Rikki Jai is credited as the young artist who paved the way for other young Indo-Trinidadians to follow.

Born Samraj Jaimungal in Friendship Village, San Fernando, Rikki Jai was best known as the singer with Triveni and Naya Andaz East Indian bands. His plunge into the soca world in 1988 was an exciting and successful one. His debut hit single "Sumintra", told a tale about an East Indian woman who informed her boyfriend about her preference for Soca music over that of Indian artist Lata Mangeshkar. Jai returned the following year with "Pumping", then "Bolo" and "Show Me Yuh Motion".

His 1993 hit "Wine on a Bumsee", signalled Jai's exit from the Soca world opting for the Chutney soca arena, which he currently performs today. Always excelling at the Soca Chutney Monarch competitions, Jai released "Chutney Vibrations", a compilation loaded with racy soca chutney rhythms and his popular re-reading of the "Juma".

Chutney Soca has allowed him to put the proverbial food on his table and got him numerous gigs internationally.

But although his success in Chutney music continues, don't try to pigeon-hole him as a Chutney soca singer. From time to time he reverts to soca as he did in 1999 with "Fall in Line and take A Wine" and "Soca Missiles". Certainly proving that he's capable of performing the two genres with the same fervour.

In 2001 he tied for 1st place (with Bunji Garlin) for the Young King Title.