Back on the Rock after temporarily relocating to Los Angeles in the US, fast-rising dancehall/hip hop artiste Zac Jone$ is buried in late-night studio sessions as he readies to drop his debut album ‘Treasure Beach’.
“I’m pretty close to completion right now,” Jone$ divulged to Loop News. “I’m really excited about releasing it and know it will resonate with a lot of people. It’s going to have eight tracks and some really dope guest appearances.”
He is currently recording the project between home and Big Yard Studio.
The behind-the-scenes team he’s working with include producers Iotosh, Natural High and Paris Lamont and artiste Sheen. Jone$ had high praises for Sheen.
“I think he has the best male voice in Jamaica, look out for him,” he trumpeted.
With Pharrell Williams, Jay Z and Bob Marley as his primary music influences, the 26-year-old Jone$ explained that he actively listens to and learns from many artistes.
“While I would say in my present state my music personality can’t really be quantified, my style is definitely a mix of reggae and hip hop and a sprinkle of R&B,” he said.
Of his 2000 hit collab single with Agent Sasco, ‘Miss Jamaica’, a valentine to the fairer sex which name-drops each of the island’s parishes, imbuing them with female attributes, when asked who is his reigning queen, he coyly said: “I’m blessed to have many Miss Jamaicas in my life, some very special and important women.”
Jone$ is set to perform this Sunday, April 23 at SAINT International’s Fashion Face of the Caribbean and Avant Garde Designer of the Year competitions at AC Hotel Kingston.
He’s looking forward to it as it will be his first time performing at a fashion event and also a reunion of sorts with SAINT Chief Executive Officer Deiwght Peters.
“I crossed paths with him in downtown, Kingston at the Art Walk back in 2019. I was there to watch what was going on and ended up as part of a fashion designer presentation SAINT was hosting that very day,” Jone$ recounted of the encounter. “Deiwght had spotted me, liked how I looked, and encouraged me to consider modelling, so I put on some of the clothes and walked out with the rest of the models.”
Shortly thereafter, he commenced training with SAINT but hit the pause button to concentrate on his first passion: music.
However, the creative hasn’t put to bed the possibility of pursuing international modelling at a later date.
“I definitely would want to do more work in modelling at some point, especially with the connection between fashion and music.”
For the moment, his top priority remains putting the finishing touches on his album and when time allows, being close to the tide.
“My favourite spots are Bob Marley Beach, Whitehouse in Westmoreland, and Treasure Beach, which obviously is the inspiration for the album,” he shared.
