Author: Opastaff
Harmonik released the successful album Degaje last year, which included four hit songs: Cheri Benyen M, Incroyable, Pap Negosyew, and Simplicité. Having an album with multiple hits is an impressive feat in today’s industry, and Degaje elevated Harmonik to top-tier status within Haitian music. This success helped the band overcome the struggles following their previous album Diferan, which had seen legal battles, promoter blackballing, and a general lack of motivation. Rodney Noel’s return as general manager brought structure, marketing genius, and leadership, helping Harmonik regain momentum. However, despite this progress, the band still faces challenges, particularly in their live performances,…
It’s been almost a year now we’ve been playing limbo with CaRiMi and its indecisive members. The game started with Mickael who couldn’t decide whether he wanted to be with the band or not and after a couple of temper tantrums, he finally called it quits. However, that was Mickael, the lead singer… The band on the other hand is not quite ready to call it quits. We’ve learned from some very reliable sources that the rest of the band members are not ready to put the final nail on the band’s coffin. They’ve even went “New band members shopping”……
Haiti had been without a president for a week when on Sunday a collection of politicians and business leaders chose an interim leader to fill the void. The appointment stalled a deepening political crisis in the nation of 10 million — at least for now. Not that presidents have always been so great for Haiti. There have been 45 leaders since the country achieved independence from France in 1804, and for the most part they have pillaged and plundered, ruled as despots, stifled opposition, violated human rights and operated with impunity. “They don’t really want to work for the Haitian…
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,…