In 2016 I set out to focus on things that I love, build new relationships, and take on some of my biggest fears! Setting that intention really attracted amazingness in my life.
I could really feel God’s anointing!
It was also cool to see many of you taking leaps in your life as well. The amount of new businesses, engagements, and travel imagery I seen floating across my time lines was quite impressive. I SEE YOU.
Toronto Coconut Fest 2016
I thank all my family and friends for the love and support!
I thank the Carnival Spice and #SSFlashMob team for your time and talent. We have definitely created memorable moments.
I thank all my clients for trusting me it has been an honour to be apart of your journey.
Lovin' up on Jully Black at the SheROto SheEO Conference
Huge shout out to my followers!! All your likes, kind words, referrals, jokes, and over all vibes are so appreciated. Plus a huge XO to my CWS, AOS, and HSC family!
Dontcha just love you this photo? It screams fan girl! ha! It was actually snapped mid laugh when my uncle had a hard time finding the flash on my camera! Lawd!
Can we say awkward?! hahah! This would happen to me though 😃 I envisioned my first conversation with Machel to be go a lot differently but the universe usually has other plans.
Everyone meet Soca Superstar Machel Montano. If you are not familiar with who he is then google “soca king” after reading this post ;)
While Machel was in town a few days ago to perform at WE Day 2016 his Toronto fans excited to see a surprise post on his Instagram page. He announced that he would be attending a screening of his new movie “Bazodee” at the Scotiabank Theatre downtown.
How cool is that? Word spread like wild fire through the soca/fete/carnival community. He also made sure to note that the screening was on a Tuesday so tickets would be cheaper (LOL!) I bought a ticket to the movie screening and notified my Carnival Spice family about the event.
This was actually pretty exciting. I had not seen the movie yet and although I have seen Machel perform numerous times, I had yet to meet him in person… PLUS
lol @ this photo!
the first time I seen Machel perform was when I fell in love soca. This was during Last Lap 2006 at Markham Fair Grounds. Teenaged Shakera was not really into soca. She knew maybe 4 or 5 songs at the time and had only played mas twice as a child. A group of her friends from school encouraged her to attend a fete allllll the wayyyy in Markham. Her life was changed forever.
his manager is Canadian change maker Che Kothari! #bigup
he is a great live performer
...and, consistently throughout his career he has shared some amazing music with the world that embodies the essence caribbean culture.
Needless to say, I am a huge supporter of him as an artist.
That particular Tuesday evening was pretty unique. After I finished teaching the Carnival Spice North York classmy uncle from England showed up to surprise me! It was pretty awesome considering we just spent time together while I was traveling in the U.K.
Thankfully my uncle can hang (lol) so I invited him to the movie and we headed downtown. We arrive, check in, find our seats and wait to see what happens next. At this point - I am HUNGRY (not surprising!) so my uncle and I head to the concession for some snacks. I see a small mob of people and can only assume that mistah Montano is in di place. Luckily I brought my camera and had a “photographer” with me. Little did I know that my uncle DID NOT know how to operate a point and shoot camera! lolololol #mylife
My turn is up to snap a photo with mistah “H.M.A”, mistah “Like ah boss” - AND I WAS READY! Carnival Spice shirt and all!!!
BUT MY UNCLE WAS NOT!!!! lololol. Poor guy.
What made matters worse was the movie was about to start so Machel needed to bounce! Instead of having a philosophical conversation with Machel about how soca is evolving or recommending he host dance auditions in Toronto, our brief moment together had us both shouting “push the button” to my uncle! hahaha - PRICELESS.
The Outcome Was This Photo.
It is not ideal but it holds a great story. The fact that everyone else is laughing too makes it even more special.
So the movie ends and just when you think the night is over it only reboots!
We walk out the theatre to the sounds of a live “parang” band playin’ Machel hit songs INCLUDING "Water flowing".
Machel hung around to take some more fan photos. There were way more people this time so kudos to him for being patient.
#spotted - Carnival Spice lady Chattrisse
#spotted - Carnival Spice lady SULAIRE
AGAIN just when you think the night is over there is woman playing the ukulele outside of the theatre too. As Machel leaves HE STARTS TO SING WITH HER! Then everyone crowds around and starts singing as well. THIS MOMENT is another amazing example of how amazing and unifying Caribbean culture is. It is also a reminder how lucky we are to live in Toronto; a city with so much talent and vibes.
"I see you Shak"- LOL!
Machel we shall meet again soon. Stay healthy, continue to evolve, and keep “pumpin" through your journey as the happiest man alive!
