Senior Reporter
otto.carrington@cnc3.co.tt
There were mixed views within the calypso fraternity yesterday, after veteran calypsonian Weston “Cro Cro” Rawlins lost a defamation lawsuit to businessman Inshan Ishmael over a song he sang last year.
On Monday, High Court Judge Frank Seepersad ruled that Rawlins had defamed Ishmael in his 2023 song Another Sat is Outside Again and ordered the calypsonian to pay $250,000 in compensation.
Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, veteran calypsonian Dr Hollis “Chalkdust” Liverpool made it clear that calypsonians must take the law into consideration.
“A good calypsonian is an intelligent person, and a good calypsonian has to use the mask. When you use the mask, it becomes a part of how a calypsonian sings calypso. The art form makes use of the mask; in other words, you can sing and attack a person, but you can’t blatantly attack a person’s character.”
He added that all good calypsonians know this and know that you can’t attack a person’s character because it’s against the law.
“Whether you’re singing calypso, soca, or talking about anything at all, you can’t attack a person’s character. That’s the law. So, you have to learn how to say it. If you want to attack somebody openly, you have to learn how to say it.”
In a brief telephone interview after the ruling on Monday, Ishmael said he was pleased with the outcome, which he suggested would serve to improve the art form.
But Chalkdust explained that the legal action was unlikely to change calypsonians singing about the controversial or highly charged topics.
“We can’t stop singing calypso and we can’t stop singing political calypso. That’s a beautiful thing. Good political calypso is a beautiful thing, a beautiful art that we have. We can’t throw away that. We can’t stop singing political calypso.”
However, he admitted to being concerned about the amount Cro Cro had to pay.
“I was kind of upset with the judge. If the judge is saying that some parts of the calypso are good, very good, and outstanding, we are still trying to fine Cro Cro so much money, but I don’t know what part is and how he arrived at the $250,000. He should say, for this, I charge you so and so, and for that, I take away that. We should show how he arrived at $250,000 because very few calypsoes can make $250,000 in any season,” he said.
He noted that even when Cro Cro won the crown he made as much as $250,000 and it was a very steep sum to pay.
Another veteran calypsonian, Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osuna, said calypsonians were fully aware of the thin line they tread when dealing with the social and political issues within the society and, as such, should always ensure they do not open themselves up to liability.
“Well, there are so many people who do that, you know. I think the individual is the only person who believes he was untouchable. The only person, but everybody else used to be very careful,” he said.
He added, “I have never put myself in a situation such that somebody could think that my statement was defamatory or whatever have you. Anything I sing about was either in the press, in the papers, or on TV or whatever have you, but I have never slandered anybody. So I wouldn’t get myself in something like that.”
He added, “As you know, sometimes, according to old people, every day the bucket goes into the well, one day this had to stop, and if Inshan feels offended and he seeks justice with it and he got through, kudos to them.”
Sugar Aloes too did not feel the decision would muzzle calypsonians.
“No, it’s not a way of muzzling no calypso; it’s not a way of muzzling nothing. It’s a way of telling you to be careful of what you’re saying and have concrete evidence in what you’re saying. You must have concrete evidence in what you’re saying, and if you have evidence, you can’t worry; you have nothing to worry about. Nobody can sue you for the truth.”
Meanwhile, culture and calypso author and historian Zeno Obi Constance, who was called as an expert witness in the case, noted that Cro Cro was the first calypsonian to ever be sued for defamation.
He said political calypso has been facing challenges for quite some time and at this moment, from the commentary he had seen on social media about the case, Cro Cro did not have the full support of those in the industry.
“It’s Cro Cro and he doesn’t have much support among calypsonians because that is his uppercut and it was too vicious. Cro Cro used to attack calypsonians if they tell him something he didn’t like,” he said.