Corie Sheppard Podcast

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In this week's episode, we sit with legendary sculptor and visual artist Ben Gayah — joined by his wife Janine — for a powerful conversation on art, legacy, and love. Ben shares how he got started as an artist, the challenges of making it in Trinidad and Tobago, and the stories behind his massive sculptures at St. Mary’s Fete and the mural on the Parliament building. With Janine adding her own insights and perspective, this episode offers a rare, intimate look at the life and work of one of the country’s most impactful creatives.

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This week we sit with Adrian Scoon, CEO of wOw Events, the company behind Spirit Mas, Soaka, Iron Park & Mecka.

Adrian dives into the business of Carnival, creativity, and cultural innovation. From the origins of Soaka to the launch of Travel Haeven, a new travel planning platform designed to help the global Carnival chaser curate their Trinidad Carnival experience.

Adrian walks us through his evolving vision for experiential events. He unpacks the mission behind wOw Events—particularly the intentional inclusion of local artistes—and shares how Spirit Mas is carving its own lane. 

The conversation also explores his efforts to spotlight traditional characters through Mecka, challenging the look and feel of mainstream Carnival events.

Whether you’re in it for the fete, the culture, or the strategy, this one’s a masterclass in how to think differently about Trinidad Carnival.

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In this episode, we sit with Conrad Baird, founder of Affordable Imports Studios, for an inspiring deep dive into grit, growth, and creative entrepreneurship. 

After being ousted from an accounting job he loved, Conrad pivoted hard — starting off by buying and selling equipment, then quickly expanding into audio-visual rentals.

What began with selling out of a van in Uncle Beddoe's carpark soon evolved into Affordable Imports Studios, a full-fledged creative space that has hosted this podcast and many others, along with videographers, photographers, content creators, cabnival bands and artists across Trinidad & Tobago.

🔊 Press play to hear how Conrad turned loss into legacy, and hustle into a hub for creatives as he continues to build and grow.

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In this episode, we welcome the legendary Duvone Stewart, one of the most revered steelpan arrangers and musical minds in Trinidad and Tobago. From his humble beginnings in Tobago and moving to Nelson Street, to commanding global stages with his unmatched talent, Duvone takes us on a journey through his love affair with the pan, the evolution of his craft, and the discipline that has propelled him to the pinnacle of success in the world of steelpan.

Duvone takes us deep into his journey with the bpTT Renegades and his young start under the tutelage of the great Jit Samaroo, reflecting on his long-standing relationship with the iconic band and how their partnership has led to multiple Panorama championships.

We explore the emotional story behind one of his first and most unforgettable Panorama victories—winning the big band title with “Year for Love” by Voice. Duvone opens up about how the haunting memory of his friend’s cold-blooded murder inspired his powerful arrangement, fueling a performance that resonated far beyond the Savannah stage.

Duvone also shares his experiences lecturing on pan in France, where he is helping to spread the rich culture and technical brilliance of steelpan to an international audience. His global impact reinforces the importance of preserving and innovating pan culture worldwide.

In a broader discussion about the future of the art form, Duvone highlights the critical role of leadership in shaping pan’s trajectory. He speaks candidly about the influence of Her Excellency Christine Kangaloo, President of Trinidad and Tobago, and Pan Trinbago President Beverly Ramsey-Moore, who have both been vocal advocates for pan’s recognition and advancement.

From local roots to international acclaim, this conversation celebrates the power of pan, the resilience of its people, and the importance of preserving this cultural treasure. Tune in for an inspiring and deeply personal conversation with Duvone Stewart.

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What else could we name episode 222?

This episode is full of Kaiso about....you know what -  and a heavy dose of cemetery kaisos of course as we were just as shocked as everyone else with 'influencer' Gabby Fequire popularly known as Gabby Fe's carnival stories. If you missed this you're under a rock and you better off staying there unless you see her coming.

Cuba came here and got dealt with while most of us were in traffic trying to get to the game. Thankfully Yorkie steered us into the Gold Cup and we were happy to be there to witness it although the Cuban team was back in Havana before we could get home.

Stuartie and the crew are in Jamaica begging for our lives and much to our surprise, Colm is acting Prime Minister once again. We get into a breakdown of what tariffs are and how they intended to work and demystify some of the rhetoric that's being spread across the socials.