Miami Carnival 2016 you were definitely good to me. You provided a fun and festive environment for my crew and I to sprinkle some Carnival Spice in the US. I am always happy to be in Miami. The atmosphere gives me the tropical feel of my native Jamaica with the modernity of Toronto. Plus, I have lots of family and work contacts there. Residents are also very fitness and nutrition focused. Simply being in the Miami environment encourages me to stay active and monitor what I eat! Oh, and Miami is where DJ Khaled lives… MAJOR key (HA!).
The beginning of the trip was super scary though. When I arrived to the Miami airport, I was greeted by a notice board that showed ALL flights expected to arrive or depart after mine were CANCELLED!?! It was like a scene from a movie. All my plans from this point forward were at risk because Hurricane Matthew was forecasted to directly hit the Miami coast!
bruhhhhh!!!!!
What does one do now? First, you fill your brain with happy thoughts. Then, you say a prayer and head to your hotel to find some food. Seems easy right? Well it was not. Tropical storms hit the city so driving conditions were atrocious and all businesses were on lock down.
I ended grabbing some food in the hotel and going to sleep. Hopefully everything would blow over by time I woke up… and by the grace of God, it did. The weather was perfect for the remainder of the trip. I even caught a likkle tan.
I do want to give my condolences to all the families that were affected by Hurricane Matthew’s wrath. I cannot possibly imagine what they are going through. It was such an eerie feeling just being so close to this natural disaster at the time of it happening. Canadians, we are blessed.
By Friday morning, carnival officials gave the thumbs up that Jouvert and Carnival were to run as scheduled. Now before I could get excited, I would first need my costume in hand. This year I played with Generation X; they are one of the more popular bands in Miami. Their 2016 theme was “Erotica” - no explanation needed. My section name was Pleasure hosted by “Island Fantasy Mas”. My section leaders handled costume pick up quite smoothly considering all the Hurricane chaos and fears that were prominent around town. The costume was well made, fit well, and I was surprised to learn that it was designed by one of my fave costume designers out of Trinidad @caribeboi.
Now, let us discuss DI ROAD!
I have attended Miami Carnival a total of three times and each experience has been different because the venue continues to change. This year’s route was HUGE; so much that “security” personnel and carnival marshals had no idea where masqueraders were assembled. My band did provide a map however of course I did not bring it with me (lol). My crew and I spent almost an hour in the hot sun, sweating our make-up off, while walking back and forth looking for our band. We were misdirected by so many people. It was a shame! What made conditions worse for me was that I never ate breakfast. Due to food availability where I was staying and timing, I took a risk and decided not to eat. HORRIBLE DECISION.
I became super nauseous and later learned the food truck was serving options that I do not eat. Bruh - my hungry ass was brought to tears! If you know me, then you KNOW I LOVE my belly. I was devastated. SO for breakfast/ lunch I had a rum freeze and two doubles shells. YUH CYAN IMAGINE? Ps: Did I ever mention I hate doubles. Stomach is not a fan.
Not letting this bring me down I was determined to enjoy the rest of my day. I did not have to try too hard though since the sun was shining and the vibes were sweet. My stamina was low but my spirits were high.
Shout out to all the "Pleasure" ladies!
Waitin’ Fuh Di Stage
My section crossed the stage to a mash up of “In We Blood” by Machel Montano and “Touch The Stage” by Bunji Garlin. WE SHUT IT DOWN!
With a great performance comes casualties. Mine were:
My fave sunglasses of all time. They fell out my hand right as I ran onto the stage; could not turn back as I feared being trampled! R.I.P.
My iPhone screen! Great excuse for an upgrade I guess.
My very expensive fish nets! (lawd) hoping I can fix um!
My shellac manicure …even broke a nail (lol)
My left knee cap - oh man! haha.
Sign Reads: "Caribbean Americans For Hillary" #USPoli
The road was awesome and had nice surprises such as performances from Spiffy and Marville (BAM BIM), a DJ set by Private Ryan, and a mobile bar offering cold alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. (Food update: I was served dinner once we finished the route! It was tasty.) The stage was definitely a highlight! In my opinion, Genx definitely earned a spot in the TOP 3 based on their performance alone. Their costumes as a collective had great design, fit the theme, and were super sexay. Plus the band attracted a whole lot of good looking’ people. Case in point below:
GEN X: Kamasutra
GEN X: My Section Leader aka BAE - Miss Kimone
GEN X: Temptation
GEN X: Bondage
Not Gen X but SO pretty!
Kym E Karnival
Carnival Isn't The Same Without Him
GEN X: Pleasure
GEN X: Desire
GEN X: Leather & Lace
GEN X: Pleasure
But in the end there can only be one winner.
