Farmer Nappy takes a stand for culture

THE day before Farmer Nappy won The Monarch soca crown, he was giving an exhilarating performance at MovieTowne, Invaders Bay, Port of Spain.

He continued his winning streak when on Wednesday, it was announced he topped the bmobile TUCO online Road March competition.

On stage, Farmer aka Darryl Henry, joined fellow artiste Marvin "Swappi" Davis as the headline acts for Soca Shockwave as part of five days of "Carnival City" events at MovieTowne, which included pan, chutney, calypso and a Carnival market.

The event, held in one of the cinema auditoriums, was scheduled to begin at 7.30 pm, but at that time the crew was still doing sound checks.

Despite the non-traditional performance space, the audio was pretty good, though the set-up of a DJ versus a live band took away from some of the grandeur of the performances. The screen showed a Carnival ad from the Culture Ministry on repeat, which was somewhat distracting.

Only about 20 people were in the audience when the doors opened, but a steady flow continued throughout the night and grew to 60. At 7.40 pm the MC began and reiterated the covid19 protocols.

Farmer was the second act of the night and had the better performance, with his wider repertoire and more audience interaction. When the crowd shouted for him he responded by bounding on to the stage with a burst of energy. He started strong with his latest hit Backyard Jam, and this had the audience dancing in the rows and waving.

"You could dance. It have no police in here," he told the patrons.

He then had them singing along to his megahit Hookin Meh, including a group of very enthusiastic ladies near the front. Farmer pointed out a pregnant woman in the crowd and said he liked to see pregnant women dancing to his music.

"You going and make a boy," he told her.

Farmer said he was so happy to be with people, as he had spent the whole season singing in front of cameras. He then encouraged everyone to vote for him for Road March and Soca Monarch, the latter of which he won after a pre-recorded final that aired on TV6 on February 12 night.

Farmer said people have asked him why he was returning to competition.

"I have to side with the people who take a stand for culture. It is not about the money. I okay. The money could hold still."

He also said he wanted to win because he wanted children to write about him in their schoolbooks and to be in the "hall of fame."

Farmer said he always brings a friend whenever he performs and introduced Joel "Zan" Feveck, who performed his collab with Patrice Roberts, Out On De Road. After his performance, Zan praised Farmer as his "big brother" and Farmer noted that Zan wrote his song I Feel Sanctified for him.

Zan then took his exit and Farmer took things back to "where he came from" and, from 1997, Machel Montano and Xtatik's hit Music Farm. During this performance, he demonstrated to the ladies how to wine and go low. He then jumped 11 years with his solo hit Chippin’ (With Meh Own Woman), and then performed his 2011 release Flirt.

Farmer then instructed the ladies that if their man was telling them not to dance for him, they should tell their man to go home or, better yet, they should "social distance."

He recalled he had a time on the road for Carnival last year and his favourite song was Patrice Roberts' Carry On, which he danced to.

"I don't know about the Government but the rural areas partying on the road."

After performing Pavement and Stranger he became serious and started speaking about violence against women.

"A man hit a woman: you is a coward. You lay a hand you hitting your mother."

Farmer explained he is the "landlord" of all entertainers.

"Any man who hit a woman in TT, all the men teaming up and beating you for the police. All the women being abused, speak up and don't hold back."

He later spoke about a "little girl" being murdered, likely a reference to Andrea Bharatt, and called for hanging to be brought back.

"They is not human beings."

He said he prayed for the family and prayed for love.

"She in a better world."

Farmer also said the man who walked away from trouble was the bigger man.

After performing Technically, his collab with Destra, he spoke about the impact of the pandemic on entertainers.

"We eh live since March. Allyuh eh know how we living."

Farmer then spoke about being alcohol-free for 19 years and his love for ice cream, nuts and "herbs."

"The Government say if four (marijuana) plants per person. My home, 32 people living. We could have an acre."

He also thrilled audiences with songs like In Trouble, My House and Big People Party, the last song turning the cinema space into a virtual party. He left the stage after performing Backyard Jam again but the crowd called him back for more.

"I feeling like Tambu and SuperBlue. I only closing shows," he commented.

He then led the audience in singing Backyard Jam, Hookin Meh and even Nadia Batson's So Long, followed by Tambu's We Eh Going Home, and danced with a female audience member to Hookin Meh before exiting.

Swappi, in his earlier performance, came on with his usual exuberance, beginning his set with his recent hit God Is Ah Trini. The patrons were unmoved, however, and just sat and watched.

When he broke into Feeling It he got a couple of women to start dancing. He then announced he needed a smooth surface before climbing atop the large speakers to dance and perform his older hits like Dis Gyal and Bubble On A DJ. After those tunes, a few patrons began screaming for his song Bucket, but still went wild and began wining in their seats when he broke into Erphaan Alves' Overdue and his own Marlicqua on the Whistle Riddim.

Swappi then took a break to thank the crowd for the support over the years and in a pandemic.

"It is really sad that entertainment has reached to this. Last year all of you in some big jam, next to somebody, on somebody. Ladies wining on somebody man."

He joked that he was fulfilling a dream as he always wanted to "be in the movies."

"I not on the big screen but I in front a big screen."

He said artistes will continue to do their duty to the public and will support other artistes and producers.

He then gave the people what they wanted –Bucket – and that had the patrons out of their seats and jumping and waving. One woman ran across the row recording with her phone. Swappi also climbed on top one of the seats to lead the patrons in singing the lines of Bucket.

He then reminded them that they could not get too wild before ending the set as he began, with God Is Ah Trini. The MC brought him back on stage and he continued with God is Ah Trini, mixed with some call and response. The patrons thanked him with their screams as he left the stage for the final time.