Top 5 Don’ts for First Dates (Guys)

Carnival done and we now have many singles fresh out the madness of the season. Who eh wine on they ex, who eh get drunk and cuss somebody mudda, and who eh sleep with a random stranger(like you never do it). We warned you, just saying.

Anyway, it’s time to get ah lil wife until Carnival 2018 and as our good deed for the year, we will help the fellas out by providing the best advice we can, with regards to first dates.

We spoke to 50 young ladies, both single and taken, then compiled a list of Top 5 Don’ts for your first date. Make sure your cardinal sin isn’t here.

 

1) Talk about your ex

Fellas, please. Despite the pains of your failed relationship, the tears and tabanca music; just don’t spend yuh whole night yapping about what you and yuh ex did and how much times you did it. The date is about the new lady in your life. Get a journal if you want to vent nah.

2) Deep Pocket daddy

We understand that women need to feel that you can handle fiscal matters, but please fellas, doh spend the entire night boasting about how much you make. It is not appealing (for most girls anyway) especially if what you think is “big money” is doubles money for her. So for the love of God, just cool it with the deep wallet talk, we not on wall street.

3) Bed room bully

Ok yes we get it; yuh tool big and yuh does last long, but this is not the time and place for selling dreams. If you feel the desire to talk about your sex skills feel free to contact Pornhub to book an audition. You have our full support (PS Porn is a great platform for fame and money ask………….)

4) Mr Bmobile

Just come off yuh phone. No need to tweet or post every detail about your date. The world won’t end if you don’t reply or update for a few hours. She came to get to know you, not to look at a man texting other people (potentially girls), it’s ah bad start. Airplane mode is life, use it.

5)Don’t talk about sports, if she not into sports

Leave it alone. Yes, we know Messi verses Ronaldo is a hot topic for you and your boys, but she is not yuh boy and she might not really care about it. Just imagine if she spend whole night talking about make up or dresses… you go run for yuh life so please try to be a lil considerate na fellas.

 

Thank us later fellas, and ladies your welcome. We out!

Top 5 Young Footballers

With the appointment of a new national football coach and imminent World Cup qualifiers ahead, it had us thinking about the future of football in Trinidad and Tobago. Having  already graced the largest sporting competition in back 2006, it can be safely assumed  that most Trinidadians would love to relive that feeling. Despite of our early exit, the atmosphere in the country was filled with pride and hope. It remains one of the most important sporting accomplishments of our nation.

Players like Dwight Yorke and Russel Latapy were the golden boys of yesteryear, so who could potentially carry the baton to guide us to the world’s largest sporting event again?

Continuing with our knack for being the self-professed rating experts, we decided to list our Top 5 footballers  of our generation.

5. Cordell Cato

The 25 year old Carenage native possesses bristling pace and excellent dribbling skills.He currently plys his trade in the United States with MLS club  San Jose Earthquakes.The former Jabloteh winger will hopefully have a role in helping guide us back to international glory.

 

4. Kevin Molino

Was once viewed as the “next Latapy”, he has not reached these expectations as yet mainly due multiple injuries, which may have hampered his progress. The 26 year old midfielder is still so gifted, that former Milan icon Kaka once recommended Molino to the Italian club. Molino currently plays for Minnesota United FC in the MLS and when in form, this Carenage native can be difficult for his opponents to manage. Despite running into some disciplinary problems last year, we all hope that only trouble he causes is for the oppositions defence. 

 

3. Sheldon Bateau

Tall, athletic and powerful are just some of the best adjectives we can use to describe  the 26 year old defender. He may even be one of our best defenders within the last decade. Bateau currently plays for Russian club Krylia Sovetov Samara. We will need Bateau to continue his form as he is charged with stopping attackers who seek to dim the dreams of a nation. 

 

2. Joevin Jones 

At 25 years old the dynamic left footed player can be used as a winger or defender, blessed with natural talent and pace Jones has been terrorizing players in USA since joining Chicago Fire in 2015. Making over 50 appearances of  Trinidad and Tobago, Jones can be considered as one of our best young talents. If Trinidad is to make it to a next World Cup, Joven Jones is sure to be a catalyst for qualification.

