Dancehall superstar Beenie Man has sparked fresh debate about the origins of Caribbean Carnival after boldly claiming that Jamaica started the celebration before Trinidad and Tobago, crediting legendary Jamaican musician Byron Lee with pioneering the festivities.
The Grammy-winning entertainer made the assertion during an interview with Shani Kulture on Hot 96, where he confidently defended his position and encouraged listeners to research the history for themselves.
“So, just for clarity, Jamaica started Carnival before Trinidad,” the interviewer stated, prompting Beenie Man to stand by the claim.
“Overall, trust me, due to Byron Lee. Remember, Trinidad Carnival was Jonkonnu and all of them things there,” Beenie Man responded.
The veteran dancehall artiste went on to credit Lee with developing the Carnival celebrations that have become a major part of Caribbean entertainment.
“Yeah, Byron Lee started them things there,” he declared.
When the interviewer admitted that he had not conducted the necessary research, Beenie Man remained adamant that his account was accurate.
“If you do your homework, you’re fine. I’m not telling a joke thing,” he insisted.
The entertainer also suggested that Lee’s contribution to Carnival dated back approximately six decades, declaring, “Some 60 years ago, man.”
However, while Beenie Man is correct about Byron Lee’s significant contribution to Jamaica Carnival, historical records contradict his central claim that Jamaica started Carnival before Trinidad.
According to the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago, the country’s Carnival tradition dates back to the late 18th century, particularly following the arrival of French settlers in 1783. These settlers introduced pre-Lenten celebrations that included masquerade balls, elaborate costumes, dancing and social gatherings.
Following the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the 1830s, the celebrations underwent a major cultural transformation as formerly enslaved people incorporated African musical, dance and masquerade traditions into the festivities. These developments helped shape the street Carnival that would eventually become one of the Caribbean’s most internationally recognised cultural events.
By the 19th century, Trinidad Carnival had already developed into a major public celebration, well over a century before Byron Lee introduced the modern Jamaica Carnival movement.
Lee, who led the internationally acclaimed Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, is widely credited with popularising modern Carnival in Jamaica. Having spent years performing at Trinidad Carnival, he recognised the potential to establish a similar celebration on Jamaican soil.
In 1989, Lee announced the introduction of Jamaica Carnival, with the first major road celebration taking place on April 22, 1990.
His initiative helped bring soca music, elaborate costumes, masquerade bands and road marches to a wider Jamaican audience, eventually establishing Carnival as a major event on the country’s entertainment calendar.
However, Lee did not invent Carnival, nor did Jamaica introduce the celebration to Trinidad.
In fact, Carnival activities had already existed at the University of the West Indies, Mona, from the 1940s, largely influenced by students from Trinidad and other Eastern Caribbean territories. These campus celebrations preceded Lee’s commercial Carnival initiative by several decades.
There is, however, an important historical distinction that may explain some of the confusion surrounding Beenie Man’s remarks.
Jamaica’s traditional Jonkonnu celebrations are older than the documented beginnings of Trinidad Carnival.
According to the National Library of Jamaica, Jonkonnu, also known as John Canoe, has roots stretching back to the early 1700s, when enslaved Africans participated in elaborate masquerade performances featuring costumes, music, dancing and distinctive characters.
The tradition, which became particularly associated with Christmas celebrations, developed through a combination of African cultural practices and European influences.
Jonkonnu therefore represents an important part of Jamaica’s cultural heritage that predates Trinidad’s documented Carnival celebrations.
However, historians distinguish Jonkonnu from the modern Carnival tradition that developed in Trinidad.
While both involve masquerade, costumes, music and dancing, Trinidad Carnival emerged from French pre-Lenten festivities that were subsequently transformed through African cultural expressions, including Canboulay traditions.
It would therefore be historically inaccurate to suggest that Trinidad Carnival began simply as Jonkonnu or that Jamaica established Carnival before Trinidad.
Beenie Man’s suggestion that Byron Lee started the celebrations approximately 60 years ago also does not align with the documented history of modern Jamaica Carnival.
Lee’s landmark Carnival initiative dates to 1989 and 1990, approximately 36 to 37 years ago, rather than six decades.
The historical evidence therefore supports a clear verdict: Beenie Man’s claim that Jamaica started Carnival before Trinidad is false.
What is accurate is that Byron Lee played a defining role in establishing and popularising modern Jamaica Carnival, transforming an imported celebration into an important fixture on the island’s entertainment and tourism calendar.
And while the dancehall icon encouraged listeners to do their homework, the documented history indicates that Trinidad, not Jamaica, was first to establish the Carnival tradition under discussion.
