Posts

Billboard lists 10 Caribbean artists to watch in 2025

Image
Billboard, an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation, on Jan. 9 listed 10 Caribbean artists who it says fans must “watch out for” in 2025. The list comprises: Joé Dwèt Filé (Haiti); Likkle Addi (Jamaica); AnnaleaX (Jamaica); Bamby (French Guiana); Umpa (St. Lucia); 1SkiMask (Jamaica); Shemmy J (St. Lucia); Akeen Fennell (Jamaica); Leighanna (Trinidad and Tobago); and Renecia Bernard (Jamaica). Billboard said Haitian zouk-konpa singer Joé Dwèt Filé has “put out at least one new album (or a deluxe version) every year since 2018, so there’s no reason to expect he won’t keep up that pace in 2025. And he has all the reason to. “After scoring a viral moment on TikTok last year, ‘4 Kampé’ has quickly grown into one of Filé’s biggest hits yet, reaching No. 8 on Billboard’s France Songs ranking at the top of the new year (chart dated Jan. 11),” it added. Billboard said while “Likkle Addi may have started putting out music with his br...
Post a Comment
Read more

‘Loss’ and Found ‘Under The Radar’ in Harlem

Image
"Loss," a compelling narrative capsulizing a Caribbean descendant's angst, grief, and healing, recently featured prominently in the "Under The Radar" Festival in Harlem. New Yorker magazine has described the festival as a "marquee name on the January Festival circuit for over two decades." Through an eclectic blend of internationally acclaimed talents, the festival is reputed for gifting New Yorkers with some of the most innovative and expressive international and local talents. This first-month lineup offered treats at numerous venues throughout the boroughs. However, "Loss" connected with sold-out audiences inside the 99-seat Victoria Theater's Apollo Soundstage in Harlem. The diverse, intergenerational crowd that filled the space indicated interest in the topical production. The presentation's Caribbean perspective seemed particularly endearing. Promotions lauded the Canadian presenter as a writer, artist, design...
Post a Comment
Read more

Read the paper online: Caribbean Life, January 9

Image
This week's edition of "Caribbean Life" features various news articles, op-eds, and announcements relevant to the Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities. Read the digital  edition of the newspaper here . Key highlights include: Political Changes in Trinidad & Tobago : Stuart Young is set to replace Keith Rowley as the Prime Minister, marking a leadership change in the People's National Movement (PNM). Page 1 Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce : Jean Joseph, the new CACCI president, discussed plans for empowering Caribbean-American businesses and fostering economic growth. Page 1 Grenadian-American Ex-Teachers’ Association Honors : The organization recognized cultural group Quake USA and individuals for community service and education during its annual gala. Page 3 State of Emergencies in CARICOM Nations : Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago declared states of emergency due to escalating violence a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Classic Caribbean Callaloo Soup

Image
With #SoupSeason in full swing, I thought it was the perfect time to share this Callaloo Soup recipe. Loosely based on recipes my friends from Grenada, Antigua, and Dominica have shared with me over the years, it’s packed with deep island flavors, hearty ingredients, and general comfort our thick and rich soups are known for in the Caribbean. [caption id="attachment_69769" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Photo by Chris De La Rosa [/caption] You’ll Need… 1/2 lb Dasheen leaves 5 cups water 3 lbs chicken (seasoned) 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 lbs salted pigtail (prepared) 2 scallions (rough chopped) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped) 4-6 sprigs thyme 1 medium onion (sliced) 2 Pimento Peppers (sliced) 6 cloves garlic (smashed) 2 cups coconut milk 4 cups chicken stock 3/4 lb potato 3/4 lb dasheen (taro) 3/4 swe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Clarke swears in CBC members in 119th Congress

Image
As the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Caribbean American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke swore in members of the Black legislative body in the 119th Congress on Friday, Jan. 3. "I am immensely honored to become the 10th woman to serve as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus during its largest-ever class in the 119th Congress," Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life immediately after the swearing-in ceremony. "As the successor of countless extraordinary Black women from Brooklyn, including my mother, Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, and my predecessor in Congress, Shirley Chisholm, I cannot help but reflect with pride and humility on the work of all those incredible individuals whose efforts paved the path to today," added Clarke, who mother was the first Caribbean-born woman to be ever elected to New York City Council. The ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Advocacy groups urge Senate to reject draconian legislation denying Caribbean immigrants due process

Image
As the United States Senate is expected to vote on Friday on a bill passed in the US House of Representatives that would allow the deportation of undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants who are charged with – not found guilty of  – nonviolent crimes, including burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting, two Caribbean immigrant advocacy groups have urged the Senate to flatly reject the measure. Make the Road New York (MRNY) and the San Diego, CA-based Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) on Wednesday joined the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, in strongly condemning the Laken Riley Act (H.R. 29), describing it as “an overreach.” The legislation is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student, who was killed while jogging on Feb. 22, 2024 at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Venezuelan national José Antonio Ibarra, 2...
Post a Comment
Read more

Georgetown municipality blamed for garbage pileup

Image
Guyana's Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, said on Thursday during an end-of-year press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, Ogle, that the City Council in Georgetown, which collects the largest amount of tax revenue, has a mandate for garbage collection and keeping the city clean. The municipality is responsible for the timely and proper garbage collection in Georgetown. However, according to Parag, her ministry has, on several occasions, taken on the responsibility of cleaning up the city. After years of neglect, City Hall has undergone total restoration to its historic glory. After years of neglect, it is just one of many projects completed in partnership with the King of England underpinning. "The central ministry has supported the council time and time again in the last year. We've had several instances where persons have called the ministry directly for assistance, and we have responded. His Excellency, in his...
Post a Comment
Read more