As soon as Mistress of Ceremonies Enisha Fern Dopwell had finished introducing him and a video was played about some of his performances, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cultural Ambassador and 12-time Soca Monarch Delroy “Fireman” Hooper did not wait to give his acceptance speech.
He immediately took to the dance floor, dancing, singing and performing his usual gymnastics, much to the delight of effervescent patrons at El Caribe Country Club on Strickland Avenue in Brooklyn, where the Brooklyn-based Vincentian-American National Charities, Inc. (VINCI) celebrated its gala 40th anniversary and honored Hooper and two others, Atiba Edwards, the newly-elected president and chief executive officer of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and Brooklyn-based philanthropist Claudette Thomas-Butler.
Hooper – who had also captured the Ragga Soca Crowns in 2010 (“Holy Fire”), 2014 (“Rum Meeting”) and 2022 (“Social Media Police”) – mesmerized the sell-out crowd with some of his hits from his wide repertoire, including “Rum Meeting” and “Amen.”
“The cultural ambassador is no stranger to the musical stage,” said Enisha Fern Dopwell, VINCI’s public relations officer, who served as Mistress of Ceremonies at the gala ceremony. “Tonight, we’re so honored that he is here to be honored.”
After his performance, Hooper’s mother, Eltina Hooper, who was among ebullient patrons, told Caribbean Life that she felt like crying – tears of joy.
“I never treated him bad,” she said, flanked by her youngest son, Mackell Hooper. “I took care of them (children) without a father.”
Hooper – who also won the Road March Crown in Vincy Mas in 2014 (“Unruly”) and 2023 (“Madness”) – hails from the North Leeward Coastal Village of Petit Bordel, just over the hill from the town of Chateaubelair in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He is described as “a man who has stuck close to his community and his fans, is loved by so many persons and has become a household name.”
The “Ruler of the Land” is the undisputed King of Power Soca, having won the most crowns in the history of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Soca Monarchy.
These crowns are in: 1999 (“Firewood”); 2000 (“Anaconda”); 2001 (“Spiritual”); 2005 (“Madder Than You”); 2006 (“Wukie Wukie”); 2007 (“Charge”); 2011 (“Animal”); 2014 (“Unruly”); 2017 (“Outtah da Bush”); 2018 (“Amen”); 2022 (“Bad Demon”); and 2023 (“Madness”).
The VINCI souvenir journal describes Hooper as renowned for his “energetic performances and stage productions” and that “the fans are always ready to match his energy and obey his commands.”
“Fireman never disappoints his fans,” it says. “Whether it is competition, a paid performance or a charity show, one can expect the same level of energy and high standard of performance.”
On Sunday, Hooper did not disappoint, as fans and patrons flanked him throughout his performance, and he credited his fans for his success.
“Without the people, you can’t get where you are and what you are doing,” he told Caribbean Life immediately after the honor ceremony. “So, you need support and the people around you.
“Over the years, the people have made me who I am,” Hooper added. “Without my friends, I’m nobody. So, my friends, respect to getting me on this journey.”
