DANCEHALL artiste Teejay is hoping his upcoming debut album, from Rags to Riches, will showcase the unity he is working to foster within the music.

The 13-track project, which is set for release on October, will feature collaborations with a number of the top names in the dancehall genre, a move which the deejay said goes against what is expected of players in the music.

“ Rags to Riches is all about unity in dancehall. We have collabs with Skillibeng and Rygin King, the acts who are rising in the music… the young guns. A lot of people out there feel like because of ego, we are not friends and we nuh link and cyaan unite. So this project is to show that there are changes and we can move different and come together and work together. Unity is strength,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Teejay is optimistic of what his maiden project will do for him and is hedging his bets based on the positive response to the lead singles Weed and Money, and the album’s title track From Rags to Riches.

“We are getting crazy love in the streets.The lead single From Rags to Riches has over 24 million views on YouTube as well as one million streams on Spotify. Then Weed and Money will appear on the soundtracks of the movie Kingdom Reign, which will be released later this year. So mi just grateful and can’t wait for people to experience the full album once it drop” he shared.

According to Teejay, the opportunity to have his single included in the film’s soundtrack came about thanks to a deal hammered out by his Manager Sharon Burke of Solid Agency.

“I put my thing in the great hands of Miss Sharon Burke and because of the links she has all over the world she was able to make this happen for me. When she told me first, I thought I was going to be in the movie. So I was excited, ’cause yuh know mi acting skills up deh. But she told me ‘calm down boy, it’s your song’. It is still a joy and I am excited and grateful.”

Teejay described putting the album as being a mix of emotions and challenges. While it was not hard to pull material together or write new material, the pandemic posted it’s unfair share of hurdles in addition to personal ups and downs. He is thankful to his five children whom he said served as inspiration.

“Last year was hard. I faced a number of tribulations that made a real difference in my life. I lose three friends and everything changed. Then there was the pandemic and we all know how that was. My kids really help me. I was able to focus on them when the times got hard. So this album is a birthday present to you all. You all know Teejay’s birthday is October 3, and the album drops on the first, so we’re looking for big things, “Teejay noted.