Josie Mel banks on ‘Dollars and Cents’

Reggae artiste Josie Mel is generating a buzz with his latest release, Dollars and Cents, a song that preaches the merits of financial independence and a long-term financial plan.

"I had a dream when I was growing up that I wanted to be an independent individual, whatever it takes; once it's honest bread. So one day, while I was giving praises to the Most High, I got the chorus, or punchline, ' saving up my dollars and cents', and then everything else just came together," he said.

The single, which was released earlier this month on his Josie Mel Music label, is distributed through Distrokid. The track is part of an upcoming album which will be released later this year.

"I am testing the waters with this fiery song, setting the stage for the album," he said.

Josie Mel last released an album, This Whole World, in 2007. He had previously released his debut album, Freedom, on Walboomers Music, and his second effort, Rasta Still Deh Bout, on the Minor7 Flat5 label.

Josie Mel started singing in church at the age of 10. While attending the Crooked River All-Age School in Clarendon, he sang with the school group and performed at school festivals before getting his first raw exposure to dancehall with the Creation Sound system.

He gained popularity for songs such as Youths Fi Big, featuring Capleton, and the aforementioned Rasta Still Deh Bout, featuring Lutan Fyah, which did well on the local and overseas music charts.