Resignations bring reflection amidst 300 percent sponsorship growth at FMC

Resignations bring reflection amidst 300 percent sponsorship growth at FMC

After 17 years of “dedicated involvement” with the Festival Management Committee (FMC), Accountant Eddison Doyle has made “the difficult decision” to step down from his position as CFO. This time, he says, it is a permanent choice driven by personal reasons and the belief that it is the right time for him to move on. […]

50 murals across New York City to celebrate hip-hop

50 murals across New York City to celebrate hip-hop

  New York Mayor Eric Adams has recently announced a formal partnership with LISA Project NYC to create 50 murals celebrating 50 years of hip hop across all five boroughs. A release on the NYC.gov website states, “As the birthplace of this cultural movement, New York City is celebrating 50 years of history through the […]

Supporting smaller bands to ensure success of Toronto Carnival

Supporting smaller bands to ensure success of Toronto Carnival

Listen to this comment now. Supporting smaller bands to ensure success of Toronto Carnival By Anthony Joseph In Trinidad and Tobago, there is a saying that Carnival was just “round the corner.” As a child, I remember walking long distances, hoping to find Carnival round the proverbial corner. Of course, what the older folks meant […]

African Music is now a GRAMMY category

African Music is now a GRAMMY category

An announcement from the Recording Academy said that a Best New African Music Performance category is among three new ones that have been added. The other two are Best Alternative Jazz Album and Best Pop Dance Recording. These new categories will be introduced at the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards: Additionally, […]

Kaiso 365 Competition is back

Kaiso 365 Competition is back

The Organization of Calypso Performing Artists (OCPA) will hold a Calypso Monarch competition as part of its 2023 summer programme for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. The Calypso Monarch competition which had been suspended due to the pandemic will return this year by popular demand with preliminary rounds on July 15 -16th and a final showdown […]

Rhoma Spencer’s The Life and Music of Calypso Rose

Rhoma Spencer’s The Life and Music of Calypso Rose

Rhoma Spencer’s The Life and Music of Calypso Rose is now a musical drama Photo Credit – Sol Essence. The life and musical journey of Calypso Rose is now a new musical drama, written and directed by Toronto’s own Rhoma Spencer. Spencer, who is the 2022-23 Artist-in-Residence at the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies […]

Black Music Month artists and songs main feature on SiriusXM specialty channels

Black Music Month artists and songs main feature on SiriusXM specialty channels

SiriusXM Canada today announced the launch of its Black Music Month celebrations with limited-engagement channels, exclusive content and specialty programming spotlighting legendary artists and music. In honour of Black Music Month, SiriusXM will feature four limited-engagement channels including The 2PAC Channel, So So Def Radio, Billboard Top 500 R&B Countdown, and Hip Hop Top 500, […]

Keyanna Bell – the Face of the Festival

Keyanna Bell – the Face of the Festival

By Lincoln DePradine Keyanna Bell knows and understands the music and dancing and all the fun of the carnival, which originated in Trinidad and the Eastern Caribbean, and was exported to the City of Toronto as “Caribana’’ in 1967. However, she wants to highlight more than just the visuals of the celebrations, as the official […]

Tribal Carnival kiddies play mas

Tribal Carnival kiddies play mas

By Rebecca Kerr Pictures by Rebecca Kerr It was a busy weekend for mas in the city as Tribal Carnival kiddies launched their presentation “Once Upon Time”. Eight-time section leader, 8-year-old A’dria LaPierre presented her section Play Mas with A’dria’s for 2023, “Lil Red”. This year’s presentation, a take on the fairytale Little Red Riding […]

FMC looks forward to increased funding form the federal government

FMC looks forward to increased funding form the federal government

By Stephen Weir Organizers of this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival have their fingers and toes crossed and ears to the ground, hoping to hear the sound of approaching government funding. They have reason to be hopeful. Early this week, the Feds announced an emergency grant of money to the country’s Pride Festivals to cover rising […]