Misa West
2019 winner
While living in Islington, St. Mary, a young man who grew up with one of his brothers and many cousins realized his dream of becoming an entertainer so he set to pursue such dream but not before exploring the path of other inner passion that could become a reality. A Reggae/Dancehall Artist, Actor and Firefighter Craig Rolando West, was born 1978 to parents Hyacinth Saunders and Henry West in the community of Warieka Hills, St. Andrew. At ten months old he was taken to the parish of St. Mary in a community call BaccasWood, Islington to live with his Aunt, Myrtle West and Uncle in-law Lionel Reid.
The parish of St. Mary located northeast Jamaica, is one of the country’s smallest parishes in the county of Middlesex. It’s chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast and it is also the birthplace of established dancehall reggae artistes, Capleton, Lady Saw, Ninja Man, Sizzla and Tanya Stephens.
Craig West attended Hillside Primary and Islington Secondary (now Islington High) schools in the parish. He enjoyed his years in school and often participated in music and drama classes or school concerts where he was quite popular for his ability to imitate the legendary Michael Jackson.Craig also participated in lyrical clashes at Bamboo Lawn in his community every Sunday evening.
Where Being involved in the different aspects of entertainment, Craig learnt how
to write and perform his own songs. He was schooled from watching ‘the big guns’ perform, peeping through “zinc holes at Bamboo Lawn whenever there were major events.” Zinc would be used as perimeter fencing at Bamboo Lawn” he said, the infamous venue in the parish known to many for staging major events.
Craig also played drums at church but found out that such duty coincided with his, “Sunday cricket games and lyrical clashes.” He recalled getting, “pinched” by some of the elderly women who attended his church whenever he was absent along with the ladies expressing sentiments such as “you were not in church today to play for us we really missed you.”
But for Craig at that time life was rough and he had to survive, the local music industry was slow so he joined the Jamaica Fire Brigade and soon became an Instructor at Jamaica Fire Brigade Training school. After being in the unit for a number of years, Misa West couldn’t deny the desire he had entertain an audience so he went and auditioned for an acting role as “Corporal Rope – Up” in a play called “Pastor Heathen” and was cast. He also got a role as ‘Plucky’ in another play called “Man and Woman Problem” produced by Mr. Ralph Holness.
Like very few of us, Misa West got a chance to explore his inner passion so after the acting roll he again was driven to record a song titled “It Nuh fair” and “Heartless.” Preview here! The songs were recorded on the Cr3 Records label to which he was signed and and got much airplay. A video was also shot for”It Nuh Fair” put in rotation on various local television and cable stations across the island. “It Nuh Fair” speaks on social issues affecting civil servants and poor people in Jamaica today. Other tracks recorded by Misa West includes collaboration with Naturaliss, Shea, Edd-I, Yon and Twin City entitled, ‘All is not Gone’ a tribute to the people of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake that devastated that country.
Under the stewardship of Cr3 Records, Misa West hopes to release his debut Album April 2011. The artiste believes he is capable of positively influencing society through his music and hope society embraces his Artistry.