Written by TriniTrent at Trini Trent TV: Drake Steals Caribbean Culture
Drake’s Views album is here and if you buy into the hype, you will believe that the Canadian has ushered in a new era of pop music. Yet, for many of us in the Caribbean, his style isn’t so much new as it is stolen. Laced with samples and uncredited vocals from many of dancehall
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Written by TriniTrent at Trini Trent TV: 2016 Billboard Music Awards Recap
The 2016 Billboard Music Awards was a show of absolute slayage. Britney Spears returned to her former glory and killed her choreography. Rihanna? Well, she channelled the late Whitney Houston and ascended the throne as The Voice of our lost generation. Of course we can’t forget the Queen of Pop, Madonna, who performed a flawless tribute to
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Written by TriniTrent at For Black Boys With Absent Black Fathers
The idea of absent black fathers is being tackled as a myth. However, those of us who grew up without that guiding male figure know it is anything but. It’s time we address our daddy issues. Six months have passed since the last episode of Trini Trent Radio. In that time, I put my efforts into
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Written by TriniTrent at Finding Love At First Night
If you were a Brandy fan at the turn of the century, you remember the her story of attraction in the song “Full Moon.” However, some people expect to take that passion further by committing to love at first night. Terry Torro and Sean Anthony Torrington have combined their creative energies for a hilarious new series, Love @ First
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Written by TriniTrent at Social Media, Faffing And You
Sharing happenings in our lives on social media has become a regular part of our daily lives. Yet, when activities become habits that govern our time, we need to ask, “Do I have a problem?” My return to Trinidad and Tobago triggered several changes in my life, among which was anxiety. Dealing with reverse culture shock
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Written by TriniTrent at In Response to Police Shootings in America
As people continue to vent about the police shootings that occurred in the United States this week, I ask: What are people doing to heal? How can they fix their communities and create lasting change? Philando Castile was shot by police while his spouse live streamed the entire situation on Facebook. On the other hand, Alton Sterling was pinned
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Written by TriniTrent at No Rise Filter For The Soul
“You are fat…Your nose is too wide…You are too small to qualify for Eggplant Fridays…Your skin is too dark…You need the rise filter.” Those of us who spend long periods of time scanning social media are exposed to an array of messages that compel us to conform to skewed standards of beauty. However, as we look
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Written by TriniTrent at Swipe Right For Your Happily Ever After
K. Michelle has crafted a song that captures the mentality of our generation. “Drake Would Love Me” tells the tale of how people look toward men as heroes, ready to lead them into a life of happily ever after. In fact, the tune aligns with this week’s episode of Trini Trent Radio, “Swipe Right For
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Written by TriniTrent at That Man Is Wasting Your Time
A man should not have to block your calls for you to know he is not interested in you. In fact, the signs are all obvious if you are willing to admit he has been wasting your time. Stop being led on by a man who uses you as a distraction or a backup plan. Stop holding onto fantasies
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Written by TriniTrent at Next Steps For Soca Music
Judging by the latest trends in soca music, I reckon a typical conversation between a performer and a producer reads: Producer: “So, what type of song do you want?” Artist: “Yo! Machel won Road March with ‘Waiting On The Stage,’ so I want an dance tune like that. And Afrobeat is the big thing right now
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Written by TriniTrent at The Emancipation Of Me
As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates Emancipation Day, this is the perfect time to discuss freedom. With that in mind, this week’s episode of the Trini Trent Radio podcast explains how to break free from toxic relationships. Being stuck in unhealthy friendships or romantic partnerships is similar to walking in circles. It causes tremendous emotional, physical and mental
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Written by TriniTrent at Cuckoo For Conflict Resolution
Worldstar! Forget conflict resolution, let’s knock somebody out. Compassion is weakness. Love is for school girls. Indeed, the only important thing in life is winning. Congratulations, you just played yourself. In fact, you let your ego play you. Every day of our lives presents situations that could either lead to stronger connections or conflict. Unfortunately, many
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Written by TriniTrent at Back In Times: Mariah Carey ‘Emotions’ Album
Mariah Carey’s Emotions album is a great album. However, with the exception of the title track, the record has been widely forgotten. My ears reject modern pop radio. So, instead of complaining about Rich Homie Quan, I have launched special Trini Trent TV segments focused on music history! I cued up my iTunes, and listened to
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Written by TriniTrent at School Days Were The Worst Days
“Your school days are your best days.” That’s an old saying that is popular in Trinidad and Tobago. However, bullying and incessant homophobia made my time in school anything but fun. This episode of the Trini Trent Radio podcast is personal for me. As I continue on my journey of self-discovery, I recognise there are
