Blaxx rocks Crown Point, dishes out advice too

Soca artiste Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart rocked the crowd at the Tobago Street Fair 2017 in Crown Point on Friday night, bringing old and young patrons to their feet with an eclectic blend of soca, parang and old-school soul music, and also took the opportunity to comment on various national issues.

He lectured Tobago youth on morality, referencing It Burning, It Burning by fellow artiste Bubbles, who recently delivered an unannounced performance at a Trinidad primary school. He said while there were songs that automatically hyped up the youth, they should listen to music with substance and carry themselves with dignity.

He also spoke about crime, telling patrons they should be concerned as he recalled the murder of Jamila Derevenaux in the carpark of Movie Towne, Port of Spain on February 5. Derevenax was his relative.

He urged Tobagonians to stay grounded to their values and morals and avoid the destructive nature of crime.

Blaxx also observed that there was a preference for the larger national acts such as himself, Iwer George and Machel Montano and that Tobago acts were not being given enough stage exposure.

Elaborating on his onstage comments and advice in an interview with Newsday Tobago after his performance, Blaxx said, in reference to music and its impact on youth, “The type of music that is playing on the radio is influencing our youth in the wrong way, so I try to keep a balance by doing music that is easier on the ear for the kids and for the old folk.

“Right now, it seems like every time a Caribbean man sings about a woman, is all about bend over, cock it up, push it back lie down on it, sit down on it. I see it as totally derogatory and disrespectful to Caribbean women. Also, I try to create a difference with my music, I now tend to put God in my music and so on.”

On crime, he noted,“We only tend to remember the issue of crime when it comes on your doorstep.” He said Derevenaux’s murder “triggered a personal campaign on protecting our women, our young ladies in Trinidad and Tobago.

“It didn’t trigger me to change my musi, because I have always been like this. I have always done positive music.”

Saying young Tobago artistes should get more exposure in local shows, he advised them: “Be academically prepared, don’t leave out the books for the music, because the music is always there. Finish educating yourself, because if you go into music without the basic knowledge, you may not last long. Once you have the basics, it will be easier for you to make your journey into music.”