Congratulations to the Band of the Year finalists:
1st - One Island Band
2nd - Generation X
3rd - Mascot International
Why would someone (ie. a Torontonian) want to attend Miami Carnival?
(1) They have a real JOUVERT. With the paint, power, water trucks, and parade route! Getting splashed by the water truck was honestly the best moment on my trip. Ps: Most bands offer food and unlimited alcohol with your registration.
(2) Without considering the current US exchange rate, Miami Carnival is the most cost effective carnival option. You get bang for your buck!
(3) Less people in attendance therefore more space to free up yourself.
(4) Once your band finishes the parade route, all the music trucks park up for a blocko. The event runs from 11am to 11pmish.
(5) You are the first to hear new soca!
Get familiar with MY road anthem: “Freaky Girls” by Ricky T.
(6) The Parties! I am not much of a partier anymore but Miami parties are nice and many of them are on the beach. I do recommend researching event locations before you purchase event tickets. All Carnival events and parties are SO far from each other. Travel costs WILL add up if you are not mindful.
To all my Carnivalians and Carnival Chasers out there, where we headed next? I think JAMAICA CARNIVAL is must for me.
PS: FOR EVEN MORE MIAMI CARNIVAL CHECK OUT MY VLOG TOO!
This Friday DJ Khaled released a music video for pioneer rapper Nas and one cannot help but notice the heavy influence of Caribbean elements.
First, if you do not know who DJ Khaled is then you probably have not turned on your T.V. Radio, or Laptop in months… and you DEFINITELY are not a snap chat user.
DJ Khaled is a producer, radio personality, DJ and record label executive. He is currently most popular for elevating his career from music man to a global entrepreneur and “internet phenomenon”.
The music video stars the one and only Louie Ox a Jamaican actor best known for his role in Belly and Shottas. Louie’s contagious voice even had Khaled trying to speak a likkle patois too.
My thoughts on the Caribbean influences in the video, well at first, I was super excited because:
The video fused three of my fave genres (Dancehall, Hip Hop & Soca)
it added a hint of Carnival Spice
twas shot in the beautiful island of Bahamas
and it opened up these artists to a whole new audience (ie. it has reached almost 3 million views on YouTube in 3 days)
Plus, I enjoyed seeing Khaled dancin' up and embracing the vibes - he always has a great spirit and positive attitude.
HOWEVER, I am super bothered that the video was posted online to Khaled and Nas’s millions of followers without crediting the Caribbean artists that were essentially being USED to make the music video more dynamic!
It kinda seems like that is the thing to do these in the music industry considering the surge of dancehall and soca music being fused by various pop and hip hop artists.
For example: Popcaan was used on the promotional release of “Controlla” by Drake but then that version of the track WAS NOT released on Drake’s “Views" album???
It is cool that these Caribbean artists are being put on display, but I would appreciate it if they were credited! Zero credits equal lots of misinformation or questions - see photo below taken from YouTube comments!!
So for awareness sake, in the video:
the opening song is “Progress” by Dancehall artist Movado of Jamaica
closing song is “Vagabond” by Soca artist Ricardo Drue of Antigua and Barbuda
Lastly the island where the video was filmed is Bahamas hence the the Carnival dancers performing in the video were wearing costumes inspired by Bahamian Junkanoo Carnival.
Cool?
At the end of the day, I am sure Khaled accomplished what he set out to do: create a buzz, start trending, and sell records. However, this topic weighed heavy on my chest so I had to say something. What are your thoughts? Do you have another perspective? Do you even care? Was Khaled unreasonable? Should it only matter how much was on the cheques (if these artist’s were even paid)?
September is now upon us and the Caribana dust has settled… I guess I should probably share my photos an ting before the snow comes huh? To be honest, I have attempted to blog about TO Carnival multiple times but kept going in different directions like:
- do I celebrate “thiefin’ ah wine” off Kes?
- should I speak up for all my peers who had issues with their costumes both on the road or on pick up day at different mas camps?
- do I praise Toronto Revellers for providing an excellent road experience?
- do I vent about how messed up the logistics of the parade was ANOTHER year in a row (get it together FMC!)?
There is so much to talk about! I will start by saying that the Toronto Caribbean Carnival that I know and love is not the same anymore and requires immediate resuscitation. Designers, masqueraders, media, spectators from near and far spend months preparing for this grand occasion only to be disappointed by how poorly the festival is being managed.