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Written by TriniTrent at Why I Quit Blogging & Why I Came Back
“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” – Taoist Proverb In 2015, I devoted my energy to making this site, Trini Trent TV and the Trini Trent Radio podcast successful. As such, I attached myself to every social media platform I knew, followed every trending topic
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Written by TriniTrent at 12 Tips for West Indians Planning to Move to America
Many Caribbean people hold relocating to North America as a lifelong dream. However, as I learned from my experiences in the good ol’ US of A, migrating to a foreign country is not as magical as cable television teaches us. No matter how much you prepare, your move will include a few hiccups. I won’t be there to hold
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Written by TriniTrent at How to Face Your Fear of the Gym & Embrace Working Out
The first quarter of 2017 is ending and you still haven’t started working toward your New Year’s resolution to get in shape. You want to put your dreams in motion but your gym anxiety is overwhelming. Trust me, I understand. Before I found my groove at the gym, I avoided the iron room with every fibre of my being.
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Written by TriniTrent at What Battling Mice in New York City Taught Me About Life
When Instagram video first launched, my friends used it to share footage of their pets and friends. I, on the other hand, used it to detail my all out war against the notorious New York City mice. Looking back on my adjustment to life in the big city, I realise now that grappling with a rodent problem
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Written by TriniTrent at Stalking a Crush on Social Media Leads Us Away from Love
There is a guy at the gym about whom you can’t stop thinking. He’s charming, handsome and has all the physical qualities that grab your attention. Yet, before you introduce yourself, you need to know more about your target. It’s time to do some social media stalking. The internet is a useful tool for doing research on various
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Written by TriniTrent at How Choosing to be Single Helps Us Grow
For some of us nearing our thirties, there is mounting pressure from our friends, families and general society to settle down. We are pressured to abandon the freedoms of single life, and start laying the foundation for our futures. Magazines boast headlines detailing how to find the perfect guy, and dating websites guarantee to connect us with the right
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Written by TriniTrent at These Inspiring Quotes Will Help You Overcome Social Media Envy
Scroll through Facebook and you will see scores of pictures of people living their best lives. Their smiling faces and flashy outfits accompany tales of their achievements. Yet, for many of us, their successes spur social media envy. At the peak of my social media use, I found myself trapped in the cycle of compare and despair. For instance,
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Written by TriniTrent at Guys: What to do When Your Friend Admits to Being Gay
The process of coming out is stressful for gay men. After coming to terms with themselves, they spend the rest of their lives deciding when and where to share their sexuality. However, the discomfort is not theirs alone. It can be a very awkward moment when a friend tells you he’s gay. Your past conversations are replayed, moments of physical contact are
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Written by TriniTrent at A Guide for Caribbean People Dealing with Reverse Culture Shock
When I moved to New York City, I knew there would be challenges. I predicted I would struggle to fit in and understand various foreign customs. Yet, the reverse culture shock I experienced upon returning to Trinidad and Tobago was far worse. In many ways, I’m still recovering. Reverse culture shock is the feeling of confusion
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Written by TriniTrent at 5 Affirmations for LGBTQ People Pressured by Homophobia
Homophobia affects us all but it’s particularly challenging for LGBTQ people or those of who fail to live up to what others consider “normal.” Interestingly, the pressure also exists within our minds and can be challenged with empowering affirmations. “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer LGBTQ human
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Written by TriniTrent at How to End Friendships Without Making Enemies
The last 12 years of my life involved me finishing secondary school, completing a pair of degrees, and migrating between two countries. What I remember most about that time, however, is how I had to end friendships I thought would last forever. As we become more self-aware, we remove people from our lives who no longer suit our needs or
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Written by TriniTrent at Navigating Barbershop Homophobia as a Carrot, Egg or Coffee Bean
With the exception of the two years I lived abroad, I’ve been getting my hair cut at the same place for over 20 years. However, that’s not a testament to my loyalty to a small business owner. Rather, it’s proof of my struggles with barbershop homophobia. My barber is an older man of East Indian heritage. His
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Written by TriniTrent at 7 Tips for Beginners Starting a Yoga Practice
During my break from blogging, adopting meditation and a daily yoga practice helped me to understand myself in new ways. Interestingly, there was a time when I openly rejected them, especially yoga. My first experience with yoga was when I tried Tony Horton’s P90X. The 92-minute class, titled Yoga X, included several difficult movements that left me exhausted.
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Written by TriniTrent at Finding Inspiration on Leona Lewis’ ‘I Am’ Album
Leona Lewis’ I Am received little fanfare from critics, and its sales have been slow. However, as she teaches us with throughout the album, true validation and empowerment comes from within. During my break from blogging, I changed my perspective of pop culture. By releasing the impulse to critique, I’ve learned to appreciate music as a
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Written by TriniTrent at Challenge Your Social Media Addiction with Awareness
We use social networking sites to share our ideas, communicate with family and friends, and to follow the news. Unfortunately, many of us have developed a craving for permanent connectivity also known as social media addiction. Although therapists already offer treatment for the problem, social media addiction has not been classified as a disorder by the American Psychiatric
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Written by TriniTrent at What to do When People Mock Your Caribbean Accent
During my time in America, I encountered a special type of bullying: Mockery of my Trinidadian accent. However, the taunting wasn’t exclusively done by white people. Rather, I was also targeted by African-Americans. Racial harassment involves the bullying of persons based on their race, ethnicity or religion. This behaviour can also occur between individuals of the same race but of different nationalities or cultural
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Written by TriniTrent at Confessions of a Former Mariah Carey Super Fan
I used to be a Mariah Carey super fan; a proud member of the lamb nation. However, as the entertainment industry changed and the direction of her career took an unsettling turn, I became frustrated. Carey is a prolific as a singer and songwriter. In fact, her songs were a source of inspiration and support during the
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Written by TriniTrent at These Tips Will Help You Survive a Breakup in the Digital Age
Ending a relationship and learning how to move on after a breakup are common facets of life. Yet, the latter has become more difficult with the increasingly popularity of digital media. Facebook, Instagram and scores of other social media platforms encourage us to meet and remain connected to people. Indeed, they help us to expand our network of contacts,
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Written by TriniTrent at How Award Shows Hurt Artists & Their Fans
I used to love award shows. In fact, I enjoyed them so much that I knew the dates of every such event in a calendar year and scheduled time for each. However, the glitz and glamour that once brought me joy changed to anger. In 2005, Mariah Carey released her career-reviving The Emancipation of Mimi album. Boasting
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Written by TriniTrent at Snooping on Your Partner is Hurting Your Relationship
We live in time when we freely share information with our families, friends and strangers via the internet. However, those communications cause concern for many people in relationships, who resort to snooping to monitor their partners. There are many bizarre tales about husbands, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends who have spied on their spouses. Yet, snooping is actually a common
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Written by TriniTrent at 7 Empowering Quotes for Queer West Indians
In the West Indies, LGBTQ persons – or anyone classified as “other” – have long been marginalised. Despite progressive change slowly spreading in the region, many queer Caribbean people are still victimised for being themselves. Caribbean countries comprise 11 of the 72 nations that currently list same-sex acts as criminal offenses. In Trinidad and Tobago, for instance, the standing anti-sodomy
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Written by TriniTrent at Finally Letting Go of the ’90s Will Help Artists Today
I was born in the ’80s but I’ve always considered myself a child of the ’90s. The music, the fashion and films all had an impact on my life, and shaped the way I view pop culture. However, that era has passed and it’s time for us to finally let go. The issue Growing up in
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Written by TriniTrent at My Noisy Neighbors Taught Me How to Face the World
Loud neighbors have been the bane of my existence since I was a child. Yet, nothing I experienced while growing up in Trinidad and Tobago compared to what I endured when I moved abroad. New York City is known for beautiful skylines that cover a dark underbelly of rodents, pollution and a growing homeless population. However, those issues
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Written by TriniTrent at What I Learned From Accidentally Using Outrage Clickbait
The digital landscape is in a permanent state of flux as new platforms emerge and old media get reworked or abandoned. In the midst of these changes are creators, who are tasked with finding ways to keep users interested. I’m among them, and I inadvertently used an outrage clickbait strategy that backfired. Manufacturing outrage In 2014, researchers from Beihang University in China found
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Written by TriniTrent at The Rise of Stan Culture: How the Beyonce Beyhive Gained Power
Beyonce’s loyal fans are notorious for their coordinated attacks in defence of their favourite pop star. However, to understand the Beyhive’s media domination requires looking back at how modern “stan” culture was shaped. A theory Prior to the advent of social media was MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL). Launched in 1998, the interactive countdown gave fans the chance to vote for
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Written by TriniTrent at My Pokemon GO Journey of Self-Discovery
Pokemon GO was an instant success when it launched last year. However, although the majority of people have since stopped playing, I continue my quest to catch ’em all. That’s because the journey has taken me further than a few kilometres. I was in a grocery store last week when a cashier noticed I was playing Pokemon GO.
