Ozy Merriq - The Candlelight Series

For those of us who were lucky enough to experience it, the 90s was a watershed era for rapso music, with the Kisskidee Karavan initiative unleashing the ‘power of the word, in the rhythm of the word’ to wildly receptive audiences throughout the country.

During that heady 90s period Ozy ‘Djimaji’ Merriq was one of the leading lights to emerge on the circuit and succeeded in clearing new paths in sound, style and performance with his then group, Home Front.

On August 4, The Candlelight Series at Dr!nk Wine Bar is set to come alive with the vibes and rhythms of Merriq and his newly-formed band, The Urban Estate.

Forever a man on mission, Merriq never ceases to explore the many facets of his creative and artistic abilities while embracing his Caribbean identity to the full. Describing the early stages of his career as a virtual struggle to reclaim and represent his truest self through lyrical expression, Merriq admits he’s all the better for it today.

Currently, the artist is ramping up the energies for performances with The Urban Estate, through which he plans to draw on his rapso vocals and multi-media talent to produce an all out live experience for his audiences.

His legions of fans and followers of his music revere him as an original ‘lyrics man’, with gems like Real Trinis, Luvshots, Technique, Wha’ We Go Do and many more to prove his mettle. But Merriq is recognized also as a visual artist, film-maker, writer, poet, producer and disc jockey.

On August 4, he promises to transport his fans to refreshingly new vistas of verse and vibe when he reveals Raw Gold - a sample of the first installment of his creative series which combines music, art, film and a live concert experience to tell his stories.

Missing this mini-concert might not be such a good idea!

The Candlelight Series features artists in an intimate, acoustic setting and is produced monthly by Golden Chord Management. Thursday’s show takes place at Dr!nk Wine Bar and begins at 9 pm. A cover charge of $60 will be collected at the door.

For more information, check the Facebook page, ‘The Candlelight Series’ or call 468-0063.