Ricky T, Ilah Man and Dwayne Mendes dump Slu Records?

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Ricky T, Ilah Man and Dwayne Mendes dump Slu Records?

by Mantius Cazaubon
(Brooklyn, New York)

Ricky T and Ilah Man with soca monarch trophies.

Is it true that St Lucian artists Ricky T and Ilah Man are officially no longer part of SLU Records? Is it true that Ace (Irvin Loctar) has replaced Dwayne Mendes and is now the Managing Director? Did Mendes leave the company? How about Penn? Is it true that SLU Records is now focusing on other genres of music, namely pop and reggae, besides soca music? I'm out of St Lucia presently and was prompted about this by a friend, Grace and later read about it on Nurse Karen's blog.

I am throwing this out to hear what socafreak.com visitors and fellow soca freaks have to say on the matter.

Controversy has long surrounded SLU Records. There has been accusations of payola, complaints by competing St Lucian artists, complaints by members of the company itself, other allegations of negativity, and controversy about who are the actual songwriters of their various releases. Has the organisation's cookie crumbled or is this a new beginning or development for them?

I attended a show at St Lucia's Indies a few weeks ago where both Ilah Man and Ricky T lamented that they had been shortchanged by SLU Records, receiving only a very small percentage of the money they thought was due to them. Although this wasn't news to me, they were so open about it that I sensed that their outright departure from SLU Records was imminent. Perhaps Ricky T's "break" from the team would be forever.

Have Ricky T and Ilah man been cheated? Or did they bite the hand that fed them? Is it detrimental to them to not be part of SLU Records? After all these are the same guys who produced hit after hit for them. Can they do it unaided by SLU Records?

I've asked all these questions and added my bit to encourage healthy discussion. I know that this matter is of great interest to the soca world. Let's hear what you have to say on the topic. Please post your views in the comment form below.

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Ricky T, Ilah Man and Dwayne Mendes dump Slu Records?

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Sep 11, 2009
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Ricky T and Ilah Man are the losers.
by: Anonymous

I think Ricky T and Ilah man will be the biggest losers in this. 758 are the ones who made them what they are today. Everything was being done for these artists by SLU Records. To answer your question, yes, they have bitten the hand that fed them.

It's only fair that you pay your producers and songwriters their dues especially when all you do is record and perform on stage. This was only the beginning of a thriving career for them but now they've sadly ended it.

It's true that they are good artists but without a good producer or songwriter you're no where. I sense a bit of arrogance on their parts. They have taken this business for granted.

Slu Records will keep marching on.

Who will pick up Ilah Man and Ricky T now?

Sep 11, 2009
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U Speak BULL!!!
by: Anonymous

U speak BULL!!! Ricky T and Islah Man are very talented and I have no doubt in my mind that another song writer and recording company will assist. Dwayne Mendes and Ace were too damn greedy!!!! Without Islah and Ricky T's winnings their asses will be broke!!!!

Sep 11, 2009
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Slu Records, Ricky T and Ilah Man
by: Sherry

Ricky T and Ilah deserve better. They did the right thing by leaving SLU Records. Bravo!

Sep 12, 2009
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Hmmm
by: Trini Soca Massive

Sometimes people wonder why artist are one hit wonders. People may just see and assume that de artist are the ones makeing it but not keeping in mind its a whole team that navigate these successes. Lucians and others need to ask them selves. Why does Slu Records have a good relationship with all the other islands and not allyuh. Machel Bunji Benjai and the list goes on with projects that have made them so big in de soca industry......Ah see ricky t on a interview wit David Levey and if i was a Lucian i would be embarassed. De Man Cannot spell Tizzle....lol allyuh tink nah... I ant know who Isla Man is But i know ricky t haddaa know his place and Stop sayin he badda dat trinis cause we run de soca world.............Slu Records, Studio 758..... Let de haters talk man deh jelouse of Allyuh......... Is a mental slavery ting dey on....De father go answer dem doh worry nah.......Allyuh Bad & Famous

