Kavelle Anglin-Christie, Staff Reporter
Calypso singer Rupee in a recent performance in Jamaica. - File
CALYPSO SINGER Rupee is a humble kind of guy despite his burgeoning superstardom.
Rupert 'Rupee' Clarke, best known for his song Tempted to Touch which was featured in the 2004 film After the Sunset, featuring Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek, says the song propelled his career to an even greater level of success.
"That was a tremendous boost in terms of exposure. Pierce Brosnan is one of the most recognised actors, so what more can you ask for? The song was a true reflection of who I am and what you are all about. Having it on the soundtrack was good," he said.
Apart from being featured on After the Sunset, clips of Tempted to Touch have also been played on the popular ABC series, Desperate Housewives. Rupee's current single, Stand My Ground will be featured on the upcoming season of the UPN drama, South Beach.
Rupee knows the song has been his biggest hit thus far and says, "In terms of mainstream penetration, it's definitely Tempted to Touch. It was on the top 40 of the Billboard, number 12 on the Hot 100 singles, on the dance sales charts it was number one. On television, it got heavy rotation on BET and VH1. As for radio spins in the U.S., in February 2006, it was awarded the 50,000 certification plaque so that is really a big deal."
Rupee represents a fusion of Caribbean an Europeon cultures in his music and as a person. "I spent a part of my life in the U.K. and was raised in a multi-ethnic household. I am basically a prime example of racial harmony ... My music definitely reflects who I am.
FUSION
I am of biracial parents and my music is a fusion of my background. My mother was a white European and my father a black Barbadian. My mother listened to people like Bob Dylan while my father listened to Bob Marley. Soca music is definitely my foundation, but I also love R&B, dancehall and rock."
Rupee spent his early years travelling across the world with his father who was a soldier. While his father was stationed in Europe, Rupee's musical talent began to blossom.
Then in 1985 he settled in Barbados: "I think it did tremendously well. It made me able to adapt and blend in different situations and made me aware of my surroundings. It also taught me survival," he said.
This survival instinct helped him face a major disappointment in his career. Apart from Tempted to Touch, Rupee has other, less renown singles. One such song is Do the Dancing which features Lil Kim, "But as you know she went to prison and that was detrimental for me because we were not able to promote it. But I don't hold that against her because it was a difficult situation and I have nothing but love and support for her. But right now, I'm in the lab working and continuing to make songs."
This includes a new single, Always be There which he dedicates to his mother and other women. Rupee is also planning to re-release his album, 1 on 1, which was only released in Japan and the U.K. "It wasn't released in the U.S., because of what happened with the second single. But I have nuff things coming ... Because of the delay in the U.S., all the songs on the album will be repackaged with a couple of new tunes. There will also be a reggaeton remix of the song with Lil Kim ... That will be in the next six or seven months or so."
During his feverish schedule, Rupee still finds time for family. "I took four months off to see my daughter come into the world ... It changes you so much, man. You never know until you experience it. It's a real lesson. If you get one, it's like 'yeah'.
Chloe's birth was an inspiration to me. I have a new-found respect for her mother and what women have to go through. I went to every doctor's appointment and I was in the delivery room for the birth."
Rupee says in a few years he wants to be the one introducing new acts to the world: "As long as I have health and strength I hope to be very successful. In five years I am going to be 35 and Jay-Z is 35 and look at where he is. By that time I don't necessarily want to be behind the mic, I will want to be pushing new talent and spreading the talent through music."
