KINGSTON, Jamaica — This past summer, Agent Sasco marked a significant milestone in his career as he celebrated his 25th anniversary in music.

Reflecting on his two and a half decade journey, the entertainer said that while he has experienced tremendous growth, his authenticity in self and his belief in his core values have remained constant. He believes the latter played a huge role in him being able to maintain his relevance in an unforgiving and fickle industry.

“The industry from what I have observed can really be volatile. I have seen artistes transform from when yuh just know dem and some change for the worst. I made a pact with myself that I would always, in terms of my core values, recognise who I am throughout my journey,” he said. “I remember looking at myself in the mirror at 16 years old and vowing to always be true to myself. Of course, my values at 16 would be very different from my values at 26 or 36 but I wanted to remain true to whatever those values were at the time and I think I’ve done that.”

He told Observer Online that his ability to remain true to his upbringing has given him a staying power in music that not many can boast. He shared that as a student of music, he has always acknowledged when the time came for change and was never ashamed to embrace that.

“I think that my authenticity has paid dividends because people who appreciate me and what I stand for have resonated with that. They have grown with me. I have also always considered myself a student of music and so I’ve always put myself in a position to grow. I never acted like I knew everything and I have always tried to maximise my potential and grow and learn and there is a level of humility within that that has served me well,” he shared.

Speaking of growth, Sasco who was formerly known as Assassin said he decided on a name change when he recognisead he had matured beyond the negative connotations associated with his former moniker. The entertainer told Observer Online that as an agent of positivity, a transformation was necessary.

“I think my music has been able to grow in terms of substance and quality over the years. People have told me that my music is something they listened to when they were 17 and now that they’re grown with families of their own, they can still listen to it,” he said. “That name (Assassin) couldn’t grow. That name right off the bat had negative connotations. No matter how you spin it, it just was what it was. I wanted to move beyond that and truly represent the music I was presenting.”

Outlining that there is a clear difference between Assassin and Agent Sasco, the entertainer highlighted the importance of identity to an artiste. He shared that as he grew, his mindset went through a transformation and as a result, his image also needed re-purposing.

“There is actually a marked difference between Assassin and Sasco and the fact that they have a different names to identify each era speaks to that and I think it was most appropriate because each persona had its own identity for where I was in my career at that time,” he said.

Sasco, who is gearing up to host a celebratory concert to recognise his 25th anniversary in music, says he has chosen to mark the milestone with a spirit of gratitude.

“I could call the show Sasco 2025 or whatever but I chose Grateful because that’s what I want to celebrate — gratitude,” he said.

Grateful, the concert is set for the UWI Mona Bowl on Sunday, December 29. Tickets are now on sale at Fontana Pharmacy locations islandwide as well as Jacana in Manor Park, Kingston Jerk, Signature Style, Genus Pharmacy and Bridget Sandals. General tickets  are $6,000 pre-sold and $7,000 at the gate. VIP tickets are $15,000 oee-sold and $20,000 at the gate.

— Shereita Grizzle