Ras Shorty I
Encyclopedia
Ras Shorty I was a soca
musician, known as the Father of Soca and The Love Man.
He was born Garfield Blackman in Barrackpore, Trinidad and Tobago
, and rose to fame as Lord Shorty with his 1963 hit "Clock and Dagger" and took on the name Ras Shorty .He started out writing songs and performing in the calypso
genre. In the 1970s, he began experimenting with calypso by blending it with the local chutney—the music of Trinidad's East Indian population—using instruments such as the sitar and tabla.
In the mid-1980s Lord Shorty along with the more fluid rhythmic phrasing of Mighty Sparrow
, combined the Afro-Caribbean calypso with cadence
, and rhythmic elements of Indo-Trinidadian chutney music
to create soca
, which would grow to replace calypso as the dominant genre at carnival. Lord Shorty, as he is still known, released his hit song "Indrani" in 1973, and later "Ou petit" (a calypso and cadence
mix), which is considered the first recorded soca piece. His fame continued to grow throughout the 1970s, and he became one of the country's top performers. He recorded tracks such as Kim and Money Eh No Problem, which was a stinging political and social commentary based on the words of Trinidad's then Prime Minister, Eric Williams
of the People's National Movement
. Money Eh No Problem was used in a political advertising campaign in 2000 for the United National Congress
.
In his early days, he was a known womanizer and fathered 23 children. In 1984, he voiced his disenchantment with soca, claiming it was being used for the wrong reasons. A short time thereafter, he embraced a strict form of Christianity, adopted the name Ras Shorty I and moved with his family to the Piparo
forest in the hills of southern Trinidad, where he and his family focused on creating faith-based music.
In the late 1980s, he began recording again, fusing soca and gospel
in a style he called Jamoo. He continued recording into the late 1990s, writing hits like Watch Out My Children
, which focuses on the dangers of drug abuse
. The song was recorded in ten languages and was adopted by the UN in an anti-cocaine campaign. He toured transnationally with his band, the Love Circle, which consisted mainly of family members. The Love Circle included his wife Claudette and sons Eldon, Sheldon and Isaac, who have gone on to record several highly infectious hits, such as "Blessed are the Elders" and "To The Ceiling". His daughters, Marge, Nehilet and Avion Blackman
also have successful careers in recording and fashion design.
The family aims to bring across positive messages with their music, focusing especially on youth. They also exhort modern soca artists to preach positivity and the word of God through their music.
Ras Shorty I died in 2000 of multiple myeloma
, a type of bone marrow
cancer
.
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
musician, known as the Father of Soca and The Love Man.
He was born Garfield Blackman in Barrackpore, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, and rose to fame as Lord Shorty with his 1963 hit "Clock and Dagger" and took on the name Ras Shorty .He started out writing songs and performing in the calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
genre. In the 1970s, he began experimenting with calypso by blending it with the local chutney—the music of Trinidad's East Indian population—using instruments such as the sitar and tabla.
In the mid-1980s Lord Shorty along with the more fluid rhythmic phrasing of Mighty Sparrow
Mighty Sparrow
Mighty Sparrow or Birdie is a calypso singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Known as the "Calypso King of the World," he is one of the most well-known and successful calypsonians...
, combined the Afro-Caribbean calypso with cadence
Cadence-lypso
Cadence-lypso, popularized as simply Cadence is a cultural music of Dominica based in Guadeloupe in the early 1970s. Cadence-lypso is a fusion of Dominican and Caribbean/Latin rhythms and has totally revolutionized the music scence in its genre, and it has now become the main dance Music of...
, and rhythmic elements of Indo-Trinidadian chutney music
Chutney music
Chutney music is a form indigenous to the southern Caribbean, originating in Trinidad. It derives elements from traditional Indian music and popular Trinidadian Soca music.-History:...
to create soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, which would grow to replace calypso as the dominant genre at carnival. Lord Shorty, as he is still known, released his hit song "Indrani" in 1973, and later "Ou petit" (a calypso and cadence
Cadence-lypso
Cadence-lypso, popularized as simply Cadence is a cultural music of Dominica based in Guadeloupe in the early 1970s. Cadence-lypso is a fusion of Dominican and Caribbean/Latin rhythms and has totally revolutionized the music scence in its genre, and it has now become the main dance Music of...
mix), which is considered the first recorded soca piece. His fame continued to grow throughout the 1970s, and he became one of the country's top performers. He recorded tracks such as Kim and Money Eh No Problem, which was a stinging political and social commentary based on the words of Trinidad's then Prime Minister, Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
of the People's National Movement
People's National Movement
The People's National Movement is the present-day opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1955 by Eric Williams, it won the 1956 General Elections and went on to hold power for an unbroken 30 years. After the death of Williams in 1981 George Chambers led the party...
. Money Eh No Problem was used in a political advertising campaign in 2000 for the United National Congress
United National Congress
The United National Congress is one of the two major political parties in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and one of the parties in the current ruling coalition. It was founded by Basdeo Panday, a lawyer and former trade unionist. The UNC was formed as the result of a split in the ruling...
.
In his early days, he was a known womanizer and fathered 23 children. In 1984, he voiced his disenchantment with soca, claiming it was being used for the wrong reasons. A short time thereafter, he embraced a strict form of Christianity, adopted the name Ras Shorty I and moved with his family to the Piparo
Piparo
Piparo is a village in Central Trinidad on the southern edge of the Central Range. The village has three main claims to fame:# Piparo was the base of operations of Dole Chadee , a notorious drug lord who was executed in 1999 for the murder of four members of the Baboolal family.# Piparo was the...
forest in the hills of southern Trinidad, where he and his family focused on creating faith-based music.
In the late 1980s, he began recording again, fusing soca and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
in a style he called Jamoo. He continued recording into the late 1990s, writing hits like Watch Out My Children
Watch Out My Children
"Watch Out My Children" is a song composed and recorded by the late Trinidadian calypsonian Ras Shorty I in the 1997. It is a song telling about drug abuse. It was translated into ten languages....
, which focuses on the dangers of drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
. The song was recorded in ten languages and was adopted by the UN in an anti-cocaine campaign. He toured transnationally with his band, the Love Circle, which consisted mainly of family members. The Love Circle included his wife Claudette and sons Eldon, Sheldon and Isaac, who have gone on to record several highly infectious hits, such as "Blessed are the Elders" and "To The Ceiling". His daughters, Marge, Nehilet and Avion Blackman
Avion Blackman
Avion Claudette Trudy Henrietta Blackman is a reggae recording artist, and the wife of Christafari front-man Mark Mohr. She has produced three solo albums as well as providing vocals and bass guitar for Christafari since 2003....
also have successful careers in recording and fashion design.
The family aims to bring across positive messages with their music, focusing especially on youth. They also exhort modern soca artists to preach positivity and the word of God through their music.
Ras Shorty I died in 2000 of multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
, a type of bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.