 

1. Levi Garcia

The 19 year old winger has been a star since his time in the SSFL (Secodary School Football League) with Shiva Boys. He then went on to star at the under 17 level with TnT and has not looked back since. He is currently playing in the Dutch first division with  AZ Alkmaar. The Santa Flora native is the cream of the crop and at 19 years old he has ample time to get better and maybe even surpass the achievements of Dwight Yorke. Ironically, it had even been reported that Manchester  United has been monitoring his performances. With a nation’s support behind him, there is no telling what Garcia can achieve and we can only hope that he plays an integral part in our aspirations for entrance into the World Cup.

Top 5 talking points of Carnival 2017

Carnival time is usually very eventful in Trinidad and Tobago, and not just due to the number of fetes. It is usually full of controversy, debates and  of course drama, and this year was no different. Predictably, we Trini’s had tons to say about every topic, and every single person; young or old, had their personal views on every matter. These debates got us thinking what were the biggest events and talking points of this Carnival?

We knew it would be a bit difficult to decide, but after our internal bickering we have picked our Top 5 (in no particular order) most memorable moments of Carnival 2017.

 

1) Questionable decisions made by Soca Monarch judges

Not to be politically correct, but what are these guys doing over at ISM?  It started from the Soca Monarch semi-finals where both Erphaan and Preedy had excellent performances, but still weren’t able to secure a spot in the finals, meaning they placed behind a couple of artistes who didn’t fare as well on the night. Mr. tEAm himself wasn’t shy about his disapproval with a lengthy Facebook post about the injustice. What followed on the night of the finals saw more issues arise as, Sekon Sta failed to land a spot in the top 4 despite churning out one of the best performances on the night. We can’t deny that both Voice and Orlando had outstanding performances but the consensus is that Sekon Sta should be in the top 4 at least. It seems that the ISM committee needs to go back to the drawing board and evaluate the methods used for selection and judging. Many have said that the points for selection needs to be more transparent and we fully agree.

 

2) Machel Monday

The Undisputed King of Soca really outdid himself this year, we can safely say that this year’s edition of Machel Monday was the best ever. Aside from perfect management and ambiance, he also managed to bring Bounty Killer and Beenie Man on stage together despite their past issues. And if that wasn’t enough, he also managed to pull Super Cat out of some Bobo Hill in Jamaica, much to the delight of the thousands of patrons. It leaves us wondering if Monk has set the bar too high for him to reach in the future, we will definitely be attending to find out.

 

3) Celebs touch down in the dance

Every year we are graced with a few A-list celebrities, which simply establishes the international appeal of our yearly celebration, and this year was no different. Rapper YG, Youtube sensation Shameless Maya , Drake’s EX girl friend Bernice Burgos and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt were all part of the festivities. Another excellent opportunity for us to be featured on the world stage with their posts on social media showcasing them enjoying themselves. Let’s hope they can attract more celebrities to visit our twin island in the future, one  can only wish!

 

4) We Jamming Still

It has been years since a song has held such a universal approval. This song enters the realm of songs such as Fantastic Friday and Palance which also dominated their respective seasons. To set it even further apart, it has done so in a year where there were a lot of good songs for the public to choose from. If the rhythm didn’t catch you, the lyrics surely did as MX Prime playfully inspires the spirit of Carnival while ironically commenting of the “doh care” mentality of the people. This Soca masterclass earned it’s just desserts by soundly defeating the Road March King Machel Montano by being played over 500 times, on their trail to holding the title of Road March 2017.

5) Far from finished

Could we be witnessing the rise of the new King of Soca? Voice is really setting himself apart from his peers as he continues to release timeless music. After surprising us last year with an outstanding performance, many doubted that he would be able to mimic his feat (not including us, who predicted he would win). He proved them all wrong by retaining the Soca Monarch crown and proving that last year’s victory was no fluke. He sang his smash hit  “Far from finished”, which has proven to be the theme of his career thus far. Boldly stating that if you thought that achieving victory last year was the end of his story then you would be sadly mistaken. His victory was not debatable as he delivered a faultless performance and nonchalantly blew pass his  rivals. Expect him to keep producing great music for years to come. Voice is truly far from finished.