Sep 12, 2009
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RICKY T INTERVIEW
by: SOPHIA STX

MS TRINI SOCA MASSIVE BEFORE YOU CRITCIZE YOU SHOULD GET THE FACTS.......HIS NAME IS RICKY TEASEL THATS HOW IT IS SPELLED ON HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE....HOW DID YOU EXPECT HIM TO SPELL IT?
AS FOR YOUR COMMENT ABOUT IF YOU WAS A LUCIAN YOU WOULD BE EMBARRASS......WE LUCIANS HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF OUR LITTLE ISLAND PRODUCED NOT ONE BUT TWO NOBLE PRIZE WINNERS IN LITERATURE AND ECONOMICS SO WE ARE DEFINITELY PROUD PEOPLE.

Sep 13, 2009
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Nobel Laureates my foot
by: Anonymous

You answer the Trini Soca massive who was making a good point (forget the interview). Look beyond the messenger and think. SLU produced two nobel laureates but then what??? Is it alright for a small few to move forward and the masses remain behind? Incidentally, if our Nobel Laureates stayed in SLU they would have never been so acclaimed. That is the same thing plaguing the music industry in St. Lucia. Whenever a good thing is started, we pull it down and destroy it. While I think the arrangement between RT, IM and Slu Records could have been neater, the artistes should have remained and worked it out. The turn of events has set the music industry back. All the 'advisors' were not in their interest and if it happend with 758 it will happen to another producer.....you watch.

Lets try to build and not pull people down. All the best to all parties.

Sep 14, 2009
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Studio 758 Yuh Large!!
by: Soca Mafia

Ive known Penn & Ace for years and these guys are very nice people and have nothing but passion for the music development in St. Lucia, Ricky T and all dem asses just come on a joy ride and get tings easy. They dont write,produce,distribute or anything of that sort to even get them selves fwdd,,,,Iam sure as this is happening there are artist who are wishing to get the oppertunity these guys had......Hats off to Penn & Ace for letting the world know about a man who cannot even read or write (Ricky T)....I've interviewed Ricky T in Trinidad before and this man cannot even understand basic English...lol. SLU RECORDS do your ting and keep up the international standard. Let dem see the show go on without them for 2010 and beyond, Dem too ungreatfull to even try to bad talk allyuh now. Allyuh should pack up and come to trinidad in the real soca industry

Sep 14, 2009
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Never Fails - Never see Come see go CRAZY!
by: Lucian/London Diva

Two wanna bees get a sample of the possibilities and act like they can do shit.

Who no what was Ricky T before SLU Records? .... Exactly NOTHING!

What makes you think that anyone will put up with the childish irresponsible attitude as long as they did?
Cause you Ricky T WHAM TO DEM ...?

There's more to Soca than getting on a stage SINGING A SONG YOU CAN'T EVEN WRITE OR READ!

Try doing a PROPER INTERVIEW and ACCEPTANCE SPEECH for someone else's hard work.

They should have drop your A$S a long time ago, keep listening to the jokers who full your head with more vacant space, let them write a song for you for next year, only reason you will be in the finals is cause you defending!

POOR POOR RICKY T - WHAM TO DEM nah WHA HAPPEN TO U?

Sep 14, 2009
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strictly positive vibes
by: Anonymous

yeh man as a writer miself... mi just wish dem artist couldda have more respek fi we ...because dem collect all trophy and get all de recognition..we nah get nutten

Sep 15, 2009
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whatever
by: sophia

my comments was not about slu records ricky
and ilah i was responding to what was said about ricky not able to spell teasel and yes derrick walcott and sir arthur lewis had to leave st lucia to become nobel prize winners but the fact is that they are lucians example rihanna had to leave barbardos to be grammy award winner but she is still a bagian right.

