Before podcasts became what they are today, there was Let’s Talk with Lakshmee.

For 16 years, Lakshmee has been creating a space for our community to share stories, experiences, culture, and perspectives.

In this special episode of KIC Back Podcast, we look back at the journey behind Let’s Talk with Lakshmee — from growing up watching television in Guyana, to being inspired by Oprah, launching her own talk show, navigating the challenges of early production, and eventually interviewing influential figures and even presidents.

Lakshmee shares the stories behind the show, the people who helped shape her journey, the lessons she learned along the way, and why she never gave up.

From handwritten business cards and early video technology to building a show from scratch, this conversation is a look at 16 years of documenting our people and our stories.

🎧 Watch the full episode and take a trip down memory lane with us.

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🎬 CHAPTERS

00:02 — Welcome & Introduction
00:39 — Lakshmee's Gratitude & Reaction
03:36 — Growing Up Watching the Show in Guyana
04:10 — The Jingle — Who Wrote It
04:47 — Early Indo-Caribbean TV Landscape
07:51 — Inspired by Oprah — Choosing to Do a Talk Show
09:33 — Picked Up by ITV Gold & NTN Guyana
11:02 — Growing Up in Little Diamond
12:07 — Expanding to Suriname & Interviewing Presidents
13:20 — Predecessor: Ishri Singh
13:57 — Zara Bacchus — First Person to Reach Out
15:27 — Sponsor Break: Bigfoot / Bedessee Products
17:27 — Shop Caribbean Plug
18:19 — Cream Soda & Carnation Milk Nostalgia
20:22 — The Emotional Impact — Episodes as Family Keepsakes
21:36 — "Just Ask" — How She Booked Guests
24:03 — Early Production Struggles: Tape Editing & Multi-Cam Discovery
26:54 — Confidence with Icons — The Machel Montano Story
28:44 — Advice: Go All In, Never Do Things Half-Way
30:10 — Where Her Confidence Came From — Her Mother
32:30 — Her Mother's Temple-Building Legacy in Guyana
34:58 — Learning Public Speaking & Voice Control
38:12 — Early Videography Limits — Prem Samaru & Dr. Don Paul
41:00 — The Role of Mentor Ramesh Dayachand
41:39 — Throwback Tech Talk — ChatGPT, Typewriters, Flip Phones & Antennas
44:22 — Tonight's Outfit & Styling
45:34 — Raj (Supertones) Joins — The Jingle's Origin Story
46:15 — Why She Never Gave Up — Fan Encounters
47:16 — The First Episode — Valentine's Day, 2010
48:21 — Building the Show From Scratch
49:49 — Branding Evolution — Business Card & Logo

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🎙️ ABOUT KIC BACK PODCAST

KIC Back Podcast is a culture-driven platform highlighting real stories, identity, business, and conversations shaping the Caribbean and Indo-Caribbean community.

We go beyond music to explore the people, experiences, businesses, culture, and stories that connect us.

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🔗 WATCH & LISTEN

📺 YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@KICBackPodcast

🎧 Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1rUKx5xeSObHXHOlsF5t2a?si=85cb1262a3bd44ef

📸 Instagram: @kicbackpodcast

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💬 What part of Lakshmee's journey stood out to you the most?

Share your thoughts in the comments and tell us what stories you'd like to hear next.

If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share KIC Back Podcast with someone who would appreciate this story.

KIC Back. Real stories. Our culture.

Chef Michael Saroop turned a $5 corn soup opportunity at Mazi nightclub into CMS Events and a growing culinary portfolio connected to Bowl Bites, Slaps Deli & Grill, and BK Hooked.

But this episode is not only about food. It is about what happens when a talented chef must become a businessman.

Michael joins the KIC Back Podcast to explain how a small corn soup idea developed into catering, restaurants, luxury events, and multiple business concepts. He shares the difficult transition from personally cooking everything to building recipes, systems, teams, and experiences that other people can execute.

