Musicians Think There’s #NoGreaterTime to Advocate for Change in Trinidad & Tobago · Global Voices
The group of creatives behind the musical initiative for change, #NoGreaterTime. Photo courtesy the group, used with permission.
Just about a year ago, soca singer <PERSON>, spoken word artist <PERSON>, designer <PERSON>, music producer <PERSON> and other Trinidad and Tobago-based creatives came together to create the project, No Greater Time.
The collaborative musical undertaking features over 35 artists, including calypso legends <PERSON>, <PERSON> and <PERSON>, contemporary soca stars like <PERSON>, and the new generation of soca and calypso artistes, such as <PERSON> and <PERSON>.
Heavily influenced by the 1986 calypso classic “Now Is De Time,” the Trinbagonian response to “We Are the World”, which raised money for Africa, the #NoGreaterTime music video has already been viewed over 19,000 times on Facebook alone, and close to 15,000 times on YouTube. The underlying message is to “unite people across the country rallying our citizens to collectively create a more peaceful, prosperous and unified Trinbagonian society”.
Some of the artists are now trying to make the project (which thus far, has included the song, a video and a website) more tangible by performing and sharing the message behind the “pore-raising anthem”. The concert is scheduled for November 26, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad's capital city.
To learn more about this inspiring project, Global Voices interviewed the music producer, <PERSON>, better known as <PERSON>, to talk about #NoGreaterTime's genesis and mission, as it picks up momentum with the upcoming concert.
Composer <PERSON> and producer <PERSON> recording the track to #NoGreaterTime. Photograph by <PERSON>, used with permission.
Global Voices (GV): What was the impetus behind the #NoGreaterTime initiative? <PERSON> said all the artists were “feeling like something had changed and something needed to be said” — what was the tipping point? And how do you go from saying something (which the song and video accomplish very well) to doing something?
Sheriff (S): I think I remember the defining moment being the murder of a female Republic Bank Employee. She was missing for a few days and when she was found, the entire country just felt heavy. <PERSON> and <PERSON> had started the conversation and <PERSON> had joined in. My inclusion was rather serendipitous. The conversations echoed between them and other creatives, people of that ilk, so it was only natural that we all used our gifts as the best medium to do something. 550
We all felt like we [had] had enough and it was time.
<PERSON>: Can you talk about the process of assembling this group of amazing artists to create the song and video?
S: The artists were meticulously chosen. It was difficult because with the wealth of talent we have here, it was hard to be able to include all the artists and musicians we wanted and not miss certain key people. We tried to cover all genres and all generations and get the people we believe who would echo the sentiment of the words we wrote. We still didn't get everyone we set out to get, but the energy of everyone involved seemed to align in the right way.
Soca singer <PERSON> (R) recording his parts of the song. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission.
GV: What were the actual recording sessions (for both the song and the video) like and how long did they take to complete?
<PERSON>: We were recording the demo for about three months, but the bulk of the song and video were recorded simultaneously over a two-day period at NAPA sometime in April 2017. The remainder of [the] artists recorded at studio express and at my studio for an additional couple of days. <PERSON> (the video's director, <PERSON>) and his team were present for all of it.
GV: What outcome do your hope the #NoGreaterTime campaign will achieve?
S: Personally, I never really thought of it. Just getting to the finish line was success in and of itself. I think I just hope it has a snowball effect and many more good things come out of this as a result.
Spoken word artist <PERSON>, of the group Freetown Collective, pores over the sheet music at the recording session. Photo by <PERSON>, used with permission. 550