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  • The Cowboys of Kingston's Music Culture with Jamal Khadar

    The Cowboys of Kingston's Music Culture with Jamal Khadar
    2026/09/02

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    Country music in Jamaica sounds like a contradiction until you hear the connections. We connect the dots between Radio Jamaica Rediffusion, Western films on local screens, farm work migration, and a Caribbean listening culture that never treated genres like sealed boxes. We are joined by Jamal Khadar, writer and host of Reimagining Country, who explains how artists like Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline became part of Jamaican soundtracks, and why the cowboy image traveled so well across the Black Atlantic.

    We go deeper than influence and ask what listeners recognized in country: rural self-recognition, church-rooted morality, survival stories, heartbreak, and the constant question of home. That recognition shows up in reggae’s early formation, in rude boy outlaw symbolism, and later in dancehall’s Western references and stage names. We also unpack cover culture as a Jamaican superpower, where a song gets re-voiced, re-scored, and re-felt until it becomes something else entirely, sometimes even pushing back into the global north through collaborations and reinterpretations.

    The conversation also challenges today’s narrow story about who “belongs” in country music. Yes, Black roots matter and contemporary moments like Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter open doors, but Jamaica’s long-standing love for classic country complicates the picture in a different way: Black audiences have always had wide tastes, including deep affection for “classic” country often made by white artists. We close by widening the map again to African country histories, showing how radio networks, empire, guitars, and post-independence creativity helped build global country scenes that still thrive.

    Jamal Khadar is a writer, broadcaster, DJ and a key voice on the global history and resurgence of country music, with by-lines in The Guardian, Bandcamp and The European Review of Books and mentions in publications such as the Swiss-German Newspaper WOZ. He also hosts Reimagining Country on NTS Radio. Jamal has shared his research via talks at Goldsmiths, University of London and Newcastle University; with brands like DAZED and Nii Journal; and album liner notes for Mississippi Records. Born in the UK, raised in the Netherlands, but connected to Nashville, he regularly interviews major country artists on their Amsterdam tour stop. After 15 years in London, he now lives in the Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    52 分
  • *Throwback* Caribbean Sign Languages with Kris M. Ali

    *Throwback* Caribbean Sign Languages with Kris M. Ali
    2026/08/19

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    Most of us talk about Caribbean language like it only lives on the tongue, but the region has a whole world of languages that live on the hands, in space, and through community memory. We sit down with linguist Kris Ali, a PhD candidate at UC Santa Barbara from Trinidad and Tobago, to trace the real story of Caribbean Sign Languages and why they deserve the same respect we fight for in spoken language politics. Along the way, we break down the biggest misconception of all: sign language is not universal, and it is definitely not “English on the hands.”

    We dig into how sign languages actually begin, from organic community formation across generations to the influence of American Sign Language through missionary networks, churches, and deaf education across the Caribbean in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. We talk language prestige and what gets labeled “proper,” why smaller rural varieties can be pushed aside, and how even within one territory you can find multiple sign languages and signing styles. Kristy also shares a concrete example of variation inside Trinidad and Tobago Sign Language that shows how folklore and local culture get encoded into everyday signs.

    Then we expand the map with the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras, a place with a strong Caribbean identity and a remarkable history of tactile signing among deaf-blind community members. That story makes the stakes clear: endangered languages documentation is not just academic, it is a way to preserve Caribbean history, protect access to information, and honor communities that have been ignored for too long. We close by naming the goal plainly: legal recognition of local sign languages, better interpreter access in healthcare and justice settings, and real equity for deaf people across the region. Be sure to check out the transcript of this episode here.

