KAISO KAISO BEHIND THE MICROPHONE

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're tuned into the all new freedom 106.5. 106.5. [00:00:06] Speaker B: So Brian, congratulations again. Your fifth title as the Ex Tempo finalist and champion. Wow. You easy boy. [00:00:16] Speaker A: Just as grateful. [00:00:17] Speaker B: But I read your story and I was moved. [00:00:19] Speaker A: Yeah, just humbled and just grateful. I mean to be here still and to be doing this still as a young man doing this because I say I'm one of the, the younger artists, the ella statesman, the gypsies, the lingos, who I met doing the thing, you know, just as glad to be on that stage as I say I won my first one there. And just while I was outside during the intermission, Damian Neville McGo on a break. And I said I don't like, you know, speak things into the atmosphere. So the two representatives, I can't remember who it was, they came in with the box of trophies. So I laugh and I say it, hey, they're bringing in my trophy way. So I just, I just said that and then I said to Damian, I said, I said, d, you know how nice it would be to doing my fifth one here, having won my first one here. And he said, but just go out and do it what you did. Yeah, just went out and. [00:01:14] Speaker B: And, and the thing is, you went up against your cousin. [00:01:16] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:01:17] Speaker B: A man who is a. [00:01:19] Speaker A: The master, the boss master. Yeah. [00:01:21] Speaker B: And. [00:01:21] Speaker A: And, and Gypsy is one who. I remember he met me at a theatricalypsa monarch on Frederick street opposite Theatric head office. Since. Yeah. Talking about probably since around 2011, 10 somewhere around there and said to me, well, he introduced himself and his cousin then. [00:01:36] Speaker B: Right. [00:01:36] Speaker A: So I didn't know where the connection was then actually I found it from family where it was and that kind of stuff. And he said, why don't come in the ex tempo? And I said me? I said, xtempo is not for me. See what you mean. You're a writer. So I said well, you could write and when you're right, I could tear up that paper like that. [00:01:50] Speaker B: It's pre thoughts and all of that. [00:01:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I see. But I say when they come in the example, I don't write over. You know, I don't do over. I said, but nah, I don't see this right. And he's composed, why come anything? And I said, jips, that's not for me. And eventually, I think 2011 or 12, I eventually went myself and a young man called Francois Otley. And I never forgot that we were really, really good at the prelims. I felt so. The people felt so. And so much to the fact that we didn't make it to the finals, though. [00:02:17] Speaker B: I remember that. [00:02:17] Speaker A: And Gypsy came out and he spoke to the media and said they rob them to youth men. They were supposed to be in the finals. And probably had he not said that, I probably would not have gone back because I felt that if I was that good and we make it, was he sense. [00:02:31] Speaker B: Right. [00:02:31] Speaker A: You know, and having read that article, that sort of gave me the strength to go back. And just two years later in 2014, won my first title. So, I mean, it wasn't anything long. And thanks to Gypsy, you know, for everything that he has taught me and just for the encouragement to continue doing the thing. Not sure how long I'll stay in it, though. [00:02:49] Speaker B: Well, I mean, boy, as long as God has given you health and strength and you have the ability to entertain. That's how I see it. And compete on the same level and win. Yeah, congratulations. And do it. And I mean, Gypsy only won three. [00:03:02] Speaker A: Yeah, you pass him now, Gypsy at 12. [00:03:05] Speaker B: It's 12. [00:03:06] Speaker A: 12 title Gypsy. Wait, [00:03:10] Speaker B: it's 12. It's 12. It's 12. You are five. Sorry. [00:03:13] Speaker A: So. [00:03:13] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah, yeah. Seven short. But you're gonna make it. [00:03:15] Speaker A: No, I don't even know if I'll stay that long, because for me, it's all passing the torch. I don't want to be. And everybody else. Everybody has their own timelines and what they want to get out of the thing. I'm about passing on the thing. So I usually go into schools and do extempore workshops, and people usually ask, you can teach it? Yeah, I can teach it. Give a foundation of how to do it. So I usually go into schools and do that. So my thing is to create another generation of extempore artists. And I don't want to be. I will do it. But to say, competing at a particular age or stage in my life, I [00:03:49] Speaker B: applaud you for that sentiment. But I don't just want you to teach us, you know, I want you to also look at discovering. You see, we walk in and we teach, and we say, we're in a class, and there's always one student that is outstanding and that takes the helm. And you say, yeah, well, you. You could do it. You know, I want to implore you to look at the other avenue of discovering. So if you see two students in this particular class, take them out. [00:04:14] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. [00:04:15] Speaker B: Bring them into Tuco, introduce them to the organization. See if you could get Tuco to do not just the ex tempo on a senior level. But on a junior level. [00:04:25] Speaker A: Well, let me say this. So that's my. So 2016, having had a habit after wondering full sex tempo and that kind of stuff and having a passion for it, starting to get a passion for it, I realized that we have junior competitions for every other facet of the art form other than Extempore, Junior Calypso, Junior Panorama, Parader Bands, Junior Soca, Mona everything. And in 2016 I formed an NGO called Friends of the Youth of Trinidad and Tobago. And we did the first ever National Junior X Tempo Monarch. We ran that competition out of pocket. I went to Tuco. Tuko was unable to assist us and I went around to a few friends. Was no big competition. Started off with about $5,000 in total. I was to help with sponsorship and prizes. Was nothing big. I went around to schools, about 10 schools. I did workshops in the schools. And then we had about almost 20 young persons coming out of the competition and we had the first ever Junior National Ex Temple Calypso Monarch. Eventually I had support from Ex Temple Monarch Ex Temple Monarch. Eventually I had the support of the then minister Dr. Nan Gatsby Dolly Minister of Education and Minister of Quality and in both portfolios and were able to get the first prize up to $10,000. I saw from that competition Keevan Calis, the grandson of Black Stalling, winning that competition for a few years, coming into the Senior X Tempo competition, making it to the finals. I saw Josiah Thomas, who was from Belmont Secondary, coming out of our competition, coming into the Senior X Tempo. So I was beginning to see the benefits and the fruits of the labour. And that was the nice thing about it for me. As I said, discovering that talent and seeing the turnover. Unfortunately, Covid came some of the members who at the head of the NGO passed away, the chairman, the treasurer passed away and Covid came. And I was unable to start back the competition thus far, but I made it a pledge this year to start it back at least for independence around that time, as a Precursor to Carnival 2027 to our Independence Junior Ex Temple Monarch with more nation building topics and that kind of stuff to get the kids back into the run of the run of the mill of things. And then reestablished the competition. But we ran the competition for about five, six years straight. And at one point in time we had 30 persons coming out to compete, male and female. And it was so much that the competition started, even included in the final year of the competition, before we had the hiatus, a primary school category. [00:06:47] Speaker B: So you had a primary and a [00:06:48] Speaker A: second primary that's how big it got. [00:06:50] Speaker B: Brian. [00:06:50] Speaker A: This was done out of pocket, Brian. [00:06:52] Speaker B: We had to revisit this. Let's take a call. Good morning. Good morning. [00:06:59] Speaker C: Hello. [00:06:59] Speaker B: Yeah, we hearing you. [00:07:00] Speaker C: Hey, how are you going? By Marlon. I know, I know. Tuning at, you know, a little before Mr. Brian came on, I played Monday. Mr. Brown. I went up this morning. I played on myself. But I will gradually. All right, Mr. Brian, pleasant morning to you. You know, this particular art form, it is a very innovative art form. [00:07:19] Speaker D: So I don't know if in what [00:07:20] Speaker C: way you and those that involvement kind of like expanded, you know, you can work in the Ministry. We can expand it to these schools, primary school children, that eight children of these two kind of have that kind of. That zeal and that energy for these sort of things. Yeah, that'll be a nice, a nice, you know, suggestion or recommendation. I wonder. We can expand this thing. Entire competition schools, your competition there. So moving forward, I'll listen if you had a thought. Right, bye. [00:07:51] Speaker A: Yeah, so for sure. So I was just explaining that 2016 I would have formed an NGO that we had the first national junior extempore Monarch. And we ran the competition until about. Till Covid came along. And then after Covid we had some of the members passing away some of the members at the top of the ngo, but we had a primary and secondary category and we had almost 30 something young people coming to do that. Except for competition. We had sponsors from thanks to, I'd say Blue Waters this morning who were always on board with us. National Floor Mills giving hampers to all the finalists. They were always on board with us. The Ministry of Education, they were always on board. Ministry of Culture. We had some support from them. And again we started with a price of just a $1500 first prize and got it to $10,000 first price in six years. In six years. Time and again, this first three, four years was done out of pocket, I mean totally out of pocket. Venue to pay ban Mr. Lenox London, who passed away in. He was an ex member of the fire service. So he was able to engage the fire service band for us at some point. Yeah, so the band came along. He used to give us human service free of charge. So thanks to the fire service as well for that. And the competition started to grow and grow and grow and grow. And then as I said, Covid came and things happened. But I intend to start back this year. I've also spoken to Fireball and one or two other artists and what we intend to do is also do what we call an Extempo school tour and just go into schools and show them and show extempor and showcase extempore again. Hoping to start to start discover talent within the school environment. I got it, you know, so that's all right. [00:09:21] Speaker C: Good morning, good morning, good morning. Congrats on your victory. [00:09:27] Speaker A: Hey, blessings man. [00:09:28] Speaker C: For sure Davy. You know what is sad? I listen to Mr. London, he has great ideas to bring you so but you know this ex temple final was not on the airwaves of the radio stations. Not I visibly impaired or whatever and something I know where not a radio station in Tobago bring that, that extempore final. That was sad. [00:09:59] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean I hear that, I hear that, I hear that and I could agree with you on that, Brian. As we continue with our conversations this morning, let's get into the crux of things outside of the extempore and I must congratulate you and I tell you I pioneered that fireball in my brethren for years. Big up yourself Rowan. They're my bread for a long time. And fires, fires into this thing and Freddie pretty whatever, you know, Dane it and squeezy ranking last year and all attempted it. [00:10:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:26] Speaker B: And I see that they're bringing this new thing. What's the difference between extempo and freestyle? [00:10:31] Speaker A: I think the premise under which it was brought in under Tuku was to try to bring in freestyle to try and show the younger persons that basically what we're doing is the same thing, just a different beat, a different format and try to encourage more younger persons to come into the thing. I can take it where it is now. I cannot tone in between it and trust me, I could do it, I could go and I could go in there and I could win it and I just never, I don't know something about it. It just never appealed to me. [00:11:05] Speaker B: Just never to do the freestyle. [00:11:06] Speaker A: Yeah, it just never appealed to me that kind of thing, you know, and. And that's just me. [00:11:10] Speaker B: So the freestyle free. The freestyle you have about what, 30 minutes, 30 seconds. [00:11:15] Speaker A: Sorry, yeah, I think 30 seconds and a beat and. [00:11:17] Speaker B: And you had a sing sing until [00:11:18] Speaker A: the beat done until the beat finished [00:11:20] Speaker B: 30 seconds up and you had to hit your punchlines. Keep hitting punchlines. And then the extempo is a verse. [00:11:27] Speaker A: Yeah. So the extempo is. You have a topic freetle, you also have a topic. The extempore. I have a topic now as you pull the topic in the extempo you hit one time on the topic. Of course you expect lyrical content on the topic in terms of information how your treatment, how you rapper with the audience on the topic. The freestyle. What I've realized over the past few years or lay polar topic. I realized that a lot of. A lot of the artists for lack of using lyrics, they more engage the audience than giving me the freestyle lyrical content on the topic. So for instance, I pull a topic on Freedom Radio. I'll get. You might engage. I mightn't say much about freedom Radio, but I pull the audience on myself by saying freedom Radio. I mean Freedom Radio. So that you have the crowd singing Freedom Radio for almost half of your song. And then they say two, three lines about freedom Radio. But hey, I get Freedom Radio. Good morning. So that's what I've noticed about it. Oh my God. [00:12:29] Speaker B: And you know you hear some of the repeated lyrics. [00:12:32] Speaker A: Yes. So they make all these padded lines and all these little hook lines for the audience to get engaged and there's little content on. On the actual topic as Xtempo has to do because we don't have that leeway to make up no hook lines for the money to say. [00:12:46] Speaker B: Exactly. Hello, Good morning. [00:12:48] Speaker D: A pleasant good morning, Davy. And to your guest, Brian London. I call to congratulate Brian London and I'll tell you why. On not just on winning the tempo but all X tempo singers as a whole. I want to congratulate them and tell you why, Davy. I even tell young lawyers you have to be able to think fast. So if you're in court and somebody throws something at you, you could respond. And ex tempo is about fast responding and I think that that deserves commendation. As a matter of fact, even the wider society, we need to think fast and make sense out of what we think. And Brian London of course is now the champion. He is the king of X tempo. And I think that I had no choice but to call and congratulate him. I wish the wider society will start thinking as fast making, you