Network as found in the dictionary is net-work pronounced net-wurk as a verb means: to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, esp. in finding employment or moving to a higher position. This is something we all engage in at one point or another and some do it better than others do. This craft has had many names in or time: usually when men do, it it’s called “Pimpin” or when women do it it’s called “boopsin” but when you have a heart as big, a vision as large and a love for your people so powerful as Kamau Georges, the artist responsible for this hit groovy soca tune Network. You would get a very different meaning than his song lyrics portray. Mere words cannot describe this man or the talents he possesses or the contributions he made to not just only local music but music on a whole, but in this article, I will surly try. Kamau is too humble to accept this label but in my eyes, it is the truth. Kamau is the man with the Midas touch in that everything he puts his all in, turns to gold. We all know the term jack-of-all-trades master of none; Kamau destroys this stereo type. Kamau (formally known as Kamauflage back in his earlier production days) is a master producer, songwriter, saxophone player and musical engineer, when I asked him how he gets it all done he replied. “I’m not doing everything at the same time, but when you start to focus on something and get in the mode and make that your priority, you jus SMASH!”

Smashing seems to be something Kamau does often, because due to proper networking Kamau has landed himself a spot on the critically acclaimed Smash Time Satellite Radio Show ran by DJ and super producer Clinton Sparks as the head engineer and producer for that camp. Kamau explains the chancily partnership as proper networking at it’s best, one of Kamau’s line brothers from Berklee College of Music in Boston went on to become Clinton Spark’s manager whom back then introduced the two and the rest is history. Nevertheless, as I really traveled with Kamau back into the history of his life I realized that all the networking really began with his cousin Kerry Frett whom in his early teenage years decided that the duo should rap. But Kamau being the creative genius he is, figured he can develop a much larger network if he made the beats which would not only allow him to network with rappers, but because of his versatility the range of people he can work with would be limitless. Moving on to his college years the network grew indeed, as he met Ryan Leslie (writer and producer of most of Bad Boy artist Cassie’s music) at a friend’s house. The two networked over the course of a few months and Ryan helped Kamau to get his groove and left him with one important piece of knowledge. According to Kamau he said “your beats can’t ever sound like your trying, don’t ever send anybody anything that sounds like an attempt, they have to always sound like they are ready for release right now, do whatever it is you have to do to make your material sound official from the minute it hits the speakers”.

Now as far as the saxophone goes, Kamau said it’s a gift he got from his sister whom he really looks up to. “She just brought it home one day and I just decided hey! I am going to play the saxophone. In fact, she is also the reason I ended up at Berklee. She was like yo if you are going to go to college you are going to have to fill out these applications, so I was just like yeah! I picked out the one with the most colors and the boom! There I was. I played the sax all trough high school but when I got to college it was a completely different ball game, dudes were like way advanced. I did not want to be behind the pack so I put in my time. A friend and I would lock ourselves in the band room with alarm clocks and blankets practicing for 12 hours a day or until or lips bled. Many people like to look at you and say your gifted but most of the time they do not know what kind of practice or training one invest into their craft. Do you think if Michael Jordan never practiced as hard as he did, he would be the man he is? He would have had the potential put potential doesn’t get you into the game, hard work and dedication does.”

Moving on to the soca aspect of things Kamau made it clear that singing soca was not his intention, but being from the Caribbean he always had love and respect for the music, so if something came to his head he would want to produce it musically and then pitch it to his friends in the business. Sometimes during this process he would have to create lyrics for the songs in order to preview and demo them, it was around this time that Kelvin of Jahphix entertainment suggested that Kamau start releasing the songs himself and become artist but all Kamau really want to do was focus on his production. It wasn’t until Kamau released the song Network (which he originally wrote for Jamesy P) that he realized artist wouldn’t take your work or advice seriously unless you have some hits under your belt so Kamau produced, sang and packaged Network and swung for the fences and within a couple of months he hit a home run. The song and its various remixes became a hit in places like Boston, Trinidad Tortola and Canada. The song Network, which is loosely based off a hit record by Kassav, has also spawned such clones as Party animal by Problem Child and Reverse it and Whine Back.

Looking over the horizon the future looks bright for Mr. Georges as far as his situation with Clinton Sparks goes. The gates are wide open for them in 2008 with a few record deals on the table. On the soca side of things, Kamau is looking forward to releasing his first solo soca album coming out this summer along with his fourth saxophone album if the demand for it is strong enough.  As far as his long awaited rap album, I am guessing we will just have to wait and see what the future holds. Nevertheless, one of Kamau’s main goals is to take everything he gained and use his skills to network the whole Virgin Islands and to help anybody who has that fire to make it to the next level. Artist such as: Quida, Fella Million, Tooma, Prya, Lincoln Ward, De Apostle and many more.  Kamau also takes time out of his very busy schedule to come home to the BVI every now and again. When home he opens up work shops where he teaches young artist or anybody else who is interested in music aspects of the game to provide a service that people like himself never had an opportunity to have when he was just staring out. Finally yet importantly, he left us with this message before we ended the interview. “I am an educator; I have thought the high school, I have thought the high school kids band and I will always have a special place in my heart for the BVI High School so I will always try to inspire the kids. Even when they were doing music, I was never concerned if they were going to be the best musicians in the world. I would always tell them that what I want them to learn is to be excellent in what ever it is you have a passion for, it might not be this music but I am going to push you in here because you can learn something in here that will help you everywhere else. I will always tell the kids to believe whatever it is they are passionate about do it. If I could sit down with a lil’ karaoke machine with my cousin on a Saturday listing to Biggie Smalls 1st album trying to rap, to the point where I’m producing a remix on his last album. That just shows you right there that if you have that dream whether you come from East End Tortola all the way down there in a small likkle island, just chilling watching television wondering how I’m going to get there. To being in a position where I can work with all these people that I bin11 grew up listening to just shows that you can do it too.