Kaiso is the term commonly used to refer to calypso music of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. At the time, the ruling colonial class in Trinidad and Tobago frowned upon the style as being unsophisticated, rude, and immoral. Consequently, calypso musicians and aficionados began to phonetically mask the name of the style of music that would be played at a party or event. As such, "calypso" was shortened and contracted to "caly-so," which was further altered into "kaiso." Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in the British and French colonial islands of the Caribbean at about the start of the 20th century. ... In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... Phonetics (from the Greek word ÏÏνή, phone = sound/voice) is the study of sounds (voice). ...
Kaiso songs are generally narrative in form and often have a cleverly concealed political subtext.
The term kaiso is said to derive from a Hausa word used as an exclamation of approval, such as "Bravo!" [1] The word is often used synonymously with calypso today, but often with the connotation that the former is more authentic, showing approval consistent with its original meaning.
Kaiso is a genome-wide repressor of transcription that is essential for amphibian development.