“I remember sharing newly-released songs with some friends in a group. I would tell them to check out the new artiste. One of my friends said, yuh have an eye for identifying new talent, why don’t you start a YouTube channel?”, recalls Hezekiah Hall, as he takes BUZZ back to the beginning of Impression Entertainment and Promotions (IEP).

It was only three months ago that he took that friend’s advice, but his YouTube channel-IEP has grown substantially since then and is making its mark as a go-to for showcasing new musical talent.

“The ultimate goal is to use IEP as a platform to expose our abundance of new talent while helping them to develop their skills along the way,” he said.

Hall is a Masters’s student at the University of the West Indies, studying Development Studies. And as he explains, he’s often engaged in programmes that have some growth aspect, especially with youth. His channel, therefore, is a natural fit.

So far, he’s interviewed fourteen artistes; Wowski, Zalien King, Ikatic, Nelly P, Ishanique, Prince Ikeem, Elemental, Terrifa, Daddy Slim, King Izem, Dray Voyahj, Senetah and Nycole. Each with very different music styles and image.

Hall says he aims for authenticity in each interview, allowing the artistes to feel relaxed while he delves into their story and shines light on their talent.

“It shows their personality, background, their communities, everything. We also go into their communities and showcase a piece of their environment. The interviews help us to see the impact they have on their spaces as we give you a glimpse into their everyday lives,” he said.

IEP What’s New

In addition to the interviews, IEP also provides follow-ups on each artiste in their segment called IEP What’s New. This segment highlights everything new and exciting that the artistes are up to and shows their progress.

Currently, IEP enjoys the support of an ever-growing audience who tune in every Saturday for a new episode. This success and the impact that the show is having in the communities of the featured artistes is why Hall believes it will transcend Jamaica’s borders to feature upcoming artistes in other Caribbean territories in the near future.

“It would be great if there are individuals out there who are interested in the growth of new talents and the kind of work that we’re doing and want to jump on board as sponsors or partners. We welcome them in giving whatever support they can in developing this aspect of our culture and making it even more impressionable.”