Kojo helps Klassic Ruso kick off in style

Calypsonian Naheelah "Nefta" Kojo helped the Klassic Ruso calypso tent kick off in style with her crowd-pleasing performance of the song "Fix it: ah dream revolution".

Kojo and more than 20 other calypsonians performed on the opening night of Klassic Ruso on Thursday, marking the first calypso tent to open for the 2020 Carnival season. In a high-energy, commanding performance that had audiences shouting "encore", Kojo sang about the various issues in the country that needed fixing, including the school where a stray bullet flew through the window – a reference to an incident at South East Port of Spain Secondary.

"Fix it, we need to fix it," she sang as she bounced on the stage.

The song also encompassed vigilantism, unemployment, world affairs and the water supply.

"Some have it all the time, some not at all."

The crowd enjoyed her performance so much she was called back twice.

Opening the night was Dillano "D' Dream" Rapsey with his "new wave" composition "sans humanite" in a performance that featured slow motion dancing and singing interspersed with narration.

Also performing on the night was 2018 Young King, Mark Eastman, who lamented the "rich and switch mentality" in his cautionary composition, Money.

Michael "Mechanic" Brown got some laughs with his comedic song, Ah praying Too, in which he sang about Venezuelan women having TT women looking for their husband.

Kyle "KC" Cowie dazzled in his sparkly green jacket and with his sobering and melodic song, In 2020, where he contrasted advancements in science and technology with economic equality and racism.

"How could Donald Trump be leading a country?" he asked in song.

Things returned to the comedic with Stanley Adams' The Polygraph Test where he encouraged Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith to test not only the police service, but those who open businesses, get rich quickly, paying lawyers big money, those in Parliament and the preacher who has $30 million.

Kenneth "Kaiso Mac" Mc Cooney sang of the "Spanish invasion" with Si Señor and he outlined the various jobs where Venezuelans could be found in TT.

"If them borders not secure, you sure to si señor."

At certain points his voice fell and he appeared to be a bit strained.

Radio personality Garth St Clair returned things to a serious tone with The Apology as he apologised to African, African-American and Afro-Trinidadian leaders like artiste Ella Andall, and former minister Joan Yuille-Williams for all the black-on-black crime in this country. He also questioned whether the Emancipation Day "masquerade" had a purpose, and stressed that wearing African clothing did not equate to black consciousness.

The weakest of the early performances was Rannie "King Soul" Peters who sang Pollard for Captain as his tribute to cricketer Kieron Pollard. The performance lacked any rhyme or energy other than his catchphrase "boi boi".

Robert "Robbie G" Denne delved into controversial territory with The Prophecy where he criticised same-sex marriage and the LGBT community.

"Same sex at the altar. They don't fraid the father. Everything is equal rights. Babylon on fire."

He said sex toys, pornography on television and lesbianism were part of Sodom again.

Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation president Lutalo Masimba (Bro Resistance), in his opening address, said the power of Carnival is driven by the music, and calypso tents and steelbands are the signature of TT Carnival. He also noted Unesco has declared Port of Spain a creative city for music, and this can be used as a step to move forward.