Brother Resistance's De Power of Resistance Album is Rapso Music

Hailing from the republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Brother Resistance of the 'Rapso' movement released the De Power of Resistance album in 1996.

Trinidad andTobago (T &T) is known for its soca and calypso music, for originating the steel drum/pan and as the birthplace of successful artistes, such as Nicki Minaj and Heather Headley. Reggae artistes, Ziggy Rankin, Jah Bami and Isasha also come from Trinidad and Tobago, as does Brother Resistance and 'rapso' music.

What is Rapso

** Out of the heavy soca background of Trinidad and Tobago, a new musical movement was born in the 1970s, called 'rapso', which combined traditional musical rhythms with a more poetic and rap style of vocalization. One of the men who was part of the initial movement and still promotes rapso today is poet, Lutalo Masimba, more often called Brother Resistance. Rapso, according to Brother Resistance, is described as "the rap of soca...a synthesis of rhythms - voice rhythm with traditional drum and steel drum."

Poet and Artiste Brother Resistance

While Brother Resistance is one of the premier faces of rapso, he does not credit himself as the originator of this musical style. He refers to the oral tradition of his African ancestors because rapso tends to follow traditional chants and beats. He has toured in Europe and many other places promoting rapso. I met Brother Resistance in August 2008 at Carifesta X, where he gave an engaging performance. Presently, Resistance, a UWI graduate, is the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians' Organisation (TUCO) President. He was recently honored at the University of the West Indies 50th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, according to Guardian Media Limited.

Brother Resistance's Albums

According to Brother Resistance's discography, he has released several albums of rapso music including Roots of De Rapso Riddum in 1982, Rapso Explosion in 1984, Rapso Takeover in 1986 and Rapso Uprising in 1989. For Rapso Lovers de World Over (1990), Touch de Earth with Rapso (1991), F rom De Heart of De Rapso Nation (1992), From De Rapso Tradition (1993) and De Power of Resistance (1996) were released in the following decade. Since 2000, he has released both Let Us Rejoice and When De Riddum Explode in 2001.

De Power of Resistance

The 1996 release, De Power of Resistance, is appropriately titled because it is a powerful performance in the rapso style of music. De Power of Resistance credits the contributing artistes as 'de Network Rapso Riddum Band'. Resistance produced the album along with Kenny Phillips, Martin Raymond and Anase Hadeed. The album has fourteen tracks, including "Tonite Is De Nite," "Dancing Shoes," "Drum and De Bass" and the popular "Ring De Bell."

• "Life So Beautiful Remix": This track is reminiscent of the 1990s techno and rap syles. Resistance gives a rap style performance as he admonishes listeners to "Stay off the drugs and live." This song adopts the chant and response style, with the background singers chiming in response to his chants. He calls "Drugs" and the backup singers respond with an extended "No."
• "Big Dirty Lie Dancehall Mix": "Big Dirty Lie" is the opening chant of this song. Resistance sings about Christopher Columbus, on a rhythm similar to the reggae rhythm called the "Bam Bam Riddim." Songs on the Bam Bam Riddim include "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus and Pliers, "Dem A Bleach" by Nardo Ranks and "A Who She Mi Dun" by Cutty Ranks. Brother Resistance gives a historical chant about Columbus' claim regarding his fraudulent discoveries and the resultant upheaval and subsequent re-population of the Caribbean through the slave trade. Near the ending of the song, Resistance and the band sing the words "Murder He Wrote," a sample of the song mentioned earlier, "Murder She Wrote."
• "Is It Safe?": This is the shortest track on the album. It is a one minute long poem with a serious message. "Is it safe to be yourself in a society where priority is on pose and posture, where trying to be like somebody else is all that matter?" are the opening words. He continues, "where courage is referred by many as madness", in his challenge to the way society functions and the way the community fights against itself; asking "Is it safe?" until the end of the poem.
• "Power Mix": This song starts off like a traditional calypso song, reminiscent of the Mighty Sparrow, Arrow and other calypso and soca pioneers. The mix starts off with a chant, asking the listener to "shake something" because the rapso riddim will have them entranced to dance, and singing "jamming tonight, rapso jamming tomorrow night." It is the longest track, at over six minutes, and encourages the 'bobo shanti', the traditionalist, and all to dance.
• "Mother Earth": "Let the vibes be one with you, Mother Earth" are the words that begin this soulful chant. Not a typical calypso rhythm, this song expresses admiration for our beloved 'Mother Earth', which has been the place of existence for humankind. Resistance also refers to the way man has damaged and offended nature and asks to seek a solution to save her.
• "Ring De Bell": Brother Resistance asks the world to "ring de bell" for culture, justice, freedom and rapso in "Ring De Bell." You can hear an actual bell ringing between the drum beats and other instruments during the song. He sings, "I come to deliver this word/ let the voice of the down-pressed be heard over the world...I come with my bell just to second the motion, rock the rapso riddim."

Rapso has been around for over thirty years. The combination of traditional calypso rhythms with poetic flow is the result of the continuation of the Afro-Caribbean oral tradition. Brother Resistance is a Trinidadian cultural icon and his De Power of Resistance is an album that both poetry and calyso

lovers will enjoy.

Sources:

• "Masimba Cherishes Alumni Honour" published on April 17, 2011, Guardian Media Limited. Accessed September 22, 2011.
• Brother Resistance Official Webpage (http://www.brotherresistance.com), accessed September 22, 2011.