Interviewed by Maya Trotz for Jouvay.com, Orlando, May 2005

Rupee, 5/29/05
Hard Rock Cafe, Orlando, Florida.

From MTV to BET, from Japan to Madrid, from Germany to Barbados, Rupee is making his mark in the music world and we're excitedly watching him rise. With a new multi album deal with Atlantic Records, Rupee's first album on the label has already gone gold in Japan and is scheduled to drop in August, 2005 in the U.S.. Always a believer in pushing public messages on HIV/AIDS during his performances, Rupee has this to say about the Caribbean situation, "our music is very sexy and very erotic and you know about carnival babies and what goes on during carnival and cropover. Our audienice needs to hear it most, but we need to be diplomatic in the way we do it. We can't stand up and hold an open discussion on stage. It needs the likes of Bunji joining in, Destra, Faye Ann, KMC, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel...the people's voices. People need to hear these messages coming back at them. As much as the music is erotic and borderline explicit you could inject a lil message in there, Rude Boy Don't Be Silly Put A Rubber Pon Our Willy. That kind of vibe."

Jouvay.com: Rupee, we are back with you in Orlando. You know we did our first interview with you in Tampa two years ago. When's the next album coming out? One on One?

Rupee: It was supposed to come out last year, but due to things beyond our control we had to delay. After a few delays the final album release date will be August 23rd. The last single, Do the Damn Thing features Lil Kim and we are shooting the video with Lil Kim in Miami July 8th and 9th. Look out for the album finally in the U.S. in August.

J: It was released in Japan and it is in Europe?

Rupee: It has been released in Japan and sold over 100,000 copies which is a gold record for an international act. In the UK it's starting to do tremendously well. There's alot of momentum. I was just in Madrid, Spain and Nice, France. I am going back to France in a week to go to Paris. There's a really big station down there called NRG and Tempted To Touch has just made the playlist in Paris.

J: And you said you went to Germany too?

R: Berlin, Cologne, unbelievable experience for me. You know that was back at home.

J: You have family there still?

R: I definitely do from my mother's side. My brother Joe and my sister Mona. I am very blessed and fortunate in the way that music has taken me all around the world.

J: And it will go much further. I really enjoyed the session tonight. You sang one of my favorite songs, the one about your mom and it was interesting that you put it in such a setting here.

R: This is not really the ideal type of atmosphere to do that kind of song so I took a chance. You have to take chances and the response was so overwhelming. It was touching and moving and it was an honor the way the crowd responded to Woman Always Be There.

J: It was good because you don't sing alot of those songs from your album. Soca is not all about the jump up and we need to see the diversity.

R: Now that I am fortunate to have the Dot Com band I can afford to branch out and express myself alot more.

J: How has it been with the Dot Com band? I have seen you all about four times now and each time you just keep getting better.

R: Dot Com is such an amazing experience for me. We just came off of a 14 city tour in three weeks across the Eastern side of the US mainly. We had a tour bus decked out with 12 bunks, a studio and a lounge in the back. I don't think any other soca band has toured in such a way. We were literally performing every night across the U.S.. That was such an amazing experience. It allowed the band to get alot closer in terms of the music and in terms of personal relationships. The most interesting thing about it was the response at the various venues. The turn outs were not predominantly West Indian, but very mixed. We actually kicked it off in Guyana where we did 15,000 people in Thirst Park.

J: For Hits and Jams?

R: Hits and Jams. Big up Kerwin and Rawle and all of the boys. Then we did Toronto. It was Rupee and Dot Com by themselves and we almost sold it out. Just Dr. Jay and the DJs. We went onto Boston for a Wednesday night at a club called Axis. Turned back like 1,000 people and the crowd was very mixed. White American, Black American and Latino. We have a huge Latino following.

J: Actually, how's that going? I know you were on a reggaeton show in San Francisco and we could not even get in though we brought you there for the frsit time. It was sold out. How was the show?

R: It was just unbelievable. Must have been about 8-9,000 people. No West Indians really, except Puerto Rico. They were singing Tempted To Touch, Jump, flags in the air. If you closed your eyes you would think you were in Barbados for cropover. It just shows where soca music is going and where Caribbean music is going.

J: Are you performing for Cropover this year?

Rupee: Yeah. The schedule is really hectic. Definitely looking to make a few select appearances because after all Cropover is what made me. I have my own section in Baje International called Fusion.

