Every now and then I get discouraged to continue promoting the Kreyol Hip Hop Movement.  It just is so hard sometimes when you look up and see the mountain you are trying to conquer and scratching your head to figure out the next move and what is attainable in order to keep yourself climbing.  At times I listen to this music and it just seems like this is a dream that is much too good.  For the past 25 years Kreyol Hip Hop has been in existence and here we are exactly 25 years after Master Dji recorded his first rap song in Haitian Kreyol marking the beginning of a movement, the music still has no real existence in the Haitian Diaspora. 

Now I choose my words wisely and said the Haitian Diaspora because this neglect isn’t the case at all in Haiti.  From what has been reported to me, although there is still a very long way to go, the music is certainly a lot more accepted in Haiti then it is outside.  Just a few minutes on http://rapforum.blogspot.com/ and that seems to be very true and apparent.  Our trouble here in the Diaspora is Haiti differs from most 3rd world nations where the arts and music at home depict what is being followed abroad.   It is very common to see the popularity of Haitian artists from music such as Konpa derive from a nation foreign to the country they represent.  Well this only makes the goal more of a struggle for Kreyol Hip Hop here in America.

Other them myself, I know artists that have openly admitted to thinking of calling it quits.  It saddens me because I know these artists and know the great gift they want to give.  Not only their gift, but I know their intensions for Haiti and I have always had the fear that some of these artists will one day one by one just stop making music.  I think everyone involved in carrying this torch Master Dji has left us has had these thoughts and asked themselves why they keep on working towards this mutual goal we all share.  What does keep us going?  Sometimes it is each other.  I know personally I was ready to bow out of the ring before I met the much respected promoter and manager Evans Caz from Shakaitutu.  There were other times when a simple email from Bleky Seide from Prodg Entertainment served as a jolt of positive energy that came at a time when I needed a reason.  In many ways we are what keep us doing this.  The people in this movement, the music, the artists the love for our country and drive to make things better are all the things that keep us doing what we do.

Like humans though we need reassurance every now and then.  My reassurance came in the form of a Kreyol Hip Hop show which turned into a weekend full summit of Kreyol Hip Hop.  On March 29th I touched down in Orlando Florida and was picked up at the airport by a special young woman who has been in my corner and joined our struggle.  We wasted no time and drove three hours directly to a show which was being put together by Shakaitutu and Konbit Kreyol.  The show was held at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton Florida.  From the moment I walked in I knew this would be a special moment.  I met a lot of the same artists I have been raving about for the first time in person.  I finally met artists like Kool Dog of Voodoo Clan who traveled all the way from France. I had the opportunity to shake hands with Dr. Zoe, Top Adlerman and the lovely Stichiz just to name a few.  I also had the opportunity to meet a lot of new artists and people involved that I certainly am looking forward to working with in the future.  I met Bleky Seide of Prodg Entertainment in person for the first time after what seemed like an eternity of going back and forth in emails and phone calls.  I met Evans Caz and the whole Shakaitutu family.  It was also special seeing Kafou Inc. Neg Maron, Negus, Seca Konsa et Les Anrajes in a different setting.  There were some great members of the New York faction of the movement all in the same place in Florida looking like they were on vacation.  It was just a beautiful thing. 

The weekend went by and felt as if it was just one long Kreyol Hip Hop event after another.  From the show on March 29th, after party with Top Adlerman and hanging out with everyone who came, studio sessions the next day after dinner at Evans Caz’s to mellowing out at a party sponsored by Prodg Entertainment and First Class Entertainers, it was just one great weekend. 

The events not only served as a great opportunity to meet these people I mentioned earlier, nor was it just a few days off of my day job.  This event served as my reassurance.  As I stood there for a moment in that packed auditorium watching artist after artists grace the stage, I took in the energy around me and looked at the people and I realized this wasn’t just about artists, managers and promoters reassuring and all wondering how we are going to band together to capture our Haitian people and save our nation.  I realized it was something more then that, it was a living organism that is growing and though we each play an important part, it was much bigger in existence then any of us probably realized.  It was something that is already in full development and there absolutely is not a reason to fear it making it as it already has, the masses just have not realized it but the buzz is out there and Kreyol Hip Hop is going to hit them. 

After the events of March 29th, my entire outlook has changed.  I no longer fear these artists calling me to let me know they no longer want to do this.  Like me, I know they have already been consumed by the music and have reached the point of no return.  Their cases are much worst then mine even because they are the artists.  They have much more to lose in this then I do.  The events have made me realize we have special people all working towards the same goal and I can feel our stars beginning to align and we are all in the same chain of thought and motion.  When I took that moment to breathe in the atmosphere that cool South Florida evening, I took in much more then air.  I took in the energy of all those that were there from the teenagers to the parents that just wanted to see the love their kids had displayed on the stage.  I took in love we all have for our culture and each other.  I opened my eyes and I saw all it took for this movement to succeed.  I also saw the future faces of the HMI.  I saw Shakaitutu, First Class Entertainers, Prodg Entertainment, Kafou Inc, DHAC, Zoe Entertainment, and Hex Battalion.  I saw the artists, the promoters, radio personalities, managers, fans of tomorrow’s Haitian Music Industry and the future looks very entertaining.