 

Top 5 Things NOT to do for Carnival

Carnival time is a time of revelry, freedom and gay abandon. A time when all of your stress and decorum is tossed out the window, and any kind of behaviour is accepted.

For the most part, our poor decisions are credited to just being a ‘Rum decision’, but the question remains, is there a point of no return? A point where relationships are doomed? A point where you say “enough is enough”? A point where you just look like a ripe idiot?

Our answer is YES!!!

So we have compiled a list of don’ts for the road, so that you can maintain some semblance of a reputation come Ash Wednesday. We strongly advise that you avoid these errors at all cost, because these are just unacceptable no matter how much White Oak you had.

 

#1 Don’t vomit in people car

We know the urge to puke is hard to stop, but vomiting in your friend’s boyfriend’s new Ford Ranger is a major scene. We can safely say he won’t be pleased about it, and this could result in him never dropping you anywhere ever again in life. If you must, at least send some money for him to get a proper cleaning.

 

#2 Don’t go home with your (EX)

Thiefing a wine… no scene

Take a kiss… whatever

But if he or she invites you back to their place, take a minute to evaluate the situation. Think about why allyuh done in the first place. Consider how peaceful and drama free yuh life is now and then politely decline the tempting invite. Jesus helps those who help themselves.

#3 Fellas – Doh wine on no ‘Bad Man’ girl

Yes she maybe sweet, and the wine would be one of the most hypnotizing and seductive movements you ever seen, but you can be sure that the end result won’t be as enjoyable. So if you know she belong to “So and So” from BADMAN-area, just leave the wine alone. It eh worth it at all.

#4 Fellas again – Don’t accidentally wine on a man

From first glance, analyse the clothing and frame. Upon closer inspection check to see if there is anything resembling an Adams’s apple or if the voice a lil deep. We live in the social media era, you eh want to be that fella on IG and Facebook bruckin out on a dude. It’s a mistake that everyone will make sure you never forget.

# 5 Don’t Fight the Security

If there is band security denying you access to Tribe, doh beat up, or you could get beat up. Them security guard is sad men and would love nothing more than to beat the life out of you to the rhythm of Machel Montano. So if you eh have the band on your hand, don’t enter, POS general does be busy Monday and Tuesday so it go be a while before a doctor or nurse sees you.

 

#6   Ladies – Don’t give a local celebrity no loving

Yes, pumping with a local IG star is cool but let it be known that if you are not a celebrity also, he won’t remember you the day after. Then the nice decent fella who really likes you won’t be able to handle the pressure of knowing some wet man deal with you, so… don’t go chasing waterfalls this carnival you go end up with no man at all.

With that being said, we wish everyone epic Carnival 2017. Remember to jam responsibly, we don’t want to see you on social media for the wrong reasons.

Rate iTT out!

Top 5 contenders for Soca Monarch 2017

Since it’s inception in 1993, The International Soca Monarch has been a hallmark event of the Trinidad and Tobago carnival calendar. The twin island sits at a standstill while spectators either physically present at the competition or cooped up behind a TV set, pay the utmost attention to very detail about the spectacle. The competition’s winner earns one of the most prolific awards for the Carnival season and earns the right to defend his crown in next year’s competition.In the build up to the competition, every living creature becomes a Soca expert; sharing their views and opinions as to who should walk away as the winner on the night.

In typical Trinidadian style we ourselves believe we have the knowledge and authority to list the artiste we believe are mostly likely to have a say in this year’s event.

5. Iwer George

Love him or hate him the “king of water” is an icon in the Soca industry and his latest tune Take a bathe has a real chance of taking home the title, the Diesel Boss has not won a title in 14 years and would be pulling out all his tricks to taste victory again.

