News Americas, New York, NY, Fri. September 13, 2024: Trinidadian musical collective Critical Mas, made up of formerly incarcerated artists, is set to release its debut single “Born a Criminal” on September 20, 2024.
The song, written by group member Friday while incarcerated in Trinidad’s youth prison, is a powerful collaboration with renowned jazz musician Etienne Charles. It blends dancehall, Afrobeats, and an ominous jazz riff, with lyrics that highlight how poverty and inequality can turn citizens into criminals.
A listening event for “Born a Criminal” took place on September 12th at Doux Nightclub in New York City, ahead of another event on September 21 at The Burg in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The track is produced by Rheon Elbourne, the creator of the “Trinibad” genre, and was originally written in 2010 when Friday won a People’s Choice Award for the song while incarcerated.
Critical Mas is the first group of formerly incarcerated individuals in Trinidad and Tobago to use their artistic platform to push for justice reform in a country with one of the highest homicide rates globally. Trinidad faces rampant gun violence and drug trafficking, and a deeply flawed justice system, where the average wait for trial is six years, leaving thousands imprisoned without due process.
Group member Nicholas Khan, who spent 11 years in prison waiting for trial, found solace in poetry and now brings his spoken-word talent to Critical Mas. Romel Lezama, another member, spent a decade in Trinidad’s Youth Training and Rehabilitation Centre (YTRC) and became the first incarcerated individual to qualify for a National Calypso Monarch semi-final. Lezama’s song “Prison to Palace” will be the group’s next release.
Critical Mas is supported by the Incarceration Nations Network, a global prison reform organization led by Dr. Baz Dreisinger, who co-founded the group with Etienne Charles. The project began in 2024 with arts workshops for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in Trinidad, which grew into the formation of Critical Mas. The name reflects the group’s mission to reach a critical mass of voices advocating for change, while paying homage to Trinidad’s cultural symbol of Carnival, or mas.
The group debuted at Charles’ Road March show at Queen’s Hall Performing Arts Center in February 2024, followed by another performance in Port of Spain in April. They are now preparing for a Carnival season tour that will bring them to schools, concerts, and community spaces across Trinidad, using art to promote discussions on justice reform, particularly with youth.
By combining art and personal experience, Critical Mas is part of a growing movement, similar to those in the U.S., that seeks to use culture as a catalyst for justice reform. This approach has proven effective in shifting public opinion on issues like mass incarceration in the U.S. and is now being implemented in Trinidad and Tobago.