Michael opens up about the early payroll mistakes that cost the business thousands of dollars, the pressure of investing without seeing an immediate return, the moments when he considered quitting, and the criticism he had to learn not to take personally.

He also discusses why he searches for “diamonds in the rough” when hiring, how his wife supported the vision while he built the businesses, why community matters more than simply going viral, and why not every customer is the right customer.

The conversation also gets into Caribbean food, Trinidad doubles, pepper, roti, lime wash, luxury catering, the realities of the restaurant industry, sourcing seafood from Hunts Point, influencer marketing, and what Michael would do differently if he were starting again.

This is the story behind the food and the machinery behind the success.

In this episode:

• The $5 corn soup that started everything
• Moving from chef to business owner
• Building recipes and systems for multiple kitchens
• The $11,000 weekly payroll mistake
• Hiring and developing overlooked talent
• Handling criticism without taking it personally
• The truth about restaurant profit and expansion
• Building Bowl Bites, Slaps, BK Hooked, and CMS Events
• Creating luxury Caribbean event experiences
• Marriage, fatherhood, sacrifice, and entrepreneurship
• Marketing restaurants through community and social media
• Michael’s advice for anyone opening a restaurant

Watch the full episode and tell us which lesson from Michael’s journey stood out to you the most.

Subscribe to the KIC Back Podcast for more conversations about Caribbean culture, business, entertainment, identity, community, and the people building something meaningful.

This episode is sponsored by Shop Caribbean.

Shop Caribbean delivers Caribbean groceries, household products, and familiar brands directly to your home.

Shop Caribbean: @shopcaribbeannyc

Follow Chef Michael Saroop: @chef_saroop

CMS Events: @cms_events

Bowl Bites: @bowlbitesnyc

BK Hooked: @bk.hookd

Follow KIC Back: ⁨@KICBackPodcast⁩  

Instagram: @kicbackpodcast

TikTok: KIC Back Podcast

YOUTUBE CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Chef Michael Saroop
00:46 Shop Caribbean and the Five Roses Flour Debate
04:00 The Corn Soup That Took Over Richie’s Wedding
06:01 Why Trinidad Doubles Taste Different
09:37 From Trinidad to Philadelphia, Florida and New York
11:11 The 3 A.M. Corn Soup That Started Everything
14:46 Family Roots, Written Recipes and Kitchen Systems
17:02 Cooking Food Versus Running a Business
20:32 Why Michael Hires Diamonds in the Rough
21:37 The $11,000 Weekly Payroll Mistake
23:14 The Reality of Wanting to Quit
25:07 The Comment Michael Never Forgot
28:51 Steak, Lime Wash and Caribbean Flavor
31:00 Building the Caribbean Alternative to Chipotle
31:55 The Strategy Behind Slaps
33:25 How BK Hooked Entered the Portfolio
38:16 Opening a Restaurant for a Tough Food Community
40:51 Building Community Beyond the Restaurant
41:49 How CMS Events Became a Luxury Experience
45:06 Marriage, Fatherhood and the Hidden Cost of Building
47:42 The Chef Who Inspired Michael’s Biggest Vision
48:34 Designing an Unforgettable Luxury Puja
51:33 Why Chefs Often Do Not Eat After Cooking
54:32 The Business of Supplying Hundreds of Pounds of Shark
58:48 Inside Hunts Point Market at 2 A.M.
1:01:47 How Michael Sells the Experience
1:03:19 Why Not Every Customer Is Your Customer
1:06:36 Influencers, Marketing and Viral Growth
1:09:17 Michael Outside the Kitchen
1:11:05 The Final Four
1:12:01 Advice for Anyone Opening a Restaurant
1:14:25 What Michael Would Build Differently
1:17:05 The Food Finally Hits the Table

