Doing Soca...

For those who don't know, and the ones who may have forgotten, Soca is a genre of music in the Caribbean that originally started out as a mix of Calypso and Indian Music. It is more recently termed the Soul of Calypso (SoCa). More modern tastes of this music means that you are going to have a real party. Music uptempo and fast enough to dance, or chip (a form of dancing) or to get the party started.

When soca plays, the rhythm hits you first and the lyrics don't ever matter. The heavy bass line vibrates right into your soul and the rhythmic guitar gets into your head. If the sweet musicality of this genre does not take you over, then the rhythmic beat of the snare drum accentuated by the heart throbbing bass drum will definitely captivate you.

It is these sweet rhythms alone that hit the soul and hypnotize the mind so much so that an involuntary jig occurs. This is no ordinary jig, this is a sexy wine. Biggie Irie said it perfectly "it is de rhythm in muh waist dat got me wining so", "cause de ting soo sweet" as Voice said.

It's a hip-swaying, butt-jerking (waist) and jamming down type of jig. For the more conservative, don't worry - Soca has you covered too. This music also causes the involuntary shoulder dance and rhythmic foot tap. You see, this kind of feeling you cannot purchase it from a store and usually it's not you - it's the vibes you feel, you hear and you embrace in the place.

Soca soaks into your system, sweetens your soul and drives your entire being from the head to the toe. Almost like how rum can be used to marinate meat in the Caribbean cooking.

With Soca, its the melody that catches you, the beat carries you and the harmonies excite you. The effect of the words only comes after if ever at all. Catch phrases like "I does do it like uh boss", "All ah we" and "dey trying to challenge me" will always get your lips moving, usually way after the entire body has begun dancing.