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Before the viral characters and sold-out shows, Majah Hype was an electrician in New York with a secure job—and a decision to make.

We sit down with Majah Hype to explore his journey through music, DJing and comedy, the Caribbean upbringing that shaped his characters, and why he chose to walk away from steady employment to make people laugh.

From learning seven instruments to finding his footing on stage, we hear about the work behind the humour, his relationship with his father, and what representing the Caribbean means to him.

The conversation also addresses public allegations against him and his response.

CONTENT & EDITORIAL NOTE
This episode contains strong language and discussion of domestic abuse allegations and sexual content. Majah Hype denies the abuse allegations. We have not independently verified his statements about the final court outcome or the status of his record. His account should not be understood as establishing that the allegations were false.

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Become a Patreon member to get every episode early and in its full-length, extended version. Your membership helps us sustain independent Caribbean storytelling.

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What really happened when Helon Francis' Calypso Monarch performance was interrupted during the television broadcast? Was it a technical failure, something deliberate, or a controversy that exposed deeper issues within the calypso fraternity?

Two-time National Calypso Monarch and former Independent Senator Helon Francis joins us on The Corie Sheppard Podcast for a revealing conversation about calypso, politics, artistic integrity and his extraordinary journey.

For the first time on our platform, Helon speaks at length about the controversy surrounding his 2026 Calypso Monarch performance of “Doh Forget.” He shares how he discovered that part of his performance had not been broadcast, his reaction to the public outcry, and why he was disappointed that no official apology or explanation was personally communicated to him.

We also explore his views on the selection and judging of calypsonians, the challenges facing political and social commentary, and why he refuses to compromise his writing to satisfy anyone.

Beyond the controversy, Helon takes us back to growing up in Cascade, his family's calypso heritage, learning to write under George Martin, and studying music at university.

We also discuss his historic experience as a Calypso Monarch serving in Trinidad and Tobago's Senate, what independence really means in Parliament, and why he voted against the Property Tax Amendment Bill.

From the calypso stage to the Senate chamber, this is a conversation about culture, conviction, creativity and the responsibility of speaking for a nation.

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Get early access and extended episodes on Patreon.

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You know the songs. Now hear how they happened.

Kernal Roberts joins us to share the stories behind “Palance,” “Jumbie” and “It’s Carnival”—from an unexpected phone call and a melody inspired by Roman trumpets to a visit to his father’s statue that helped unlock a missing lyric.

The songwriter, producer and musician takes us through his journey as the son of the Grandmaster, Lord Kitchener, while building a musical identity of his own. We revisit school calypso competitions, his first paying gigs, touring with Traffik and the opportunity that brought him together with Machel Montano and Destra Garcia for a Carnival classic.

We also get into preserving Kitchener’s legacy, grieving his mother, AI’s place in music, friendly Road March rivalry and why even an experienced hitmaker can’t always predict which song will last.

Plenty history, plenty laughs, and the stories behind music that continues to bring us together.

🎧 Part 2 is available now on Patreon, where we continue the conversation.

Which Kernal Roberts song holds the biggest memory for you? Tell us in the comments.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Preview: The stories behind the hits
01:42 Intro & supporting the podcast
02:20 Meet Kernal Roberts
04:00 School days & calypso competitions
06:39 Keeping Lord Kitchener’s legacy alive
10:12 Remembering his mother & “Sugar Bum Bum”
11:28 Pelham Goddard’s contribution to the classics
12:10 AI, Suno & the future of music
17:02 Can you predict a classic?
18:47 How the “Palance” story began
20:06 Part 2 on Patreon
20:31 Writing “Palance” for JW & Blaze
26:34 When “Palance” took over
27:59 The Roberts family’s Road March legacy
30:20 Competing with Fay-Ann Lyons
32:28 Creating “Jumbie” & his father’s inspiration
42:37 Machel Montano & recognising a winning song
44:01 Being ready for your opportunity
45:14 Advertise with us
45:59 Living the rock star life
46:44 Leaving school & choosing music
48:35 Drumming, steelpan & his early opportunities
57:48 The opportunity to join Traffik
01:04:28 Years with Traffik & moving to Machel
01:06:42 Destra, friendship & finding his voice as a writer
01:08:57 Working with Charlies Roots & Superblue
01:12:12 “Tremble It”: The song they believed in
01:16:14 A disappointing follow-up & starting again
01:17:20 Turning “Time After Time” into “It’s Carnival”
01:19:22 Finding the right collaborator
01:20:10 Touring struggles & pitching the song to Machel
01:26:38 Bringing Machel & Destra together
01:27:23 Learning “It’s Carnival” on the road
01:30:40 What’s coming in Part 2

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Get early access, exclusive episodes and behind-the-scenes content on Patreon.

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