HASHTAGS

#KICBackPodcast #ChefMichaelSaroop #CaribbeanEntrepreneur
YOUTUBE TAGS

Chef Michael Saroop, Michael Saroop, Chef Michael Sarup, CMS Events, Chef Michael Saroop Events, Bowl Bites, Slaps Deli and Grill, BK Hooked, KIC Back Podcast, KICBack Podcast, Caribbean podcast, Indo Caribbean podcast, Trinidadian chef, Caribbean chef, Caribbean entrepreneur, restaurant business, food business, catering business, luxury catering, Caribbean food, Queens restaurants, Brooklyn restaurants, Ozone Park food, entrepreneurship podcast, small business podcast, West Indian culture, corn soup, Trinidad doubles

Anil Sukul, known to many as Anilinyuhduniyah and Mr. Duniya, joins the KICBack Podcast for an honest conversation about Hindu faith, Indo-Caribbean identity, the Bronx and the future of chutney music.

Raised in a half-Guyanese, half-Jamaican West Indian household, Anil explains how the mandir shaped his foundation, why education was always a priority and how he built a successful professional career while creating music after the workday ended.

Before becoming known for chutney music, Bollywood fusion and Muzik Movementz, Anil’s roots were in bhajans, harmonium, dholak and the Hindu mandirs of New York. He reflects on growing up in a family of pundits, being trained in the tradition and ultimately choosing a different path without abandoning his faith.

Anil also takes us through the professional journey many listeners may not know about: York College, a Google internship, helping transition the Yellow Pages into the digital era, years in sales and marketing, six years at Zillow, surviving layoffs and continuing to rebuild. His story is a reminder that many artists are building their dreams while carrying careers, marriages, families and responsibilities that the audience never sees.

The conversation then turns toward the state of chutney music. Anil shares his perspective on originality, Bollywood melodies, mechanical licensing, royalties and why artists must understand both the creative and business sides of their craft. He also explains why he believes chutney has been held back by the absence of record-label infrastructure, organized marketing and greater support from within the Indo-Caribbean community.

This episode is about more than one artist’s catalog. It is about preserving culture without becoming trapped by it, respecting tradition while creating something new and learning how to carry multiple identities without becoming a different person in every room.

We also discuss:

• Growing up Hindu and West Indian in the Bronx  
• Anil’s Guyanese and Jamaican heritage  
• The history of Durga Shiva Mandir  
• Why Anil chose not to become a pundit  
• York College, Google, Yellow Pages and Zillow  
• Building Muzik Movementz after working hours  
• The transition from bhajans to chutney music  
• Original music versus Bollywood-inspired melodies  
• Mechanical licensing and music royalties  
• Why chutney music lacks record-label infrastructure  
• Fatherhood, marriage and raising two daughters  
• The meaning behind “Back in Time”  
• An exclusive live performance from Anil Sukul  

What does chutney music need most right now: better music, stronger marketing, a record label or greater community support? Let us know in the comments.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome to KICBack  
01:48 Hyper Malt with Bedessee Canada  
04:23 Growing up in the Bronx  
08:35 Anil’s Guyanese and Jamaican identity  
15:43 Why Anil did not become a pundit  
17:03 Using music to communicate with God  
21:08 The story of Durga Shiva Mandir  
25:40 Education and York College  
28:43 Google, Yellow Pages and Zillow  
35:22 Moving from bhajans into chutney music  
44:30 Bringing the Bronx into devotional music  
46:20 Originality and Bollywood melodies  
47:49 Why chutney music has no record label  
51:44 Why artists must learn the business  
58:51 The difficult question facing chutney soca  
1:15:29 Fatherhood and his daughters  
1:25:08 Why music will always remain  
1:27:51 “Back in Time” live performance  

CONNECT WITH ANIL SUKUL

Official website: anilmrduniya.com  
YouTube: Anil Mr Duniya 
Instagram:@anilmrduniya 

FOLLOW KICBACK

Instagram: [Insert KICBack Instagram link]  
TikTok: [Insert KICBack TikTok link]  
Subscribe for more conversations centered on Indo-Caribbean culture, identity, music, faith and community.

KICBack Podcast is produced by Classic Creatives Media.