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Written by TriniTrent at When Pop Music Fans Go to War
Pop music fans are the driving forces of the entertainment industry. However, our devotion is not just a by-product of modern consumer culture. Rather, we were trained to keep the business in motion. We were taught to devote ourselves to our favourite performers. However, that attachment leads to competition as uplifting a performer in American pop is done to the detriment of others. The
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Written by TriniTrent at A Telling Example of Americans Mocking My Caribbean Accent
When I first launched Trini Trent TV in 2012, I was nervous that people would laugh at the pitch of my voice. Naturally, they did exactly that, but what fascinated most viewers was my Caribbean accent. I was raised in Trinidad and Tobago, and was never aware of my “funny” accent until it was repeatedly pointed out by people on
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Written by TriniTrent at These Motivational Trinidad Sayings Inspire Patience & Growth
It’s 3pm and you’re bored at that job you hate. So, you take a break from counting spots on the office carpet and log onto Facebook. That’s when you see it: An endless stream of updates from contacts celebrating their new jobs, degrees and 6-packs. Instead of slipping into a void of depression, let these Trinidad sayings inspire a different
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Written by TriniTrent at How Quitting Television Made Me Happier
Switch to any news channel and you will see countless headlines that depict the world as falling apart. That’s because newsrooms have crafted content to keep us both enraged and engaged. Interestingly, I didn’t fully understand this until I quit television. Vox recently published a telling piece on CNN’s tactics to score ratings. In the explainer,
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Written by TriniTrent at The New Direction of Trini Trent TV
When I returned to blogging earlier this year, I assumed everyone would easily understand my perspective. However, there has been come confusion about the new direction of the blog and the Trini Trent TV series. Thus, I used YouTube live to explain everything in detail. I became known as Trini Trent on social media when I
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Written by TriniTrent at How Live Tweeting Trains Us to be Negative
I first joined Twitter in April 2009. Since that time, I’ve learned that attracting a following involves being active, especially during major pop culture events. As such, live tweeting became a key part of my strategy but it came with a cost. For seven years, I enjoyed commenting on television shows and breaking news on Twitter. In
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Written by TriniTrent at Why I Left Black Twitter
I was a proud member of Black Twitter before it had a name. Honestly, as a Twitter user since April 2009, I consider myself a pioneer of the movement. However, when groupthink replaced independent thought, I quit. Black Twitter was a safe space for black people to meet. Hailing from different parts of the world, we
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Written by TriniTrent at When Old Tweets Are Used Against You
Millennials have long been willing test subjects for emerging social media. Unfortunately, that means when we misuse those sites, our mistakes are made publicly. Such is the case with Twitter and our old tweets. In this special live streamed episode of Trini Trent TV, I talk about social media accountability. Moreover, I chat openly about the danger of our old
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Written by TriniTrent at A Hit Song is What You Make It
Remember when we enjoyed music without caring about the Billboard charts? There is no need to look back because that can still be your reality. However, it’s important to understand this key point: Hit songs are what you make them. I developed my early taste in music during the 1990s. First influenced by my family,
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Written by TriniTrent at What Defines A Classic
When I published last week’s Trini Trent TV, “A Hit Song is What You Make It,” an interesting conversation started in the YouTube comment section. While discussing the pop charts, the definition of classic songs came into focus. I formerly separated classic songs into four main categories. First, those tunes that defined an era of
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