>> View Red Hot Cohobblopot 2011
>> View Barbados Crop Over 2011 Coverage

On Crop Over Sunday, after all the cruises, fetes and limes are all said and done... there’s only ONE place to be ... RED HOT COHOBBLOPOT!

Team TJJ is a lil’ worn down with our hectic party schedule, but it’s coming down to the homestretch, so no time for stickin’. Well, I wished Yohann aka D’ Young Juice got the 'It’s Crunch Time' memo because beauty sleep was the only thing on his mind after we left Booze Cruise After Party at The Boat Yard. He’s a Crop Over virgin, so we’ll let it slide.

Nevertheless, after a few hours of solid sleep we finally made it down to Kensington Oval. Its minutes after midnight and Machel Montano and the HD Family are on the stage for the third and final segment of tonight’s show, "The Return".

The first segment was called "Pun De Road" and featured Reddman, Gorg, TC, Peter Ram, Mr. Dale, Alison Hinds, Blood, Lil Rick aka Ricky Minaj and Biggie Irie. The second segment, "The Monarch" started with Pic-O-De Crop winner Popsicle ("I Would Pick A Fair") and was followed by Sweet Soca Monarch’s Red Plastic Bag ("Once Upon A Wine") and 2011 Party Monarch Mikey ("Pavement Anticipation") and ended with fireworks. Edwin Yearwood and Barbados #1 Soca band Krosfyah later hit the stage, giving the crowd hit after hit for their 45 minute set ... "Chrissening", "Sak Passe", "Good Time" and "In de Middle of De Road" to name a few.

It was then time to take "Advantage"! And in typical Machel fashion, he had fans screaming from the get go as cartoon images of himself projected on the big screens (pretty much the same multi-media presentation used at Machel Monday in Trinidad for the carnival season) referencing  the songs being performed. Lil Rick joined him on stage to perform their Crop Over remix for "Coming Again", which raised the energy level in the oval up another notch.  Appearances by Swappi, and not forgetting his Swappilicious dancer ("Dis Gyal (Mi Nah Go Play)" and "Bumper to Fender Remix"), Farmer Nappy ("I Pay For This"), Zan ("Slip Away", "Hold You Down") and Patrice Roberts with ("Wukkin Up", "Wuk It", "Mo Wuk") added to a fantastic show before the sound was cut abruptly ending the HD band ninety minute performance.

Although Machel was given an extra thirty minutes to perform, he was also clueless as to what was going on, as he tried speaking to the crowd with every available microphone with no success. As Montano exited, fans started singing Biggie Irie’s popular hit for the season "Cyaan Be Over". But in fact it was!  Although ending in disappointing manner, Red Hot Cohobblopot did still in fact deliver an unforgettable night of entertainment of our top Caribbean artistes.

MC Mac Fingall did his best to ease the situation as folks left Kensington Oval to head home and rest up for the BIG day tomorrow ... Grand Kadooment!

Can’t wait to Jones & Wuk Up,
Dre aka The Carnival Ref

ps. Rumour has it that Rihanna will be on the road... boom bang bang!

Did we forget anything? Add your 2 cents below...

>> View Red Hot Cohobblopot 2011
>> View Barbados Crop Over 2011 Coverage