#KICBack #ChutneyMusic #IndoCaribbean

The Mental Health Conversation Caribbean Families Have Avoidided | Rebecca Singh, LMHC | KIC Back Podcast Episode 14

In many Caribbean families, mental health is only discussed when someone reaches a breaking point.

But therapy should not begin during the emotional equivalent of a heart attack.

In Episode 14 of the KIC Back Podcast, Licensed Mental Health Counselor Rebecca Singh joins us for an honest conversation about anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal ideation, family pressure, and the emotional patterns that are often passed from one generation to the next.

Rebecca explains how children can absorb the fears and anxieties they witness at home, why many people struggle to recognize their own emotional distress, and how Caribbean culture can sometimes encourage people to remain silent rather than seek support.

We also discuss what it means to truly be present for someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, why empathy and human connection matter, and how therapy can help people understand themselves before they reach a crisis.

This conversation is not about blaming our parents or rejecting our culture.

It is about recognizing what shaped us, deciding what should continue, and having the courage to heal what should not.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Caribbean families often avoid conversations about mental health
• How anxiety can be learned from parents and caregivers
• Why therapy should not be treated as a last resort
• The difference between surviving and emotionally healing
• Supporting someone experiencing suicidal ideation
• The importance of empathy, validation, and human connection
• Breaking generational patterns without abandoning your culture
• How to begin seeking help before reaching a breaking point

This may be one of the most important conversations we have had on KIC Back.

Watch the full episode, share it with someone who may need it, and continue the conversation in the comments.

Guest: Rebecca Singh, LMHC
Podcast: KIC Back
Episode: 14

Subscribe to the KIC Back Podcast for honest conversations with Caribbean leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, and community voices who are helping shape the culture.

#KICBackPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #CaribbeanMentalHealth #RebeccaSingh #Therapy #GenerationalTrauma #Anxiety #MentalHealthMatters #CaribbeanPodcast #BreakingTheStigma

In Episode 13 of The KIC Back Podcast, we sit down with DJ Trev, one of the founding members of Excellent Soundcrew and a DJ whose journey extends far beyond the music.

Trev takes us back to the beginning, before the weddings, packed dance floors, and major celebrations. What started as a fascination with computers, downloading music, and understanding how technology worked eventually became two parallel careers. DJing helped pay his way through college, while that same curiosity for technology opened the door to a career in cybersecurity.

He shares how an English teacher unexpectedly helped launch his professional DJ journey, what it took to grow Excellent Soundcrew, and why controlling the energy of a room is far more complicated than simply playing popular songs. Trev speaks honestly about the pressure behind major wedding moments, the responsibility of reading different generations, and why even after years of experience, certain entrances can still bring nerves.

Beyond the booth, Trev opens up about fatherhood, family, discipline, and the sacrifices required to balance a demanding career with a life in entertainment. We also explore how the West Indian wedding industry has evolved, why communication can matter more than talent, and what separates a professional DJ from someone who simply knows how to mix music.

Of course, no conversation with Trev would be complete without discussing late-night food, corn mutton and roti, and the meal he still has not forgiven his friend for throwing on the floor.

This episode is about more than becoming a successful DJ. It is about following curiosity, building multiple paths, and refusing to believe that one passion has to limit what your life can become.

In Episode 12 of The KIC Back Podcast, we sit down with Dillon Macc, one of the Caribbean community’s most recognizable and original content creators.

Dillon opens up about how creating videos during the pandemic grew from a genuine creative outlet into a platform reaching hundreds of thousands of people across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and beyond. He explains why he never chased fame, how he developed his unique approach to Caribbean comedy, and why authenticity remains at the center of everything he creates.

Beyond the content, Dillon shares the side of his life that audiences rarely get to see. We discuss his decision to keep his personal life private, his refusal to be placed into one cultural box, and how speaking to the wider Caribbean community has helped his work resonate across different islands and backgrounds.

The conversation also explores entrepreneurship, walking away from the traditional nine-to-five, balancing business with creativity, and building a life centered around freedom. Dillon speaks candidly about his future goals, his passion for cars, the lessons he learned from his entrepreneurial family, and why he believes people should give themselves permission to explore different paths.

