Roaring Lion
Encyclopedia
Roaring Lion was a calypsonian
(calypso singer/composer). His 65-year career began in the early 1930s and he is best known for his compositions "Ugly Woman" (1933), "Mary Ann" and "Netty, Netty," which are still performed today.
. Finally, he was presented by Charles to a Muslim Indian
family in San Fernando who wanted him; he was adopted by Najeeran Khan, who became his adoptive mother. He championed orphanages throughout his career, with songs like 1940s "Orphan home" for one example.
Although there has long been confusion about his full name, he himself gave it as Rafael Arias Cairi Llama de Leon. He later met his biological father, who told him that his name, Cairi, was another name for Trinidad, and that "Llama
" is a sort of goat or deer from South America. In a 1990 interview, Roaring Lion stated that "from fear that I might be styled a thief, I only use Rafael Deleon."
to New York to record; they became the first calypsonians to record abroad.
He was also the only calypsonian vocalist of his generation who could read and write musical notation. (Bear Family records, West Indian rhythm 10 CD boxset/ book)
Roaring Lion achieved fame for his linguistic prowess as much as for his catchy tunes. His lyrics, delivered in rapid-fire style, show an impeccable command of the English language (as well as Trinidadian slang), and are replete with witty turns of phrase, humorous metaphors, and clever alliterations and internal rhymes. Of all the early calypsonians, he was by far the most scandalous, with the most banned songs by a large margin. His "Netty Netty,"
the song of a prostitute who left town to have an abortion operation, shocked not only Trinidad and Tobago, but in neighboring countries such as Grenada, where he was banned for a while. (As his song "Excursion to Grenada" demonstrates.)
Further, the lyrics of many of his "war calypsoes" (essentially insult songs) presage those of similar hip hop
battle rap
songs by over 50 years. An extract from his lyrics to "War" (recorded during the 1930s by Roaring Lion with Executor, Caresser, and Attila and directed against their fellow calypsonian Wilmoth Houdini
) is a particularly good example of such lyrics:
backgrounds, though he continued to sing in the classic early calypso style. He was regarded as an elder statesman and historian of calypso music and frequently appeared in the Trinidadian media in this role.
In 1986 he self-published a book entitled Calypso From France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History; in it, he claims that calypso is of French rather than African origin, and also shares many reminiscences about his career.
Roaring Lion died on July 11, 1999, at the age of 91. Reports claim that Lion had ten children. His sons include Ibn Llama de Leon, Ishmael de Leon, Akenathon de Leon, Rafael deLeon, Jr. (who lives in Minnesota), Mohondas deLeon (who lives in Norway), Karelius de Leon (who lives in Norway), Christobal deLeon (who lives in Brooklyn, New York), and Krishna deLeon (who lives in Paris). His daughter is Pamela deLeon-Lewis (who lives in Brooklyn, New York with her three children: Abigail J. Bishop, Darryl R. Bishop, and youngest daughter Keiela J. Lewis). He was formerly married to Marie Louise de Leon, of Norway and the mother of his children.
In 2002 Akenathon announced plans to turn his father's Mt. Lambert property into a Roaring Lion Museum. His daughter is currently writing two books about the Roaring Lion; one is a compilation of the stories behind the writing of his calypsoes, his business successess, his world travels, his time as Goodwill Ambassador, entertaining the troops in World War II, his performances for historical figures like Winston Churchill
, Rockefeller, kings and queens, the Pope, et al., as related by him on tapes he recorded with and for her. This book presents a side of the Roaring Lion that the public never saw or knew. The Roaring Lion-Trapped the second book details the untold story of his final days and also presents another dimension to this legendary man.
Roaring Lion was the grandfather of actor Alfonso Ribeiro
.
Bear Family records, "West Indian Rhythm" 10 CD boxset + book.
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...
(calypso singer/composer). His 65-year career began in the early 1930s and he is best known for his compositions "Ugly Woman" (1933), "Mary Ann" and "Netty, Netty," which are still performed today.
Early life
Rafael de Leon was born in Aroquita, in the Caura Hills of northern Trinidad, to a mother named Basalicion de Leon and a father named Arias Cairi Llama. An illegitimate child, Lion spent some of his earliest years in two orphanages, before being taken in, following his mother's illness, by an elderly woman named Miss Charles who lived on Coffee Street in the southwestern city of San FernandoSan Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
. Finally, he was presented by Charles to a Muslim Indian
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
family in San Fernando who wanted him; he was adopted by Najeeran Khan, who became his adoptive mother. He championed orphanages throughout his career, with songs like 1940s "Orphan home" for one example.
Although there has long been confusion about his full name, he himself gave it as Rafael Arias Cairi Llama de Leon. He later met his biological father, who told him that his name, Cairi, was another name for Trinidad, and that "Llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
" is a sort of goat or deer from South America. In a 1990 interview, Roaring Lion stated that "from fear that I might be styled a thief, I only use Rafael Deleon."
