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| Black Stalin |
Dr. Leroy Calliste fondly known as Black Stalin, passed today 28th December, 2022
Dr. Leroy Calliste was on born on the 24 September 1941 and raised on Coffee Street in San Fernando to George and Elcina Calliste. One of four children, he attended San Fernando Boys' R.C. School. He worked as a limbo dancer before taking up singing calypso in 1959 when he made his debut at the Good Shepherd Hall in St. Madeleine, but did not join a calypso tent until 1962 when he joined the Southern Brigade. He was given the nickname Black Stalin by fellow calypsonian Blakie in the mid-1960s. In 1967 Black Stalin joined Kitchener's Calypso Revue tent and managed to place in that year's Calypso Monarch competition.
Stalin was popularly called the People’s Calypsonian. He was known for his militant Rastafarian and black nationalist lyrics. Stalin won the Calypso Monarch competition for the first time in 1979 (with "Caribbean Man" and "Play One") and went on to win it again in 1985, 1987, 1991 and 1995. He also won the Calypso King of the World title in 1999.
Black Stalin’s 1979 win, the first such triumps at the national level, therefore should be seen not just as a trophy on the shelf. What it marked was the arrival at the top rung of a very different kind of calypsonian. It was no cakewalk. In fact, his victories have always come in spectacular fashion, their value heightened by the fact that he simply never won from a poor field. In 1979 he was up against Explainer’s “Kicksing in Parliament” and "Dread”, the combination everyone swore would take the title. Also on that stage were Crazy, Short Pants, Relator, Singing Francine, Bro Valetino and Poser, who went on to win the road march title.
In 1985, singing “Wait, Dorothy” and “Ism Schism” he beat Merchant’s “Pan in Danger” and “Caribbean Connection” and two years later, rendered “Mr Panmaker” and “Bu’n Dem” to pip David Rudder’s semainal work “Calypso Music.” In 1991 there was “Look on the Bright Side” and a song that has retained its value at fetes to this day, “Feeling to Party”. His last lien to date came in 1995 for “In Time” and the catchy “Sundar”.
Stalin has since gone to win the global title, crowned Calypso King of Kings in 1999 for his rendition of “Black Man Feeling to Party”, one of calypso’s most ingenious love songs and “Wine, Boy” (aka “Wine, Dhanraj, Wine”) a laugh-a-minute piece of political picong. In 1985, at the inaugural edition of that contest, he had placed second to the agreed Calypso King of the World, The Mighty Sparrow.
In 1987 he was also awarded the Hummingbird Medal (Silver) for his contribution to Trinidad and Tobago culture.
No less an attraction when in the role of calypso tent NC (apart from singing, he functioned in this capacity for ten years at Kitchener’s Revue), Stalin has made the rounds, bringing decades of experience to the task of charting audience response. Along with Brother Valentino and Superior, he also opened Iere Kaiso Movement in 1982 at the Communications Workers Union (CWU) Hall, a mere stone’s throw from his former stable at William Munroe’s Kingdom of the Wizards (later known as Spektakula Forum).
Black Stalin became Dr. Leroy Calliste on 31 October 2008, when he was conferred with an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, for his tremendous dedication and contribution to Calypso music and culture in Trinidad and Tobago.
Black Stalin has performed in front of global audiences and left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of millions who witnessed his energetic performances. Black Stalin produced many hits that will ever be timeless.
In 2021, the City of San Fernando renamed a portion of Lord Street (corner Coffee Street to Paradise Street) to Dr. Leroy Calliste street.
On behalf of the President Mr. Ainsley King, the General Council, membership and staff of TUCO, we express condolences to his wife Patsy Calliste, his children, grandchildren, the entire Calliste family, colleagues and friends of the late Dr. Leroy “Black Stalin” Calliste.
From the Newsdesk of The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO)
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DID HE WRITE HIS OWN LYRICS?
Black Stalin - More Come
A sincerely Caribbean eulogy
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16 Feb 2021 — The City of San Fernando honoured calypso icon Black Stalin by renaming a portion of Lord Street, the street where he was born. The section from the corner of Coffee Street to Paradise Street will now be recognised as Dr Leroy Calliste Street. (tt.loopnews.com, Darlisa Ghouralal, February 16, 2021 05:15 PM ET)
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A Trini friend of mine called Ken, living in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, via WhatsApp, 20221229 11:20 am; forwarded the following sincerely Caribbean eulogy.
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Mia Motley on The Black Stalin.
FROM The HEART…
Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love music. It is key to all that I do. The truth is one of those early artists who centered me and gave me context and perspective was Black Stalin. He had a way of drilling down always to the core - his message always rooted in truth, justice and solidarity.
Black Stalin was one of our region's finest masters of calypso; both his lyrics and his melodies expertly captured the rhythm and vibe and voice of the Caribbean.
He was accutely conscious of our shared history, culture, passions and concerns and expressed them in his songs in a way we never could ourselves. In the true tradition of calypso, Stalin was also a griot, chronicling the issues and philosphies impacting our daily lives.
No more so was it evident than in that iconic Caribbean Anthem that remains our Holy Grail of the Caribbean Civilization. Who else has more poignantly reminded us that “we are one people on the same trip coming on the same ship”; “pushing one common intention for a better life for we women and we children. That must be the ambition of the “Caribbean Man””; even more so, as we get ready to celebrate 50 years of CARICOM in 2023!
Not to be limited to the Caribbean region, Black Stalin emboldened those of us fighting the consequences of colonialism and the horror of apartheid with his exhortations to Peter in “Burn Dem”. This was a powerful reminder of the exploitation and the oppression of black people by whoever and wherever! Yes his intention was achieved - to empower us with the resolve to keep fighting the battle for Justice.
Black Stalin’s songs were really about Nation Building, a task to which he was as committed as any Caribbean leader. Yes, he reminded us early on that “Dorothy” and the tales of jamming her would have to take second place to his concerns as to where the oil money went.
But perhaps his most far-reaching song was yet another anthem - that of the “Black Man”. After centuries of dehumanization of the Black Man and the Black Woman, Black Stalin validated the importance and dignity of the Black Man (after all his hard work and struggles) to be able JUST to fete with his woman.
Yes he saw us all!
Our Black Stalin reminded us of the real concern of “Sufferers” - not to be wallowing in bigotry nor to be used as a background for many others in their causes but in being singularly concerned as to where the next meal is coming from. Never forget it!
We give thanks for the life, work and passion
of Leroy Calliste who at the time of our Caribbean Nation Building reminded us always that “We can make it if we try”.
I was unapologetic in using its power of inspiration. A song without boundaries and sovereignty - a tribute simply to the human spirit. This was one of the key songs that I chose during the COVID 19 Pandemic to use on the highways and by-ways across Barbados as we worked to encourage our people to stay the course and to keep our heads above water.
We urged as he would - as we all knew - that if we simply try and work together “Better Days are Coming!”
We in the Caribbean have lost one of our greatest Nation Builders. Each word of his, each sentence of his, carefully crafted by a Maestro to to tell OUR story of the Caribbean and OUR people. OUR STORY!
May we work hard to keep his music alive across this Caribbean with each succeeding generation.
May his work inspire others as it has me on my life’s journey!
❤️
Mia Amor
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Be Safe :-) tobagojo
Rest Well "Black Man"