News: Interview with Mr Slaughter

With soca in his veins, Derek Pereira is no stranger to the musical mosaic of Trinidad and Tobago. The 30-year-old son of a parang star has flirted with every corner of the Caribbean nation’s music industry. His induction into the soca fraternity was made official in 2001 when he burst onto the scene as an artiste with a song called Millenium Wine.

For six years Mr. Slaughter somehow managed to stay afloat without ever having competed for the soca monarch crown. In interviews he publicly maintained that he was not interested in competitions. In 2007, all that changed.

“I was blessed with a strong, supportive team behind me throughout the year. It was actually them. They were like, “yo Dawg E., you need to go on the main stage. I think that’s what would be able to put you over to the next level,” said the first time finalist. He says his hit song was inspired by the tragic loss of many friends and acquaintances over the years.

“It used to always have me so sad that I decided to write a song about it, and that’s why I wrote Spread the Love.” That song is actually bigger than it seems, because it’s not just about spreading the love in terms of different countries. It’s spreading the love for home, because what starts home ends abroad.”

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