Ironically, his latest song, “Love Alone”, was first recorded in 2009 but was recently released by that company. “They say good things come to those who wait and this song I believe can definitely do it for me,” Roxwayne says. “Love Alone” is among a clutch of songs Roxwayne has done for Sajay Productions, a Kingston-based company operated by Roymane Alexander, a nephew of the famous dancehall/reggae producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes. “Money Haffi Mek” and “Hungry Days” are two other recordings the 25year-old Roxwayne has on Sajay’s growing catalogue.
He says they are considerably more sophisticated and professional than his first recording,
“Thanks and Praise”, a self-produced effort that was done in 2001 when he was just 15 years old. Roxwayne admits he was green when he made his recording debut. He believes being directed in the studio this time around made his current releases stronger. “I find there’s a lot more energy and things are a lot easier when someone is producing you,” he explained. “You get to know what you’re doing wrong from right.”
Roxwayne was born Cornelius Messam in the district of Fairburn, Clarendon. Located in Jamaica’s central region, Clarendon is where reggae greats like Toots Hibbert, Derrick Morgan, Freddie McGregor, Morgan Heritage patriarch Denroy Morgan and Barrington Levy were born.
Like Toots, Roxwayne’s first taste of music came in the church where his family had strong ties to the Church of God and Methodist denominations. Though he sang on the choir, he was struck by the secular sounds of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Garnet Silk during his teen years.
The roots message of those artistes also transformed young Cornelius Messam’s beliefs and he converted to Rastafari which has become the focus of his music. In the 1990s, Garnet Silk led a roots revival out of central Jamaica that included Clarendon-born singers Everton Blender and Uton Greene. Keep your ears out for Roxwayne, an artiste destined for the big times.
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