Having done the New York City club rounds for the past two years, roots artiste Autarchii returns to Jamaica in December for shows he hopes will expose his music here and help revive reggae’s benevolence.

The two acoustic shows are scheduled for Kingston and involve the singer’s Red A Red Music Group. The first, dubbed Live Inna Yard, takes place December 15 at Kingston 10 Sports Bar & Grill with guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith’s Inna De Yard Binghistra.

Entrepreneurship Meets Live Music is the second show at 44 Fleet Street in central Kingston. It is a joint production with outreach organisation Life Yard and also features Smith’s Nyahbinghi group.

“These events mean a lot to me as this will signify a revolutionary homecoming. These events serve as a form of altruism, as the proceeds from Entrepreneurship Meets Live Music will go to Life Yard’s breakfast programme and also signify a conscientious sense of unity among youths and elders — given that musical elders such as Earl “Chinna” Smith, Donovan Joseph and many more will be involved in the process,” Autarchii told the Jamaica Observer.

Autarchii, 24, was born Jermaine Joseph in Kingston but has lived in New York for the past five years. Most of his recordings, including Land of the Free and his current song Cure my Pain, were recorded there.

According to the Kingston College past student, his music “is merely community service in the form of melodies”.

He added that, “Although it doesn’t always seem like it, music is a major form of entrepreneurship or self-reliance. Hence, I feel there is no better tool than music,

which is Jamaica’s leading art form to uplift young minds and gear them towards self-sufficiency.”

Autarchii’s link with Smith comes through his fatherDonovan Joseph, a veteran singer who recorded several songs for the veteran musician. Located at Fleet Street, Life Yard is a self-described eco-village that “encourages children through art, agriculture and edutainment”.

For Autarchii, the shows will cap a fulfilling 2018.

“This year has been sublime as I fulfilled a lifelong vision of performing with the legendary Mighty Diamonds and also saw a major increase in supporters on the continent of Africa, especially Kenya,” he said.

— Howard Campbell