SOULJAHS DVD’s

NOW AVAILABLE … To pick up your Collectors Edition Boxset (only 100 available!), hot off the press, contact Keith Lewis @ 1-868-775-1001 and if I am offshore call Kimberly Lewis @ 1-868-742-8506.  Delivery is available in western Trinidad.  DVD’s are TTD$100, T-Shirts are TTD$120, 4-DVD Box Sets are TTD$200.

You can also visit Mystic Hemp on Ariapita Avenue, or Beach Break Surf Shop in West Mall or Trincity Mall…

SOULJAHS STORY

The first of the Souljahs DVD’s was produced in November 2003 and released in December 2003. Evolving from an earlier project called “Trips and Tales Vol.1”, Souljahs 1 began as a hobby to document the exciting, adventurous, and often irresponsible lifestyles of a group of young rebels from Trinidad and Tobago.

The distribution of this first release was very basic and consisted of about 25 DVD’s, homemade, packaged, and given as gifts to the core group of “SOULJAHS” featured in the film. The response to the film was overwhelming and it was not long before requests started coming for more copies, sparking a revolution!

Background

The Souljahs DVD series defined a generation and served to document its development. However, as with the advent of Digital Video and Home Editing, there were unrecognized years of development and foundation that were fundamental to its present state.

Born out of the middle class community of Westmoorings and its surrounding neighborhoods, The Original Souljahs (TOS) generation was all rebel – without apology! Every generation has their story, this is ours!

TOS were all born between ’79-’81, most attended either St.Anthony’s or Fatima College, and lived in Glencoe, Westmoorings, or Diego Martin. The epicenter of their activity was the “Big Park” in Westmoorings where they would meet on any given afternoon. Some cruised on skateboards, most on BMX bikes, and the rest on foot. Small goal football was often the “excuse” to meet.

Sounds pretty normal, doesn’t it? Well after a year or two, TOS began to deviate from the norm. When everyone was rocking out to scorpions, guns and roses, or new kids on the block, our crew was rolling down to the drag mall to get the latest Dr.Hyde, Howie-T, Music 3000, or Chinese Laundry tapes. When the popular crowd were donning their Sunday’s best to go in the nuts, we were rocking Karl Kani and Cross Colors, hitting Revival at Club Prosperity in upper Bournes Road, St.James.

Long before “conscious” or “styles” reggae became main stream, the real Rasta’s had accepted our uncharacteristic group at the Rasta dances in St.John’s Hall. In Fact, when the now legendary Reggae singer Jah Cure made his debut in Trinidad, long before his infamous jail-term, TOS not only attended the show, but had the honor of burning two-sheeters with him at his hotel.

TOS’s affiliation with, and affection for, Reggae music and Rasta vibes is a foundation characteristic of the group. At one point we even took Reggae legend Yami Bolo down the islands to “Enjoy the Vibes”! To this day, this relationship has continued to develop and currently provides a livelihood for 3 of TOS. Solid Rock Sound System and Mystic Hemp Creations are two organizations built by members of TOS based on the good vibes!

The other major defining characteristic of TOS was their love of ocean related activities, and more specifically surfing. Although the actual surfing was the driving attraction to the ocean, it was the overall mission that attracted both the surfers and non surfers of the group to the beaches of Toco, the North Coast, and Down the Islands. Sun, Surf, Sand, Speed, and Smoke … Lots of Smoke! The missions that will forever remain engrained in TOS’s memories were camps in Turtle Bay, Paria Bay, and Mt.Irvine Bay, and countless weekends in the Hadeed’s house in Balandra Bay. Those were the days!

Surfing, along with other ocean related sports such as Fishing, Boating, and Wakeboarding now make up the primary activities of TOS. These have become the focus of the SOULJAHS DVD SERIES, and have vastly broadened the core group of people we now consider “SOULJAHS”, encompassing young and old, domestic and foreign, so long as they possess the hardcore, rebellious attitude of THE ORIGINAL SOULJAHS!

5 Years Ripping

Celebrating 5 years ripping, we recently released SOULJAHS 4 – TOUR OF DUTY. The film documents some awesome achievements over the last 2 years including the first ever All-Trini boat-trip to the Mentawaii islands of Indonesia, the Surfing Association of Trinidad and Tobago National Surf Team’s trip to the ISA World Surfing Games 2008 in Portugal, and all sorts of other adventures in-between.

Souljahs has also re-defined its image with the adoption of a new, and considerably more powerful, mascot and logo. Introducing SOULJAH - A symbol of Strength, Power and Rebellion. As we move into the future in true Souljahs form we say, Lead, Follow, or get the Fuck out of the Way!

Massive respect goes out to everyone who contributed to making the series a success over the years…you are the reason we do what we do. Finally, this 5 year celebration is dedicated to the memory of all our fallen Souljahs!