UP-AND-COMING Florida-based dancehall artiste Mission-ARY said he is hoping his latest single, Low Pan Cash, will be his breakout hit.

“It is somewhat hilarious, but the message is reality. It is about parents that don’t want their daughter dating a guy that doesn’t have money, even when the guy is madly in love with their daughter,” the singjay said.

Low Pan Cash was released in March of this year, and produced by Portland-based Nutune Records.

Born in Portland, Mission-ARY (given name Benton McNeil), like many other Jamaican artistes, never had an easy life.

“I grew up with only my mother, who had four of us to provide for on a very meagre salary. There were days that we had to go to school without lunch money, as she just didn’t have it. However, she did her very best to make us happy,” he stated.

He said at 15, while attending Titchfield High School, he developed his passion for music. He won several deejay competitions.

He said the moniker Mission-ARY was given to him by a friend who saw him dressed as a Church Minister during a local show.

In 2006, he released his debut single Slow Dance. Although it did not give him the recognition he was seeking, the singjay said he was not demotivated. Other singles followed including Nukki Nukki and Fool Too Long.

Mission-ARY lists Bob Marley as one of his main musical influences. He quotes the Reggae King occasionally saying: “If money wants to come my way, it will. So I’ll just keep on doing music”.