TV Boss is old enough to remember the early days of the Jamaican music video, when they were mainly amateur skits made on skimpy budgets. Things have changed and he is part of that transformation.

The Portland-born actor recently appeared in the visual for Sting and Shaggy’s Til A Mawnin, which was directed by Jay Will, regarded as dancehall-reggae’s premier music video director. Filming took place in Brooklyn, New York.

It marked the 30th music video role for TV Boss, who has featured in productions by Stephen Marley (Rock Stone), