Bajans upset over Machel’s Crop Over takeover
T&T Guardian Reports.
Soca superstar Machel Montano has found himself in the middle of controversy at the annual Barbados Crop Over festival over his top billing for Cohobblopot, the Barbadian equivalent of this country’s Dimanche Gras. This year’s event, billed as the Ultimate Summer Show, is scheduled for July 31 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown and features all-star entertainers from Barbados and the region. There is bitter debate in Barbados over the fact that the Trinidadian star and his band, The HD Family, are being heavily used to promote the event, while Bajan artistes are receiving little or no mention.
The most vocal critic so far has been Barbadian entertainer and promoter Alan Sheppard, who said it was insulting and disrespectful for the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA) to have Machel’s image on posters to promote Barbados’ premier cultural festival, Crop Over. The former lead singer of the now disbanded Spice and Company has publicly expressed his disgust on the social media network Facebook, accusing the BTA and the NCF of making Barbados the laughing stock of the world. “That is total disrespect for all Barbadian artistes and could never happen in Trinidad or any other country promoting a national indigenous festival”, wrote Sheppard.
Undaunted by the criticism, Machel featured in a Digicel-sponsored motorcade from Kensington Oval through Bridgetown last Friday to promote Cohobblopot and Caribbean unity. When the Trinidadian Soca artiste stepped from a Freekz Customz jeep during the promotional event, which ended at Cave Shepherd, he was mobbed by fans trying to get pictures with him. Accompanied by Digicel personnel, NCF chief executive officer Donna Hunte-Cox and Barbadian calypsonians Red Plastic Bag, Mac Fingall, Biggie Irie and Mr Dale—who will all be performing at the July 31 event—Machel shouted, “Cohobblopot ah coming” as he waved and blew kisses to fans.
Nine-time calypso monarch Red Plastic Bag, a regular on the Trinidad circuit, added his voice to the ongoing discussion about a Trinidadian act promoting a Barbadian cultural event when he said it was always a pleasure having Machel around. Later, during a media conference hosted by the NCF at Cave Shepherd, Machel had his own response to the critics when he declared: “Unity over separation every time!” In addition to Machel, other T&T artistes listed to perform at Crop Over events over the next few weeks are Destra, Iwer George, Bunji Garlin, Fayann Lyons and Kes the Band.