Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
SVG’s Road March soca king in copyright trouble
News
March 12, 2010

SVG’s Road March soca king in copyright trouble

This country’s 2009 Soca Road March King, Shertz James may have run himself into some serious problems.

James, who goes by the stage name “Problem Child” is featured on the hit remix, “Party Hard,” a song written by UK-based artiste Donae’o.{{more}}

James’ remix has ripped through the airwaves in Trinidad’s carnival and has been in heavy rotation on local airwaves.

One would think that Donae’o would be thrilled by the exposure his music has been getting outside the UK. Unfortunately, he’s not! He’s angry!

Donae’o has never authorized James’ remix of his song, which could well spell legal implications for James.

In an interview with http://entertainmentmacco.blogspot.com/ Donae’o stated that he never had collaborated with James. “I only found out about the bootleg the other day; I didn’t authorise that mix. He found the instrumental and recorded his own version without my permission,” Donae’o said.

Donae’o indicated that he was not aware of how popular the song was throughout Trinidad Carnival. “I’m only finding out now to be honest. We were pushing Party Hard since Nov 2008 and it blow in the UK early 2009,” he said.

When asked if he would consider performing the song with James, Donae’o responded with a resounding “No!” The singer/writer/producer said that James only contacted him after the song had gained popularity and then asked for authorization. Donae’o told the blog that he said, “No, but the fact remains that the song was huge already…I feel and felt disrespected and exploited…both me and my music were exploited,” said Donae’o.

As to taking legal action, Donae’o said that, “It is something that we would have to discuss with him…only time will tell… But I can tell you it is something I am not going to authorize…” he told entertainmentmacco.

Meanwhile, James, in a response video posted on March 1, on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJG2ZKjKBYA), apologized for what transpired with the song. In 2009, James said he was introduced to the “Funky House” genre of music. James said he did some research on the song and came across “Party Hard”. “I said to myself, I have “Party Animal” and this is “Party Hard” so it would be cool to remix either my song or his,” James disclosed.

James added that he got into contact with an individual who lives and resides in the UK, who told him (Problem Child) that he had a link to Donae’o and his camp. “I was like, yo! We really need to make this happen…I just said to myself, they don’t know me and I don’t know them but I believe in my talent,” he added. James revealed that he went and got the instrumentals for the song and “patched and mixed up something to try to convince them that we should do the remix.”

The artiste admitted that he recorded the song. He got “too hype” and sent it to the individual who claimed he had a link to Donae’o. “There was no response. I tried, my PR rep tried but we couldn’t find him,” James added. He stated that he sent the song to three people just to get their opinions on the song.

James said he received a phone call from a friend in Trinidad during the carnival, stating that the song was a huge hit. “At the time I had just done the Madhouse remix and I was like, it’s big already?” James said, instead, it was “Party Hard” that was becoming popular. “I was like, what! I never sent this to Trinidad or anywhere beside those three individuals…I cant be crazy to go take a man tune, jump on it and release it,” James added.

Taking part in Trinidad’s festivities, James said that he performed at shows but only performed his 2007 Road March song, “Party Animal.” “People started me saying, boy you have to perform that song…so after seeing certain bands do other peoples tunes, I was like, I’m not booked for any gigs and I was never paid for any of these,” James declared. “I just decided well, people like the tune, let me just do the tune for doing the tune sake. I did send it to a couple of people after that but the tune was already out there,” he added.

An apologetic James admitted that he never meant any disrespect and he did not release the tune. “I understand why the original artiste should feel upset but none of this was intentional and I did not gain any finances or put the song on any album,” he stated.

This is not the first time James has been faced with something of this nature. In 2007, James won the Road March title with his song “Party Animal”. Persons were up in arms that the music was not original and that he did not deserve to win.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok