Stedson Wiltshire, better known by the sobriquet

Sobriquet

A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...

 of Red Plastic Bag, RPB, or merely Bag, is a calypsonian

Calypsonian

A calypsonian , originally known as the chantwell is a musician, from the Anglophone Caribbean, who sings songs called calypso. Calypsos are musical renditions having their origins in the West African griot tradition...

 from Barbados

Barbados

Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...

. He has won the Barbadian calypso monarch competition a record nine times. Hailing from the eastern, rural Barbadian parish of Saint Philip, RPB became one of few performers from that region in the island to become successful. He carries a large support group of fans that show up to cheer him on from Stand C when he performs against other calypsonians at Barbados National Stadium

Barbados National Stadium

Barbados National Stadium was officially opened on October 23, 1970. It is a multi-use outdoor stadium in Waterford, St. Michael, Barbados. Situated approximately 4.3km northeast of Bridgetown it is located off Highway 3. The stadium is currently used mostly for football matches...

.

Red Plastic Bag began performing in 1979. He combined the sounds of reggae and soca, and has become one of the most popular performers in Barbados and throughout the Caribbean

Caribbean

The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...

. His biggest hit, "Ragga Ragga", has been recorded in seven different languages.

As a result of the finals of Barbados' Pic o' de Crop Competition

Crop over

Crop Over , is a traditional harvest festival which began in Barbados, having had its early beginnings on the sugar cane plantations during the colonial period. The crop over tradition began in 1688, and featured singing, dancing and accompaniment by bottles filled with water, shak-shak, banjo,...

 in August 2007, RPB became the island's calypso king for a record eight times, following a two-year hiatus, and pledged to defend his title in 2008, where he came in second to Adrian Clarke, but came back in 2009 to win again.

In 2011 RPB won the title of Sweet Soca Monarch with his song Once Upon A Wine, a commentary on how Caribbean music and dance has evolved over time.

Further reading

• Voice of Barbados
  Voice of Barbados
  Voice of Barbados was introduced in 1981 as Barbados' second radio station. Originally located at 790 AM, the station was meant to complement the Redifussion service...
  
  (Radio Station)
• Stedson “RPB” Wiltshire biography Director, Copyright Society of Composers

External links

• Calypso World - Red Plastic Bag
• Red Plastic Bag, Yahoo music