In his single, Mama Prayed, Agent Sasco expresses gratitude for his late mother’s prayers which, he professed, were a guiding light in his formation, both as an individual and as an entertainer.

Today, as the entertainer marks his 25th anniversary in music, he has chosen to embrace the spirit of gratitude, which he revealed was a key lesson taught by the family matriarch.

Come December 29, the anniversary of his mother’s birth, Sasco will not only celebrate a significant musical milestone, but he will also pay tribute to the woman to whom he credits much of his success.

Set to take place on the banks of the Hope River, UWI Mona Bowl, a stone’s throw away from where the artiste had his humble beginnings, the concert — dubbed
Grateful — is expected to deliver a family-oriented showcase unlike any other.

“The event is me celebrating my 25-year journey in music and just gratitude itself, especially this time of year. The 29th of December is actually my mother’s birthday. She died in 2005, and so the date has significance in that regard. It’s also a week after my own birthday, and so the message of gratitude is really something that resonates with me especially now,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “This is absolutely a tribute to my mother and how she raised me. In terms of my journey, my mother and father have contributed greatly to the person I am today, especially my mother, and so nothing, not even the venue, is by chance. It is literally on the banks of the Hope River. The field that we will be on, I actually did sports day on that field as a kid at Hope Valley Experimental.”

Recalling how his mother would always encourage he and his siblings to be thankful even in the face of great adversity, Sasco said life’s curve balls have made it easier to understand his mother’s spirit of gratitude. Admitting to not being able to fully grasp the lesson until after her passing, Sasco said he now understands why it is important to give thanks in every season.

“My mother was always telling us to give thanks. I didn’t understand it. It was actually in her passing that I was able to grasp what she was saying because she demonstrated it in a very real way. She literally was singing praises with her last breath, and she — even in the midst of her illness — would still encourage us to give thanks. I would look at her and think, ‘What is there to be thankful for?” he shared. “But I remember after she died there was a tsunami that devastated South Asia. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives.”

Sasco said he remembers vividly one man trying to piece together his life after losing 16 members of his family.

“I remember thinking, ‘Yes, my mother died, and that’s sad and heartbreaking, but here is a man who has literally lost everything and everyone, and I finally understood what my mother was trying to teach me,’ “ he continued. “I could call the show Sasco 25, or whatever, but I chose Grateful because that’s what I want to celebrate — gratitude.”

He added: “The guests [and] cameo appearances we will have will also be in that spirit and vein, and so it will just be excellent entertainment and food. It’s a family-friendly event, everyone is welcomed to come and just hold a vibe. Gates open at 4:00 pm, show time is about 7:00 pm. I’ll touch the stage at about 9:00 pm, there about, and so by midnight everyone should be on their way home.”

Sasco hinted at a performance with renowned gospel singer Glacia Robinson. Sasco and Robinson previously collaborated on Mama Prayed, the tribute track to his mother.

“There is no way I’m going to have a show pan mi mother birthday on the banks of the Hope River a talk ‘bout gratitude and not sing about how my mother used to pray for me. So it’s a safe bet that we might see Glacia Robinson on the 29th among the features on the concert,” he shared.