4. Shal Marshall

The ever talented Shal Marshall made the crossover from radio personality to Soca star over 10 years ago and proved that he was not just another DJ by placing 3rd in 2010’s competition. This year he returns with Famous and looks to do better than his 2010 efforts.

3. Orlando Octave

Mr. “Single” is making the best of his comeback, and what a come back it is. He has to be a forced to be reckoned with, with his smash hit “Single” becoming an anthem for those scorned by infidelity. A good performance can secure his spot in the top 3 for the very least.

2. Sekon Sta

Another budding Soca superstar on this list and rightfully so. Consistent, talented and capable, 2015’s Breakout artist returns with a blissful song, full of rhythm  and energy. “Kings and Queens” could be the song that catapults Sekon Sta onto the crown.

1. Voice

We could not leave the reigning Monarch out of contention. After delivering a strong performance in last year’s competition, he left his competitors in his wake and stapled himself as a force not to be taken lightly. This season, he comes back even stronger with one of the most popular songs. The eloquently named “Far from Finished”, establishes that he has no hopes of handing over his crown. You can be certain that he will continue his ascent up the Soca hierarchy, and winning back to back Monarchs would add another chapter to his success story.

We can’t possibly leave out the Honorable Mentions, guys like Marvey with Know the face and GBM Neutron’s Calypso, simply cannot be ignored.

Footwear for the Road

Fashion and comfort has always been two topics that go together like Doubles and pepper, White Oak and Coke, Roti and a red Solo, no doubt they are very much synonymous.The vivid nature of carnival has now emerged as a time to be fashionable and stylish, but does the aim to be in style hamper our general comfort during such a physically demanding  festivity?Thanks to consultation with TT Style Guy CEO Jonathan Edwards we were able to list our suggestions as to the best and worst choices as to footwear for the road.

 

 

Boots

For some reason, women seem to love wearing the most uncomfortable footwear when there are other viable options available. Play mas in these and you’ll undoubtedly be ready for the grams but forget walking on Ash Wednesday

Style points: 8

Comfort: 2.5

Durability:5

 

Tribe 7s

Last year mas bands released their own branded sneakers for their masqueraders to parade in dubbed Tribe 7s. Even though many cringed at the design, the shoes were actually not that bad to play in. These are the most average shoes to play mas in.

Style: 5

Comfort: 5

Durability: 5

 

Your Gym Shoes

Those sneakers you bought 2 months ago to fulfill your New Years resolution of getting your gym on aren’t going to get any usage after February so why not

Style: 5

Comfort:6

Durability:5

 

Nike Huarache

Undoubtedly Carnival 2017 will be overpopulated with these. With an insane amount of colorways, the Huarache will match any costume combination  for sure.

Style: 10

Comfort: 7

Durability: 6

 

Adidas Ultra Boost 

Dubbed the most comfortable shoes in the world, the Ultra Boost is the holy grail of mas shoes.

Style: 10

Comfort: 25

Durability:7

Top 5 Machel Montano Songs

Some things are just synonymous with others, when we think of Brazil we think of Samba and Football, when we think of Jamaica we think of Dancehall and  beaches, and when we think of Trinidad and Tobago…. Hopefully Soca was on top of your list, but it’s funny how we build associations with things because of their uniqueness and proven success. So when discussing Soca, one of the most popular associations is Machel Montano.

The 42 year old Soca-star/ businessman/ actor is the most recognizable ambassador of the genre both locally and internationally. To put it simply he is an icon in the craft and his achievements to date only verify verify this title. With 19 Solo albums down, we decided to take on the arduous task of finding the Top 5 Machel Montano songs. After weeks of research and gathering public opinion, we present to you; Machel Montano’s Top  5 Songs.

5. Big Truck

This song defined the evolution of the genre with Machel Montano leading the line. The play on words mixed with musical artistry was a winning combination that has stood the test of time.