know, decisions, saying things that actually make sense. And that is an important thing. And I thought I should raise it. [00:13:51] Speaker C: I thank you. Enjoy. [00:13:52] Speaker B: All right, thank you very much. [00:13:54] Speaker A: Thinking fast but making it make sense. [00:13:56] Speaker B: Well listen, that is a skill set that you all have that I disadmire. [00:14:02] Speaker A: Yeah, plenty times I'm topic, Davy. And you realize don't know nothing about it, you know, but you don't know not a word, not a nothing about it. [00:14:14] Speaker B: So you see Calypsonians and, and, and, and persons. It goes more and deeper than just coming up with, with, with lyrical, with lyrics in your head. That rhyming. [00:14:23] Speaker A: Correct. [00:14:23] Speaker B: All right. You had to be reading correct, you had to be paying attention throughout the year, you current things happening even closer to the carnival. Something major might take place in the country or outside of the country. Outside of the country. Look what was taking place with Maduro. That could have been a topic pulled, I don't know, I didn't get to see the finals. I missed it. [00:14:40] Speaker A: So for instance, like me, I pulled in the first rounds, I pulled the inheritance tax coming. Now, had I not read about what the inheritance tax was, I was able to give a little thing pertinent, gave all the information that the first, the fees to transfer your property if your property was 700 is now raised to now 10% of the property, the value of the property and in some cases 25% of the property. So I was able to give context of what it was, what the fees were, what is freeze is now raised to why you now have to pay those fees. I was able to give that context for people who may not have known. So had I not read about it, that's the thing I would address come on improv in inheritance tax and pad around the topic. But I actually give fact choice all the information on what the inheritance tax was. [00:15:24] Speaker B: Because I, I, I see why you read. You see why you see why Gypsy get licks, right? [00:15:28] Speaker A: Read, I read, I read, I read. [00:15:30] Speaker B: And what I love about Gypsy as well, I remember meeting him in Tuko office a few weeks back. Gypsy had no problem with you winning. Gypsy was like, trust me, he come on stage, he fight for the crown, but he lost it. And he lost it to his, his cousin, his, his project, somebody that he brought into the thing. Convinced he come. [00:15:50] Speaker A: Yeah, for sure. [00:15:51] Speaker B: And he was able to feel proud now. Yeah, you beat me. [00:15:54] Speaker A: Yeah, in that moment, yeah, I play [00:15:55] Speaker B: chess and I have two sons and I, I, my, my big, the bigger son, I mean, you see the younger one, you see my 11 year, I feel if I drop the body or [00:16:04] Speaker A: cut my deal, yeah, that's what it. [00:16:06] Speaker B: I want him to beat me, but I don't want him to beat me because I throw the game. But if I don't watch my game properly, yeah, yeah, I will get a washing because that fella, yeah, when he play in that game, he just play. But I see him closer and closer with my playing. He's developing, but I want him to do that. [00:16:26] Speaker A: Yeah. And that's what I like, I like to me, you can only hail yourself as the best if you compete against the best and overcome the best and beat the best. And that's why I had to give in my last verse at the competition night. I had to give kudos to Gypsy in that last verse as the master. Hello? [00:16:43] Speaker B: Yes, good morning. [00:16:45] Speaker C: Morning. [00:16:46] Speaker D: Congratulations, Brian. And thanks for. And congratulations for the Junior Monarch. [00:16:52] Speaker A: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. [00:16:56] Speaker D: You wrote the song for the Junior Monarch? [00:16:58] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Just try. Just humble. Just humble. [00:17:01] Speaker B: So as you mentioned writing. Yeah, thank you very much. Call. As you mentioned writing. [00:17:06] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:06] Speaker B: That song, the Cook. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:08] Speaker B: Let's talk a little bit about it. What sent you? You sang it. [00:17:12] Speaker A: I sang it. Classic Cruise. Classic Crusoe. Right. [00:17:14] Speaker B: So let's talk a bit about behind the scenes with this song. Tell me, behind the music, behind the mic, what was the thought process when composing? [00:17:24] Speaker A: I. I basically listened to some of the narrative after most elections, okay. And after this election in particular, both parties have their mantras. One is red and ready, next one is yellow is the code. And way after the elections are done, when the focus is supposed to be on Trinidad and Tobago, I'm still hearing yellow is the code. And I'm still hearing, well, we read and ready. All the elections are done. Or we read and I am like, how does that benefit us as a society? How does that benefit us There I saw a campaign where the yellow campaign went up the Caribbean to do their thing, and I cooled that to my bro. [00:18:10] Speaker B: You leave the shores. [00:18:11] Speaker A: You leave the shores. And I'm like, how does these things benefit the people of Trinidad and Tobago? We need to get on with the nation's business, and the nation's business is the people's business. So if there's a party slogan, I cool with that. I cool with that. But I know here in Trinidad and Tobago, we have together, we aspire, together we achieve. And that is supposed to be our focus. Anything else other than that? For me, and it was real heart wrenching for me because I'm seeing people who were on different sides of the political divide and they were like, dred, there's not. This can't be it. This just cannot be it. So it's out of the bowels and the concerns and the cries that those people. Because I'm not a social media person, but time and again, people send me stuff, little reels and that kind of stuff. And it's out of those concerns for the people and for the powers that be to hear, like the poor side or poor side of politics. [00:19:11] Speaker B: So political commentary seem to be to have been stymied this season. It seems to be been pushed to the side we don't want it. Is that the consensus of generally with the Calypsonians on the ground, what are you hearing? What is coming out right now? [00:19:27] Speaker A: So right now, the word on the ground from Calypsoans is that political commentary, it seems to be losing its space, or they're trying to push it in a corner where it no longer has relevance or has half a space. What is political commentary? We usually hear. This is just my position, personal opinion. We usually here in Trinidad and Tobago think that political commentary means party politics. Political commentary. A government is put in place to manage the resources of our country on behalf of the people. [00:19:56] Speaker B: Right? [00:19:57] Speaker A: Everything here belongs to us, right? But sometimes we sit back and say, well, them in charge to let them do the thing. No, they're in charge of our stuff. [00:20:03] Speaker B: They're comfortable. [00:20:04] Speaker A: So if you're in charge of our stuff, then I need to know how you're managing our. My stuff. And because we might take a particular position, people may tend to want to now align you to a political party because you say certain things. And because of that, let me fear. And let's be honest. We have two political parties in Trinidad and Tobago. People might say, one is predominantly African, one is predominantly East Indian. I dare to say different, but that's the view. And once you sing something along a particular line, then you are either viewed as X or viewed as Y. But for instance, my song I spoke about, if red is your only color you could see speaking to that side of the political divide, then I don't hear you. And if yellow is your code, I don't want to hear you either. Because the only quote I know as a calypso is the people's code, which is Trinidad and Tobago's code. So sometimes when you take a particular stance, if you say you raise taxes and you're saying, you ain't gonna give me no taxes all of a sudden. But he had to be pnl. He had to be bm. So, you know, he's had to be branded. But that's the cries of the people. And that is the cries of the people. If you say, I like what you're doing, the opposition, I do never do with that. I think you need to do better than that. Oh, now. Well, he had to be, because he said, the opposition never do it if I come and I say, hey, Auntie Kamala, I like where you're doing your governing. We will. But he had to be a madman. He had to be a unc. [00:21:39] Speaker B: So no matter what you do, no matter what you do, neutrality cannot exist because you will be perceived as one or the next. [00:21:45] Speaker A: As one of the next and the funny enough, I think with. With all Calypso, with most calypso, I want to say most, I think the mandate for us is the people's mandate. And because we share a particular view, people in certain sectors of the society want to brand you as X or Y or Z. And that is the problem that we're facing. It. It's just perception. [00:22:06] Speaker B: As you said growing up as a child. Yeah, I didn't do calypso studies, but you get the history of Calypso as I got into this. This media world some 18 years ago, 19 years ago. But the thing about it is, when I looked at it right, Calypso was always able to speak the ills of society that the regular citizen can't express. [00:22:28] Speaker A: Correct. [00:22:28] Speaker B: And they express it to government. In that forum I remember seeing Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Bastio Pandey sitting in the grandstand front row of the and in the front Sedong and the political Pekong pelting bought them and what they could do. [00:22:46] Speaker A: I remember the facts are the facts. [00:22:48] Speaker B: And if this is what you're doing, you said, I wouldn't raise taxes. You can't tax a population into prosperity. You said that, Madam Prime Minister. And then you come now and it's tax, tax, tax. You said that the. The ticketing system was a revenue earner for the last government and it was not about road safety. You come and raise it a hundred times and say road safety. So we sing a song about that. Not about you, but about the issues. [00:23:15] Speaker A: Correct. [00:23:16] Speaker B: Things that you said, things that you're doing. [00:23:19] Speaker A: Correct. [00:23:19] Speaker B: That's what we singing about. It's like singing about Dr. Rowley handing the battle to another man and saying, you take Prime Minister without being voted in. Those things happened. [00:23:30] Speaker A: Correct. [00:23:30] Speaker B: Those are the facts. [00:23:31] Speaker A: Correct. [00:23:32] Speaker B: But you sing about it and you are muzzled. You are being branded. [00:23:36] Speaker A: Let's go back from 2025 and go backwards, right? Kurt Allen sang your turn now. That was a song against Dr. Rowley placed second at the mouth the Mona I don't think anybody need to say. The PNM populace was probably dissatisfied, but it was allowed to take its course [00:23:53] Speaker B: because that is what Calypso is. [00:23:55] Speaker A: Elon Francis in his winning song pound the opposition, which is now the opposition. The PNM in his song last year he won the monarch. You go back, you had chambers done C. He won Pandy can't find any glasses talking about Panda. We like to drink and he can't find any glasses, which is rum. They were talking about Pandy sat down in the, in the, in the front row of the calypso tent and listener. So when he asked him about it go back and do the history he said hey die we are like I saw. And he, he chuckled at it, right? You, you, you had Captain the Shepherd sinking. Take your steel beam and go and I'm going to way back if I'm from, from. [00:24:32] Speaker B: I remember the lyrics was Pandy right. So when cruise ship is sinking. [00:24:37] Speaker A: So when croco we did it. So yeah. So now we have calypsos that was sung on our political leaders about political parties, about governments, about oppositions, about things that was happening, things that were happening but they were allowed to take their course because if, if we, if we, if politicians or government or people in authority just listen for a moment to some of the things that the Calypsonians are saying. Maybe just maybe they'll be able to better serve the populace. Because the Calypsonians have always been considered to be the voice of the people, not the voice of the party, not the voice of the government. It has always been considered to be the voice of the people. And as you say, if you say something and I think about the issue and not about you, then you might be able to get some answers. Paul, for somebody. [00:25:24] Speaker B: I feel your pain. I sit on this program. [00:25:27] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:25:27] Speaker B: And I maintain neutrality and ever so often I'm accused of my yellow hat showing today or my red jersey came out the next day because I, I say certain things that didn't please the listenership. You know, this list, this side, on this side, I get it all the time. I took a neutral stance on the rose delivery by tribe and I was told that I, I'm condoning something that is immoral and illicit and blah blah, blah, you understand? So I, I feel you. Hello. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. [00:26:01] Speaker D: A pleasant good morning once more, Davy, until London I. I saw you that you broaden the, the conversation and I thought that I should now make a contribution with regard to that and the issue about tax and yes, people sang about tax and so on too. Right. And then in fact I saw it a couple places in Carnival. Now I'll tell you, we have World Cup Twenty20 cricket now so I'll use that as the analogy. Twenty20 cricket is about plenty runs fast so you're going to hit ball but when you get into the wickets, you have to get the feel of the wicket first. Now when Kamala Prasad, not to hold it brief for her, but when she came into office while on the campaign trail, she Said, yes, you can't bring wealth to a country by taxation. And I agree with that. You don't tax people because that does nothing for the country. It will do for the government, for the running of the government, but you have to create other revenue streams that come from outside. But the thing is that it may be too early in the game to really blame her and I'll tell you why. When she came into office, if it is that the treasury was virtually empty, you get money from within any meanwhile. Now I would say if after three years there are no additional revenue streams and you're only looking at taxes, then that is not good governance. But the thing is that in the meanwhile, in the first two years she may not have a choice and utilize the resources that are within whilst you are looking for foreign investment, which is being done. So I thought I should raise that. Not because in the campaign trail she said she will not raise taxes and blah, blah, blah, blah blah. It doesn't mean that it is going to be immediately and I hope that people understand that. I have spoken to several economists and they share the same opinion anyway with regard to the Calypso Monarch Competition. Now Davey, when I know something, I tell you it. When I don't know something, I ask you it. I understand that there is the issue of censorship with one Calypsoanian whomsoever it was, where the, the volume went off and so on and, and it has caused a controversy. But the thing is that is it not that there was a peer system and the judges would have heard the lyrics and they would have judged based on what they heard, not what came off on tdd and at least that's my opinion. So I'm trying to understand wisest hollow balloo over that that he was singing against the government or whatever whatsoever. But that for me that of my understanding is that that had nothing to do with the judging. He could have still placed first if the judges thought that it should be. And, and generally Davy, it's like in cricket, if I like you, yes, you're you, you're not out. And if I do like you, yes, you're out your edge and you're caught and that kind of thing. The thing is that different spectators, different commentators will like different participants. And when my participant do win the thief and because my participant was singing against the government, well, some government minister caused that. [00:29:11] Speaker B: I got you. Thank you. [00:29:12] Speaker A: Enjoy. What I will say is this. And just to talk about the analogy of the cricket, I must say this to Tran Tobago. I don't delve myself into politics. I don't. Because I don't want. And I. I will say this to you, Davy. In the past I've been asked to sing on a PNM campaign. I said, I refused. I was also asked to be a part of a UNC camp and I refused as well because I don't want anybody to see if I sing something in particular. But Brian, how you go sing that? How you go do that or you go sing that because, you know my campaign trailer go sing that. I chose not to. That's what the remuneration was. I chose not to. Right. The analogy with your cricket, I gave and I just. And this is not about politics. T20 is where you use franchise cricket. Get in there, make runs fast. Yeah. Understanding wicket fast. You need to make runs fast. I had three years. You used T20 as the analogy. Right. It's a fast game, it's a short game. [00:30:11] Speaker B: So we had to get in and get out. [00:30:12] Speaker A: It's a short get in and get out. All right, get in, understand what lies ahead, make the decisions. Because T20 had to make decisions quick. Either I decided to chase runs or I decide to pad and probably just block it out and try and make it. [00:30:25] Speaker B: Either way, we had to make a decision. It's a short game. [00:30:29] Speaker A: So in the context of that thing, the analogy wasn't probably the best analogy. Probably this might be a more test cricket scenario here or a 50 over scenario because you have a bit more time, apply yourself and to think about it and to make a decision. But the T20 would have probably not been the best analogy to use. And in the context of the Calypso monarchy, Mike being muted, yes, it may not have affected the judges. And again, you say if you speak about something because you don't know. So I'm just kind of educating you in terms of what the Calypso is. So because the judges heard it on the night and he was placed where he's placed, fine. But the majority of persons who were listening to the Calypso Monarch were not in the Savannah. They were at home behind their television screens or online listening on ttt. And that is why the perception was that we didn't want the mass. So the masses were at home or in a private space listening to the Calypso. They were not looking at in the Mashkar. We didn't judge it in the Savannah. The Savannah was almost empty, I could tell you that. Yeah, they were home. [00:31:31] Speaker B: Was free this year, but they bring it back. [00:31:33] Speaker A: So people were home in their private space. So that Is why people were saying like they didn't worry to hear this. Yeah. People who walk the majority, the majority were at home in their space. So just to give you some clarity it wasn't about the I like who I like who are placing them wherever he placed the place because he was heard in the Savannah at the night. But the masses who were behind their screens who were listening to the lyrical those were the ones who felt that they were disenfranchised or that something was done. [00:32:01] Speaker B: But that is not the judging. [00:32:03] Speaker A: That was not his mic. [00:32:04] Speaker B: I was there in person carrying the broadcast. His mic did not cut right on stage. [00:32:09] Speaker A: So the people, the masses for who they felt this was intended for we to hear. We want to hear it. I had a moment to go to the Marshall. I can't go to the Marsh but I want to hear any Kaiser. [00:32:17] Speaker B: Them was them was they were robbed [00:32:19] Speaker A: a bit from it. [00:32:21] Speaker B: But it was not a situation that the judges didn't hear it. They heard it from start to finish with diction and clarity. [00:32:28] Speaker A: Yeah. So that is the gift they say didn't know. So just informing you of what And [00:32:32] Speaker B: I'm happy that you make that. And cuz I was saying to myself, you know I had to wrap the interview now as we getting