Ataklan

Ataklan
Ataklan
Background information
Birth name	Mark Antonio Jiminez
Born	Chinapoo, Morvant, Laventille, Trinidad and Tobago
Genres	Rapso, Soca, Reggae
Occupation(s)	Musician, producer, song-writer
Labels	TAJ Records

Mark Antonio Jiminez, better known by his stage name Ataklan (born and raised in Chinapoo, Morvant, Laventille, Trinidad and Tobago), is a Trinidadian singer-songwriter and performer primarily of the modern rapso tradition. Ataklan has been referred to as "Trinidad's answer to Beck" and a "fiercely independent songwriter and singer and arguably the most original artist to have emerged on the island since David Rudder".^[1] Since his emergence in 1993, Ataklan has released tracks including "Flambo", "Naked Walk", "Flood on the Main Road", "Shadow in de Dark", "Soca Girl" and "Caribbean Swagga" among numerous others.

Early years

Ataklan underwent vocal and performance training in his formative years from Ras Shorty I who has been recognized as the inventor of what we now know as modern Soca music. Ataklan was a foundation member of the four-member Rapso group called Homefront from 1992 to 1993 under the Kiskidee Karavan.^[2] Ataklan was also the founder and manager of a youth musical initiative called "The Laventille Bucketeers" which consisted of 12 young Laventille residents playing original music compositions and rhythms on plastic buckets. The Bucketeers had appearances on Local Talent shows including "Party Time", winning best original act and scoring second place twice in a row. Subsequent to this, the artist founded his own record label, TAJ Records (named after his son Tyrone Anthony Jiminez), operating out of his hometown.

Career

Ataklan in his hometown

In 1998 Ataklan released his first album, Atanomical.This was a collaboration with Machel Montano and during this time, the artist toured the US with the band Xtatik for 1 year. Ataklan's second album, Atamorphosis, was released in 1999 to critical acclaim.^[3] The artist's 2001 album Atavival includes tracks such as "Blessed Sheep" and "Red House".^[4] Ataklan's latest album saw him spending time in Jamaica to work with the likes of legendary Jamaican producer Mikie Bennett. This album includes well-known tracks such as "Shadow in the Dark" and "Smile", which have been in rotation on Synergy TV, Gayelle TV and Caribbean Tempo. "Caribbean Swagga" as well as "Without You", featuring Wippa Demus, which has been in rotation on Jamaica's airwaves Irie FM^[5] and Zip FM since its initial release. Ataklan has shared international stages with artists including Buju Banton, Shaggy, Lauren Hill,^[6] Baaba Maal, Finley Quaye, Nitin Sawhney, Graham Massey & the Bollywood Toolshed and Bongo Maffin.

Collaborations

Ataklan has collaborated with artists including Sizzla Kalonji, Machel Montano, Alonestar, Joint Pop, $helshok, KMC, Ghetto Flex, Bunji Garlin, Mistah Shak, Levy Myaz, 3 Canal, Choppa-Chop, Bunny Rugs of ThirdWorld, Dean Fraser and Terri Lyons. Ataklan has also collaborated with local greats such as Andre Tanker, Ras Shorty I and Mighty Shadow. Colin Thorpe, formerly of production/remix outfit T-empo, produced Autumn Groove featuring Ataklan's house track "Sun Starts to Rise", which has been featured on DJintheMix.^[7] More recently he has collaborated with the Jamtech Foundation of the RedOne Production Company to explore the phenomenon of Dubstep and Trap-Hip-Hop music, with "3Gs"^[8] and "Liberty"^[9] among their first released tracks.

Writing and theatre

Ataklan performed in the local musical theatre production Carnival Messiah, in which he played the role of Midnight Robber from 2003 to 2004 .^[10] He also collaborated with Geraldine Connor on the writing of a play called Street Opera in 2004. Ataklan's music was also featured in Asha Lovelace's film Joebell & America.^[11]

Discography

Trinidadian born singer Ataklan

Atanomical

(1998)

1. "Robber Intro"
2. "Mastife"
3. "Rapso Blunt" ft Machel Montano
4. "Hyper Fan (Interlude)"
5. "Put It Up"
6. "Tiger Woods"
7. "Pananie" ft Machel Montano
8. "Spanish Fly" (ft Karen Hinds)
9. "Out Ah Mova"
10. "Flambo (Remix)"
11. "Rapso Blunt (Extended)"
12. "Outro"

