SPEED @iShowSpeed ! Brother - you are truly one of one. Rare to find someone with absolute willingness. Ready to try anyone’s food, wear anyone’s costume, learn everyone’s dance, grab a mic and jump into any freestyle, race against any opponent. That kind of openness can’t be faked.
In you, I felt a kindred spirit, a younger brother with the same love for adventure, culture, and experience. Flipping off cliffs, scuba diving, traveling, dancing, eating good, calisthenics, exploring places to their deepest roots, and sharing those experiences with the world. Your audience has the power to shift perspectives and paradigms for generations.
Through this tour, you gave millions of young people a real window into these islands, breaking long-embedded narratives simply by showing your genuine IRL experience. And your team? A++. Top tier doing it like no other team out there.
I’m grateful you trusted me, @chakabars , and my squad at @giftedmgmt / @freshjuicecreative to produce/executive produce this tour and guide you through the islands. 15 countries in 16 days. Streaming across 5 countries in a single day. The first person to livestream underwater with audio while feeding sharks. From 60 feet under the sea to 30,000 feet in the sky.
I know there are more islands for us to hit, all in divine timing. The islands we DID reach though…THEY SHOWED UP FOR REAL. Every island gave the absolute best of its people, culture, music, cuisine, art, and energy.
Thank you to the 2500+ people who made this happen.
Team Speed:
@ishowspeed@shotbyslipz@amesjward@tylermadas@big_henney_@kinghercules@leon_rock@big50__@squidney_helen@darel.dd@anthonyydream@originaldaddyspeed
Team @giftedmgmt :
@chekothari@chakabars@abhayalirio@sophsaproblem@kamron.etc@iamlatishacotto@natemartinto@lahghost
More team shoutouts in the comments. 🙏🏾
Jumpin up together!! 🙌🏾 @ishowspeed fires up St. Vincent and the Grenadines 🇻🇨 🔥🔥 with his Famalay @skinnyfabulous
#Soca #Famalay #ishowspeed #skinnyfabulous
The true essence of T&T 🇹🇹 “FAMALAY“!!! He got it!!! All we gotta do now is get the world to “Come together”, that’s the message through @ishowspeed ‘s visit to Trinidad & Tobago 👏👏👏!!! Wish I could have been there, but I was havin’ a time in his ancestral land Ghana 🇬🇭, while he was in mine.
Family first, but Famalay forever✌️❤️!!!
#Monk #Famalay #Soca #TrinidadandTobago #Ghana
🎥 @natemartinto
People think the first Soca Tiny Desk moment “just happened.”
It didn’t.
Machel Montano and Che Kothari broke down the whole story. The timing, the strategy and the intention behind making a Caribbean Tiny Desk feel like a global cultural moment.
📌 Follow and comment “SOCA” to get the full episode sent straight to your DMs.
We been manifesting moments like this for the culture since we connected. Massive congrats to everyone involved. The first ever Soca performance on Tiny Desk, appropriately with the King of Soca @machelmontano
We are excited to announce The Toronto Arts Foundation Che Kothari Artist & Instigator Award, which offers a $10,000 cash prize to a deserving individual, along with $1,000 each for two finalists.
“I have been inspired by countless artists and instigators in Toronto. As someone who identifies as one myself, I understand the challenges in balancing personal artistic pursuits with a commitment to community engagement. This award aims to uplift the next generation of movement builders—we need you now more than ever. I’m also pleased to offer mentorship to the winner and finalists if they desire it.” — @CheKothari
This award is dedicated to recognizing a young BIPOC artist who is also making significant contributions through cultural leadership and positive change. Eligible candidates—aged 18 to 35—are those who initiate movements, create arts hubs or collectives, or engage in mentorship and community-driven events that extend their impact beyond their own artistic practice.
Established in 2024, the Che Kothari Artist & Instigator Award will be presented annually at the Mayor’s Arts Lunch. The generous support for the recipient and finalists comes from Che Kothari.
To apply or nominate someone, follow the link in Che’s bio. Link: /awards/che-kothari-artist-and-instigator-award
#TorontoArts #TOArtsAward #TorontoArtists
Update: as of Feb 4, 2024, 90 days has wrapped and I’ve come out of silence 🙏🏾.
Original caption:
It feels wild to be doing this with everything happening in the world, but I’ve always thought the best way to change the world is to change myself.
For the next 90 days I will be in full silence and intense sadhana in India under the guidance of my yogic master. Phone officially going off. I will have zero access to any form of communication. If you need anything that you would normally reach out to me about, hit the email button on my profile and it will reach a member of my team who will take great care of you.
I recognize the immense privilege in this and I thank all of my family, partners, staff, clients and community for supporting me in taking this time to focus inward. I have been going non stop pursuing my visions and missions for 25 years now which has been abundantly rewarding, yet ever since I was a child I’ve have wanted to focus on deeper spiritual actualization knowing some things can only happen within. The time has presented itself and I couldn’t be more excited or grateful. See you on the other side. 🙏🏾
Much needed conversations in music. @Sadhguru x @6lack on the true power of music, not to get twisted with the music industry. Full talk on YouTube and already has over 75k views in a day; people want this type of content, but just aren’t being offered it. Let’s change that and make this the norm. #ConsciousMusicCircle #LVRN
It’s a Global link up!!! I love witnessing and propelling what is happening in music right now. India, Africa, the Caribbean/South America all coming together; some of the biggest populations and diasporas in the world, with the richest of roots and culture.
This past Feb we had the opportunity to host @wizkidayo@heisrema@ayrastarr for @machelmontano ’s 40 year anniversary in music during Trinidad’s Carnival. Machel has been a leader in connecting with Africa and India throughout his career. 30k fans packed the stadium. The concert was legendary, but it was what was beyond the concert that mattered most to me, spending of genuine time together and forging relationships that will bond these cultures and sounds for years to come. Rema on his first India tour (and the first Afrobeats tour in India) is pointing to what’s next. It’s about to get really exciting. And the sound that is going to evolve/emerge is going to be 🔥🔥🔥. Soundtrack for generations to come.
Leave me alone in a jungle and I’m good!!!
2min30sec HIIT. 3 sets of this a day. Whose in!? Some how still had energy for the flip at the end. 🐒 🌴
💪🏾 @taylormadebodies
🎥 @mriggiesmalls
🎧 @bujubanton
#maldives 🇲🇻
