Friday, August 3 2012

THE EDITOR: The music video “Pound the Alarm” that was filmed here in Trinidad and Tobago started with one of the best views you can ever see of the capital Port-of-Spain. Faded quickly to our national instrument the steelpan that played sweet notes that allowed all generations to rightfully claim “that is we own”. Clips included those of the traditional coconut vendor around the Queen’s Park Savannah with the historical QRC clock in the background.

The mood quickly goes natural as it shifts to the Maracas Beach, a boat ride possibly down the Caroni Swamp, the ever picturesque Pigeon Point jetty, the Nylon Pool, the St James arch and then what seemed to be the massive red, white and black flag possibly that at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. What amazed me was the fact this was covered in the first 23 seconds of the video.

Let me put it in youtube timing... 0.23 out of four minutes and 14 seconds of the video. The video has received over 1.3 million plus views in just one day. Does that mean by month end we can have possibly ten million views? Anything is indeed possible.

The video went on to showcase the likes of superstars Machel Montano, Bunji and Fay ann, Moko Jumbies, Jab Jab, old time Indian mas along with many feathered and beaded masqueraders of the modern day.

Thousands of these sexily clad Trinbagonian women raced with their thousand dollar costumes from possibly this year’s carnival to get as close as possible to TT born Minaj in a video that is being viewed on all five continents and even outter space if you believe in extraterrestrial entities. This thing can actually be bigger than the Olympics coverage but then again that is another story that many of us roll our eyes about.

Now back to the gyrating bodies that are common with our Carnival but encompassing what the world knows all too well, that sex indeed sells a product. Minaj’s visit earlier in July to shoot this video “Pound the Alarm” was also showcased on the ever popular VH1 with many Minaj groupies swearing to surely visit Trinidad for Carnival 2013 to pound the pavement in alarming fashion. Jamaican reggae king Bob Marley once quoted “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” This could be true as many citizens take to the streets during Carnival Monday and Tuesday just to relieve themselves of all burdens experienced during those other days in a year.

Would Minaj’s video bring in one tourist more to our shores? Would the video showcase Trinidad and Tobago as a Caribbean paradise filled with beautiful women? Was it released at a time when patriotism seemed to be the highest among citizens with the Olympic team in London going for Gold? An affirmative yes to all of these questions. She has indeed showcased the country, whether it is positively or negatively, that will again be a personal opinion of many.



KIERRON YIP NGOW

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