King Kino and his entourage, PHANTTOMS, came to the Washington DC area to continue the great concert series on 2000.

After seeing some of the great names in Konpa come through the area, the Haitian -American crowd wasn't sure what to expect of the uprising band known as Phanttoms. But promoters Neg Lakay and Chez YonYon spread the word that it would be a royal soiree.

With the lovely Princess Georgy (left) and, also, the lovely Cassandra (right) at his side, King Kino quickly won over the crowd.
A voice unlike any other in Konpa, Kino smoothly sang out a new feel of Konpa that the young crowd was delighted to hear. Add to that, the unique voice of Princess Georgy, formerly of Zin, and you have a great combination to take Konpa to a new level.

With all due respect to the greats of Konpa mizik, but a new generation of Haitians growing up in the United States of America are craving something new, and Phanttoms may be part of the answer.

The group's approach to Konpa pays homage to the originators and the keepers of the sound, but Phanttoms, lead by King Kino, brings something new to the table. Judge him by his natty dreads, and you may mistakenly think that he could not possibly maché konpa. Phanttoms not only keeps the traditional Konpa rocking, but the group also blends in elements of reggae and hip hop.

Princess Georgy and Cassandra wowed the crowed and kept the attention of a lot of the men in the crowd. The ladies delighted all with the singing ability and their dance moves. Throughout the night many chanted, "Georgy, Georgy."

However, it was clear for whom Georgy's heart chants. The last time that the DC area crowd saw Georgy, she was with her former band Zin. Back then the rumors were flying about her inevitable break away from the group.

Georgy doesn't seem to have lost anything. She moves as fluid as ever, and the voice has never been stronger.

By most standards the crowd was tamed, but very lively. The room quickly filled to capacity as the late comers arrived in their party best. Once on the dance floor King Kino, Princess Georgy, Cassandra, and the rest of Phanttoms, rarely gave the people a chance to rest_no one seemed to mind.

Phanttoms is more than just the royal couple, Kino and Georgy, they are a collection of fine musicians. These musicians greatly complement the lead singers and kept the konpa flowing the whole night, without missing a beat.

When Kino started with "Don't You know I love you, I want to make love to you... ," there wasn't a woman sitting in the room.

By the end of the night, the crowd was a lot more familiar with Phanttoms, as they were with the DC Haitian community.

We hope that the union of King Kino and Princess Georgy produce many hits in the future.

On a sad note:

The Washington DC area said goodbye (for now) to DJ BLAST.

DJ BLAST was the host of his very popular cable show, "Rapping with DJ Blast."

He has decided to return to New York to pursue his dream of having his own band.

We wish him luck.