Niche Audience Member Interview: Greg Martin

Greg is a junior at Towson University and is from Brooklyn NY. His family is from Guyana which is in South America but is considered a Caribbean country. He is also a member of Towson University's Caribbean Student Association.



Greg has a love for Caribbean music, especially the old school stuff. Beres Hammond is his favorite artist. To put that into context for you, it is like having a college friend whose favorite singer is Smokey Robinson. Greg also hooks me up with hot new Caribbean songs on my ipod, for free I might add lol.

Yahsomideh Baltimore Caribbean Event website.

While searching the web for blogs related to Blogival's topic, I found a website that's a perfect resource for people interested in finding Caribbean events in the Baltimore, Towson area. I checked out the site and it is a credible source with many party listings. For example there is a picture on the homepage of DJ Sir Bingz, who is one of the top DJs in the area.TheYahsomideh also has other features like a photo gallery from past events, a forum and links to other related sites.

The name of the website clearly pays homage to Jamaican patoi(broken English). Yah so mi deh is roughly translated to "This is where I am,". This gives the site instant approval from Caribbean people because our accents are one of our most unique characteristics.

Definitely check out this website you will find something to attend, hear fresh music from the Caribbean and learn about people in the Baltimore Caribbean event scene.

Caribbean Party of the Week

I found the flyer for this party at the Blue Caribbean Lounge which is a Caribbean hot spot in the
Baltimore area. It features two DJs that were recommended by my friend DJ Sir Bingz, who is one of the best DJs in this area.

The name of the party is The Annual Girls Gone Wild and is being hosted by 2D Hardway Promotions.

When: Saturday April 25th 2009. 10:00 p.m.

Where: Sankofa Center for Cultural Enrichment. 2901 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore Md. 21215

How Much: $20 for Ladies and Gentlemen before 1 a.m.

Sounds: High Rollaz, Half Krazy, C4 and Kalico


View Larger Map

Rep Your Flag Party. Saturday

Wild Out Ent. and 4 My People Production presents Rep Your Flag, this Saturday, April 18th at Portofino Lounge.
Come represent your island, country, hood, suburb, school etc. at this party. Bring a Flag or wear something that symbolizes where your from. We want to see as many different places represented as possible. Help us bring the world to Towson. I myself will be proudly wearing blue and yellow(colors in Barbados' flag), and you will catch me waving my flag high in the air.

Here is the 411 for the Rep Your Flag.

When: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

How much: Ladies free before midnight,$5 after. Gentlemen $5 before 11 p.m., $12 after. 18 to enter 21 to drink.

DJs: DJ Lawless and DJ Jahstone

Niche Audience Member Interview: Melissa Hamm

Melissa is an International student at Towson University. She is a member of Towson's CSA and is from the island of Anguilla. Melissa is new to the Towson area, but because she is from the Caribbean she brings that unique island mentality about night life. That is why I interviewed her for Blogival. Melissa also contributed to the planning of the CSA's Island Fever earlier this semester. Island Fever turned out to be the best Caribbean house party this semester at Towson. Well it won by default because it was the only I knew about or attended, but it was difinately a raver.

Niche Audience Member Interview: Nefertede Sterling

Nefertede a member of Towson University's Caribbean Student Association, is someone that I have seen at many of the Caribbean events I have attended in my 3 years while at Towson. She has also attended parties I have planned.(Thanks for the support girl). I thought she would be a great person to interview for Blogival because she is a active niche member, which gives her some authority on the topic of my blog.

Nefertede has a Jamiacan parent and grew up in Bronx, NY. She is a senior Biology major.

International Fridays, April 10th

There was an observation from last Friday's Dancehall Fridays. The patrons were from countries from all over world Burma, Kenya,Mexico,Jamaica,Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Nigeria just to name a few. So with that in mind we made a little change.

The name of the party is now International Fridays. It will be held at the same place as last week's event, Portofino Lounge.

Sounds will be provided by DJ Lawless, DJ Jah Stone and for the first time DJ Spektakula. These DJs will definitely help you get your "freak on" on the dance floor lol.

Here are the party details.

When: 10:00p.m. to 4:00a.m. April 10th

Cost: Ladies $3 before 11:30, Fellas $7 before 11:30


Come and check out the new hot dance spot on a Friday night in the Towson area, You don't have to be International to party with us, we welcome everybody.

Caribbean Dance: Willie Bounce

The Willie Bounce is the most generic dancehall dance style, it even has its own music video. Mr. Bogle, the dancehall king, created Willie Bounce shortly before his death. This is the main reason why the dance became so popular because it will always remind dancehall lovers of Mr. Bogle and all his legendary moves. Willie Bounce is now three years old but has yet to go out of style, I personally think it never will. Any dancehall party you attend you will see at least one person Willie Bouncing, I guarantee you.

The Willie bounce is hard to describe with words, and must be seen to get a full grasp of the moves and rhythm of the dance. I will be doing an instructional video with one of my Jamaican friends that attends Towson University. I will also embed Sean Paul's video "We Be Burning", which features the Willie Bounce through out the entire video. Watch and learn so you can impress you friends with you correct Willie Bounce techniques.

Interesting fact; Michelle, the girl in the beginning of the linked Willie bounce video is a friend of Hnin, the Willie bounce instructor. What a small world. lol

DJ Jah Stone Interview

DJ Jah Stone is one of the main Djs for Dancehall Fridays. I did a video interview with him at the start of last night's party, to get his thoughts about the Caribbean scene in the Towson area. Jah Stone is from the island of Trinidad and Tobago.

Dancehall Fridays review

Last night was the first Dancehall Fridays at Portofino's, which was brought to you by Wild Out Entertainment and 4 My people Productions.
The dance floor filled slowly but by 1:00 a.m., it got crowded and the people in attendance started dancing. DJ Jah Stone and DJ Lawless played on the one and twos. They played more than dancehall which I think is good because it got the entire crowd into the party. Some of the hottest songs in hip-hop, African, and soca was played.
One thing thing I noticed was that people came out dressed to impress, especially the ladies who were rocking heels and "sexy outfits" lol.

This would have been an amazing party if people showed up a little bit earlier and if say 15 more people attended. However the people who attended definitely had a fun time and raved till 4 a.m. I myself being one of them is really tired and woke up Saturday at 1:30 p.m in the afternoon. What can I say; it's college.lol

See you next Friday at Dancehall Fridays at Portofino's. Its going to get bigger and better in the weeks to come.

Look out for the DJ Jah Stone Interview.

Chris Ma-Umba of 4 My People Productions Interview

Chris is a friend and business associate of mine. I did this interview with Chris so that you readers out there could get to know one of newest and hardest working promoters in the college Caribbean scene. Sorry for the poor lighting. My camera is not that good, I had three lights on in the room. Hope you still enjoy it.

I'm Back in Business, Time to Wild Out

I am happy and excited to announce that my entertainment company Wild Out Entertainment is back in business and will be hosting Caribbean events in the Towson area. The first event will be Dance Hall Fridays which will be going down each and every week at Portofino's Lounge.
I took a break from planning and promoting parties for two reasons: I wanted to concentrate on school for my last semester and there was a lack of venues in this area that would have 18 and older events.
I decided to get back into the Caribbean party promoting scene for three reasons: I am writing a blog about Caribbean events so why not throw them myself, my friends and I found a location willing to have 18 and older events and I need money,being broke is not fun.

I founded Wild Out Entertainment with my friend and roommate Mathais Okpo in January 2008. The mission of Wild Out Ent. is to bring authentically themed Caribbean events to Towson University and surrounding colleges. We felt there was void of dance hall parties for college students and the ones that were going on where usually more than 30 mins. away from school. Wild Out Ent. also aims to portray Caribbean culture in the most positive manner as possible.

So come and Wild Out with me and my friends each and every Friday @ Portofino's Lounge.

Jimi Payne(pink hat) and Mathais Okpo of Wild Out Ent.