    Kris Ali is a PhD candidate in the department of linguistics at University of California Santa Barbara. Her research interests are broadly Caribbean languages, language documentation and description, social and linguistic justice for Caribbean people, decolonial theory, queer and trans linguistics and sign language linguistics. She uses collaborative and community-based research methods, is interested in indigenous research methodologies and follows the Caribbean tradition of liberatory linguistics in which she was trained during her first two degrees at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine. She is a trained Trinidad and Tobago Sign Language interpreter. Home for her is Trinidad and Tobago. Learn more about Kris on her website and connect with her on LinkedIn.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    35 分
  • How Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz United A Nation

    How Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz United A Nation
    2026/08/05

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    Jamaica qualifying for the 1998 FIFA World Cup is one of those rare moments that people can locate in their body: where they stood, who they were with, what they heard first, and how the whole community sounded afterward. We wanted to honor that feeling, so we built something different this time, a chorus of voices sharing what France ‘98 meant to them in real time and in memory.

    You’ll hear stories of the day qualification became official: the disbelief, the pride, the surprise public holiday, and the way celebration turned roads, yards, bars, and living rooms into an extension of the National Stadium. We talk about the details that statistics cannot hold, like pot covers ringing out for goals, horns blaring through neighborhoods, and the specific kind of unity Jamaicans recognize immediately. It’s also a snapshot of how sport shifts culture, from kids dreaming bigger to communities feeling, even briefly, like everyone is moving together.

    Then we turn to France ‘98 itself: the nerves and hope against Croatia, the tough reality of Argentina, and the joy of Jamaica’s first World Cup victory over Japan. We reflect on the national anthem, the Rise Up song that still triggers pride, and the pop culture trail that followed the Reggae Boyz everywhere, right down to jerseys and keepsakes people saved for years. As Jamaica marks 64 years of independence, we also hold space for St. Elizabeth and the wider island recovering after Hurricane Melissa, and why memory can be both a comfort and a call to care for home.

    Press play, share this with someone who remembers 1997, and then tell us your story: where were you when the Reggae Boyz qualified for France ‘98, and where were you when you learned Curacao or Haiti made history this year? If you loved this, subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode so more people can hear these Caribbean stories.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    36 分
  • The Hidden Architects Of Reggae And The Women Who Built It

    The Hidden Architects Of Reggae And The Women Who Built It
    2026/07/22

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    Reggae has never been a boys-only story, so why do women keep getting filed under “backup,” “footnote,” or “first female to…”? Mikelah Malcolm from Style and Vibes guest hosts a Breadfruit Media crossover and sits down with me to talk about my dissertation on women in reggae, what pushed me to spend years on the research, and what I found when I went looking for women in the archive.

    We get into the real mechanics of the reggae industry and Jamaican music history: who controls rhythms, who gets paid, and why royalty splits and copyright enforcement become uniquely brutal for women. We also name the hard realities that shape careers, including sexual harassment, intimidation in studio spaces, and how relationships and childcare labor can derail momentum in ways male artists rarely face. At the same time, we talk solutions that actually move the needle: ownership, independent labels, business literacy, and women building networks that make leadership possible behind the scenes, not just on stage.

    Then we zoom out to method and memory. I share how I used archival research in Kingston, oral history interviews with pioneers, and close reading of reggae lyrics as historical texts to map themes like violence, belonging, and resistance across generations. We also grapple with femininity, dancehall’s influence, Rastafari, and how respectability politics shape what the culture celebrates or hides.

    This first of many conversations on the topic so if this conversation shifts how you hear reggae, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners find the stories women have always carried.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    44 分
  • Barrel Children And The Stories Caribbean Film Can Hold with Meschida Philip

