CANADA-BASED, Jamaican-born reggae artiste Exco Levi is adding another to his list of accolades. Today, the artiste will receive a spot on Canada’s walk of fame for his contribution to the arts and entertainment in the city of Brampton.

The winner of four Juno Awards, Canada’s equivalent of the American Grammy, said he truly deems it an honour to be recognised by the city he has called home for the past seven years.

“This is great for a person born in Manchester, Jamaica — a little district called Hormans, near Porus — and migrated to Canada 10 years ago. For them to choose me is a great feeling. Uplifting music is of utmost importance to Exco Levi, and to be recognised for this is more than words can explain. This is even more important to me than winning the Juno Awards. My children, who are all here in Canada, can always go down and look at my star…. even long after I am gone. I remember the first time I was in LA (Los Angeles) I walked and found the Bob Marley star and never dreamed I could have one of my own, so I am humbled and excited,” Exco Levi told the Jamaica Observer.

The walk of fame in Brampton celebrates persons from that city who have achieved greatness in the areas of arts and entertainment. Exco Levi (whose birth name is Wayneford Omaro Levy) explained that other walk of fame inductees include, actors Alan Thicke and Michael Cera, singer Keshia Chantè and comedian Russell Peters.

According to Exco Levi, another take-away from the award is the universality of the message in his music.

“As a reggae artiste in Canada, sometimes you get frustrated because you are not getting the recognition and airplay back in Jamaica, which is the hub of dancehall and reggae music, so you get discouraged. But I have come to recognise that all you have to do is represent yourself well and the recognition will come. Like mi granny always say: ‘Don’t watch the noise of the market, just look for the profit from the sale’. There is a whole big world out there for reggae music. Donovan Germain once said to me that I should not worry about this as somewhere in the world my music will be played.”

Exco Levi is currently pushing the new track Siren, which was released in June, and is looking forward to 2017 when he says he will be continuing his journey in a big way.

“Come next year, I will be taking my career on a different level. Over the years, I have watched myself grow. While the message of positive, uplifting music reggae music is constant, there must be some change. I will be experimenting with my riddims, drawing on other genres to create an interesting sound on a reggae base. This is in an effort to cross over and reach different markets and a more diverse audience.”

— Richard Johnson