Teejay returns home to help MoBay rise again

Dancehall superstar Teejay is optimistic about the future and rebuilding efforts of Jamaica with the number of boots on the ground, especially from the music industry.

"As a Montegonian, a di first mi eva see Montegonians so humble a swear to yuh," he smiled. "But everything good same way, people dem a try cope wid life same way and duh weh dem can duh fi survive. Suh di help weh wi a put in as entertainers is a good look. Just fi know seh yuh listen these artistes' music and dem influence yuh in a big way and just fi now seh dem a give a helping hand, dat mek yuh feel like there is hope same way," the Uptop Boss told THE STAR.

With Montego Bay, St James being among the hardest hit towns by Hurricane Melissa, Teejay said though help is coming in, the reality of the devastation on the ground is "terrible".

"It look really terrible dan wah wi see pon internet, being there honestly. Mi a wonder when it ago fix back or get back to normal, and civilisation can look good again. When me go MoBay and a drive a when me reach back, a di toll mi just feel like mi reach back inna civilisation; it just feel different. Suh wi need fi work pon it quick because wi know addi 'Second City' dat where most of our tourists fly in; but with the help of everybody so far, wi doing great, hopefully, we can continue fi di next six months same way," the Rags to Riches artiste opined.

PLANS TO HELP

Teejay's manager, Sharon Burke, revealed that the artiste, who was away during the hurricane, reached out immediately after to inform her of his plans to help moving forward.

"He was away and from it happen, he asked me to gather some stuff and he went down with it. Shaggy came in and contributed some stuff as well, and [Teejay's] planning on putting up the Starlink upon his return," Burke told THE STAR.

Through the collaborative efforts of his Solid Agency team, Friends For Real and Shaggy's Foundation, Teejay's T. Jones Foundation was able to galvanise efforts to reach to his hometown in Glendevon, in Montego Bay, exactly a week after the hurricane to deliver loads of care packages consisting of food and needed essentials for residents.

STARLINK SERVICES

However, with plans to return next week to his community and other areas in the parish, he promised to implement internet services through Starlink and focus more on rebuilding.

"When mi donate these, please don't sell di people dem di Starlink, come on now; right now each one a fi help one. My donations is fi mek everybody use the internet, who can use it. Mi also realise seh when wi gi di people dem di food, dem still nuh have noweh fi sleep, wi can stay a wi neighbour yard fi a likkle while but fi how long? Suh wi plan fi help who wi can with some roof, by donating some ply [boards] zinc, tarpaulin etc.," he shared.

"Once we can help wi ago help. Wi nuh really blame Government because dem have a bigger job fi duh and wi a one people and wi stand together and wi just fight it out until wi up and ready again," he said while commending Jamaicans on their strong sense of resilience and joyful spirits.

"One ting wid we Jamaicans, nutten cyaah calm wi because Melissa blow and gone and party still a keep," he laughed. "Wi a nuh dah type a people deh weh nutten can break wi suh easy suh wi just need fi get back pon wi foot and keep working," he said.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

Noting the harsh reality and living conditions of the area, Teejay said the situation brought back childhood memories.

"It rough, enuh. Most times I've been through some of these places in the garrison, and it still rough. It still remind me like when wi a grow up and wi affi guh out pon di road guh beg a taxi man a ting. Job is there, but really and truly, we can't get no job without certain things, suh it rough. Suh just imagine yuh house blow down inna Melissa and yuh nuh see nobody at all or know where yuh a go turn to fi a dolla, a helping hand wid a ply or zinc or a tarpaulin, anybody wudda be grateful fi dat," said the People singjay while applauding dancehall artiste Spice on her efforts in rebuilding houses.

With a recent video shared by marketing kingpin Romeich and the artiste plans to join forces to double down on helping to rebuild the country, Teejay said it's time for "unity and business".

"Wi good man, wi a big people now and war inna business nuh mek much money suh going forward, a business wi a duh now, a nuh personal feelings wi a carry right now, now a nuh di time for that," he noted, adding that "unity is strength because united we stand and divided we fall".

"We have been working together for over a year or more, even when there was jus a little disagreement at first. We've been talking business behind the scenes, wi just don't make everything public; but everybody good, we all working together," Burke chimed in.

She also revealed that Teejay will soon be releasing projects with Romeich, Shaggy, Di Genius and Don Corleone.

natasha.williams@gleanerjm.com