Copyright trinidadexpress
On weekday mornings, a red-band maxi taxi bounces along the East-West Corridor, speakers booming new soca releases and lucky commuters enjoying complimentary breakfast. The smiling driver, orchestrating and narrating the journey from behind a pair of stunner shades, is soca star Kimba Sorzano. “Are we not a beautiful people?” Kimba asked rhetorically after painting the scene. “Even the cadence with which we speak is musical.” The San Juan-born entertainer’s Soca Shuttle, part maxi, part movement, turns the road into a stage and invites everyday people into the performance. From 7 to 11 a.m., Kimba ferries passengers from Arima to Port of Spain free of charge, soundtracking their morning with his own songs and those of his peers. What began as a personal experiment in promotion has evolved into something far deeper: a rolling reminder of who Trinbagonians are when music and generosity meet. “I transport a broad cross-section of the population on a daily basis, and I see it all from the school child to the elderly,” Kimba said. “The way seating positions change to assist granny in getting a more comfortable seat. A young man striking up conversation with a beautiful stranger and paying her fare on his exit while she blushes. ‘Drive... I ah dollar short’ only when exiting reminds me of my old cunning ways as a school child—what yuh go do? Smile. All these moving pieces and interactions while soca music streams as the soundtrack. It is work, but good work.” Finding a deeper purpose The idea for the Soca Shuttle was born out of necessity. After post-Covid business slowed at his meat shop in Arima, Kimba decided he needed a pivot. Rather than return to traditional work, he got his taxi badge and heavy-T licence and turned to the road. “I enjoyed it, as it has the flexibility of controlling my hours, the money is good, and the added bonus of being on the road as opposed to a fixed workspace.” As in all things Kimba does, music soon found a seat on the shuttle. “Early in 2025 I made a commitment to myself to employ all my resources to maximise potential results in the advancement of the vision of my future self. In choosing, I didn’t want to put one down to pursue the other, so I decided to marry them,” he explained. “I had a deep conviction that in an ever-increasing world where everything is governed by algorithms and metadata, the true currency of human interaction is the ultimate medium of exchange.” Service as a way of life In that sense, the Soca Shuttle has become both a business innovation and a philosophy. For Kimba, the idea of giving something away, whether a ride or a song, goes back to lessons from his father. “My father said this to me on an evening drive many years ago: ‘Kimba, should you become a doctor, I want you to designate a day to see patients for free. A lawyer—same,’” he recalled. “That was so long ago, but obviously it stuck with me. Whatever I can do to lighten the load for another, I will, because I know for certain there have been many instances where my load had been lightened by the service of others.” That philosophy drew corporate support. After posting his plan to give free rides, fast-food chains began reaching out to discuss feeding his riders. “They loved the feel and messaging of service and wanted to add value to the passenger experience,” he shared. “It was a marriage made on the bus route.” Music in motion Kimba’s latest single, “Addicted to Bad Gyal”, has become the soundtrack of his morning rides. “After we released the song through the regular established channels, we took it to the bus and direct to consumer. The response has been overwhelming,” he said. The stories that unfold and fan interactions along the route, have given new meaning to his art. “There was an elderly lady we picked up in Tunapuna and while having our interactive segment, we understood it was her 88th birthday,” he recalled. “Prompted by people watching the Soca Shuttle LIVE, we had the entire bus singing happy birthday dear Granny, which ended with resounding applause. Granny came out in Mount Hope by the hospital steps and said, ‘I is a Christian, so the Bad Gyal ting, I eh like it so much—but God bless you son, and thank you for the free drop.’ We shared a laugh as I told her she was most welcome.” Lessons from the journey Kimba sees his career, from Junior Calypso Monarch to Synergy Soca Star competitions to writing for heavyweights like Machel Montano, as training for this new kind of connection. “I think competition is necessary,” he mused. “We as humans need an ideal to strive toward, even if that means being better than you were yesterday.” That drive now extends to his life offstage. “Being more hands-on with my music distribution and promotion, being more grounded, transparent and relatable,” he said. “Not playing into stereotypes of what an artiste should be or do or wear or say, even drive. Instead, just be, and in so doing give others permission to do the same. Not just talking the talk, but because it resides there in my heart, taking action.” For Kimba, music and humanity are inseparable. “When I write, I write from real-world experiences. We all have a common experience of what it is to be human,” he said. Leading the way Kimba sees the Soca Shuttle growing into a movement. The idea is already inspiring others. “My neighbour is a maxi man as well. He said, ‘Kimba, I have this maxi at my disposal and I am going to use your idea and give people a free ride from seven to lunchtime the day of my birthday.’ These are the things that make me feel good.” As the initiative gains traction, Kimba hopes to see more artistes join in. “We intend to run this thing straight down until Carnival,” he said. “We want to create this platform where artistes come on board to debut their music. To have this reconnection with passengers, with the public, as opposed to only seeing us on a stage far and removed.” He paused for a moment before adding quietly: “Life hard. And I see how just by me existing and functioning in the capacity of my art, it could benefit other people. I have found strength in my vulnerability and strength in being able to show that, with the hope that another man might say, ‘Wait, no way. Wow. I going through that too.’” His message to anyone down on their luck and looking for a come-up is to keep moving, keep giving and keep the music playing. “We ain’t going to lay down with sword. We ain’t going to accept defeat. That is not what we does do. We will fight through it, and as a true Trinbagonian, we will find a way to fight through it while enjoying weself,” he said “Soca music does make me feel good and that is why I represent soca music, to bring this message and to connect with people. Soca is a vehicle and the Soca Shuttle making sure the soca music get to the people.”
