Not many people know about the island of Guadeloupe. The tiny overseas region of France is located in the West Indies and boasts a population of approximately 405,000. Though the island is cut off from a great deal of cultural stimulation that Westernized countries take for granted, several musical styles have infiltrated their way into the social lexicon. One of these cultural interlopers is rap. But instead of just absorbing countless rap albums and regurgitating some placid work of art, the folks living on Guadeloupe have taken it upon themselves to blend the genre with a style of music that is very dear to their sun-soaked hearts: reggae. The synthesis of styles created an interesting child, an extremely sexed-up child that calls many of the clubs, venues and concert halls around the island home. Its name is dance-hall and it is extremely popular amongst island youth who enjoy going out, drinking to their heart's content and dancing the night away. Like every cultural movement, there are certain champions who rise amongst the peasants to a glorious position. One of dance-hall's kings is Admiral T. His vocal bombast and ability to "hype up" a crowd is unmatched, and as his sonic skills continue to grow, so will his musical dexterity.
