Bro Valentino takes Christophe Grant to court

Attorneys representing Phillip have written to Grant, who is also the Acting Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General, accusing him of attempting to “stifle the airplay” of Bro Valentino’s 2017 composition “Change the Formula”.

Attorney Keith Scotland, who along with attorneys Asha Watkins-Montserin and Keisha Kydd-Hannibal, represent the calypsonian warned Grant that his statements, in an email to a local radio station in which he (Grant) sought to “clear the defamation of his good name”, purported to impugn Phillip and his music.

“As you are well aware, the song entitled ‘Change the Forumla’ is written and performed by our client and though your correspondence is not directed to him, it directly touches and concerns his freedom of expression, his reputation within the industry and his professional relationships,” the letter said. The letter also maintained that the composition “Change the Formula” was not defamatory to him (Grant). The letter also quoted two verses of the song, written and performed by Bro Valentino, and said it (the calypso) made no assertion of Grant having a stranglehold on the finals each year; that he (Grant) was in control of any network or cabal that reaps rich rewards; that he (Grant) was the head of any calypso mafia with an arrangement with the judges; that he (Grant) manipulate the results; or that he (Grant) was corrupt.The letter further informed Grant that Bro Valentino’s song could not bring him into public odium or contempt by the calypso loving public, at home and abroad. It also noted that the entirety of the composition was in keeping with the spirit and intent of the political and social commentary from which calypso was born.

“Though you have failed to identify specific words complained of, save and except for you exorcising singular words out of context, we are obliged to state that the composition as a whole in its plain and ordinary meaning as well as by way of inference and innuendo means no more than there is a focus in calypso of negative political commentary,” the letter said.

Scotland also noted that Bro Valentino’s composition did no more than recognise that Grant wrote a number of political commentaries which tended to make it into the finals of calypso competitions and that those were the songs that predominately won competitions and were the preference of the judges.

“We request that you cease and desist from further attempting to inhibiting the airing of our client’s composition. That is unjustified,” the lawyer’s letter said