You know there is a problem when the top news story is "THE FENCES ARE COMING DOWN" ...girl bye
Nonetheless, I have fun where ever I go, so despite having the day cut short by one of my crew members (lol), I had a pretty good carnival day. My make up and costume shined bright in the sun (I successfully survived my first wire bra). As mentioned, Revellers provided a pretty impressive experience on the road with endless food and COLD beverages, good djs, live performers, and active marshals. Plus, they happened to be in the first position along the parade route which allowed for more space to move, feel free, and play my mas.
Shakera be like: "Heyyy, can I take a photo with you ladies?"
Revellers, AYAHUASCA
MAN DEMM #TheMacaw
What made this year most special though was being able to curate a carnival experience for 15 of my friends and students… many of which had never played mas before. From costume selection, to make-up/ hair/accessories, to hotel accommodations twas a hectic process…but MAN was it worth it. My heart was so full seeing them all in formation decked out in their feathers, glitz, and glam. You will be able to see a couple of them in the gallery below.
Gallery
Such a pleasure jumpin' up with MPP Jagmeet Singh
Revellers - LUPUNA
Revellers - El Tunchi and KES <3
Revellers - XIPAYA and KARABANA in Fever Mas (Saldenah)
Revellers - WAHURA PEOPLE
Revellers - XIPAYA
Revellers - SPANGLED CONTINGA
Revellers - THE MACAW
Black Lives Matter
Revellers - EL TUNCHI
SALDENAH (Very Popular Section)
TRIBAL CARNIVAL
CARNIVAL NATIONZ (My FAVE section on the road)
SALDENAH
FANTAZIA
CARNIVAL NATIONZ (my second fave section on di road)
My third fave section (THAT I DIDN'T GET A PHOTO OF) was Saldenah's ASHANTI section! So gorgeous... yes I am a sucker for neons :)
The Carnival Spice ladies had a blast this season. Between band launches, Festival Promotion, Performances & Classes, life for the last few weeks have been crazy busy but super blessed. My team and I were featured multiple times on different TV networks, we added Scarborough and Brampton to our class locations and I was selected as a Toronto “Sunshine Girl” for this year’s Carnival edition.
Costume: 8/10
The costume itself was a solid 10. It was beautiful, bright, comfortable, and VERY well made. However it ended up costing much more than I anticipated due to miscommunication from my section leaders… And PLEASE doh ask me why model’s had to pay for costumes they modelled cause I doh have an answer for you…
Road: 6/10
Toronto Revellers proved to me why they are the “People’s Band”; my experience with them was a 10 too. A friend in my section even told me that our section leader had glue gun onsite to tack any loose gems or costume pieces (should you need it). The key to my heart is through my stomach hence why hot food (other than pelau, doubles, and sandwiches) coupled with a variety of cold beverages won me over real quick. Revellers provided breakfast, lunch, AND dinner... Plus snacks!!
Photo By: Jef Lo
Did I mention I got to thief a wine off Kes???? Best 2 minutes of my life! hahaha! Points on this section score are lost for logistical issues that have nothing to do with the Toronto Revellers … such issues fall on the hands of the parade’s Festival Management Committee (FMC). They are the body of individuals who decide marketing, security, route organization, creative planning, social media and here’s a big one BUDGETING for the parade… I only can identify 3 members of this committee… everyone else is a mystery. Considering there aren’t any fresh ideas flowing through that committee from fresh blood, I can only anticipate the same ole’ for the festival’s big 50th birthday in 2017. Sigh… (I will try to stay optimistic ya’ll)
Overall Experience: 8/10
Di "Stage"
Caribana for another year in a row has left me wanting more. More road, more stage, more Carnival vibes. For all the time and effort that goes into that day the score should be 15/10. My little carnival heart can only remain hopeful that positive changes will come. I will continue to support it and recommend others to attend. Toronto Carnival a.k.a Caribana is a staple event within the Canadian Caribbean community because it is a means of HIGHLIGHTING and SHOWCASING our Caribbean history, talent, and energy... SO WE CANNOT STAND AND WATCH IT WITHER AWAY.
I do encourage you all to support the initiatives below that are actively working to improve the festival:
My Tabanca has definitely set in which leaves me looking through flight and costume prices to attend another Carnival.
“Carnival Tabanca”: The feeling of hurt and pain when a Caribbean carnival experience has ended often compared to the feeling of being lovesick…
I missed Nottingham Carnival by a matter of days while on vacation so that made my Tabanca EVEN WORSE. Plus NYC Carnival kicks off right now… and since I am currently sitting at my dining table I clearly will not be in attendance.
So the question is… WHO’S COMING TO MIAMI CARNIVAL THIS THANKSGIVING? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
