Martinique (French pronunciation: [maʁtinik]) is an island in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of 1,128 km² (436 sq mi). Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados. As with the other overseas departments, Martinique is one of the twenty-seven regions of France (being an overseas region) and an integral part of the Republic. The first European to encounter the island was Christopher Columbus in 1502.

As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro. Its official language is French, although many of its inhabitants also speak Antillean Creole (Créole Martiniquais).

The island was occupied first by Arawaks, then by Caribs. It was charted by Columbus in 1493, but Spain had little interest in the territory. It was claimed by France in 1635 and, despite several interludes of British occupation, once during the Seven Years' War and twice during the Napoleonic Wars, has remained a French possession. In 1946, the French National Assembly voted unanimously to transform the colony into an overseas department.

Martin Denny (April 10, 1911–March 2, 2005) was an American piano-player and composer best known as the "father of exotica." In a long career that saw him performing well into his 80s, he toured the world popularizing his brand of lounge music which included exotic percussion, imaginative rearrangements of popular songs, and original songs that celebrated Tiki culture.

Denny was born in New York, and raised in Los Angeles, California. He studied classical piano and at a young age toured South America for four-and-a-half years in the 1930s with the Don Dean Orchestra. This tour began Denny's fascination with Latin rhythms. Denny collected a large number of ethnic instruments from all over the world, which he used to spice up his stage performances.

After serving in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, Denny returned to Los Angeles in 1945 where he studied piano and composition under Dr. Wesley La Violette and orchestration under Arthur Lange at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. He also studied at the University of Southern California.

Jah Cure, or Iyah Cure (born Siccature Alcock on 11 October 1978 in Hanover, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae musician, who was raised in Kingston. He was given the name Jah Cure by Capleton whom he met while growing up in Kingston.^{[citation needed]}

His first big break came in March 1997 when he released the single "King in this Jungle" which was a duet with Sizzla. The single was produced by Beres Hammond who went on to become his mentor. He then released a steady stream of singles that won him critical and popular acclaim.Beres Hammond eventually took Cure under his tutelage and began mentoring him and producing his music in the studio. In 1998, Cure performed on a European tour and visited several Caribbean Islands with Beres Hammond and the Harmony House Family.

In November 1998, while driving around Montego Bay, Cure was pulled over by the police and arrested on charges of gun possession, robbery and rape. He was prosecuted before the Gun Court in April 1999, found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Cure was transferred from the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre to the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, which had a digital recording studio the inmates could use. It was there that Cure released three albums and a number of singles, some of which have topped the Jamaican chart. His first album Free Jah's Cure The Album the Truth was released in 2000, it was followed by Ghetto Life in 2003 and Freedom Blues in 2005. More recently Cure has released the songs "Love Is", "Longing For" and "True Reflections", showing his unique voice and lyrical ability.