For years, Jamaican recording artist Yaksta has built his reputation on music rooted in cultural awareness and thoughtful reflection on national identity. Now, with the launch of his latest single *Roar*, the deejay is stepping into a far more vulnerable, unapologetically personal creative space — one defined by raw, unfiltered honesty that he says many in the music industry avoid at all costs.
Yaksta says he is ready to speak out on topics fellow artists often sidestep, even if that means sacrificing the mainstream fame and widespread popularity that most performers chase throughout their careers. “We need to understand what we are as a nation,” he explained in a recent conversation about his new work. “I think the imperfect characteristics of Jamaicans are what made us perfect. We were the rebels of the pack, of all the African diaspora, we were the voice box of the universe — and suddenly now we’re censored because of monetary gains.”
He points to iconic Jamaican artists such as Bob Marley as proof that greatness does not come from conforming to industry expectations. “All those great men never made it because they conformed,” he noted. “They may have worked within a system, but they had a mind of their own. Everybody who conforms falls in line, and I am not one of them.”
Rebellion has always been woven into Yaksta’s musical DNA, he says, though the rigid structures of the commercial music industry have at times softened that outspoken spirit. “We have always been rebellious, it’s just that past management we worked with more or less censored us in certain ways,” he shared. He also called out shifting social norms around gender identity that he says have created widespread confusion, clarifying he does not aim to bash anyone but believes the current trend is a pressing issue for society.
For Yaksta, *Roar* is far more than just a new single — it is a rallying cry to reclaim the uncompromising, truth-centered roots of Jamaican reggae music. “*Roar* is about the regrouping of consciousness in our music, in our nation,” he said. “I think we’re drifting too far from our core values. When it comes to speaking out and provoking thought about the issues actually affecting the society we live in now, people shy away from that. But reggae was never a pretty, polished genre — it was always about truth and empowerment.”
The artist argues that much of the music dominating current radio and streaming playboxes has strayed far from these foundational principles, and he is aiming to hit reset on the genre ahead of the release of more new music. He specifically pushes back against the misogynistic lyrics that are common in many contemporary tracks, noting he refuses to participate in the degradation of Black women, who he identifies as queens. “We have given them 20 years of foolishness, we must be able to give them one year of consciousness,” he stated.
*Roar* is a preview of Yaksta’s upcoming full-length album, *The Microphone Saved Me*, a project he describes as a bold, unapologetic declaration that refuses to bend to the pressures of an industry he believes has lost both its authenticity and moral compass. He argues that modern music’s focus on exploitative and harmful content has negatively influenced young people, noting that artists are often the primary role models for youth when parental figures are absent. “We have to know that we have a responsibility,” he emphasized. “Fans spend their time, their money, their essence to make you important. So we have to reverse that harmful trend.”
Yaksta says he is fully prepared to face criticism and backlash for his outspoken stances, clarifying that this creative shift is not about adopting a new persona — it is about embracing a deeper understanding of his purpose as an artist. “The moment I started doing me, saying what I wanted to say, it started resonating more with audiences,” he explained. “I may not be booked for local shows every day, and it is not because they won’t call me — it is that certain shows are not aligned with my message and the brand I am building.”
The deejay also opened up about the personal costs of sudden fame, noting that his early experience in the industry taught him how quickly envy can erode even close relationships. “I had a normal life before all the popularity, but popularity taught me how envious love can become in the blink of an eye,” he shared. “If you’re not grounded, it is easy for artists to lose their way, fall off, or break when all this success comes to you overnight. I’m the kind of person that when the rush of fame comes, I step back and assess my choices carefully. I found out that the real enemies were often the ones that stood with me. I’ve seen family change, friends get envious — but where love is, hate follows. That’s where the microphone saved me in real life.”
The album is scheduled for a May release, and Yaksta plans to take an unconventional, fan-focused approach to rolling out the project, skipping large traditional stage shows in favor of intimate direct engagement. “What I’m going to do for this album is bring it directly to the people,” he said. “I’m going to host pop-up shops, showcase my merch, and give fans free live performances. You may not see me on a big festival stage, but come to my show.”