IT took many years. But reggae singer Muscle Emanuel — a firm believer that everything has its time — is convinced that his time is now.

If his singles It’s The Love and Inna Dem Time Yah on the Sweet Stick rhythm are anything to go by, he could be correct.

The songs are receiving a lot of attention from radio jocks, giving the singer, whose real name is Carl Donovan Blackwood, even more inspiration to deliver songs with conscious lyrics.

“There is strength within lyrics,” he said. “I want to gain a strength in the music that I can help some more warriors.”

Arguing that too many negative messages are passing as music these days, Muscle Emanuel said it is now time to change that.

His journey to this point though, has been long. Over the years, the artiste has recorded on several labels without seeing any of his tracks being released.

He, however, persisted, hoping that one day he would get the big break he was seeking. Finally, in 2002 a door was opened for him when he joined Anthony B on a European tour.

According to Muscle Emanuel, he found a lot of opportunities in Europe, leading to him living there for a few years. During that time, he met Spaniard Violeta Fernandez and the two joined forces to establish Afrikan Bump Muzik, a name that was derived from a single Emanuel had recorded on the Sweep Over My Soul rhythm for the California-based Soul Disciple label.

The duo hopes to establish Afrikan Bump Muzik as a major player in the music industry. Their first effort towards that goal is the release of the No Slavery rhythm, produced by the renowned British-based rhythm duo Mafia and Fluxy and featuring artistes such as Lutan Fyah, Luciano, Mikal Rose and Lenn Hammond.

It’s a big achievement for the singer who said he grew up in a tenement yard in Kingston. But then, he said, he also had the benefit of close contact with big name reggae acts Leroy Smart, Ken Boothe, Gregory Isaacs and Dennis Brown.