Author: Opastaff
The term “Haitian Music Industry” (HMI) often stirs debate among enthusiasts and insiders. Critics argue that the lack of structural organization disqualifies it from being recognized as a true industry. However, by definition, an industry is a group of manufacturers or businesses that produce a particular kind of goods or services, which clearly encompasses the HMI’s role in delivering music specifically catered to the Haitian demographic. The origin of the term “HMI” takes us back to the nascent days of the internet, a period that veteran users might recall with a hint of nostalgia, and newer generations might find intriguing…
In the ever-changing world of fashion and street-style, jumping on a trend is risky business. You might look fly one day, and super wack the next. But you were young. You were bound to make mistakes. You wore ski goggles to the mall. You had jeans with your favorite basketball team logo on the pockets. Maybe you even rocked frosted tips for a minute (ok, that’s totally inexcusable, loser). But we can look back at those times and have some laughs, right? We examined the past couple of decades to find the 50 Men’s Fashion Trends That Never Should Have Happened.…
OPA: Be honest, from watching the very first game Italy played in the World Cup… did you really believe that they were going to be champion? Roberto: Yes, I really believed in this team, I’ve been following the team since qualification and knew that they were capable of going all the way! OPA: Do you get on the Internet often? Roberto: Once or twice a day I try to get online and check my email. OPA: How do you feel about free music downloading? Roberto: In a way it’s a free publicity for the band but in another it kills the sell of cds. OPA: How…
Eight years ago today, in the early morning hours, the news began to circulate that three members and a couple of friends of the popular Haitian-based Rap Kreyol group, Barikad Crew, had been involved in a car accident, resulting in fatalities. The accident occurred on Route de L’Aéroport while the group was en route to perform at one of their biggest supporters’ events—Radio Caraibe FM, which was celebrating its 59th anniversary. As the day progressed, more information emerged from several media outlets in Haiti, confirming the news, identifying the victims, and revealing the cause of the accident. The victims were…
This month marks the 31st anniversary of the passing of Antoine Rossini Jean Baptiste, born Emmanuel Jean-Baptiste, better known as Ti Manno. He died on May 13, 1985, in Queens, NY, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Queens. In the first week of April 1985, after a long hiatus from the Haitian music industry, rumors spread like wildfire in New York City that Ti Manno had died. During that hectic week, many radio stations and newspapers ran with the story until Ti Manno himself made an emotional phone call to a New York radio station a few weeks later,…
One of the first groups of H.I.V. patients in a poor country to get free AIDS drugs has about the same survival rate as their closest counterparts in the United States, according to scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College. Ten years after a free treatment program was introduced in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, two-thirds of the first 910 patients enrolled were still alive, the researchers said in a brief report published in The New England Journal of Medicine. That is roughly the same 10-year mortality rate found among gay men in this country who started antiretroviral triple therapy when it was…
Every May during Haitian Flag Day weekend, thousands of devoted Haitian music fans travel to Florida for the annual Haitian Compas Festival, a celebration of Haitian music and culture. For four days, attendees enjoy a wide variety of events organized by the festival team, but the main attraction is always the festival itself. Held annually on a Saturday, the Haitian Compas Festival is one of the largest outdoor events in the U.S., as noted by Billboard Magazine. Despite its name, the festival goes beyond just showcasing Compas music. Each year, a lineup of Haitian and international artists perform various genres,…
Without a doubt, KLASS is currently reigning over the Haitian Music Industry as the “best band.” With less than five years under their belt, KLASS has taken the industry in a chokehold and refuses to let go. If their last two singles are any indication of what’s to come in their upcoming album, every other band vying for the number one spot might want to start calling “Houston” because there’s a problem – and it’s called KLASS. The last time the industry saw something like this was when a band named CaRiMi burst onto the scene. Don’t get it twisted;…