Pumpa, The A List Captain On Living His Dream: What Most See Today Was Years Of Sweat & Grind
Dennis “Pumpa” Liburd is living the dream!
The A-list artiste is among the most in-demand entertainers this season and he credits his current success to years of hard work, unwavering faith and sacrifice. Just two days ago the Kittitian-born artiste posted on social media:
“Waited half my life on earth for this very moment. What most see today was years and years of sweat & grind(REAL HARD ASS WORK)that was built from the ground up with very little help. Had to literally go myself to do ground work WITH A VERY DIFFERENT SOUND & STYLE in different parts of the world(NO SOCIAL MEDIA DAYS)and kick stamp push break doors down. When we talk about enjoying the fruits of your own labor this is PRIME EXAMPLE and i will not take nothing for granted and will not look down on anyone because i really went through it all with nobody to hold my hand and tell me what is right from wrong, i had to figure everything out as i go. Coming from where i come from most ppl wouldn’t understand the struggles but jahknow i totally ok with that. Just know that I GIVE NUFF NUFF THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE & SUPPORT…TIME IS NOW”
Pumpa said he was always meant to be an entrepreneur. “I never had what you’ll call a day job, a 9 to 5… I never had that.” He shared, that even before his professional pursuit of music he sold cassettes to his friends at school. Now a long way from the days where he would borrow his aunts computer to download and record dancehall clashes, Pumpa believes his life was pre-ordained. He is enjoying the fruits of his labour while continuing to do the work as he said he’s determined to take nothing for granted. Unsurprisingly, the Captain of the growing A-List army is booked and busy this season. Even so, he graciously agreed to carve out a bit of time to answer YCG questions. Here’s what he had to say!
YCG: What has been the highlight of your Trini carnival experience thus far?
PUMPA: The highlight of my Trini carnival thus far is DOUBLESS!!! *laughs loudly*…but seriously it has been the way people have embraced the song and their reaction every time they hear it. The song is getting great responses and that is all that I can ask for.
YCG: Biggest takeaway from the experience of navigating Trini Carnival as one of the most in-demand artistes this season?
PUMPA: You definitely have to pace yourself and get sufficient rest because the voice is a natural instrument that we play as vocalists. To have numerous shows is a beautiful thing and exactly what I dreamt about and to be experiencing it presently is nothing short of amazing and something that I have to relish.
YCG: A-list has been dominating the airwaves here since last year, now you also have this monster collab with Nailah… how was that initiated?
PUMPA: It is such a great song and it came about from us being in contact over the years. Nailah and I have been talking about doing a collab for some time now and the situation came to life when we had a show in Antigua. I told her that I had a song that I felt strongly about and she asked me to send her the demo which I did soon after. Both her and her manager Anson said yes to it immediately and we started working together to get the song to its final stage. We had limitations because we were both touring and based in different parts of the world but actually started the recording process during Labor Day in NYC. I feel strongly that this song will stand the test of time and will be impactful in all the other Carnivals.
YCG: I know it’s the height of the season but what’s next? If you could decide which local artiste is next on your collab list, who would it be?
PUMPA: I do not want to list names but there are a few in the pipeline but I am exploring all the possibilities. I have not done much collabs in the past but I see it as something important to bridge the gap between the Virgin Islands and Trinidad.
YCG: Carnival is a time of little or no sleep for artistes, can you share bits of your regimen? How do you maintain your energy?
PUMPA: Sleep is very important and that is one thing I have taken away from being in demand for sure. Unfortunately, I have bad sleeping habits so that does not work with my takeaway *laughs*. I am naturally energetic, I eat well and because I am athletic this helps a lot, but generally, I do not sleep much because I always feel like I should be doing something or I am missing something.
YCG: Where else can fans see you perform for the duration of the season?
PUMPA: I am going to be around as much as possible and a lot of shows are coming in. I would say stay tuned to my social media. I am very excited about performing on every stage and I pray that this is not a one-off situation for me. I believe very strongly that my energy is needed in the mecca of soca and other spaces and I bring something unique to the table. The various styles of soca and the array of artistes from around the caribbean makes the soca even more enjoyable and fun for the listeners and partygoers.
