Machel’s happiest man alive started off with the quotes “happiness is the measure of success” and a very up tempo beat. This beat of the song had me going from introduction to end as I mentally dancing and physical shake my head to beat. The beat comprised of a very heavy base set, whistles, drums and a very strong rhythm or ion sections which my minds automatically connected to dance. A way in which persons here in the Caribbean express there likeliness of a song and enjoys one self. During the song there were moments of little to no vocals along with reduced based at a slower pace and a predominant period of the iron or rhythm section can be heard. Rhythm or iron sections in the Caribbean is a means of music passed on from our ancestors which comprised rhythm section which comprise of parts of old metallic objects that can produced a desirable song. Sometimes includes the triangle base, empty bottles and other scrap pieces of metals such as old tire parts, cow bells and graters. During this part of the song one felt completely free and compelled to dance!

The artist also sang his song in first person- narrative using “ah” which means “I” and other personal reference such as “me”  causing one to make a mental and personal connection truly believing “I’m the happiest man alive” or “I don’t got no time for no stressing” when one recites or sing along with the song. The writer also used relatable scenarios to its listeners such “always happy once money in meh hand” and other carnival scenarios that includes rum, mass and dancing causing the listener to connect more with the song. the song also mentally transports it’s listeners to carnival  where one can mentally “ play ah mass and live me life” and attend the festivities. 

Machele Manton’s song entitled “HMA” indeed had his listeners felling like they are the happiest men alive during its 3 minutes and 47 seconds of his song. His upbeat tempo and powerful rhythm section moved his listeners. The relatable lyrics and uses for” I “& “me” caused the listeners to make personal connections to the song. The song can also cause the one to fall out of reality and into carnival mode where one is compelled to dance. Overall this rendition places his listeners in a festive “Happy” mood.

Video credited: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTS_yBr5odE

Today crop over is slightly different as it is infused with different Barbadian cultures. Crop over begins in June and ends on the first Monday in August. It begins with a thanksgiving Service followed by the "Crop Over Opening Gala & the Ceremonial Delivery of the last Canes" parade through the streets of Barbados which signals the beginning of crop over celebrations. Other activities include the cohobblopot, Pic-O-De-Crop Monarch and the grand finale Kadooment.

Photo credited: http://guyanesegirlsrock.com/happy-holi-phagwah-guyana/

Many persons in the Caribbean today still classify light skin color with a high status, with beauty, with more opportunities and privileges and with power. When to some it is a known fact that it is not so. The root of this problem stems all the way back to colonial sugar Cain, slave and master days. Where the lighter skinned complexion men were the rulers, the power, more so the masters and us the persons with darker complexion are the slave, that mentality still sites with many today  hence one of the reason I think many today bleach, to mentally convince oneself that they are a master now. Also during colonial days many light skinned individuals were granted privileges and freed faster than the black enslaves. Another reason why many today would want to lighten their complexion, because mentally they do belief this still happens in society today. That lighter skin tone is the passport out of whatever situation they might be in or lighter skin tone equals easy life.

But why is skin bleaching more prominent in Jamaica than any other part of the Caribbean? Why is it only in Jamaica are popular figures are openly support and condone such practices and even brag about skin bleaching? Again, back to the planation. Jamaica had many large sugar plantations, some of the largest throughout the Caribbean. This resulted in a large amount of enslaves being present on the island hence  it would be hard to break a mental brain wash on persons as they are still surrounded by and still heavily influenced by the colonialism as many stories an ideologies are still prominent today in their community today consciously or unconsciously.  

It is indeed sad that Caribbean persons today still have such a mentality about ones skin complexion. But the physiological effects are already done. What might fix this psychological disaster in Jamaica? Education, may be, but no one really knows as our education system and history are already altered in favor of those who once held power. 

Many persons in the Caribbean today still classify light skin color with a high status, with beauty, with more opportunities and privileges and with power. When to some it is a known fact that it is not so. The root of this problem stems all the way back to colonial sugar Cain, slave and master days. Where the lighter skinned complexion men were the rulers, the power, more so the masters and us the persons with darker complexion are the slave, that mentality still sites with many today  hence one of the reason I think many today bleach, to mentally convince oneself that they are a master now. Also during colonial days many light skinned individuals were granted privileges and freed faster than the black enslaves. Another reason why many today would want to lighten their complexion, because mentally they do belief this still happens in society today. That lighter skin tone is the passport out of whatever situation they might be in or lighter skin tone equals easy life.

But why is skin bleaching more prominent in Jamaica than any other part of the Caribbean? Why is it only in Jamaica are popular figures are openly support and condone such practices and even brag about skin bleaching? Again, back to the plantation. Jamaica had many large sugar plantations, some of the largest throughout the Caribbean. This resulted in a large amount of enslaves being present on the island hence  it would be hard to break a mental brain wash on persons as they are still surrounded by and still heavily influenced by the colonialism as many stories an ideologies are still prominent today in their community today consciously or unconsciously.  

It is indeed sad that Caribbean persons today still have such a mentality about ones skin complexion. But the physiological effects are already done. What might fix this psychological disaster in Jamaica? Education, may be, but no one really knows as our education system and history are already altered in favor of those who once held power.