For all of you left out of the dark the Soca Mafia is what determines what is going to be a hit in Trinidad and Tobago, the land of soca. For the past decade the Soca Mafia has been in existence due to Chinese Laundry and other affiliates.
Chinese Laundry partly owns or has some interest in Club Zen through longtime business partner Johnny Soong. The two combined promote some of the biggest events in Carnival. Chinese Laundry also partly owns, if not owns one of the most popular radio stations (96.1 WEFM) in Trinidad as well as one of the best production studios.The soca mafia emerged in 2002 and has gotten worse in the island. It has become very blatant. All you have to do is look at the past three Road March winners which have been landslides by over 300 plays.
Shurwayne Winchester who fell in good with the Mafia due to his manager being Laundry's uncle, Aldwyn Chow Lin On was awarded Road March honors two years in a row. Having his song "Cyah Wait" written by Kernal Roberts, which was produced by Laundry won him Soca Monarch 2006.
Soca Monarch is one of, if not the highest paid events. Shurwayne wins and has to give a cut to Kernal who has to give a cut to Laundry. Laundry wins big again with "Band of the Year" taking Road March in 2006 and "Jumbie" winning Road March in 2007.
Machel Montano and Chinese Laundry are businessmen who are using Kernal Roberts to make a quick dollar. Before Kernal entered the scene, Machel was not winning many titles. Machel being affiliated with Kernal and Laundry, already with his strong following will continue to dominate the soca arena in Trinidad.
Upcoming and regular artistes in Trinidad cannot compete with this force because the money is too much. DJs do not stray from what Chinese Laundry wants because he has hand in a lot and determines who will or will not get work. He maintained a strong grip over DJs by employing many of them at 96.1 WEFM.
Iwer George and Chinese Laundry were close until Iwer decided to open up a competing radio station. If you listen to 96.1, Iwer George songs will never be played. When both Iwer and Laundry were aligned, Iwer's brother, Naya George, won Road March, along with Naya's bandmate, Faye Anne Lyons in the following year. With no help from the soca mafia it's very hard to get recognition in events. Look at how low Shurwayne fell this year after his manager, Laundry's uncle died.
Bunji Garlin is in bad with the soca mafia which is why he has to work ten times harder. Since Laundry has interests in Club Zen, he will put Machel Montano to peform on a night competing with other acts or shows fully knowing Machel will pull the bigger crowd.
If you take a look at Carnival this year, there was a road hault in music. Jumbie would have been a hit, but not to the extent it was. If you play in Island People, the music you will hear is mostly Machel. Machel and Laundry both play in the band and have the DJs on lock.
Everybody is being brainwashed into thinking Machel had this phenomenal year, he had a good year but was pushed even harder by the mafia. It is basically clear as day if you think about it. For anybody who knows anything about Trinidad, money speaks volumes. Bribery is a very big aspect of getting things done in Trinidad. Once the money speaks you can get anything.
Don't be surprised to see this trend continuing for years. If we the people don't cut out the nonsense, it will be the demise of soca in Trinidad.
Speculation is rife in the Caribbean, that the soca mafia not only affects Trinidad and Tobago but also other countries.
We have heard counterparts in Barbados and Antigua talk similar talk, but they always end such statements with "but it not a bad as in Trinidad..."
In Trinidad and Tobago, the major players are Tony "Chinese Laundry" Chow Lin On (96.1, Zen, Chinese laundry Music label), Johnny Soong (Zen, 96.1, various fetes including UWI Splash, Bacchanal Wednesday, etc.), Roy Maharaj (Licensing, AC5, etc.), Cliff Harris (WASA, Fire, Brass etc.) and (perhaps the most major at the moment) Machel Montano.
