Reggae artist Ras Irie is hoping his record, ‘Carty Carty’, will be the key to his rise in the music industry.

According to the artist, who hails from Black River in St Elizabeth, conscious music is the answer to Jamaica’s problems.

“Road a gwaan wicked right now, even in the tourist areas gun a buss. So, we have to create some real conscious music because it seems like dem youth ya unconscious. I am making the type of music to wake them out of that unconsciousness. We are lacking in some good content because the youth dem just a focus on one thing, which is not usually the right message. The sad thing is that dem a get support because some of the man dem in the business who have power to do better only have a low standard. Mi not saying they should get no support, but balance out the thing,” he said.

No newcomer to the scene, Ras Irie has been actively releasing music, whether entering freestyle competitions or releasing music through digital distribution outlets.

The artist states that his music has been influenced by the way of life taught by the Rastafarian religion, coupled with spirituality and reading books.

“People not reading much again, so now is the time for us as musicians to teach as much as we can. The only thing this generation is reading is gossip and social media. So, the real, deep content needs to be produced and released in order to bridge that gap. If we don’t do that, then years from now we gonna be in a dark place,” he said.

Ras Irie stated that he wants local radio to pay more attention to conscious music. He also gave credit to radio stations like Hitz FM and Hot 102, which he says have been making an attempt to keep reggae music alive.

“I want people to see me as a man who has spent a lot of time improving my musical skills and trying to embrace reggae, to the fullest. Radio, it is now time to come on board and let us save our music from a destructive path. Play some reggae yuh nuh! Play some real youth who a seh real things,” Ras Irie said.