Music is more globalized than ever, which means cultural preservation is also more pertinent now than at any point in human history. With Spicemas — also known as Grenada Carnival — the Spice Isle has cultivated and cared for what is arguably the purest and most authentic carnival in the Caribbean and its global diasporic hubs. Founded to honor and celebrate the independence of Grenada and its sister islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique (Feb.
7, 1974), Spicemas has taken place annually every August since 1981. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the festivities, and in the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s devastation, the healing, communal, and emancipatory powers of music were working at full capacity. From the metallic ping of steelpan to the high-octane drums of power soca, music was more than just a mere soundtrack to the road — it was the ultimate manifestation of the joy, grit, and autonomy of the Grenadian people.
Rarely was a non-Grenadian artist played, and when the music stopped — if it ever did — a series of harmonious chants quickly filled the air. For a people that have survived several phases of colonialization and the continued voyeuristic consumption of their culture, music reigned as one of their primary forms of not just resistance, but a deep reverence for the ability to continue successfully resisting. Before the first blow of the conch shell summoned the revelers to the road, the bombastic live music showcases and competitions of Soca Monarch and Panorama proudly displayed the cross-generational appeal of Grenada’s soca and calypso scenes as they helped prepare the island for J’Ouvert morning.
Perhaps the most striking element of the music of Spicemas 2024 was how fiercely Grenadians uplifted their own artists and music while still inviting foreigners and visitors to participate. A DJ might shout out a Vincentian or Ghanaian flag, but he would never transition from Boyzie or Jab King to Burna Boy or Drake. Down to the curation of each DJ set, preservation and resistance reigned supreme.
Yes, Spicemas, alongside other Caribbean carnivals, has seen its global profile rise year after year, but that doesn’t mean Grenadians are looking the other way and allowing their culture to become diluted, commodified and commercialized for those with no intrinsic connection to it. Billboard’s attendance at Spicemas 2024 was sponsored by Industry 360, Mel &N Media and the Grenada Tourism Authority. To illustrate the different ways music functioned throughout Grenada’s carnival weekend, here are five of the most memorable music moments from Spicemas 2024.
Bacchanal Friday was all about soca. For over six hours from the late evening to the wee hours of the following morning, over 20 acts performed bombastic sets in hopes of winning one or both of the night’s crowns. 12 acts — Dash, Muddy, Shamak, Super Flying Flint, Cryave, Lil Kerry, Boyzie, Shequan, Walkie Dan, Hitz, Happy Boy and Yung Madd — competed for the title of Power Soca Monarch, which is bestowed upon the winning performer with a song above 135 BPM.
Dash ultimately took home the grand prize with a rousing performance of “The Tape” that nearly shifted Kirani James Athletic Stadium off of its foundation. From grandiose bursts of fire to impassioned left-to-right marches, there was no other song that could come close to the sheer energy that “The Tape” inspired out of the night’s attendees. Recorded on Propa Way Production’s “Viral” riddim, “The Tape” is a masterclass in controlling the ebb and flow of energy in a soca song.
Das immediately attacks the riddim with his powerful voice, but when he slightly slows down the tempo with a bit of staccato delivery (“If that move, that move/ If that shake, that shake/ If that break, that break”) before launching into the relentless “Go dung, go dung, go dung” chorus, the results are borderline hypnotic. Notably, Boyzie came in third place off the strength of “Chaotic,” which was recently featured as the “Freshest Find” in Billboard’s Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column. Muddy placed second with “The Moment.
” On the Groovy Soca side (134 BPM or below), the acts in contention were: Boyzie, Dash, Terra D Governor (the 2022 and 2023 Power Soca Monarch winner), Juice De Voice, Otis, Shamak, Jerenton, Super Flying Flint, 2 Blaxx, Runi Jay, Blaka Dan and Walkie Dan. In a moment of heartwarming patriotism, Boyzie was crowned Groovy Soca Monarch off the strength of his beautiful dedication to Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique, “Sweet Home” (recorded on the “Oil Down & Saraca” riddim). Doused in the green, gold, and red of the Grenadian flag and joined by several dancers and moko jumbies, Boyzie’s evocative stage show elicited the most fervent crowd response with hundreds of people yelling the words louder than he did — pouring rain be damned.
