By Gary JosephDieudonne Larose (Left with beautiful actress Nice Simon from the movie “I Love You Anne”) has been in the music business for some time. But few have learned about his talent as a writer. Last week CSMS staff writer, Gary Joseph, sat down with him at his home in Boca Raton, Florida to talk about his past accomplishments, his new book and his latest projects. Larose is really an important artist in the Haitian music industry.Gary: It is a great privilege for me to have you at CSMS Magazine.Before we go further, tell us a little bit about your personal life or introduce yourself to us.Larose: My personal life is kind of complicated because there are many things I always want to talk about. Well, I am here in the US living with my family. I am someone who wants to live a peaceful life. Wherever I am, I always try to create another world, a world of love, peace, friendliness, and fraternity. According to my philosophy, anyone who doesn’t cultivate those characteristics cannot be my friend. Nor can they stay by my side.Gary: Larose, how many children do you have? I am asking you this because you have just said that you are living here peacefully with your family.Larose: Well, I have a great number of children. I have 15 children, and I’ve adopted 5 other children.Gary: Now, let’s talk about your beginning in the Haitian music. How did you start, and what attracted you to music?Larose: Basically, music has attracted my attention since I was little kid. I can still remember when my parents were home, dancing and listening to lots of music such as Salsa, Petro, Ibo, Congo, and Compas etc. It took me awhile to realize that my parents were artists.. In fact, I was raised in a musically family atmosphere.Gary: Larose, I deduct that the fact that you are super star is not a chance. The art is in your soul.Larose: Definitely yes! The art is in my soul. Other than music, I also have been interested in other valuable things, for instance, I was used to doing masonry, carpentry, mechanic, soccer goalkeeper, farm, and karate.Gary: Larose, which band did you first start officially with?Larose: The first band I joined to was Africa Express. I was 17 years old.Gary: Are there other bands that you collaborated with?Larose: There are plenty of them. For instance, I was singing with Sugar Combo, which I was my first professional and musical experience. I was also with Dixie Band; and I spent a few years with DP Express. In 1987, due to political chaos in Haiti, I moved to Canada. Meanwhile, I joined a very well known band called “Meridional des Cayes”. With Meridional, I recorded many successful, charming albums. Because of many criticisms, we converted Meridional into “Missile 727”, a band that multiplied its success from albums to albums such as Misyon, Demokrasi, Rasamble and Joli Minou, etc. In all, I realized about six albums with Missile 727.Gary: I remember that Missile 727 captured every one through your wonderful hits. Rumors had it that Missile 727, with the album titled Mandela, earned a great deal of money that any of the Haitian bands has never made. Is that true?Larose :Yes, that is true.Gary: These days, the public does not really hear from you. What have you been doing?Larose : Actually, in conjunction with a Haitian businessman, I founded, in Miami, a new band, which is called Excell Compas. I founded this band to show the people that I am still able to do better and better, and Larose has not changed. We have been playing around the Caribbean and the Antilles. Wherever we play, people are always happy and satisfied. We have a new CD in the market. This CD is called Lanmou Fou. Next, I have been going to school for the last few years to become a sound engineer. As a matter of fact, I have just opened a recording studio in order to help the youngsters who want to make a career in showbiz. Besides doing music, I wrote a book, which was just published in France on Feb. 2005. My book is available at the bookstores or you can log on the Internet and type Dieudonne Larose.Gary: What does this book contain? What is the name of your book?Larose : This book talks about my life in general, what human beings are worth on this earth, the importance that people attribute to money, and how I basically see others. The title of my book is Je Chante pour L’humanite meaning in English “I Sing for Humanity.”Gary: Larose, if I asked you to select 3 best Haitian bands in the Diaspora, which ones would you choose?Larose: I would give credit to Tabou Combo Super Stars, Zenglen, and Zin.Gary: Do you have anything else you’d like say before we go?Larose: Well, I thank you Gary for granting me the opportunity to express myself through CSMS magazine. You have been doing a great job, and your questions were very pertinent. My message to every body is that I want everyone to respect each other, live as brothers and sisters, love each other.Gary: Thank you again Joseph Dieudonne Larose, I congratulate you for all the wonderful work you have done, and I wish you good luck.
Interview with Dieudonne Larose
