Rapso

Spoken Word and The Rhythm of the Drum

Calypso is not the only original music in Trinidad and Tobago. Brother Resistance (Lutalo Makossa Masimba) explained the music as follows: „We define rapso as the power of the word in rhythm. Musically we emphasize the African vibrations within the music“. It comes out of the way how they just talk in Trinidad. Poetry seems to be a big drive. In an interview with Jocelyne Guilbault, he traced rapso's origin back to Africa – „an imaginary Africa, unitary, strong, and undefeated by colonialism“.

1970 : THE BEAT OF THE DRUM & THE MIDNIGHT ROBBER

In the 1960s Lancelot Layne was inspired by the portrayal of the Carnival character called 'Midnight Robber' and his poetic ability to deliver fast lyrics. He transformed this into the nowadays known rapso. The first rapso hit he recorded in the early 1970s was „Blow Way“. This singer inspired Brother Resistance and other youths to compose in this vein.

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Around the same time, Cheryl Byron became known as „the mother of the movement“ by performing what she then called „poem songs“ - which were basically poems accompanied by drumming. She was the first artist from the emerging rapso movement to be invited to perform in a calypso tent, initially in Brooklyn New York in 1975.

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A year later, she performed in Trinidad in Lord Shorty's calypso tent „The Professionals“. Brother Resistance turned to rapso in the early 1970s, seeking something to do about the ghetto conditions affecting their lives in their disadvantaged areas of Laventille, Port of Spain. Together with Brother Shortman, Brother Moopsman, and some more musicians formed De Network Riddum Band, which first mainly included percussion instruments, traditional drums, and a steel pan. Occasionally a bamboo flute and emphasized rhythms borrowed from the Orisha tribes have been used.

Following the traditions of the “chantwells” and also calypsonian, they saw their role in both educators and historians. The strong alliance with the community was very important to him: “influenced by the Black Power Movement”, we aimed to lead people to appreciate the self” including the way of talking, drumming, and the own emerging Trinbagonian traditions.

By the late 1970s, the sound of the band has been transformed by adding electronic instruments (bass guitar and rhythm guitar) and a saxophone, as well as by rhythmic patterns and melodic riffs associated with soca.

Unlike the soca singers and most musicians, the band members bore what has been considered a Rastafarian Look, wearing loose-fitted clothes made of local batik or other fabrics with African-inspired designs, and caps protecting the long dreadlocks. While they danced to the beat, they characteristically avoided any of the winning movements and pelvic thrusts associated with soca performances. The lyrics often speak of inequalities and struggles and contested the existing political order inherited from colonial empires. The name rapso derives from the word “rhapsody”, while local poetry authorities were not respecting the movement as such.

In this perspective, rapso's distinctive musical orientation joined African-derived traditions and, politically, focusing on lyrics decrying the (neo) colonial legacies of poverty, racism, and unequal power relations. Even though rapso was first ignored, it gradually took root in the music scene of Trinidad and Tobago after the relentless efforts and achievements of such artists as Brother Resistance and Karega Mandela. As explained by Brother Resistance, rapso artists have refused to hold competition because, in his view, competition stifles creativity, while also perhaps compromising the integrity of the songs. Around 1978 the first rapso tent was formed named„The people's Kaiso Court“.

1990s : INFLUENCED BY JAMAICAN DANCEHALL & AMERICAN RAP

In the 1990s rapso was musically transformed to attract a larger audience. Still using the fast 'Midnight Robber' speech, it now incorporated musical features from a wide range of sources, including Nigerian afrobeat. Especially Kindred and Homefront have to be mentioned here, as powerful bands.

The following video features Brother Resistance and the calypso artist Lord Pretender in their music video to "Never Ever Worry", the remake from 1997 of Lord Pretenders' hit song.

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In doing so, rapso developed a strong fan base amongst what was dubbed in rapso songs the „boom generation“, that is, the generation that experienced the music of the African diaspora, like Jamaican dancehall and American rap.

Several artists in calypso and soca music today compose their lyrics and perform in that style, typically using chanting and sometimes the typical fast lyrics. Black Stalin used these techniques in some sections of his song „Revolution Time“. David Rudder composed several of his songs in the rapso style including „Another Day in Paradise“ (1995) and „The Madman's Rant“ (1996).

The rapso's emphasis on black pride, self-esteem, and appreciation of Trinidad's local resources through community organizing, visiting schools, and providing mentorship to younger artists. 3 Chanal is known as a band that waves the flag of calypso high. The history of rapso is still to be explored.