Overview:
From Nemours Jean-Baptiste and Webert Sicot to T-Vice and Djakout Mizik, rivalries have formed konpa music’s historical past and fueled its greatest moments.
NEW YORK — Some konpa followers merely can’t resist the drama forward of any double-header bal that includes rival bands beefing. However only a few such polemics topped the excitement round Djakout Mizik and Nu Look when The Haitian Instances put the 2 rivals on the identical invoice for a pre-Kreyolfest pageant in June 2005.
The pairing ignited a feud between their fanatik, fan bases, instantaneously.
Djakout had simply dropped its album with the smash hit “Biznis Pam” — a high-energy observe with heavyset grooves that had folks perfecting their dance strikes days upfront. Nu Look hadn’t launched something new forward of the present.
Djakout followers had been gloating because the date approached. Nu Look diehards had been nervous.
“Djakout will make a killing with La Familia,” some declared, with excessive confidence, referring to the group’s album.
“No method,” Nu Look loyalists countered, sure that their favourite would carry the group with its sultry love songs.
For weeks, it was all anybody talked about—from radio present hosts to file shops, amongst followers arguing on Flatbush road corners and in barbershops properly past the Tri-state. On the eve of the bal at Amazura, the legendary night time membership in Queens, a rumor unfold that Nu Look wouldn’t present up on time as a result of they wished Djakout to play first. This could’ve damaged konpa custom, which dictates that the band with the brand new album—or the one flying in from Haiti—closes out the night time.
By the tip of the bal, everybody was sweaty, hoarse from singing alongside—and nonetheless arguing about who performed higher.
The rivalry wasn’t the primary time—nor the final—polemics set the konpa scene on hearth. They’ve been round for the reason that style’s beginning in 1955 when Nemours Jean-Baptiste and Webert Sicot break up, which then despatched followers into decades-long arguments over who invented konpa dirèk.
Over the many years, rivalries have saved the power alive and motivated the artists to push their music and performances. A few of the extra memorable embrace:
The latter proved to be one of the vital intense of the trendy period.
Approach earlier than then, although, as konpa dawned within the late Nineteen Sixties, the Nemours Jean-Baptiste and Webert Sicot break up sparked “Workforce Nemours” and “Workforce Sicot” camps. Songs like Orchestre Nemours Jean-Baptiste ‘Rythme Business’ had been interpreted as digs at Webert Sicot, who responded with the sharp hit of ‘Deux Guidons.’
Within the Seventies, Les Difficiles de Pétion-Ville and Les Gypsies had followers choosing sides in Port-au-Prince’s carnival, whereas Tabou Combo and Skah-Shah had been the discuss of Brooklyn. Who had the higher reside present? Was “New York Metropolis” from Tabou extra iconic than Skah-Shah’s “Caroline”?
By the Eighties, D.P. Specific and Scorpio Fever introduced their rivalry stateside, and within the 90s, the talk was whether or not Zin’s sensual vibes or Phantoms’ energetic and provocative hits owned New York followers.
Then got here the Nineties with T-Vice and Djakout Mizik throwing shade in lyrics and at press conferences. T-Vice’s “Males Elikoptè a” had followers declaring it a victory anthem, whereas Djakout countered with SouSou.
Within the combine, T-Vice’s feud with Candy Micky was a spicier and nastier battle. When T-Vice dropped “Gason Makomè” to take a jab at Candy Micky, the polemic grasp appropriated the slur, pushing it again to T-Vice within the carnival track “Ti Simone.”
And who can overlook Carimi versus Kreyol La? Carimi’s hits “Are You Prepared, Yeah Yeah?” and “Pa Manyen” saved followers debating for years about their high quality hits in comparison with Kreyol La’s “Viktwa.”
Immediately, Klass and Zenglen, Nu Look and Disip, Kay and Vibe hold the custom alive. With Arly Larivière’s emotional supply and Richard Cavé’s playful showmanship, each bal was a mini face-off.
These polemics aren’t nearly satisfaction. They convey greater crowds, extra file gross sales, and limitless debates. Followers argue over which band is tighter performing reside, which has the higher horns, who writes the perfect lyrics, and whose singer has the perfect voice.
As outdated (and even older) heads reminisce concerning the heated years of their technology, one factor stays sure: The music wouldn’t be half as enjoyable with out the rivalries.