania 31.
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