Few people can follow a path based  on their own belief and vision and come out on top. Most people are prepared  to pursue a model that has been tried and tested and are quite satisfied  to revise it and call it their own.

This certainly does not apply to Rapso music stars, Wendell, Stanton amd Roger.

In 2004, 3 Canal took a risk to launch the 3 Canal Show, during the Carnival Season, and they have not looked back since. They recently launched The Music Liberation Front. To quote Wendell Manwarren, “A vehicle and a platform for the promotion and proliferation of our indigenous musical expression.” This launch was symbolic as it was done during the Emancipation celebration in Trinidad and Tobago.

3 Canal’s cry for a stronger cultural identity for us as a region is exactly what Basia is all about. We have spent the past five years celebrating Caribbean celebrities and people. We continue to proudly promote the culture of our people and we join and salute 3 Canal for speaking out on behalf of the people in song.

I spent a lovely afternoon at my home, hanging out with the kings of Rapso music. Most people fall in love with these guys for their music and their keen sense of style. While I admit that my all time favourite songs by the band are “Good Morning Neighbour” and “Talk yuh Talk”, I fell in love with them for an entirely different reason. Perhaps the bond we have developed has more to do with the perspective we share on the potential of our people in the region, or maybe it is the simplicity they convey as they demonstrate excellence. Then there is the respect I have for the fact that they stuck to their passion for Rapso when it did not seem lucrative and took the road less traveled to attain the rightful success they now enjoy. They got past their fears and stuck to their identity and what they believed in and this has paid off.

Today 3 Canal is celebrated both home and abroad, as they continue to enjoy sell out crowds. They peaked my interest almost six (6) years ago and fully gained my respect when they appeared on my show, The Basia Show in 2009 and made the prolific statement, “Everybody is somebody”. I have true respect for those who never underestimate another.

They continue to contribute to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean with not only their music and productions, but with the legendary J’ouvert Band (a must have experience for Trinidad and Tobago carnival) and the award winning theatre productions. They recently cleaned up the prestigious Cacique Awards in their homeland, Trinidad by taking away a total of seven awards.

Complete interview published in the Summer/Fall 2010 issue