Chris Gayle in cruise control
THE Chris Gayle-led Tropical House Cruises To Jamaica: The Asian Edition album soared to number one on the Reggae iTunes Charts in the United States on its December 23 release date.
According to the cricketer-turned-deejay, he said he foresaw this level of success.
“I expected us to do well with this album right out the gate because we have been promoting it since May of 2022 that it was coming [out] and we kept pushing back the release date so we could promote it more,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
The seven-track set was produced by Sean “Contractor” Edwards.
Reiterating that he has invested this year into promoting the album, Gayle added that he is pleased to be reaping the rewards.
“It’s special because I’m the headliner and it has great artistes on it like Lauryn Hill, Capleton, Sizzla and Morgan Heritage and it also breaks new artistes like Shav A and Camar,” he explained.
Other acts featured on the project include Backpack Shawty, Stamma Kid, Cyanide OFTM, All Star, Melodiq and 10th Wonder.
Earlier this year, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett lauded Gayle for championing the Jamaican culture in Asia.
“Chris Gayle is certainly a huge asset to Jamaica and a central figure in the engagement of Asians, particularly Indians,” Bartlett said.
“When you call his name in India it is magic, so whatever important values he brings to this engagement, however, it can enhance Jamaica’s presence in that market, that is something we are not about to pass on. I want to say that Asia is the next frontier for us, and we have already started working in India, and we have an agent in India. We will be calling on Chris, as we know that he is an icon in the cricket space in that beautiful country,” he added.
In the same breath, the retired athlete says his decision to pursue music has so far proven wise. He looks to chart to newer heights in the coming year.
“The year was good for me because I got to record new songs, even one with Third World. I also got to perform at some events. For next year, I will be releasing my own album as well as releasing new music videos,” he said.
