Words by Natalie Weiner—
Ever been to Trinidad Carnival? Well, the Soca Viking Bunji Garlin wants to make sure that, at the very least, you feel like you have. With his crossover tunes “Differentology,” “Carnival Tabanca,” and the Jus Now-helmed “Truck On D Road” (all included on his Differentology LP, which dropped Tuesday*), he’s been bringing the sounds of Carnival to an international audience (not to mention LargeUp’s Winter Music Massive in Miami back in March, pictured above). Now, with a new star-studded video for “On D Road,” he’s bringing the visuals of the road as well—just in time to inspire reverie at Notting Hill in London and NYC during Labor Day weekend.
For the truest “Truck On D Road” experience, you would have had to be at Trinidad Carnival 2014, where the video was filmed (and where “Truck On D Road” placed second among Road March entrants, meaning it was the second most-played song on the road that day). Port-of-Spain revelers are as much the stars of this clip as Bunji and his Vi-Queen Fay-Ann Lyons, showing everyone how to properly get down on d road. With guests Major Lazer, Kardinal Offishall, A$AP Ferg (who was featured on the remix), Anya Ayoung-Chee, and Trinidad James along for the ride, Bunji’s truck was definitely the place to be this year.
Watch the video below, and, for another side of the well-rounded soca star, watch and listen to his freestyle from Robbo Ranx’s show on BBC Radio 1Xtra last week.