This episode is a look at the person behind the viral videos and the mindset behind the platform.

EPISODE 12 | DILLON MACC: WHY HE REFUSES TO BE BOXED IN | CONTENT, FREEDOM & LIFE BEYOND THE 9–5

What was it really like growing up West Indian in New York City?

In Episode 11 of the KIC Back Podcast, Richie, Tamesh, Bryan, and Brandon look back on the experiences that shaped them, from bringing bara and homemade Caribbean food to school to birthday donuts feeling like a major treat.

The crew shares hilarious and honest stories about strict parents, school lunches, fast food, family traditions, and the moments that once made them feel different. They also reflect on how those same experiences eventually became a source of pride.

This episode explores what it means to grow up between two worlds: American outside the home and completely Caribbean the moment you stepped back inside.

A funny, nostalgic, and deeply relatable conversation about food, family, identity, and being raised West Indian in New York.

In Episode 10 of the KIC Back Podcast, we sit down with Acharya Arun Gossai, spiritual leader of Bhuvaneshwar Mandir, for one of our most powerful and reflective conversations yet.

Arun shares his journey from working in finance to stepping fully into his spiritual path, studying in India, and ultimately becoming an Acharya. He opens up about the influence of his father, the weight of legacy, and the lessons that taught him to build his own lane rather than live off his family name.

We also dive into the vision behind Bhuvaneshwar Mandir, the importance of discipline, and the weekly and daily offerings being built to serve and uplift the community.

This episode is about purpose, faith, sacrifice, and what it really means to answer your calling. A conversation rooted in tradition, but meant for anyone searching for direction. 

In Episode 9 of the KIC Back Podcast, we sit down with Nitesh Prasad, founder of Pradaan Decors and Pradaan Musical Imports.

At only 20 years old, Nitesh is already building two businesses, but his story did not start with everything going right.

He talks about getting scammed at 14, losing money, making mistakes, and learning how to keep moving forward instead of quitting. This episode gets into business, work ethic, family, culture, tabla, dholak, and what it really takes to build something when you are still figuring life out.

And because it is KIC Back, we had to keep it real.

We played dholak, sampled hot sauce, talked music, laughed, and got into the mindset behind a young entrepreneur who is already making serious moves in the community.

This is more than a business conversation.

This is a story about setbacks, culture, discipline, and refusing to stop when things go wrong.

Watch the full episode now.

#KICBackPodcast #KICBack #NiteshPrasad #PradaanDecors #PradhanMusicalImports #SmallBusinessSeries #IndoCaribbean #WestIndianCulture #YoungEntrepreneur #BusinessPodcast #Tabla #Dholak #PodcastEpisode #Entrepreneurship #QueensNY #NYCPodcast #CaribbeanBusiness #DesiBusiness #CommunityStories

Welcome back to the KIC Back Podcast.

This week, we're joined by Ryan Debidin, a New York real estate professional whose journey proves that success rarely follows a straight line.

From driving Uber and stepping away from the traditional path to becoming a respected name in real estate, Ryan shares the mindset, discipline, and belief in himself that helped him create opportunities where others saw obstacles.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Betting on yourself when nobody else will
 • Building a career in real estate from the ground up
 • Sales, entrepreneurship, and personal growth
 • The lessons learned from failure and uncertainty
 • Basketball culture, New York life, and competition
 • Family, sacrifice, and staying focused on long term goals
 • Why taking risks can change the trajectory of your life

Ryan's story is a reminder that success is not always about having the perfect plan. Sometimes it's about having the courage to take the first step.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this conversation.

🎙️ KIC Back Podcast
 Real conversations. Real stories. Real people.

Follow KIC Back Podcast for new episodes every week.

#KICBackPodcast #RyanDebidin #RealEstate #Entrepreneurship #Sales #Business #NewYork #Podcast #Success #Mindset #BetOnYourself #AgentOfTheYear #KICBack #IndoCaribbean #Leadership