To close his performance, Boyzie shouted out Carriacou and Petit Martinique — both of which were decimated by Hurricane Beryl — and recited the national pledge, crafting an ambiance of solemn solidarity that proved to be the night’s most emotional moment. Dash — an unmissable presence at Spicemas this year — placed second with “Celebrate,” while Terra D Governor finished in third with “Clean Circle.” If Friday was all about soca, then Saturday was all about steelpan.
Another defining musical element of Spicemas, Panorama is an annual music competition for the country’s steel bands. Collectives of up to 100 pannists beat their pan sticks against the steelpans, crafting melodious arrangements that are steadfast in their percussiveness while still retaining an intimate sense of dynamics. Also held at Kirani James Athletics Stadium, this year’s Panorama featured eight bands vying to be crowned the night’s victors.
Ultimately, New Dimension earned a jaw-dropping 14th win thanks to their captivating performance of Mr. Gold’N’s “In Me Head,” arranged by Cordel Byam. Originating in Trinidad & Tobago, steelpan has become a musical staple of many Caribbean islands, as well as global hubs of Caribbean immigrants such as Brooklyn, New York, and Brixton, London.
With less of an emphasis on lyrics and a greater focus on musicality, steelpan music separates pannists into sections that rely on a homophonic style of playing where one section plays the melody, the other plays the harmony, and bass steelpans add color as accompaniment. In practice and in meaning, steelpan has plenty of connection to West African talking drums, once again highlighting the ways music simultaneously connects the African diaspora while helping each individual culture amplify and retain what makes them unique. Winning Power Soca Monarch just wasn’t enough for Dash this year, as the artist was also crowned Grenada’s 2024 Road March King by Spicemas Corporation.
Awarded to the song played most often at the judging points along the parade route revelers march down, the Road March winner is often the most “hype” song of a given Carnival season. As such, the win caused a bit of controversy, with some feeling that Jab King (“Jab Did”) and Muddy (“Stagga Dance”) deserved the crown instead. All three songs were undeniably the weekend’s biggest anthems, so the judges certainly had their work cut out for them.
Nonetheless, it’s hard to argue against “The Tape”; there really is nothing as enrapturing as that “If that move, that move” breakdown. In addition to “The Tape,” there were a few other songs that were sure to pique the interests of an entire band of masqueraders once they were played. Two of them are holdovers from 2023’s “Slam Bang” riddim — Terra D Governor’s “Bag Ah Sugar” and Slatta’s “Wet Her Down” — while Muddy, Thunda & Lil Natty’s “Stagga Dance” held it down for 2024’s “Wild Crocz” riddim.
Of course, Boyzie’s “Chaotic” was another reliable pick to immediately boost the energy of the band, particularly in the back half of the parade route. From the pounding drums of power soca to the gentle trickling of the rain and the harmonious chants and laughter of the revelers of the road, Grenada played mas against a jaw-dropping symphony of sounds: an orchestra of music, sourced from instruments, recordings, the human body itself, and the very land that they danced and marched upon. To simultaneously become one with the land, your fellow people, and the music of your own country conjured up a spirit of liberation that seemingly transcended this plane of existence.
For those hours on the road, music, life, and freedom weren’t just synonymous, they were basically interchangeable. Outside of the official Spicemas festivities, there are a slew of private and ticketed events to keep the fete going. At Pinknic 473 — an all-inclusive event — revelers were invited into a chic, pink floral fantasy at the National Stadium.
After a DJ kept the vibes going for the first few hours, the live performances began when the sun fell. Backed by The Alpha 1 Band, Grenadian singer Sakinah put on the liveliest showcase of the night, sporting baby pink hair to match the décor. In between a killer covers set that included her buoyant take on Nadia Baston’s “Basket” — another prior pick from Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks roundup — Sakinah used her rest moments to speak to the ladies.
In fact, she rarely, if ever spoke to the men, instead deciding to use her (literal) platform to ensure a safe space for the ladies to wine up on whoever they choose for however long they choose. In a time when women’s autonomy continues to be encroached upon — and male foreigners and locals alike use dancing as an excuse to sidestep consent — it was particularly beautiful to see a woman artist be so intentional about creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Of course, the arrangements were also top-notch, with the drummer and bass guitarist being two of the instrumentalists to truly hold their own against Sakinah’s consistently powerful pipes.
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