Rodney Le Blanc, better known among the masses as Benjai, has already made his mark for Carnival 2010, with Last Jam, My God, Woman and I, Fun, and All Woman. His lyrics are always strong and his style unmistakable. SeeMeYa, his signature chant, is a contraction for, "See me when, see me then, see me now, see me here." In 2010, he keeps SeeMeYa in the mix, assuring the world that he isn't going anywhere. "My focus this year is to uplift women, to give them the due respect they deserve." He said women sustain life and play a key role in the lives of men. For this reason, Benjai said, he has nothing but respect for the female gender.
Benjai's tracks this year also give women the music they need to take the fetes by storm. The 33-year-old said soca music, though internationally appreciated, is not given enough time and airplay amid other genres played on the airwaves, locally. Like many other soca artistes, Benjai's sentiment is strong when it comes to this subject. For years, soca artistes have complained that not enough local music is played by local radio stations year-round. Their voices, though, have seemed to echo in a dark abyss, ignored by those who hold the power of the airwaves in their hands.
With one collaboration planned for the season, alongside a rising star known as CC, Benjai is calling on the youths of T&T to understand that while there is hard work involved in everything that must be done, persistence is key. He said: "Persistence is the tool, the asset that youths should use to get ahead in life. Never give up, never lose faith." He's scheduled to perform with his "alma mater" band, Asylum, at some events for Carnival 2010; however, Benjai also confirmed that he would be on stage with other bands throughout the season. Not one to be smug or boastful, the Arima native, who placed third in the Groovy Soca Monarch last year, with his song Carnival Come Again, said he's hoping that by the grace of God, he'll once again be a contestant in the final of the competition. For now, though, he remains focused on the days that lie ahead, this as he says, "I'm living my dream."