4. Too Young to Soca

Everything  has a beginning, and for Machel it was 1986 that he started his winning ways. For the year and his age, he had already established himself as a force to be reckoned with, and he has only grown from strength to strength since then. Even though it was released in 1986, it is still a fan favorite for fans young and old.

3. Like a Boss

In 2015 Double M dropped another classic “like a boss.” When many considered him out of the road march race, the song caught up late to win it in the end. The piercing brass and powerful baseline of this song is infectious, and aids the empowering message to feters everwhere.

2. Fog

This powder anthem only just lost out on a road march title in 2013, due the resurgence of Soca Icon Super Blue when he sang Fantastic Friday. The song was still highly regarded but just fell victim to what we can only call “The year of Blue.”

 

1. It’s Carnival

This 2003 hit featured Destra Garica in the duos first collaboration. The iconic song acted as an anthem for the festivities and had the vibes to back it up. The song still has the same impact on crowds some 14 years later, so it’s fair to say that it’s a classic.

 

 

 

Top 5 DJ’s on Trinidad Radio

In Trinidad & Tobago, partying and revelry is synonymous with our culture, so it seems only natural that the persons responsible for bringing the vibes to an event are held in the highest regard. These masters of music are all appreciated, but a select few stand out from the rest.

The term Disc Jockey originated in 1930’s thanks to US radio presenter, Walter Winchell. Some 80 years later, the profession may be one of the most intriguing worldwide, giving persons a chance to bring delight to thousands of party goers via their song selection and the accurate timing of song introduction. The salary isn’t too shabby either, with some DJ’s surpassing the average monthly paycheck with the work they do on the weekends alone.

It sounds like the perfect job right? Don’t go buying your Serato just yet, it takes time to perfect the craft as any one of the following DJ’s would tell you. As a result of interviews with DJ’s, party promoters and music lovers, we present to you Trinidad and Tobago’s Top 5 DJ’s.

 

5) Ultra Simmo

Red’s ultra-talented DJ does it all with no head phones… don’t ask me or anyone how, it’s quite amazing, it’s only a matter of time that he’s at the apex of this list.

 

4) DJ Isso

A very crafty and talented  guy, his mixing skills are quite amazing. While he may not be as popular as the other DJ’s on this list, he is on par with their talent.

3)Ding Dong !

His name alone shows creativity and his DJ skills are maybe better. The 96.1 DJ is near the cream of the crop on the local DJ and music scene.

2)Lord Hype

A veteran in the music industry, but he’s still young so you do the math. The Hyper Drive panelist should also consider comedy as he’s quite witty with his words, “It’s Kendel Motor Oil!”

1) DJ Private Ryan

We just need to use his Tag Line “Attention!!!!!” DJ Private Ryan makes the top of our list and it can’t be debated by anyone as to why, Ryan’s marketing and shear attention to detail puts him above the rest, he’s an example for all budding DJ’s to follow.

 

Please don’t beat up if your DJ or DJ man not on the list. Lol!

Rate iTT out for now!

Top 5 Power Soca songs of all time

It’s no secret that the genre of Power Soca is a dying art-form; with the majority of artists opting for producing more slower-paced and melodic songs. The debate remains on whether efforts should be made to resurrect the sub-genre, or just go with the flow as some may see it as a natural evolution of Soca music.

Soca evolved as a more up-tempo version of Calypso in the 70’s and since then a host of sub-genres emerged. These include the ever-popular Power Soca and Groovy Soca. Power had long dominated as the most popular of the sub-genres with its fast-paced style being the preferred music of feters, but in recent years the quality and quantity of Power songs have decreased leaving room for Groovy to take the crown.

In the pursuit of clarity, and hopes to resurrect the genre, the Rate iTT team took on one of our toughest tasks yet by attempting out to find out the Top 5 Power songs of all time. Thanks to the Soca fans we interviewed, DJ’s, artisites and radio announcers; we were able to come up with this list.

5) Band of de Year – Patrice Roberts ft. Machel Montano

Band of de Year was the 2006 Road March winner and featured on the Xtatik album B.O.D.Y (Band of de Year). The song inspired mas players to excitement with the premise of winning the prestigious title of “Band of the Year”. It also signified the start of a partnership between the duo that would produce many more hits.

