Planet Thirty

Arthur Ward has always been curious. His childhood in the Caribbean saw him taking hikes with friends into caves and bushes for the sheer purpose of exploring. Much to the chagrin of his mother, Arthur’s curiosity led him to dismantle many of his toys and upon occasion, some household appliances. Arthur just wanted know how things worked.   In time Arthur discovered cameras. Instead of merely find...

The year is 2002. Kris Dawkins and I are de-stressing in our favorite place on Howard University’s campus. The Office of the Caribbean Students Association. Amid verbal reviews of the day’s dancehall artists’ latest offerings… Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Wayne Marshall, Wayne Wonder… Kris and I arrive at a discussion about our futures post University. We discuss business ideas and financial goals. Jo...

Davon Carty is a thinker. Davon Carty is a doer. He is sometimes controversial. However he is always willing to teach and assist anyone in need. These days, Davon has rekindled his passion for restoring vintage cars, trucks and SUVs. The brands range from Britain’s Land Rover and Italy’s Alfa Romeo to Sweden’s Saab. He says that the process brings him joy.  Just as these cars migrated and ended up...

Nisha Dupuis experienced a joyous childhood in a rural village on the Caribbean island of Dominica. The lush green forests of Dominica produce just about every tropical fruit and flower that one can think of. Perhaps what the village did not know, is that along with the trees and flowers, it was producing one of the Caribbean’s future media prodigies.  Later in her childhood, Nisha moved to Anguil...

The late 1970’s and early 80s saw job opportunities opening up for African Americans. The country was still soothing the fresh wounds of the civil rights era which was a mere 20 years prior. Henry J. Watkins grew up surrounded by the chaos of the times, but embraced the promise of a better America for young black boys. Growing up in Queens, New York, Henry clung to optimism and was audacious enoug...

The American South. The region that brought us the infectious rhythms of New Orleans bounce music, sweet tea, candy painted cars and perhaps less known but just as important… Samjah Iman.  Raised in the 80s and 90s on a fashion diet of neon colors, puffy sleeves and popped polo shirt collars, Samjah developed a love for all things stylish and fashionable. Clothing however was not the only thing th...

As a child you are innocent, curious and ready to discover the world. When I was 5 years old, I sat in my teacher Ms. Kinnear’s kindergarten class. It was the 80s. Reagan was president, Michael Jackson was everyone’s favorite artist and MTV and CNN were less than 10 years old. I befriended a girl named Donna. Donna her best friend and my friend would all play in our school’s yard every day. It was...

This is the true story of how reggae music brought forth this episode’s guest. A young brunette  from the American Midwest somehow found the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla and decided to vacation there. Her introduction to reggae music would lead her to a local deejay who she would eventually fall in love with. That LOVE, gave the world Vanessa Croft.  Vanessa was raised between the slow pace o...

Any child who is raised in, and allowed to explore the boroughs and streets of New York City, is bound to come away with a love and deep appreciation of the arts. The Garment District in midtown Manhattan, the storied theaters of Broadway and the sounds escaping the walls of Carnegie Hall found their way deep into the psyche of Trystin Kier Francis and led him into the world of art.  As a young ad...

Eljon Wardally is a perfect combination of her Grenadian father and Italian mother. According to her, her curried chicken is a tasty as her eggplant parmesan. She grew up in New York City, surrounded by an abundance of sights, sounds, scents but most importantly, the arts. Eljon therefore set her sights on becoming an actor. She would later realize that her passion lived behind the camera. After s...

Growing up around Anguilla’s charming food scene is what allowed Kerth Gumbs to develop his eclectic palette. A chance opportunity to join a food and nutrition class while in high school would further usher him into the world of the culinary arts. More than a decade on, and several adventures in kitchens throughout Europe and Asia, Kerth is now the Executive Chef at one of London’s top restaurants...

The 90s would see the rise of what would be coined “plus size” models. One of the models to push the boundaries and emerge at the head of the pack was Wendy Brooks. A Toronto based beauty of Jamaican heritage. Now retired, I sat with her on a bright Sunday morning overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea to discuss her rapid rise and years of success in the fashion industry. We discus...

In the late 1970’s a high school kid from New York was gifted a Bob Marley album by his friend. From the moment he dropped the needle on that record he fell in love with Reggae Music. That kid was David S. Kapp.  In 1992 Kapp was instrumental in the launch of CSN (The Caribbean Satelite Network), the world’s first 24-hour TV channel dedicated to Caribbean music. With no budget, a limited staff and...

Latest is the reigning King of Soca music on the island of Anguilla. He has a track record of six (6) Roadmarch titles and counting, multiple Band Clash titles, a power and a groovy Soca Monarch title and a slew of hit songs in the past 15 years. In this interview we explore Latest's love for literature and spirituality and what he REALLY hopes to accomplish in the music business. As the sun set o...

Soca Music’s premiere Marketing, PR and branding architect opens the door and reveals how she built her company and where she intends to take her artists and by extension the genre.