Meet the honorees of the 2012 Caribbean Heritage Month Cultural Extravaganza

To commemorate Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago's 50th anniversary of independence, the nations' best and brightest will be honored at the Caribbean Heritage Month Cultural Extravaganza on June 15, at the Miramar Cultural Center in Miramar, Florida, at 7:30 p.m.

In honor of this special event, get to know this year's honorees and their invaluable contributions through our weekly profile.

David Rudder

Trinidad-born Legend David Rudder is one of the most successful calypsonians of all time. Ever since his breakthrough role as lead singer of brass band Charlie's Roots, Rudder has served as a champion for calypso, keeping the beloved genre fresh, innovative and thought-provoking for generations to come.

Rudder has become the master of maintaining calypso's delicate balance between pop entertainment and social commentary. He has been able to fuse his childhood influences from Shango Baptists, his sharp lyric-writing talent, and a reverence for calypso's heritage into something truly his own. Through this unique mix, the legendary artiste captures Caribbean life with such songs as "Engine Room," an ode to steel pan; "Haiti," a tribute to the glory of the island nation; and the ever popular "Rally 'Round the West Indies," which has become the battle cry for the West Indies cricket team.

As a review by the Village Voice best describes his work, Rudder's music "transcends culture, race, and class. You don't have to be from Trinidad to feel the power and integrity of it. Things will never be the same again."