Articles
Exclusive cultural and political content highlighting issues affecting the Caribbean diaspora
Are we over Black Excellence?
Did you see Kendrick Lamar’s Blackity Black Super Bowl performance at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans last night? Many are still dissecting the message sent by having Samuel L. Jackson playing “Uncle Sam,” the reason the stage was arranged like a Playstation game controller, and why Serena Williams was cripwalking like a G, while others have missed the point entirely.
It’s fitting that this performance comes during a racially tense Black History Month - that will be celebrated regardless of the federal government’s stance on it.
Are we over being triggered?
Whew! It seems that many of us have been on edge for years. With pandemics, genocides, global politics, and economic uncertainties we cannot look at social media without being bombarded with triggering content. We have access to so much information about world events that we are able to see a conflict from varying perspectives, which is a good thing. However, doom scrolling through IG or TikTok cannot be good for our mental health. So how can we stay sane while staying informed?
Are we over the bacchanal?
The dynamic duo is back at it. DysChick and SocaSaySo are excited to announce the release of our first episode in Season 7 of the BK Rant & Rave podcast! Our theme this season is "are we over it?" In episode one, we want to know if you are over the uncertainty of Trinidad's International Soca Monarch, bacchanal in soca music industry, and Machel Montano being the one carrying the torch for soca.
Tipsy in Miami
If you’ve been following DysChick, you know that I have a fear of flying; however, I have a greater fear of missing out on an epic event. Tipsy in Miami announced that it would feature the King of Soca and the King of Afrobeats and the FOMO was just too real.
Machel Montano has been making the rounds this year promoting his brand, encouraging nations to “Save the Soil,” and making sure that you know he is still the King of Soca after 40 years in the business. Burna Boy is the most popular Afrobeats artiste right now with his hit single “Last Last” reaching over 6 million streams on Spotify.
With these two heavyweights on the bill, you know DysChick had to fly to fete! Yet despite having the top artistes, the event was not E-P-I-C.
Is Machel’s friend Sadhguru a godman or a conman?
We released our second episode of Season 6 of the Rant and Rave podcast. In this episode we talk about Machel Montano and Indian super yogi Sadhguru’s campaign to “Save the Soil.” The campaign has already resulted in six Caribbean nations (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, and Barbados) signing the Memorandum of Understanding and pledging to adopt long-term policy to safeguard soil and promote ecologically-friendly initiatives. We RANT about what this means for Caribbean tourism, the economy, and what we can do to reverse the climate crisis. But who is Sadhguru?
Maybe I’m Guynaian. Is that a thing?
In 2019, Ghana successfully encouraged Africans around the world to come to the country through a campaign entitled “Year of Return.” The premise was that 400 years after Africans were captured and displaced, we would return to the continent to celebrate culture and examine our history pre-slave trade. The campaign was a success and the camaraderie unforgettable. What I didn’t know when I arrived in Accra is that Ghana and Guyana have a political and cultural history that spans over 40 years.
I Am African
Since Oct 7th, protestors in Nigeria have been using the #ENDSARS hashtag to bring attention to the atrocities perpetrated by the country's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). On October 23rd, I went live on Instagram with Nigerian-American influencer Glitteratie to break down the history behind the tensions, the demands of the protestors, and why the #ENDSARS movement should be a wake up call for all Black people.
Happiness Is What We Believe In
SASOD Guyana and the Fight for Civil Rights
June is Pride Month! As the world takes to the streets to stand up for Black Lives, we cannot forget about the people within our communities who face additional struggles. I spoke with Joel Simpson, Founder and Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), about the progress his organization has made over the last 17 years in Guyana and how quarantine may be helping the gay and trans community.