Rupee is one of the foremost artists in the intoxicating musical movement known as soca (soul + calypso) - the supercharged party music of the Caribbean. With his debut Atlantic album, "1 ON 1," slated for release in the fall of 2004, Rupee is now poised to capture the global mainstream audience. Rupee's soca sound is rhythmically complex yet instantly catchy, a non-stop blending of the flavorful, tuneful, and irresistibly danceable. With "1 ON 1," he becomes a major force in the eruption of innovative urban-influenced Caribbean artists who are changing the face of music worldwide.
Rupee's first success came as a teenager, when he won a popular Barbados talent competition. His performance stole the show and fueled his desire to be an artist. The public's response to Rupee was tremendous, and in 1997 he was invited to join the top Barbadian band, Coalishun. With no formal musical education, but an adventurous and well-tuned ear for hooks and vocal arrangements, Rupee became a natural innovator. As a result, he stoked the progress of soca music - especially in expanding its reach to the young - by fusing it with hip-hop and dancehall. "In Coalishun, my role was to chant [rap]," he explains. "When one of the vocalists was unavailable for a session, I ended up singing a calypso song, even though dancehall was really my thing".
Initially acclaimed in the competitive and fertile culture of the yearly Caribbean carnivals, Rupee has gone on to win over masses of jubilant fans through his high-energy performances at festivals and concerts throughout North America and Europe. Supported by his vibrant Caribbean-based band, he is a charismatic and inspiring live performer.
"I try to have as much fun as possible," says Rupee, "but I always also inject positivity. There are sensual moments, but it's never overdone. I try to be responsible and create a vibe that's about love and upliftment. While I tell the audience to jump and wave and get all crazy, we also have to give thanks, and acknowledge the Almighty."
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