set to [00:32:39] Speaker A: eight o' clock for sure man. [00:32:40] Speaker B: So you can't leave without giving me something me. You know. This morning on this radio station we chatted with a veteran Konian. The man is the name of Brian London who say he don't want the culture to burn. This is a man that will give us a show. The 2026 X Temple. The man who went out there and win. He is the 2026 king. [00:33:18] Speaker A: Wherever you are now entering please tell all your family and friend they need to tune into 106.5 FM. Freedom to Talk and freedom to speak. Freedom to educate and freedom to teach. And this is what I want you to know. 106.5 the best radio station in Trinbago. Boom. [00:33:45] Speaker B: Hey, I hope control room recorder said [00:33:46] Speaker A: any morning rumble you say get a get a promo. [00:33:50] Speaker B: I get a promo. Hey Brian London. It's always a pleasure. You know. Let me take one call. You have about 30 seconds. Talk to me. [00:33:58] Speaker C: Brian London. Man. I'm so pleased to get to get him to speak to Brian. Brian, I still drive in your street in Faisal Valley. I take a street. [00:34:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:34:07] Speaker A: But shoot him after me in Faisal. Yeah. [00:34:09] Speaker C: Yes, yes I still drive in your street. I'm thankful. I mean the talented thing to that Davy. You're not so bad but I mean you can't match the king. [00:34:15] Speaker D: No. [00:34:15] Speaker C: All the best, brother. [00:34:16] Speaker A: I try a thing. [00:34:17] Speaker B: I try a thing. [00:34:18] Speaker C: You have been very, very well explained this morning and I You went across across your explanation very careful. [00:34:25] Speaker A: Yes, he did. [00:34:25] Speaker C: And I'm very, very, very pleased with you coming on the station. Good guest Davy and all the best. The talent of you and the family circle, brother, is always embraced by me and my family. [00:34:36] Speaker B: Yeah, man. Quickly, 30 seconds, quick. Hello. [00:34:41] Speaker D: I. I don't know why people have tried to make sense out of [00:34:46] Speaker A: this [00:34:46] Speaker D: fella trying to defend a microphone thing. Boy. And it's same thing with all, with all parties. You know, once my party do something at late and wrong. [00:34:57] Speaker C: All right. [00:34:58] Speaker D: Always trying to justify with some crappy excuse. [00:35:01] Speaker B: But all right, thank you. You see Brian. Brian didn't justify nothing. [00:35:06] Speaker A: I think you're so what period. I think he was talking about the caller. [00:35:08] Speaker B: Oh, the other caller had to be [00:35:11] Speaker A: because that wasn't me I was talking about. [00:35:13] Speaker B: Yeah, I hope so. You know. Let me hear Sandra, quick. Sandra, let me. You want to tell Brian. [00:35:21] Speaker C: But they. [00:35:21] Speaker D: If they want to hear, they could. It would. They could replay. They could go on YouTube and still hear the massive conciliate over and over and over. They're trying to make a mole out of a mountain something. [00:35:34] Speaker B: And I agree with that and I [00:35:35] Speaker A: just, I just, I just again. So it was just in that moment. So yes, we can go back and replay but in just in that moment because remember, although you're home, you're still looking at a. A competition on the competitive side of thing and that kind of stuff. So it's just not a defending or anything. It's just in that moment. That was it. That was it. So because it happened in the moment, people have their perceptions and their thought processes at that particular moment in that moment. And yes, you are correct, we can go back to YouTube. We can hear it. But it was just in that moment end up. It's like, you know, sometimes in life they say things that make you go, yeah. And it's just in that moment. For some people. I don't think anybody's trying to justify. They try to rob the man or they try to take mother. It's nothing like that. It's just in that moment. [00:36:20] Speaker B: Can you imagine if the Savannah had went black and he might cut off [00:36:22] Speaker A: when he was singing and that happened to Mighty Shadow. Yeah, Shadow was in Savannah. And as Shadow hit the stage, bam. The current went and for about 15 seconds, bam. It came back. So what they tried to sabotage the mighty shadow. So 10 things happened, you know, so just in that moment. [00:36:35] Speaker B: Well, thank you very much, Brian. And I mean, we will chat again, you know. [00:36:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:36:38] Speaker B: In the not too distant future. [00:36:40] Speaker A: I say heart, I love to say blessings. And people trying to be. Well, let's try to live in love, in unity. Forget the political biases, the political sides, because at the end of day, we have to live here. We have to exist here. Our generations behind us have to live here. So the political fight, hunting it. [00:36:56] Speaker B: Let's keep it positive. [00:36:57] Speaker A: Love it. [00:36:58] Speaker B: All right. Your news is up next. [00:36:59] Speaker A: You're tuned into the all New Freedom Formal 6.5. Formal 6.5.