I-Octane Working on Reggae Booth

I-Octane said he is working on his fourth studio album, Reggae Booth, slated for the first quarter of 2021.

Ahead of that major project, the dancehall singjay said he is currently shooting music videos for Check Out, Rasta Love, Someone to Love, and Next.

“Mi just ah warm up the place until the album drops,” he said.

Reggae Booth will be a 17-track album and the follow-up to Love and Life, which debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Reggae charts.

The project will feature collabs from Gentleman, Agent Sasco, Demarco, Da Professa and Stephen Marley, alongside I-Octane’s protoge, Banxx, and his daughter Octavia.

In the meantime, I-Octane has several shows booked in the US over the next two months. Some of those shows —which will adhere to COVID-19 health protocols — include a show with Dovey Magnum on November 24 in Queens; a show in Panama City, Florida with Dovey Magnum on December 6; a show in Orlando on December 19 alongside Mavado and Yanique Curvy Diva; and a show in Atlanta on December 27.

“Next year, Gambia request me again for a show in January 2021,” he said.

I-Octane said he uses his lyrics to elevate, inform and inspire the youth. He had a word of advice for up-and-coming artistes.

“All young artistes should respect those who do it over a decade and still relevant. Don’t confuse legacy with hot, you have to be dominant in the first two years of your career, but I can count 20 artistes before me who were hot and now are nowhere to be found. As an artiste, you have to make long-term decisions to take you to the next level,”

He pleaded with young artistes to “become a better version of themselves”.

“The reason I survived so long is that I realised early that I will not be the favourite, even now. Those who ruled me out have become an inspiration, and I have run an excellent race. Time ah the master, you don’t have to be the favourite, just be the best version of yourselves,” he said.

Octane said that he feels motivated to mentor young artistes because of the personal fight he got while a fledgling act.

“When I was younger and hot, the older artistes bashed me, and said I didn’t know how to get out of Jamaica, I was just hot locally. They didn’t share the knowledge of how to get into foreign markets and establish links, but I learned the hard way and I am ready to share that knowledge with everyone who will take the time out to listen,” he said.