Christian Garifuna reggaeton is latest CD release

By any account making it big in the local music industry is tough but that hasn’t stopped aspiring musicians from across the country to try their luck. The latest attempt comes from nineteen year old Ivan Martinez. His first album is an eclectic blend of musical genres that can only be described as Christian Garifuna lyrics set to dancehall rhythms and reggaeton beats.

Ivan Martinez, Musician
?When I meh deh bring this first album out, I neva meh think I meh ah bring it out inna Garifuna, but actually it?s like God give me the talent just fu bring it out inna Garifuna and thing. Because you know actually, nobody eva hear hip hop or reggaeton Garifuna. But I just like bring it out so everybody could hear it and fu mek deh enjoy it. Actually I would ah seh Garifuna people, but when time the Creole people hear it they still like it. They like tell me, I no understand it but I like it. That?s mean they know da no something bad, they know da something good whe I deh sing bout, da like that. But the real thing da like fu the Garifuna people. Because God deh go inna everybody feelings now, to try to do the right stuff da just fu try do whe God wah mek we do.?

Alyssa Noble, Reporting
?You want to send any message to the people out there??

Ivan Martinez
?Actually, to the youths them for mek we try do the right thing, just mek we do whe God wah mek we do. That?s all about it. Everybody seh whe deh go gawn nowadays, man just deh dead, man deh go dah jail, just try mek we do this thing, mek eh change and thing.?

Produced in Livingston Guatemala, Martinez’s album title is translated to mean “Good News from La Buga”. Copies are available from Tim’s Music on King Street or from the artist for eighteen dollars.