Darren Badal, aka Jungle, performs for a southern crowd recently. Photo: Cori Baynes

He’s back! Soca’s smooth-voiced crooner Jungle is planning to have a bumper Carnival 2K10 season, after being outside the musical arena for more than a year.

When he’s not working as a journey manager for a seismic company, Jungle, whose real name is Darren Badal, is hard at work in the studio, fine-tuning his ditty, Drink and Drunk. Jungle first sprang to soca life in 2005, when he joined the KMC Red, White and Black band with his smash hit, Rolling Back. Since then, he has delivered other successful songs, including Yuh Man Still Love Yuh, Differences and Helicopter Cya Land. Speaking during a recent interview, Jungle described his latest song as a funny piece, which brought to the forefront Trinbagonians’ love for alcohol. The song is already making waves in New York, Germany, Switzerland and Portugal and has only recently been released on local airwaves—on October 30. Drink and Drunk was mixed and mastered by Johann of Madmen Productions and recorded and produced by Klase or 1st Klase Productions.

“This song is about just drinking and enjoying yourself because that is how Trinbagonians are,” Jungle explained. He continued that it was inspired by his late grandfather, who had a habit of calling him to “take a little drink.” Incidentally, it was the death of his grandfather, in 2008, which caused him to take a one-year musical hiatus. “But I’m back now. This is a song that will put me back on the map, back in the industry and show people that I am here to stay,” he said. He added: “I love music. I love creating new music and doing my thing. I am not in it for the money, I’m in it for the passion.” So passionate is he about music that at the age of 17, the then dreadlocked Jungle, left his Tabaquite home and journeyed to Bobo Hill in Jamaica, to pursue a career in Reggae music. He could only afford a one-way ticket at the time, and the little money he had only lasted one day in Jamaica. With a smile on his face Jungle recalled that while singing for some Boboshanti priests, Reggae icons Jah Cure and Jah Mason, who were there at the time, were impressed by his voice and took him to stay with them until he was ready to return to Trinidad.

“Many artistes will talk about passion, but very few will actually do what I did for the love of music,” he stated. “I love music passionately and when you are passionate about something you will go after it 300 per cent.” “I started off with Reggae, but I love all kinds of music and my Carnival song will showcase my versatility.” Convinced that the song’s catchy beat and lyrics will make it a success, he insisted that it is in no way intended to encourage irresponsibility. “We Trinis will do whatever we want. We will drink and get drunk but it is important to remember that drinkers should never drive. There should always be a designated driver in each group.”

With more than ten years’ musical experience under his belt, Jungle prepares to once again take Carnival by storm and has his sights set on another goal: the International Groovy Soca Monarch Competition. “I have never entered any competition before and this will definitely be a first for me—but I don’t care about coming first, second or third.” “I don’t care about my chances. I am entering because my fans will be behind me and that will enable me to get my name out there. After all, at the end of the day, it really is all about the fans.”

DRINK AND DRUNK