BLACK STALIN, real name Leroy Calliste, will receive the Doctor of Letters (DLitt) award from the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies in October.

Stalin, a five-time winner of the calypso monarchy in Trinidad, is considered one of the major practitioners of traditional calypso, providing insightful social and political commentary in his compositions. In recognition of his tremendous contribution to Trinidadian culture, he was awarded the Hummingbird Silver Medal in 1987.

"It's wonderful, beautiful," Stalin told the DAILY NATION yesterday. "It's good inspiration for young composers, so at least when they write, they will write sense. Somebody will be able to use it to make a better way.

"Eight theses have been written on Black Stalin's work," he continued. "This award is not only good for kaiso writers but all writers." (PA)