分类： entertainment

For Jamaican-American reggae artist Marcus “Nesta” Gayle, inspiration flows as naturally as breathing every time he steps into the recording studio. Long before he mastered musical theory, chord progressions, or production craft, he understood that music is rooted in feeling — and for him, the most resonant feeling has always been tied to the deep, unmistakable basslines of reggae. That connection stretches beyond sound: it is his lifelong bond to his late father Basil Gayle, a former member of influential 1980s roots reggae vocal group the Visionaires, part of the iconic Twelve Tribes of Israel movement.

Now 33 and raised from birth in Queens, New York, the multi-hyphenate musician, singer, songwriter and producer has built a unique artistic identity by leaning into his Jamaican heritage. His signature sound, a seamless fusion of reggae, R&B, hip-hop and dancehall, has cemented his reputation as one of the most exciting rising forces in contemporary Caribbean-influenced music, with two chart-resonant lover’s rock releases, *Worthwhile* and *Don’t Let Me Down*, earning him a growing global fanbase.

As he prepares to headline the main stage at the 2026 “To Mom With Love” Mother’s Day concert at Kingston’s AC Hotel on May 10, Gayle opened up in an exclusive interview with *Jamaica Observer* during a recent visit to the island, expressing his excitement to perform in the nation that shaped both his identity and his career. For Gayle, every step of his musical journey has been rooted in honoring his father’s legacy, and he carries one clear mission: to break down industry barriers, elevate global reggae, spread a message of unity and love, and clear a smoother path for the next generation of emerging artists.

Raised in a household where reggae and R&B played constantly, surrounded by siblings who introduced him to 1990s and 2000s hip-hop, Gayle developed an early habit of exploring musical styles from across the globe. “I’m the type of guy who just researches all kinds of music all over the world and just takes things from literally all over — Brazil, Africa — wherever it is that I like melodies and stuff like that,” he explained. “I try to fuse it into what I’m doing and try to make my sound as universal as possible.”

That early curiosity first turned into a side gig making hip-hop and trap beats for friends when he lived in Florida, recording rough demos in his spare time. It was not until 2012, when friends began complimenting his raw vocal talent, that he started experimenting with singing. For a time, he doubted whether he could turn his passion into a full-time career — but his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis gave him the clarity he needed to commit to music fully.

Diagnosed with incurable mantle cell lymphoma, the diagnosis pushed Gayle to prioritize his art. “It wasn’t whether I wanted to do it or not, it’s something I have to do,” he said. In 2013, he moved back to New York to care for his father, a year he calls the most memorable of their relationship. Basil passed away in 2014, but not before hearing the music his son had been working on in Florida. When Gayle played him early hip-hop tracks laced with explicit lyrics, his father offered simple, lasting advice: he pointed to artists like Alicia Keys, who built massive hits without vulgarity, and encouraged his son to create music that could be enjoyed by all ages. That advice reshaped Gayle’s approach to songwriting, pushing him to refine his lyrics and stay true to his values.

It was during this period of reflection that Gayle realized he had been running from his own cultural identity. Once he fully embraced his Jamaican roots and his father’s roots reggae legacy, everything fell into place. While natural talent made learning guitar, keyboard and vocal harmony easy, a friend named Jennifer helped him master the theoretical side of songwriting. A 2014 collaboration with trap producers at Black Wax Studio proved to be another turning point, teaching him to create freely in the moment instead of overwriting and overplanning. That spontaneous, instinct-driven approach became his signature style, and much of his acclaimed EP *Your Love Alone* was recorded exactly this way: through mental preparation and raw, unfiltered expression.

“ I feel like it’s a more intuitive and spontaneous experience that is going to hit your heart rather than when it’s premeditated, and it’s going to hit your mind more,” he explained. “When you’re pulling it out of the air, it’s going to hit you, and it’s going to resonate with the people in the same type of way.”

Gayle released his debut single, the lover’s rock track *Blending*, in 2017, but his viral breakthrough came when his remix of Gyptian’s iconic hit *Hold Yuh* exploded on TikTok, pushing him into the mainstream spotlight. He capitalized on the momentum, releasing a steady stream of new music, and ultimately quit his full-time job at U.S. supermarket chain Whole Foods Market in 2024 to pursue music full-time. His 2025 release *Worthwhile* also went viral on TikTok, and he quickly built a loyal transatlantic fanbase, earning enough support to sell out his first headline acoustic set in London earlier this year.

“It was an amazing experience,” he recalled of the London show. “Those are people that have been rocking with me from 2021. They were singing songs that I didn’t even know they knew, like my song *Already There*, which was one of the first tunes that I really, really fused reggae and R&B together.”

Since going full-time, Gayle has toured across the United States alongside well-known Bermudian reggae artist Collie Buddz, and even performed in East Africa’s Kenya. Now, with his upcoming Kingston performance just months away, he is preparing to share the stage with reggae and gospel legends including Third World, Marcia Griffiths, Glenn Jones and Robert Minott, and promises a family-friendly show accessible to all ages. “You don’t got to turn my music off when grandma comes in the car, and everybody can enjoy my music,” he said. “If you ask me, reggae music is like the best music. It’s a worldwide music, it’s a universal music, it’s different from any other music.”