    Barrel Children And The Stories Caribbean Film Can Hold with Meschida Philip
    2026/07/08
    Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts.A child grows up learning that love can arrive in a barrel, but comfort cannot. That tension sits at the heart of our conversation with Grenadian director, producer, and creative industry strategist Meschida Phillip, whose documentary work asks what migration costs families long after the plane takes off. We trace how the Grenada Revolution, early separation, and years of “waiting” shaped her sense of connection and pushed her toward filmmaking as a way to name what Caribbean families often keep silent. Meschida shares the story behind her feature documentary Scars of Our Mother’s Dreams, grounded in Dr. Claudette Crawford-Brown’s concept of “barrel children,” where parents migrate for opportunity while children remain at home with relatives. We talk about emotional trauma, reunification, and why seeing these stories on screen lands differently than reading them. Meschida also pulls back the curtain on responsible documentary practice, from deep research and interviews to building a film that works as an archive and a conversation starter for Caribbean history, culture, and healing. We then zoom out to the film industry itself, including Caribbean Tales Media Group’s Cross-Continental Forum and what Black diaspora collaboration can look like when it’s intentional. Meschida breaks down the real barriers Caribbean filmmakers face funding infrastructure, banking access, co-production limits, and distribution networks and paints a vivid vision of Global South co-production funds, direct Caribbean Africa pipelines, and a market that rewards cultural specificity instead of asking creators to dilute it. Meschida Philip is a filmmaker, producer, creative-industry strategist, Executive Director of Mprojekts Creative Group, and Founder and Festival Director of the 12°N, 61°W Grenada Film Festival. She is a director, producer, and creative industries strategist working at the intersection of film production and screen industry development in the Caribbean. With over 20 years of professional experience, including more than a decade leading regional initiatives, her work focuses on positioning the Caribbean as an originating creative economy, capable of developing, financing, and exporting its own stories through equitable international co-production. Her work spans both content creation and industry development, with a focus on co-production frameworks, talent pipelines, and market access for creators in small island developing states.This episode was created in collaboration with Caribbean Tales Media Group to highlight the annual Cross-Continental Forum, a curated, decolonial co-production hub specifically designed to connect Black producers across Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe and the Americas. It offers a structured pathway from information sharing to treaty-driven deals and market access. As an intensive hybrid accelerator, it functions as a “strategic gateway” to co-productions, beginning with an online Accelerator covering legal, financial and distribution frameworks, followed by two in-person events including a pitch showcase.Editor's Note: Philips participated in the Cross-Continental Forum with Canary, a documentary project that was in development at the time. She is credited as the project’s director and co-producer. Scars of Our Mother’s Dreams was not the project presented at the Forum, however it was screened at the festival. Support the showConnect with Strictly Facts - Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website Looking to read more about the topics covered in this episode? Subscribe to the newsletter at www.strictlyfactspod.com to get the Strictly Facts Syllabus to your email!Want to Support Strictly Facts?Rate & Leave a Review on your favorite platformShare this episode with someone or online and tag usSend us a DM or voice note to have your thoughts featured on an upcoming episode Donate to help us continue empowering listeners with Caribbean history and educationProduced by Breadfruit Media
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    52 分
  • What If Caribbean Cuisine Funded Caribbean Futures with Taymer Mason

    What If Caribbean Cuisine Funded Caribbean Futures with Taymer Mason
    2026/06/24

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    Caribbean food travels the world as flavor, nostalgia, and restaurant culture but what if it also traveled as real economic infrastructure? We’re asking a harder question: how do we move from beloved recipes to Caribbean food systems that reduce import dependence, strengthen food security, and create durable industries across the region. I’m joined by Taymer Mason, a Barbadian food scientist and Caribbean product developer with more than 20 years of experience across food safety, kitchens, and innovation. Taymer breaks down why so many islands still carry a massive import bill even when breadfruit, cassava, and fruit trees are all around us, and why the missing piece is often not farming alone but systems: consistent raw materials, regional cooperation, accessible financing, shelf-life testing, packaging options, and reliable transport between islands.

    We also get practical about what “legacy products” look like, why shelf-stable ambient foods often scale better than cold-chain exports, and how standardizing recipes can protect quality as brands grow. Taymer shares eye-opening stories, from green seasoning selling better when people used it like a dip, to learning from boxed fufu as a convenience model, to reimagining moringa as an everyday seasoning that boosts nutrition. Then we zoom out to solutions: farmer-producer planning, government policy changes, white labeling pathways, CARICOM-style data sharing on crop gluts, and smarter diaspora investment that builds market pipelines, warehouses, and storefronts. If you care about Caribbean agriculture, sustainable food entrepreneurship, disaster resilience, and the future of Caribbean economies, this conversation is for you.