Sep 27, 2009
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USA/ SLU lisa say suck salt with colgate
by: Lisa

All of yall who have something negative to say about ricky-t can suck salt with colgate. i'm here in the USA born n raised with lucian blood running through my veins from both parents and ricky T did his thing in the USA at Madison square garden with or without whoevers help(machel) ricky t run things over here. every one has been feinding for him waiting for st. lucian representation for the two past Labor Day parades. He wasn't at non of the said parties from Lets fete to the most recently Return of the Jedi. So what if yall saying he cant read, my cousin in st lucia is a skilled builder of homes in st lucia and cant write that well. so what, Ricky t is talented and if there wasn't so much throat cutting home and all over the caribbean yall would let the man eat too.Look at youtube ricky t-4(final) ans see a true lyricist.

Oct 01, 2009
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backbiters ur hating,badmind and haters,reflect b4 u comment
by: iaeshaa

can't read... can't write... can't spell..no 1's an island no 1's perfect,but every 1 has a talent. whether or not 1 choses to execute it himself or with help the fact remains he is talented.It is better to congregate than to segregate and because of all your hasty thoughts turned into written hypocritical comment it automatically proves you've segregated.why not comments like...hey im a song writer i can write ricky t a great song to start off 2010 soca competition, hey im a producer ill make him a great riddim! hey i can manage him and prepare a fair contract so that he will understand the process of the industry.. hey why don't i bring all the parties in this disaster together and counsel them about their decisions to stop working together...and if you can't help maybe you know someone who can.....pass on the link......then if you and you and y'all would think positively then this world with all it's ails would be a much better place...don't watch them watch yourselves ask yourself what can you do to help? dash way the criticism and false comments and start thinking and acting POSITIVELY!!!!THEN i say THEN st lucia and LUCIANS will elevate to greater recordnition then cause of the unification process!

Oct 03, 2009
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ILAH MAN
by: Anonymous

WELL I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE ILAH MAN AS WELL AS RICKY T WILL HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT THE INSDUSTRIE AND THAT IF SO THEY WILL OVE ON AND HOPEFULLY THING WILL FALL IN PLACE

Jan 04, 2010
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RICKY T ILLAH MAN AND SLU RECORDS
by: Anonymous

ITS A FORM OF SLAVERY. IT IS ALL WELL AND GOOD WHEN YOU A PERFORMING EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRODUCERS, WRITERS, MANAGERS BOOKING AGENT ETC HAVE TO GET PAID. HOWEVER WHEN YOU PRODUCER, MANAGER, BOOKINGING AGENT, AND WRTER ARE THE SAME COMPANY YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PROBLEM (CONFLICT OF INTEREST) MANAGEMENT LOOKS OUT FOR THEIR BEST INTEREST NOT THE ARTIST.

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF RICKY HAD ANYTHING TO GIVE HIS MOTHER OR CHILD AT THE END OF THE DAY.

MUSIC INDUSTRY SLAVERY IS THE WORST.

BEFORE RICKY T THERE WAS NO BLAZZIN 99.5 OR RHYTHM FM

THEY WERE BOTH SUPPOSED TO BENEFIT OFF OF EACH OTHER BUT IN THE END ONLY ONE PARTY BENEFITED.

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Feb 24, 2010
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money money HA HAA
by: Anonymous

D WHOLE UH SLU KNEW BOUT RICKY T B4 758 AND ILAH MAN WRITES HIS OWN SONGS. SO WHO NEEDED WHO AND FOR WUT. DEM DUTTY PRODUCERS LEACHIN OFF ARTISTS POTENTIAL.AND WEN D DAMN ARTISTE DEM PERFORM, IS 758 BANNER U SEE ALL ROUND D PLACE. SO THINK PPL. I LEAVE IT TO YALL TO PONDER. IS A DUTTY BUSINESS AND SOMEBODY HAVE TO GET BLOWS. IT'S SAD WHO GETTIN D BLOWS AND MAKIN D MONEY. B FAIR BCUZ JAH SEES AND KNOWS ALL !

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Ricky T, Ilah Man and Dwayne Mendes dump Slu Records?

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Ricky T, Ilah Man and Dwayne Mendes dump Slu Records?