Private Ryan: Building Carnival, Shaping Soca & the Art of the Mix | The Corie Sheppard Podcast

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In this wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, we sit down with DJ, producer, and cultural architect Private Ryan to unpack his journey from sound system culture and radio to becoming one of the most influential figures in modern Carnival.

We explore how Soca Brainwash evolved from a mixtape concept into a global Carnival brand, why DJ culture matters as much as artists, and how Ryan approaches music curation, production, and crowd psychology at the highest level. From the early days of Detrimental Sound, radio battles, and mixtape culture, to producing genre-defining records like “Feeling Love” and “Lost in Trinbago,” Ryan breaks down the thinking behind the moments that shaped the culture.

This episode also dives into:

• The economics of Carnival events and why ticket pricing is misunderstood
• How mixtapes educated a global audience on soca music
• The role of themes, staging, and experience design in modern fêtes
• Why some soca songs transcend Carnival and become timeless cultural records
• The responsibility DJs have in breaking new music and artists
• How Trinidad, Grenada, Barbados, and Jamaica influence each other musically
• Legacy, longevity, and what it means to build something that lasts

If you care about Carnival, soca, DJ culture, music production, or Caribbean creative entrepreneurship, this is a must-listen.

👉 Click the link in my bio for the full episode
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