Atamorphosis

(1999, TAJ Records)

1. "Weh It Come From (Intro)"
2. "Natural and Irie"
3. "Carnival Time Again"
4. "Naked Walk"
5. "Song Boy Killin (interlude)"
6. "I'm Ah Hero"
7. "My God Doh Sleep" (ft Ras Shorty I)
8. "Since Yuh Gone"
9. "Aye I Aye"
10. "Mountain Song"
11. "De Hill " (ft Laventille Bucketeers)
12. "De Flood"
13. "All Star Show" (ft KMC, Ghetto Flex, Bunji Garlin)
14. "Wise Old Bird (Interlude)"
15. "Equality Song"
16. "Spider Jam" (ft $hel$hok)
17. "Naked Walk (In De Garage)"
18. "Spanish Fly (Latin Mix)" (ft Karen Hinds)
19. "Since Yuh Gone (Unplugged)"
20. "(Outro)"

Atavival

(2000, TAJ Records)

1. "I Am Me"
2. "Plastic Bag"
3. "Election"
4. "Time Tuh Run"
5. "18 Guava Season"
6. "Rhumba"
7. "Pamela"
8. "Bim Bim" (ft Andre Tanker)
9. "Red House"
10. "18 Guava Season (Stones Mix)"
11. "Blessed Sheep"

One Morvant Night

1. "You are a Star (Love Reincarnation)"
2. "Caribbean Swagger"
3. "Smile (ft Terri Lyons)"
4. "Morvant Knight"
5. "Ghetto Romance"
6. "Shadow in the Dark"
7. "Poor Man Dream" (ft The Mighty Shadow)
8. "Tomorrow Today"
9. "Kingston Town"
10. "Without You" (ft Wippa Demus)
11. "The Sun Starts to Rise"
12. "Home" (ft Bunny Rugs)^[12]

Performances

Ataklan at an on stage performance

Ataklan was a part of the intimate concert series in 2011 at the Trinidad Theatre Workshop.^[13] The artist performed at the Trinidad and Tobago Launch of the Mix at the Casa de Ibiza in 2010.^[14] Ataklan also performed at the Launch of the Cloth multi-purpose Caribbean Propaganda Space in 2012.^[15] Ataklan was also the headline act for opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government People's Forum 2009.

International Performances

1. Caribbean Music Expo: represented Trinidad 2002
2. Futuresonic British Council 2002 and small tour of pub venues in the UK with top Djs
3. 2003 Haiti trip for United Nations in Eradicating Small Arms in Ghetto communities
4. Contact Theatre -Manchester
5. Black Pussycat – Manchester
6. Opening of Dr Hutton's Art exhibition- UWI Jamaica
7. Puerto Rico
8. Boat Yard, After Dark -Barbados
9. Nuyorican Poet's Cafe – Manhattan
10. Aristocrat Manner, Warehouse – Brooklyn
11. Mahai Temple, Ramada Hotel – Miami
12. Club Casablance – Toronto, Canada

Legacy and influence

Ataklan received an NJAC Top 20 Calypso Award in 2003 for his track "Do Away with the Violence" and placed 4th in the NJAC Young Kings Competition that same year.^[16] In 2006, he received an award from the University of the West Indies for his contributions to the Rapso artform.^[17] Ataklan was featured in the "Legacy" issue of Generation Lion, a Trinidadian magazine featuring youth culture and young local heroes.^[18]

The Soca Awards Organization (SAO)2010 International Soca Awards (iSA) nominated the track "Smile" featuring Terri Lyons for Best Soca Collaboration of the Year.^[19]

Ataklan's videos have been credited for their innovation and creativity showcasing Caribbean essence and talent, notably the "Naked Walk", "Sun Starts to Rise", "Shadow in the Dark" and "Smile" videos.^[20] Ataklan also wrote and performed the theme songs for the Purple Dragon International and for West Indies Cycling Team. Ataklan's soca song "Trini Party" was used as the theme song in the Malibu Sunshine Rum worldwide commercial.

References

External links

• Billboard-Special Report
• Rapso Warriors: Poetic Performance, Revolution, and Conscious Art Music in Trinidad and Tobago
• Ataklan SoundCloud