Bajan soca monarch’s lewd comment upsets popular Trini female singers
PORT-OF-SPAIN — Barbados’ Party Monarch Li’l Rick has run into problems with two of Trinidad and Tobago’s popular female monarchs, Denyse Plummer and Sanelle Dempster, because of a lewd comment he injected in his widely popular hit song, Hypa Dawg, during a performance last weekend at the Kensington Oval.
Although no statement was immediately available from either Plummer and Dempster during the “Battle of the Sexes” performance on Friday night, their aides have spoken to the local media expressing their strong resentment for the “disrespect” shown them by Li’l Rick in his rendition of Hypa Dawg.
According to a report in yesterday’s Express newspaper, the offending comment came when the Barbadian singer performing ad lib his Hypa Dawg hit song, called for “dem Trini gals, Denyse and Sanelle, to come back (on stage) and let me put a dog-collar on dem and lead dem around the stage and show dem some dog-juck.”
Li’l Rick is known to perform his Hypa Dawg with exaggerated pelvic motions. But, according to the aides of Plummer, national calypso monarch and five-time calypso queen, and Dempster, a former road march monarch, he may have gone too far in his lewd comment and behaviour.
The newspaper reported that while Barbadian female soca singers, Allison Hinds and ‘TC’ were also involved in the “Battle of the Sexes” cast, they were unnamed during the sequence featuring Li’l Rick.
The aides of Plummer and Dempster, who were not named, were quoted saying that the two Trinidadian singers had at all times tried to conduct themselves in a respectable manner during performances and felt that the name-calling and suggestive behaviour of Li’l Rick were “disgusting”.
“We welcome Barbadian performers with open arms when they come to Trinidad,” said the aides of Plummer and Dempster, “and prior to that (“Battle of the Sexes”) incident, we had alwys been properly treated and respected by those with whom we came into contact there….”
Just last month, they recalled, “Denyse performed at the opening of the All Stars tent led by Gabby and John King, and was treated with typical dignity and respect, so this (Li’l Rick’s performance) came as a shock to both women.”