Rick Ram

The story so far.

Written and edited by Smokiller

Rick Ram, born Rick Ramoutar, grew up in Biche, Trinidad, where his grandparents played harmonium, dholak and dhantal at home. He names Rikki Jai, Rakesh Yankarran, Rooplal Girdharie and Heeralal Rampartap as early inspirations. His first local Bollywood cover, Rhonah, came out in 2008, and the chutney soca songs Ah Shuda Never Ask You To Marry Me and I Wish I Was Single carried him to Chutney Soca Monarch finals. He wrote Luuuzzaarr with his wife Vanessa, using online criticism of him as the spark for a song about bullying. At Skinner Park in February 2024, on his 17th attempt, Luuuzzaarr won him the Chutney Soca Monarch with 409 points, ahead of Daddy Chinee. He told Eastern Eye the song also took the Chutney Soca Road March title that year. For the final he brought Tony Cutts, Vicadi Singh and Master Salimi Beharry on stage, calling them his brothers from Guyana.