Rain Can’t Stop Dis is Rick: Ignite

Neon-hued glow sticks pierced the darkness as Dis is Rick: Ignite transformed the Wildey Gymnasium car park on Saturday night. Early birds flocked to the eagerly awaited event, where DJs Raw Gas, Zen the DJ, the Energy Squad and T & Z Entertainment warmed up the crowd with pulsating sets, setting the stage for the main event.

As the clock struck half-past midnight, a thunderous roar erupted from the throng as Lil Rick, the man of the hour, took centre stage. The veteran entertainer ignited the atmosphere with a rapid-fire medley of crowd-pleasers, including True Story, Sugar Lump, and Monsta Winer.

The night unfolded with a parade of seasonal stars. Brucelee Almightee, fresh from his Starcom Network and Flow People’s Monarch victory, was momentarily overcome by the crowd’s fervent welcome. His soca compatriot Mole stepped in to cover, before Almightee regained his composure to deliver a stirring performance.

A relentless succession of acts followed, with Screwface, Coopa Dan, Shaquille, and others maintaining the frenetic pace. Salt challenged revellers’ stamina with his hits As You Should and Unfair Me.

The female contingent brought their own brand of soca energy, with Tionne Hernandez, TC, Shanta Prince, and Faith Callender delivering powerful performances. Collaborative efforts saw Fadda Fox team up with Nikita for Fireworks, while Mikey and SugahRhe united for No Matter What.

In keeping with Dis is Rick tradition, rain began to fall during the Hypa Dawg’s final segment. While some attendees made their exit, die-hard soca enthusiasts simply raised their umbrellas, determined to dance on through the downpour.

The event reached its zenith as Mr Crop Over and King Bubba performed their 2024 collaboration “Soca Therapy”. The energy then shifted to what could only be described as a cultural cardio celebration, featuring Spinny and newcomer Sprinkezz.

Lil Rick brought the curtain down at approximately 4:15 am with a high-octane rendition of his road march contender “Bam Bam”, capping off a night of unrelenting soca revelry.

(STT)