While driving in the Three Miles area of St Andrew early this year, deejay Filantro Lavah was approached by one of several ‘window wipers’ to clean his windscreen. He said his initial reaction was to shun the boy, but had a change of heart when he saw the youngster’s ‘condition’.

It inspired him to write the song Youth Dem Hungry, which was recently released.

“Right away di song come to mi. By di time mi reach home mi have di first verse an’ finish it by the evening,” Filantro Lavah recalled.

The self-produced Youth Dem Hungry is among a handful of new songs Filantro Lavah has on the market. The others areTry Love and just Before Wi Buss, which he also produced.

Though he has been recording for only four years, he believes he knows enough to direct himself in the studio.

“Wi learning as wi go along the journey,” he said.

Born Otis Skervin in Brown’s Town, St Ann, the 44-year-old artiste was raised in Olympic Gardens, Kingston, a community with a vibrant dancehall culture.

Influenced by a diverse group of artistes (Alton Ellis, Skeeter Davis, Buju Banton and Beres Hammond), he never got into recording until he was 40. Most of his professional life has been in the construction industry.

“Mi always love the music but neva miself doing it professionally till now. I think now is the right time,” he said.

— Howard Campbell