From Rupee with love

There was no sense of urgency, no sense of ‘I am a star’ that sometimes accompanies fame. It was hard to believe that this was Rupee, whose 2004 “Tempted to Touch” rocketed to the international charts giving even greater presence to the Caribbean’s music.

The 41-year-old artist, who looks not a day older than when he stepped out of the local Carnival scene nine years ago, hopes to replicate his success of “Tempted to Touch” with his new single, “Tipsy”. The artiste and his new single have been signed to Ultra Records.

After almost a decade away from the local music scene, Clarke has returned to local stages, receiving, “nothing but love” from audiences who remembers him for hits such as “What happens in de Party”, “Everybody” and “Slow Motion”, among others.

He has done collaborations with fellow Barbadians artistes such as Rihanna and Alison Hinds, and has worked with Shaggy, Sean Paul, Thara Prashad, Fay-Ann Lyons, T.G E.N.T, Lil’ Kim, Kevin Lyttle, Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel, Khatera, Shirin and Elish.

For the star, his main aim at the moment is charting, ensuring that the presence of soca is felt on the world’s charts and that it is one day recognised and awarded by the Grammys.

He told Sunday Newsday, “Words aren’t adequate or do justice to the emotion and the feeling that I get coming back into the Carnival scene fully after nine years. The overwhelming support, the love, the genuine appreciation, it is mind-blowing. It is almost like I never left.” The Trinbagonian love giving weight to the old adage absence makes the heart grow fonder.

He decided to take a break in 2006 because he felt a need to step back a little bit, reassess the market, do some travel and fulfil the then deal with Atlantic Records. While away from the local Carnival stages, Clarke spent years touring the globe going to spaces such as Dubai, Panama, Honduras, Romania, China.

The artist has assembled a new team, working with Top Tier management composed of Omar Stephenson and Hector Carter from the US. “These guys were instrumental in getting behind me, making sure I get music out early especially for Crop Over last year. That was always a big issue for me, travelling so much and not being able to put music out on time. We released “I’ll be Okay” and “Come to my blessings” early and it got tremendous love in Crop Over.

“We also put out a song right after Crop Over with Black Shadow called “Tipsy”. Having these people around me.

These are people who are honest and genuine. They are not yes men. They have really whipped me into shape,” he said.

He described returning to the TT stage as a homecoming.

As a proponent of fusion, Clarke welcomed to move toward experimentation of various sounds by local and regional artistes but also said he was also big on keeping the authenticity of the sound. He saw marrying the two as perfect. “I have always been a big fan of experimentation but I have also been a big fan of maintaining a cultural sound and genuine sound.

That is why you hear a sound like ‘I’ll Be Okay’ in 2017 - which is full percussion, guitar. I think there is a platform for everyone to showcase their different energies and fusions...” While soca has experienced a new wave of growing global popularity, Clarke said the music would not be fully recognised until it is seen and respected as a business.

“The billboard charts, the Grammys, the American Music Awards, one of the major factors of those things happening and you being nominated for them are record sales. This is, at the end of the day, what the industry runs on.” Clarke said he found in the last seven to ten years that artistes were not taking the business side of music, seriously.

Because of the advent of social media, artistes were giving away their music for free, Clarke said, “sending it out to as many people as possible in an effort to get the song popular and get forwards and perform live, which is good in a sense but you are not selling the product that you got into the market to sell.” Ten years ago, he added, it was difficult for an artiste to sell their music, but now artistes could put their songs on Itunes and get 70 cents return on a dollar, and this could be done without printing a CD. “Until we start to do that, you’re going to find that the rest of the world is not going to take us seriously,” he said.

This is one aspect of his global experiences he wants to share with artistes in the region. It is his wish to one day mentor and aid in the growth of the business of soca, although he was uncertain as to how that mentoring would take place.

Although Clarke faced some dishonest promoters and other forms of dishonesty out on the road, those negatives did not take away from him spreading the sound of soca.

His many travels, particularly to China, are influences he hopes to infuse into his music going forward. And while he, “certainly [does not] intend to be behind the microphone for the rest of my life,” it won’t be long before the stages of Carnival will again be blessed with the smooth voice of Mr Ice Cream.