MUDDA COUNT LOSS

Nermal “Massive” Gosein says political interference cost him the Chutney Soca Monarch (CSM) title.

Gosein, who returned to the CSM after a 17-year absence, placed third in the competition with his controversial offering, Rowlee Mudda Count, on Saturday night at Skinner Park, San Fernando. Duo Nishard Mayrhoo and Neval Chatelal took the title with Masala while 2017 champion Omardath Maraj placed second with Me and meh motorcar.

Speaking with reporters immediately after the results were announced, Gosein said in God’s eyes, he was the true champion.

“From the out-start, the promoter, George Singh had indicated that he is not going to allow me to participate in the CSM,” Gosein said. “The results are a true reflection of what was decided from day one where Massive Gosein is concerned.” He said Singh is related to a government minister which, he claims, sealed the fate of his song.

“Of course the PNM is in power and it was obvious from the outset that I was not going to be allowed to win fairly the CSM 2018. As you would have seen, the crowd was singing along. It was based on the impact of the crowd, I was the crowd favorite - Kenneth Supersad targeted me, several other artistes targeted me, they were of the view that I was going to win the competition.”

Gosein was last in the line-up of performances for the night. During his performance, he brought the ‘Lee’ family on stage, including ‘Row Lee’. Unlike other performers for the night who went over the eight-minutes allocated for performances, Gosine left 24 seconds on the clock.

He said his song was 100 percent original.

“In all fairness and in the eyes of God I would have won the competition, it is an original song 100 percent original lyrics, 100 percent original melody, 100 percent original music. How can you compare an original song against those who continue to thief melodies, lyrics and everything else from artistes from as far as India?”

He believes that during a ‘closed-door’ meeting between PNM party officials and Singh, a decision was taken to embarrass him.

“I was told of a closed-door meeting that was held between the promoter and some high ranking officials of the PNM. I don’t know what that meeting was about but what I was told from people inside the PNM is that Massive Gosine, they intend to embarrass you and the results tonight was to prove to the East Indian community of TT and by extension the world, that we intend to embarrass the man who is defending the East Indian community.”

“The results have shown it, the embarrassment is there, they intended to embarrass me by putting people whose songs do not belong to them and whose melody does not belong to them,” he added.

The last time Gosein took to the CSM stage was in 2001 with “Education is Key.”

He said the CSM has become a disgrace to the East Indian community and to the Chutney-Soca artform. Gosein vowed never to return to the competition.

“Never in my life I return to the CSM. I only returned to this competition because of the call of the people, they were asking me to return to CSM. I know what CSM is all about and it is a disgrace to the East Indian community, it is a disgrace to the fraternity.”