James wants to put global stamp on soca

Ricardo “Ricochae” James is on a mission to put a global stamp on soca music. The writer, composer and producer, who has been in the music industry for 15 years, says, “You have to feel the music in your soul before anything can be done.

“I have written songs for Blaxx (Come In), Patrice Roberts and Lyrical (Criminal Wine), Kevin Lyttle (Emotions) and I have also done work for Wayne Wonder.

James says he has been working out of Quad Studios in Manhattan, New York, where he has seen lots of stars like Lil Wayne, Sam Smith Neyo and DJ Khaled to name a few.

He says he is in the process of finishing an international album called I’m Ready which contains Afrobeat, soca, reggae, dancehall and R&B music.

He is in Trinidad for the Carnival with two songs, Feeling Ah Fleeing and Take Soca.

Explaining the songs, James said the first one is about that feeling he gets when he hears soca music while the second song is about letting the world know about the people responsible for great soca hits.

People like Shadow, Calypso Rose, Machel Montano, Iwer George, Bunji Garlin, SuperBlue and others.

James feels his years in music is what propelled him to write those two songs.

Five years ago, together with Sean O’Connor and Dean Williams they launched Code 202 Productions which is located in Chaguanas and New York.

He is the current CEO of the company and is pleased to say that international record labels are looking closely at the work coming out of the studio.

James feels he can take soca music international with the right type of crossover music coming from people who know the genre best.