BEST known for his biting political and social commentary, two-time Calypso Monarch Michael “Sugar Aloes” Osouna has done a complete turnaround for 2023. He has veered from his comfort zone, offering instead social commentary in the gospel genre.
He has even added two gospel artistes to join his cast at the Revue Tent and plans to have them as the opening act on January 27 at Arima Velodrome. Arima mayor Cagney Casimire has been invited to open the tent which was absent for two years due to the pandemic.
“We need God in our lives,” he told the Newsday in a telephone interview.
“I and all gone gospel.”
He explained violent world events and the spate of crime, which has not escaped his beloved Trinidad and Tobago, have caused him to do some introspection and use his music to offer some kind of hope and transformation to bring about world peace.
“I call the song, Hand of Mercy.
“With this kind of violence we are experiencing, I am begging God to stretch his hands of mercy on the whole world, especially TT.
“Is 600 and extra murders we had in the last year, you know,” he said referring to the highest murder statistic TT has recorded in recent memory.
“For the first day in January we get a few more, and then we had this six-year old girl being killed,” he said in reference to primary school pupil Kylie Meloney, who was shot to death by gunmen when they entered her home at Blake Avenue, Sangre Grande, during the first week in January.
“The number of murders for the year is about 15 or 16 and climbing. Arima, the home of the Revue, Kitchener’s home town, is now becoming a hot spot with so many murders taking place. Tunapuna gone through.
“We need God in our lives. We need to sanctify and bless this place,” he said last week, bursting into an acapella version of a verse of the song.
“We pleading, we begging, Father we asking for your hands of mercy
We begging, we pleading, Jehovah, we asking for your hands of mercy.”
[caption id="attachment_996161" align="alignnone" width="794"] Baba Michael Osouna, better known as Sugar Aloes, in his role as an Orisha priest. Aloes will perform a gospel commentary when the Revue Tent opens for the Carnival 2023 season on January 27 at the Arima Velodrome. Photo by Roger Jacob[/caption]
Aloes is no stranger to violence, as he has had the firsthand experience of losing two of his sons to gun violence.
On October 29, 2006, his son, Imo Osuna was shot dead at Sea Lots, Port of Spain, after he spoke out against residents robbing a patron at a party he hosted days before.
Sea Lots resident Arnold “Redo” Isaac was sentenced to death for his murder.
Another son, Ancil Blackman, then 39, was shot in the back and neck, outside his Brooklyn, New York home in 2020.
Aloes is once again managing the Revue tent started by the late Aldwyn “Kitchener” Roberts.
The cast is down to about 21, with some of the traditional bards Chalkdust, Baron, Skatie, Pink Panther, D