Enjoy!!!

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We're joined today by Traffik lead singer, Eddie Charles. Eddie is the last man standing from the era of the brass band lead singers.

Eddie has brought big band Traffik back on the road and he tells us about his gigs for the 2025 season. We got into the difference between today's artists singing with backing tracks vs using his own vocals and back up singers.

Of course we had to ask him about classic songs like No Evidence, Let me Go, Musical Healing and him being the original big links man and the fact that he was performing in boxers long before Benjai.

Eddie speaks on the era of the ground fete and his experiences in fetes like Wasa, Licensing, Flour, Fire, Customs and clears the air on what really caused Machel to pull away from Brass Festival and start the Alternative Concept.

While he might be known to some of us as Traffik's lead singer, some of the youths among us might know him more as a soca parang artist and you might be surprised to find out when he started singing parang.

The stories are priceless & you won't want to miss this one.

Enjoy!!

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In this week's episode we join the silly season with the rest of the country.
The election date is here, Rowlers' handover is complete and Stuart Young is now the jefe.
He done establish dominance with a. cabinet reshuffle like a true top dawg. Somehow we had him down as a softy after seeing him fall off the stage what day but who knew he was a bully in his school days. Lasana Libud put an end to any thoughts of denying the incident so the PR statements and clean ups are rolling in. Who thought that in 2025 we would be referencing The Mirror Newspaper. We get into what bullying entails and his response to the incident.
The opposition is in go mode to launch their entire slate and with the resignations flying in we're working on getting a call up.
TTFA is also looking for volunteers so we might be coming out of retirement to hold down a number 9 for the Soca Warriors.
Enjoy!!!

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In this week's episode we're fortunate to be joined by Franka Philip for customary canaval wrap-up.
Franka is a journalist and media consultant with 25 years experience in online, radio and print with specialist skills in digital media.
We do a mini review of the fetes we attended during the season and we hear Franka's expert opinion on the elements that make for a great fete experience.
We get into the beauty that is Panorama and discuss the results while Franka sheds some light on the comments around Beverly Ramsey Moore's Katzenjammers hattrick winning season.
The competitions were a hot topic as well and seem to always be shrouded in controversy and this year was no different as The Ultimate Soca Champion kicked off the bacchanal and Calypso Monarch and Road March sparked a firestorm of opinions. We might finally have some answers on which competitions are still relevant and which ones may have outlasted their usefulness.
Franka speaks to her experience with Lost Tribe and reminisces about her time with Minshall and we get into how J'ouvert has changed over the years.
As is tradition, the canaval is over when we (and Kitchener) say it over.
Enjoy!!!!

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In this week's episode we're joined by the legendary Sistaron.
We get into her beginnings in the industry and her classic Sistaron ah Come alongside the great General Grant.

We get into the classic No Compromise album featuring, Ghettorians, Kindred, General Grant & Sistaron with production by Sheldon '$hel $shok' Benjamin that birther the Kiskidee Karavan coming out of Caribbean Sound Basin lead by Robert Amar. 

We're lucky enough to take in some of her more recent releases as she discusses her hiatus from the music industry after winning the Award for being the Top Breakout Artiste in the Caribbean.

You won't want to miss Sistaron's thoughts on the new generation of artistes in the Trinibad movement!

Tune in and Enjoy!!!!

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This week we’re joined by the oldest breakout artiste in the history of Trinidad & Tobago – Jungie. 

If you don’t know Jungie, just know that your favourite artiste knows him. He’s been around since the days of Kisskidee Caravan and has worked with and around some of the biggest names in the industry and 2025 he ketch a length with his breakout tune – Drinking Rum.

If you’re on the socials you may have seen Jungie giving his own versions of motivational speeches and maintains an aura of persistence and positivity but his pages these days show him putting in the work performing his song with energy on a thousand whether he’s on the stages at Army Fete, Different or a backyard jam.

We talk to Jungie about his brotherhood with artistes like Mx Prime & Ziggy Ranking and his entry into the entertainment industry. 

He openly discusses his battles with mental wellness and the role that DJ Bravo has played in his return to the industry.

Not one you want to miss.

Tune in & Enjoy!!!