TT fisherman turns big ragga soca star in France

A few years ago Stafford Samuel was just a simple fisherman and wood-carver from the Patience Hill area in Tobago chanting simple songs in the hope that some eager listener would one day make him a big star. Well, he’s proved that too much of “wishful thinking” can actually come true. Up until last month, Stafford, 27, was the most talked about Caribbean music artiste in France. In just three months, the ragga soca artiste debuted on seven music charts reaching No. 1 on the French Radio Charts (Muzikcast) and No. 2 on the French Club Chart (Musiclub) with his single “Sweet Soca Music”. As if that wasn’t enough, the single released by Sony Music France has reached certified gold record status having sold 250,000 units.

In the US that’s enough to reach platinum status, sitting right up there with the big names in pop, R&B and rap music. His manager, Frenchman Jean Michele Gibert, described his shot to fame, his immediate success as “remarkable”. But he’s no Stafford to the entertainment world. He’s goes by the sobriquet “Sugar Daddy” and if his name is meant to reel in the attention of the fairer sex, it’s working. Comments posted on the Top 40-World.com chart website were all complimentary and came mostly from women. “Sweet soca is da BomB! 2 Sex-C! C’est Fantastique!” wrote Sandra from France. Connie added: “It is neither English nor French it is a kind of Arabia! There’s more. Sisma, who posted her comment on September 4, wrote: “Hi! I’m Italian and I’d like to know where can I find the lyric of the song...! thanks soca music!” If I could only translate Tina Toon, Chloe and Flok Flok Lady’s comments, unfortunately they’re all written in French! Undoubtedly, Stafford has male fans. They, too, had only good things to add. Papichoulo said: “yo, this song is simply de la bombe b?b?.” Translation — this song is the bomb, baby! Pascal was brief and to the point. He said: “It’s (Sweet Soca Music) too cool.” Stafford always enjoyed dancehall and soca music and worked with a local producer in Tobago. In 1999, he first recorded “Sweet Soca Music” with Shell Shock and Mellomark at “The Yard”, with little success. Gibert said: “The song was sent to Paris, France and was reproduced there. The song used a sample, ‘the Verve sample’ from the Rolling Stones, which was cleared by the producer in Paris and from that the song was signed to Sony Music France and became a summer hit. A version was made that was formatted for the French market.”

Stafford is “taking it very cool” said Gibert. Stafford is currently in Paris, France working on his first album. The album title is not yet confirmed but the name “Indeed” is “tentative”. The 12-track album, with some tracks produced by Trinidadians Keith Israel, Martin “Mice” Raymond and Samuel Jack will feature known artistes like Trinidad-based Flo-PG of Martinique, Gail-Ann and Brother Resistance. He’s also working with other international artistes including Frenchman singer “Dedi.” “He is enjoying being in Paris and travelling all over Europe and is taking it very professionally,” Gibert told People. “He is taking things day by day.” “Sweet Soca Music” is available on the CD compilation The Best of Caribbean Party Rhythms now in stores locally. “Sweet Soca Music” spent 59 weeks on the Top 40-Charts.com and rose to No. 1 position over the popular Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” (Jamaica) and Black Eyed Peas “Where is the Love” (US). It also spent several weeks, simultaneously, on France Top 40, Europe Top 100, Switzerland Top 20, Italy Top 20, Top40-Charts.com Airplay World Top10 and Top40-Charts.com Web Top 100. “Sweet Soca Music” will be released in September in other European countries, Canada and Australia. “The song is starting to pick up in London and has climbed to No. 8 on the Breaker club chart,” Gibert said. “Sonymusic did a video which was aired on MTV Europe and will be broadcast in Trinidad very soon.”