For Gayle, tracks like *Already There*, *Worthwhile*, and *Don’t Let Me Down* are the truest reflection of who he is as an artist. He hopes his message of love — romantic love, self-love, and collective unity — resonates with audiences far beyond Jamaica’s borders. “In my perception of life, I look at it like God resides in everybody. Some people call it spirit, me, I look at it as the Most High in everything. He is the conductor, the grand conductor… Separation is an illusion. I want people to just acknowledge oneness,” he said.

For Jamaican gospel deejay and minister Papa San, stepping onto one of the biggest mainstream dancehall rhythms in recent memory was not a move he made lightly. A former secular recording artist who has spent decades focused on spreading Christian messaging through his music, this new project marks a rare return to a collaborative secular beat project for the first time in more than 30 years. It all began with a nudge from his son, BEAM, the multi-platinum selling rapper, singer and songwriter who has shared studio space and stages with global superstars ranging from Beyoncé to Justin Bieber.

BEAM had been flooded with messages from fans and industry peers alike asking why his father had not contributed a verse to the trending WYFL rhythm, a beat that has already attracted dozens of artists across the dancehall space. At first, Papa San pushed back on the idea. “I don’t really run in on the rhythm that everybody else is on, because that was never my usual approach from the start of my career,” he told Jamaica Observer in a recent interview. But after a period of prayer, he felt a sense of peace about the project, trusting that God would shape the message he was meant to deliver.

The resulting track, titled *Real Talk*, has already captured widespread attention after a clip of Papa San performing the song went viral on TikTok. Drawing widespread positive feedback from listeners across the globe, the track stands out for its unusual 36-verse structure, each touching on different themes all designed to point listeners toward faith in Christ. For Papa San, every line of the track is divinely inspired. “There’s nothing that I can do without Him,” he explained. “He put all the lines together and I thank Him for allowing me to use me in this way to bring the message to nations that can edify people. He pushed me to deliver His messages to His people.”

This collaboration marks Papa San’s first appearance on a multi-artist secular dancehall rhythm since the iconic Duck rhythm of the late 1980s, a project that helped cement his status as a rising star in the Jamaican music scene. The Duck rhythm spawned a string of massive hits for the era’s top artists, including Flourgon’s *Bounce*, Red Dragon’s *Duck* and Ninja Man’s *More Reality*. Papa San notched two number one hits from the project: *Style and Fashion* and *I Will Survive*

In the wake of *Real Talk*’s unexpected viral success, Papa San confirmed that the unplanned track will almost certainly be included on his upcoming worship project. “It wasn’t something that was planned. This is something that God has led us to, and I’m very happy,” he said, adding that messages of support have poured in from listeners across the world, proving that the track’s faith-centered message has resonated widely. The track comes on the heels of Papa San’s most recent release, a six-song extended play titled *My Worship* that dropped via Beloved Records back in January.

When the curtains rise on the 43rd International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA) at Florida’s Lauderhill Performing Arts Center on May 17, Jamaican-born poet Marcia Jackson will step into two high-profile roles at once: competing for an unprecedented third consecutive victory and leading the star-studded annual ceremony as host.

Jackson, who now makes her home in Florida, will face off against four other contenders — Amaziyah The Great, Majorie Walters (known professionally as Maj Da Poet), Richie Innocent, and Wise Wurdz — for the prestigious Mutabaruka Award for Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer. While landing a third straight win would be a career-defining milestone, Jackson says the opportunity to helm the entire event has left her equally overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement.

Speaking to Observer Online, Jackson described the dual honor as “surreal and humbling.” “As a poet, my core mission has always been to hold a mirror up to our shared culture and history,” she explained. “Hosting this year’s IRAWMA feels like a long-awaited coming together: poetry and reggae music, sharing the same stage and speaking the same cultural language. Winning this award twice already has proven that our spoken word art form earns the respect it deserves here. Now, as host, I get to shine a spotlight on every genre that carries our stories — from raw dub poetry to upbeat dancehall.”

Jackson’s path to the IRAWMA stage has been shaped by a multifaceted career rooted in Caribbean creative tradition. Born and raised in Portland, Jamaica, she got her start in the entertainment industry as a dancehall deejay performing under the stage name Copper Girl. Inspired by iconic Caribbean literary and cultural figures including poet Claude McKay and folklorist Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett Coverley, she began penning her own poetry as a teenager. Beyond her work as a performance artist, Jackson maintains a diverse professional profile: she is a registered nurse, a stage actress with credits including the production *The Real Wife*, and the organizer of the popular annual Easter Comedy Show in Jupiter, Florida.

That varied background, Jackson says, has given her a unique set of skills perfectly tailored to hosting the major awards event. “Dub poetry taught me timing, breath control, and how to command an entire room with nothing but words,” she noted. “My work in drama gave me stage presence and taught me how to hold an audience’s attention from start to finish. And organizing community events like the Unity Dance for Florida Nursing Month taught me behind-the-scenes logistics, how to manage a running order, and how to keep energy high for hours on end. All of those experiences come together when you step out to host an event this big.”

Founded by Ephraim Martin, a former photojournalist with Jamaican newspaper *The Gleaner*, the IRAWMA has a 41-year history of celebrating Caribbean and global roots music. First launched as the International Reggae Music Awards in 1982 in Chicago, the awards have honored hundreds of artists, musicians, producers, and industry leaders, with a core focus on Jamaican creative talent. This year’s ceremony features 40 competitive categories decided by public voting, plus five additional Special Honours recognitions for outstanding contributions to the genre.