J: You know I always go here...so I had sent you an email because they are trying to kick off a whole HIV/AIDS campaign in Guyana dealing with stigma and discrimination and I wanted you to sort of head it. When I came up with the whole concept of phiva.net it was after you came to the bay area and I heard you do an interview on KPFA with DJ Jose Ruiz. I decided entertainers really need to do more about spreading the message in the Caribbean. So I started that website and now a funding agency is supporting a project in Guyana and they want me to help do this concert which is supposed to launch it. Where are you with your message? I heard you say tonight that men need to respect their women and so on, but what message do you think the Caribbean needs because our numbers are still alarmingly high?

R: What I have been made to understand is that some areas are doing quite well. I Think in Barbados the statistics are down. It needs a joint effort from all of the artists in the Caribbean because our target is the target that needs the hear the message most.

J: It's the 15 to 25 year olds who are slated as being the fastest growing population of HIV positive people in the Caribbean.

R: Our music is very sexy and very erotic and you know about carnival babies and what goes on during carnival and cropover. Our audienice needs to hear it most, but we need to be diplomatic in the way we do it. We can't stand up and hold an open discussion on stage. It needs the likes of Bunji joining in, Destra, Faye Ann, KMC, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel...the people's voices. People need to hear these messages coming back at them. As much as the music is erotic and borderline explicit you could inject a lil message in there, Rude Boy Don't Be Silly Put a Rubber Pon Your Willy. That kind of vibe. What I am trying to do now is link up with the Body Shop. They have these AIDS/HIV bracelets that are $10 for one and all of the funds go towards creating AIDS awareness and research. I am in preliminary stages trying to talk to the Body Shop about impacting the Caribbean with these bands.

J: Tonight I was driving here and I was thinking that we need to make one in red, gold and green that targets the Caribbean specifically provided you find the right organization to manage funds. You are doing it for the Body Shop, but it can be for any other reputable Caribbean based organization.

R: There's a silver one and a gold one that came out before this and all of the R&B acts and hip-hop artists were promoting it. So we want to try to get the Caribbean up on it. You know me, once I am available I am willing to be a part of it.

J: We'll make sure we put it off until you are available because I know you can't do the show in August. Is that the line up you said you'd want on the show with you? Bunji, Destra, KMC, Bounty Killer...

R: Yeah, that would be nice.

J: Have you performed with Shaggy and Sean Paul before?

Rupee: I performed with both. I have been so fortunate and blessed to perform with artists I have looked up to for years. I just performed at the St. Lucia jazz festival with Beenie Man opening night.

Jouvay.com: I know the Friday night, April 29th. I wanted to come.

R: Incredible man. I have most respect for Beenie Man. I recently did a show here in Tampa at the Office Depot center with Alicia Keys, Black eyed Peas that was 28,000 people. Performed in Madison Square Garden, 30,000 people... a Latino crowd. Just very blessed.

J: With Lil Kim, is there any controversy with you working with her?

R: No, no controversy. Naturally people will raise questions and at the end of the day contrast is good. I like Lil Kim because she is real. She does not put up a front or a facade.

J: The only reason I asked that is because there is a court case pending with her right now.

R: Yeah, she is going through a rough period right now. She has a message on her website that encourages readers to send an email to the judge and plead for leniency in her case because she has been found guilty. I am just praying that she gets through her situation and I believe that they are just trying to make an example out of her and it is unfortunate. Lil Kim was subsequently sentenced to 1 year in prison.

Jouvay.com: You guys are easy targets. So, I heard a rumor that Alison Hinds has signed with your management and will be your opening act?

Rupee: Hmmm. As far as being my opening act where Alison is concerned I don't know about that, but she is definitely aligned with Van Gibbs who is my manager. She is the queen of soca, she can't open for me, you know what I mean. If anything it will be a partnership and one day she will open and the next day I will. That is royalty there and I respect that. It's good to know that she is back in the game, coming strong after having a beautiful baby. She is so sweet, you've got to see her.

J: I did see her at Reggae on the Hill. She's a cutie.

R: I just want to encourage the listeners to please log onto Thisisrupee.com as well. I talk to the fans all of the time. I have a whole lil crew called the Rupee Angels that come out to shows in numbers in T-shirts. The board is such a blessing. Love wunna like my grandmother cooked food.

Much thanks to DJ Rude Boy for putting us in touch with Rupee once again. Some pictures are from an April 15th show at Crossroads in D.C. and the interview was done at Mr. CC's show at the Hardrock Cafe in Orlando Memorial Day weekend 2005. Thanks to Koren Bedeau and Smally for that one.

Read Rupee's first jouvay.com interview, 2003.