4) Palance – JW & Blaze

In 2010 radio announcers JW and Blaze shocked the industry with their debut song “Palance”, where the title of the song was a phrase they popularized. Winning both Soca Monarch and Road March titles, it left Soca lovers’ mouth’s watering for more, but unfortunately they haven’t been able to replicate their 2010 successes as yet.

 

3) Footsteps – Wayne Rodriguez (Xtatic)

1998’s Road March King wasn’t an easy win, but he managed to edge out band mate Machel Monatano’s entry (Charge, Toro Toro). The powerful song left venues feeling like an earthquake as hundreds of people stamped their feet “on d’ ground, bambaday, on d’ ground”.

 

2) Signal to Lara – Super Blue

This song wasn’t only a tribute to cricket legend Brian Lara, but it also was a signal to “start de Carnival”. In the second year of the Soca Monarch, Super Blue was beginning to stamp his dominance on the competition. He went on to hold the record for having most Soca Monarch titles with 7 wins, which still stands to date.

 

1) Big Truck – Machel Montano

Despite being Trinidad and Tobago’s undisputed King of Soca, and having a catalouge spanning over 30 years, it was Machel Montano’s first Road March title that tops the list as best Power Soca song of all time. The song didn’t only revolutionize the genre, but also made us realize that Machel was to be taken seriously as an artiste. To this date the song is a fan favourite with patrons looking for a “Big Truck” to ride, whenever the song comes on.

 

Top 5 Resolutions that Trini’s always break

The tradition of keeping a new years resolution is as old as the road, if we had to find a colloquial way to describe the tradition. It’s origins stem as far back as ancient Babylon as it was common practice to declare their intent to the God Janus at the beginning of each year.In fact in all ancient eras, a form of declaration of change is made for all aspects of life. From the affluent to the poor, the effort to turn over a new leaf is addressed.

Unfortunately for most of us only a meagre 8-10 % of people stick to their goals out of the 40% of the population who intended to make commitment in the first place. While discussing what our goals are for 2017, we at Rate iTT realized that we never really commit to them. As a result, we have complied a list of New Year’s Resolutions that Trini’s Never stick to.

5) Start Exercising

Why not? New year, new me right? So I guess it seems logical for someone to go from never-stepped-into-a-gym to a year long commitment made overnight.

Average breaking point: 6 weeks

People will stick it out to improve their Carnival body, but no promises after that.

4) Stop horning

No matter how hard some people try, the temptation of finding new and exciting ways to ruin their relationship is too tempting to resist. Horn doesn’t only mean sexual intercourse, so don’t think you are in the clear as yet. but once your sneaking around it’s a horn, but we applaud the attempt.

Average breaking point: 4 weeks.

This may be because it’s too costly to horn in January

3) Eat healthy

IMPOSSIBLE! We have the best KFC worldwide. We also have the most Gyro carts and Chinese food in the western hemisphere. That is not even mentioning roti, doubles and BBQ. Let’s be realistic this is mission impossible.

Average breaking point: 1 week.

When we are tired of eating all the home cooked meals, we like to give ourselves a treat.

2) Save more

The question is, how to save from barely nothing? Rent, loans, food, life, parties, and that random item you buy from Amazon that you never use. We are Trini’s, it’s virtually impossible to save money as a young Trinbagonian.

Average time to stop: 1 day

Credited to spending all your money during Christmas, and using your little savings to survive during January

1) Stop Cussing

This once is truly ambitious, especially with the quantity of out-ah-timing people in Trinidad. Let’s just say, once you bounce up a maxi man on the main road or some “wetman” trying to be the next Vin Diesel, it’s Game Over!

Average breaking point: 35 seconds.

Right after your neighbour drops a scratch bomb in your yard during New Year celebrations

From us at Rate iTT, we wish you a Happy New Year and hope that you are more successful with your resolutions than most Trini’s are.