“…Back To Life……”

THE Mighty Gabby (left) and Ras Iley who announced that he would be returning to the Pic-O-De-Crop calypso competition at a Press conference to launch the Big Show yesterday at Ocean Park. (Picture by Mandy Cleaver.)

Published on: 6/11/2009.

RAS ILEY, one of Barbados' more energetic calypsonians, is returning to the Pic-O-De-Crop competition after a long layoff.

He made the announcement yesterday at a Press Conference to launch the 2009 Big Show calypso tent which is scheduled to open June 20 at Ocean Park. He said the decision to return to the more traditional form of calypso was influenced by a need to rescue kaiso from sinking into oblivion and losing its prominence to the faster and more popular uptempo stylings.

Saying that the music form was "going through a stage where the frustration level is in red", he expressed concern that should the "big name" social commentators leave the arena then there was a danger of allowing mediocrity to dominate.

"The true authentic calypsonian is becoming like the dinosaur; so we have to find ways to promote ourselves. We can't wait for promoters to hire us. Everything on the radio station now is juck, stab, bumper and grind.