    Taymer Mason is a food scientist, cookbook author, and entrepreneur based in Barbados. She is the founder of Harbourvale Foods, a modern Caribbean vegan pantry brand built on clean-label formulation and plant-based food science. Her debut cookbook, Caribbean Vegan, has been in print for sixteen years and holds a starred Library Journal review. Taymer's work sits at the intersection of Caribbean culinary heritage and innovation, with a deep conviction that the region's food systems deserve both scientific rigour and world-class storytelling.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    49 分
  • Caribbean Futures Through Creative Power with Alistair Scott

    Caribbean Futures Through Creative Power with Alistair Scott
    2026/06/10

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    Caribbean culture is one of the most copied, quoted, and consumed forces on the planet and yet the Caribbean is still too often treated like a place to extract value from, not a place to build value with. That tension sits at the heart of my conversation with Alistair Scott, founder of the Diaspora Legacy Collective, as we dig into how Caribbean futures can be shaped through renewed connection with Africa and the global African diaspora for Caribbean American Heritage Month. We get specific about cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and why music, film, fashion, festivals, and digital storytelling should be treated as serious economic development strategy. That leads us into intellectual property rights, licensing, brand protection, and the unglamorous but critical reality that policy only works when governments invest in enforcement capacity.

    From there, we zoom out to the bigger architecture of Afro-Caribbean cooperation: new business modalities that make cross-diaspora partnerships easier, visa and mobility barriers that slow trade, and why language learning and education can function like infrastructure. Along the way, we challenge misinformation that distorts Pan-Africanism, lift up older cooperative models like partner and susu, and point to modern examples like YouTube creator networks and major cultural moments that prove collaboration already works when we let it. If you care about Caribbean history, Caribbean culture, the creative economy, diaspora development, or people-centered sustainability, you’ll leave with both a clearer diagnosis and a more practical vision.

    Alistair Scott is founder of the nonprofit, Diaspora Legacy Collective. He is also Principal Advisor at Synergy Ecosystems LLC, a coaching and connections service. A lifelong development generalist and Pan African educator, Alistair is passionate about applying a systems and sustainability lens to rethinking how we organize thriving economies and societies. His career over the last two decades has spanned extensive community development, tourism, workforce development, sales and education; and as a civil servant, entrepreneur and non-profit professional across the U.S and the Caribbean.

    He has built up expertise in fostering developing and deploying social capital, particularly when he led the build out of Basta’s Alumni Success workstream and also in his advisory of African diasporan entrepreneurs and young professionals in the diaspora. Alistair also maintains a blog on addressing socio-economic and African diasporan themes, including futuristic takes on countries like Jamaica and Haiti and published a fictional essay in the Atlantic Fellowship’s Moya magazine.

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    48 分
  • Caribbean American Heritage Month And The Work Beyond Celebration

    Caribbean American Heritage Month And The Work Beyond Celebration
    2026/05/27

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    Caribbean culture is everywhere, but visibility is not the same as power. As we mark Caribbean American Heritage Month this June, I want to push past the easy parts of celebration and ask a harder question: what are we building with what we know about our history, politics, and cultural practices?

    In today's episode, we ground ourselves in Caribbean American Heritage Month's official recognition and why Caribbean identity in the US still fights to be seen clearly. Then we pivot to Caribbean futures: moving from global cultural recognition to structural power that sustains communities economically and politically. We talk institutions, learning across global communities, and diaspora responsibility beyond remittances. Most importantly, we want to know: what does Caribbean American Heritage Month mean to you, and what actions are you willing to take next to support our communities?

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    Produced by Breadfruit Media
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    9 分