Fourteen years ago, Hold Yuh was a Billboard-charting hit for Jamaican reggae artiste Gyptian and now, New York-based alternative R&B/dancehall artiste Nesta has sampled the hit song in his current single Outside.

Produced by Black Wax, Outside was released in June.

In an interview with Observer Online, Nesta explained his decision to sample Hold Yuh.

“Hold Yuh is just one of those records that puts you in a good mood as soon as it comes on and me being a big fan of Gyptian I thought it would be dope to breathe some new life into the record,” said Nesta.

He continued, “I’ve been a fan of Gyptian since his first album My Name is Gyptian. songs like Serious Times, What Are We Fighting For, and Through The Valley are just a few of my favorites from that first album. Gyptian is one of my big influences and I look forward to really working with him in the future.”

Nesta went viral on social media after the release of Outside. He said he never expected that would have happened.

“To be honest I didn’t know this would go viral like the way it did. I was so happy to see it resonate with the people the way it resonates with me. To know they wanted to get the sample cleared as well made the whole experience better because they got to say they were a part of this record coming into fruition. Right now, I’m getting so much love from the DJ’s and people from all over the world, ain’t nothing better than seeing them party, dance and enjoy themselves,” said Nesta.

Nesta is the son of Basil Gayle, a former lead singer of the Jamaican reggae group The Visionaries.

“My father was an amazing artist who was also the lead singer of the reggae music group The Visionaires, which was formed out of The Twelve Tribes of Israel Organization in Jamaica. My mother also sang with Twelve Tribe as well. A lot of my siblings and family are musically inclined so it’s something that I’ve always loved and could never escape from,” he shared.

Nesta shared his musical journey.

“Music is a teacher and if you’re open to what it has to teach you it will take you on a journey. So, I would say it’s been a journey of lessons, growth and blessings,” Nesta stated.

Inspired by the likes of Nat King Cole, Lauryn Hill, The Dream and Sizzla, Nesta says he embraces his eccentric sound through songwriting and producing.

“My style is a mix of so many different styles of music and it can change depending on how I feel in the moment of creating. One day it may be more on the R&B side, the next day reggae and dancehall, the next day I may be feeling the Afro vibes. I have too much influences and love for music to say that this style or genre is all I do,” he reasoned.

Nesta’s mother is originally from Trelawny, while his father is from Kingston. He has never visited Jamaica.

“I’ve never been to Jamaica, but I truly look forward to going real soon,” he said.

Born Marcus Nesta Gayle, he plays the piano, guitar, melodica and the kete drum.