Special effects, creativity, beautiful women and high-energy performances. These are all hallmarks of Little X videos. As one of the most sought-after directors in the music industry, he’s directed videos for artists such as Sean Paul, R. Kelly, Shaggy, Ludacris, Kanye West, Beenie Man, Rihanna, Kelis, Kevin Lyttle, Wayne Wonder, Wyclef, Alicia Keys, and the list goes on and on and on…

Thirteen-year old J-Co is setting the airwaves ‘pon fire’ with his latest hiphop releases, Pon Fire and Life is Hard. Pon Fire, which couples the young rapper with songstress Olivia’s crisp R&B vocals, is a bob-ya-head-to-tha-music club joint. Life is Hard, as the track title suggests, is much more reflective in nature, describing the realities and hardships of life. Both tracks have international appeal, but J-Co is playing it smart. Should any of the two receive international airplay, both have Bajan dialectic elements which will (hopefully) make listeners stop for a second listen.

DJs are among the main gatekeepers to artist development in the region. Even if artists produce quality tracks, and no one bothers to spin them on air, or at live events, the growth of the industry is stunted for reasons too obvious to mention. The role of the DJ in pushing Caribbean music forward cannot be overstated, and is a role which Top Gunners, the “Caribbean DJ fraternity,” takes seriously.

“Do not adjust the dial on your stereo, I am black.” These are the words from Annie, lead presenter/programmer on Mix 96.9 FM. In Barbados, like many other Caribbean islands, rock and its derivatives are generally viewed as taboo ‘white’ music.

Perhaps as a result of the eclectic music on her playlist (Annie stuffs her airtime with alternative, rock, pop and every shade of world music imaginable), many listeners seem to automatically tag a particular profile on Annie. The former model and Miss Bikini Barbados titleholder admits that she’s caused a few raised eyebrows when she initially meets people.  Some people will say stuff like I always thought you were white!  Some listeners have also called her at the station, asking what race she was – something she says she takes no offence to.