Career as a calypsonian
From a young age, Roaring Lion (de Leon's adopted stage name) became known for his skill in creating calypsos (particularly in his ability to extemporize lyrics on any subject). Contrary to his humble origins, he cultivated a refined stage persona and always appeared sharply dressed. His career officially began in 1924; he cut his first sides in his late teens. He recorded extensively between the 1930s and 1950s, and was one of the calypsonians who deserves the most credit for the increasing international popularity of the genre during this period. In March 1934 the Trinidadian phonograph merchant Eduardo Sa Gomes sent Roaring Lion and Attila The HunAttila the Hun (calypsonian)
Attila the Hun , was a calypsonian from Trinidad.-Person:Atilla the Hun began singing in 1911 and was at his most prominent in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of the pioneers in spreading awareness of calypso beyond its birthplace in Trinidad and Tobago...
to New York to record; they became the first calypsonians to record abroad.
He was also the only calypsonian vocalist of his generation who could read and write musical notation. (Bear Family records, West Indian rhythm 10 CD boxset/ book)
Roaring Lion achieved fame for his linguistic prowess as much as for his catchy tunes. His lyrics, delivered in rapid-fire style, show an impeccable command of the English language (as well as Trinidadian slang), and are replete with witty turns of phrase, humorous metaphors, and clever alliterations and internal rhymes. Of all the early calypsonians, he was by far the most scandalous, with the most banned songs by a large margin. His "Netty Netty,"
the song of a prostitute who left town to have an abortion operation, shocked not only Trinidad and Tobago, but in neighboring countries such as Grenada, where he was banned for a while. (As his song "Excursion to Grenada" demonstrates.)
Further, the lyrics of many of his "war calypsoes" (essentially insult songs) presage those of similar hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
battle rap
Battle Rap
Battle rap is a type of rapping that includes a lot of braggadocio content "combined with put-downs, insults, and disses against real or imaginary opponents"...
songs by over 50 years. An extract from his lyrics to "War" (recorded during the 1930s by Roaring Lion with Executor, Caresser, and Attila and directed against their fellow calypsonian Wilmoth Houdini
Wilmoth Houdini
Frederick Wilmoth Hendricks , best known as Wilmoth Houdini,was a prominent calypsonian.-Life:...
) is a particularly good example of such lyrics:
- The earth is a trembling and a tumbling
- And the heavens are falling and all
- Because the lion is roaring.
- My tongue is like the blast of a gunman...
- Destruction, desolation and damnation --
- All these I'll inflict on insubordination,
- For the Lion in his power is like the rock of Gibraltar.
Later life
Roaring Lion continued recording through the 1990s; his later recordings feature electronic and socaSoca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
backgrounds, though he continued to sing in the classic early calypso style. He was regarded as an elder statesman and historian of calypso music and frequently appeared in the Trinidadian media in this role.
In 1986 he self-published a book entitled Calypso From France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History; in it, he claims that calypso is of French rather than African origin, and also shares many reminiscences about his career.
Roaring Lion died on July 11, 1999, at the age of 91. Reports claim that Lion had ten children. His sons include Ibn Llama de Leon, Ishmael de Leon, Akenathon de Leon, Rafael deLeon, Jr. (who lives in Minnesota), Mohondas deLeon (who lives in Norway), Karelius de Leon (who lives in Norway), Christobal deLeon (who lives in Brooklyn, New York), and Krishna deLeon (who lives in Paris). His daughter is Pamela deLeon-Lewis (who lives in Brooklyn, New York with her three children: Abigail J. Bishop, Darryl R. Bishop, and youngest daughter Keiela J. Lewis). He was formerly married to Marie Louise de Leon, of Norway and the mother of his children.
In 2002 Akenathon announced plans to turn his father's Mt. Lambert property into a Roaring Lion Museum. His daughter is currently writing two books about the Roaring Lion; one is a compilation of the stories behind the writing of his calypsoes, his business successess, his world travels, his time as Goodwill Ambassador, entertaining the troops in World War II, his performances for historical figures like Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Rockefeller, kings and queens, the Pope, et al., as related by him on tapes he recorded with and for her. This book presents a side of the Roaring Lion that the public never saw or knew. The Roaring Lion-Trapped the second book details the untold story of his final days and also presents another dimension to this legendary man.
Roaring Lion was the grandfather of actor Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Ribeiro
Alfonso Lincoln Ribeiro is an American actor, director, dancer, game show host, and comedian. While he received attention for his performance in the title role of the Broadway musical The Tap Dance Kid and his appearance as a dancer in a Pepsi commercial featuring Michael Jackson, Ribeiro is best...
.
External links
- Roaring Lion interview by Tony Hall
- Roaring Lion biography from MP3.com site
- "Homes of Kitchener, Lion to Be Museums", by Terry Joseph, Trinidad Express (February 11, 2002)
- Roaring Lion biography
Further reading
- Roaring Lion (Rafael De Leon) (1986). Calypso From France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History. Trinidad: General Printers of San Juan.
- Gordon Rohlehr (1990). Calypso & Society in Pre-Independence Trinidad. Trinidad : Lexicon Trinidad Ltd.
Bear Family records, "West Indian Rhythm" 10 CD boxset + book.