Soca music, Carnival anthems and Caribbean party classics
Trinidad and Tobago · Soca
Rodney Le Blanc — a bridge figure between the clash circuit, the big bands, and the solo soca star era.
Benjai, born Rodney Le Blanc in Arima, came up through sound clashes as a freestyle lyricist before his debut single “Over and Over” in 2002 made him a Carnival name. He sang with Bunji Garlin's Asylum Band and then joined Machel Montano's HD family, co-creating the anti-crime duet “Amnesty,” one of the most affecting soca songs of its decade. His own hits, including “Phenomenal” and “Feter,” carry a strong calypso flavour in their delivery — he is known for keeping the kaiso phrasing inside modern soca. Younger artists cite the trademark “Benjai sound” as an influence on their own writing and performance. He is a bridge figure between the clash circuit, the big bands, and the solo soca star era.