Antigua’s Calypso icon ‘King Short Shirt’ receives doctorate from UWI Five Islands

Antigua and Barbuda’s celebrated calypso artist, Sir Leroy MacLean ‘King Short Shirt’ Emanuel, was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Letters Degree from the University of the West Indies, Five Islands. Sir MacLean expressed his gratitude to all who supported him and acknowledged that he was both humbled and blessed to have carried the mantle of Antigua and Barbuda’s culture for more than 60 years of his life.

In his acceptance speech, Sir MacLean spoke of his commitment to using calypso to raise the consciousness of the nation, bring awareness to the masses in Antigua, the Caribbean, the Afrocentric diaspora and globally, and to be the voice of the poor, oppressed, downtrodden and the economically disenfranchised.

He implored the graduates to adopt some of these traits and become standard bearers of their own cultures.

Sir MacLean, who has amassed more than two dozen titles as a fierce competitor, is described as a colossus of calypso, having won the competition 15 times in Antigua and Barbuda, becoming the first to win three successive competitions and also the only one to boast three separate Calypso ‘hattricks’.

Since entering the calypso arena in 1962, the 81-year-old has copped the Caribbean Calypso competition seven times and won seven Road March crowns.

King Short Shirt has thrilled audiences in Antigua and Barbuda and across the region for several decades with hits such as ‘Lamentation’, ‘Tourist Leggo’, ‘Power and Authority’, ‘Nobody Go Run Me’ and ‘Vivian Richards’. His music has given him a unique opportunity to build Antigua and Barbuda’s identity.

Over 7,500 new ‘UWI Pelicans’ are expected to receive their diplomas as the 2023 graduation season at The University of the West Indies began on Saturday.

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