Yaksta gives strength to new talent

Yaksta’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent was on full display at Yakocustics, where the artiste created space for a new wave of reggae and dancehall performers to showcase their abilities.

Before taking the stage during The Yakocustics – The Microphone Saved Me Album Jam Session on Friday at D’Lux Restaurant and Lounge on Caledonia Avenue in St Andrew, Yaksta invited several up-and-coming acts — including Natural Flames, Matthew Malcolm, Tycoon52 and Pepe Dan — to perform.

The platform gave them an opportunity to connect with fans and gain valuable exposure.

Hosted by Bishop Escobar, the event maintained an energetic atmosphere as patrons were introduced to fresh voices in Jamaican music, while Yaksta used the platform to highlight the importance of supporting young talent.

“This is a Yaksta night,” the artiste said. “I wanted this night to be about me, about I — but alongside my brethren them. Some people weh dem need fi know.”

Yaksta explained that he deliberately chose to feature emerging artistes rather than rely on a lineup dominated by established names, as he wanted the event to serve as a platform for those still building their careers.

“The young acts that’s coming up, we affi give dem a platform. Instead of flooding it with the popular names everybody wants to see, me just come to showcase my talent and my passion to the fans dem in the rawest form,” he said.

The artiste said that same commitment to developing new talent is at the heart of Bush Clan, also known as The Tribe, a collective he is building to help emerging performers gain greater visibility within the music industry.

“I have a lot of artistes weh really and truly need people to hear them,” he explained. “So I’m just making a platform that they can also utilise to get further exposure.”

Through Yakocustics and initiatives such as Bush Clan, Yaksta is seeking to create more opportunities for up-and-coming artistes while strengthening the foundation for the next generation of Jamaican music.