Blackman Family To Honour Ras Shorty I With Remembrance Event On October 18th
Ras Shorty I, the legendary Father of Soca, is more than just a name.
Twenty-five years after his passing, his family is ensuring his legacy continues to live on.
On October 18th, the family will host a special remembrance event at the Blackman Ranch in Piparo, aimed at preserving his rich contributions, celebrating the nation’s cultural identity, and inspiring a new generation of artists.
His daughter, iconic calypsonian Abbi Blackman, explained how the blend that became modern Soca first began.
« Soca’s first experiment first started in 1961 and into ’62, that he brought a song called ‘Indian Singers’, and then his experiments continued with ‘Indrani’ and then afterwards his first experiments of Soca became a genre, which was Chutney Soca. Then he wanted to tweak it some more and that is how we ended up with ‘Soakah’ and of course as the genre grew it became Soca. »
His granddaughter Nailah Blackman noted the significance: « The late great Shorty, Ras Shorty I, was born on the 6th of October. So that is a very special place that we would like to remember his life and his work and everything he stood for and meant with his music and his legacy and when I talk about legacy, I talk about Soca Music, I talk about the experiment that led to Chutney Soca, we talk about Jamoo, we talk about his contributions to Calypso. We talk about culture of Trinidad and Tobago. »
Another daughter, Nehilet Blackman, hopes the Blackman Ranch in Piparo will eventually become a museum dedicated to preserving and presenting Ras Shorty I’s legacy.
« The Blackman ranch is the last residence of the late great Ras Shorty I. It’s also the residence, the estate where we want to put a national museum because we always say that Bob Marley has a museum when we go to Jamaica. We want the Blackman ranch to have a national museum for the inventor of Soca music, so we’re inviting Trinidad and Tobago so when you contribute something we contributing to upkeep and for a future to have a museum in Trinidad and Tobago of the inventor of Soca and Jamoo. »
Set for October 18th, the family is urging all to come out in their red, white and black outfits in celebration of the musical icon.
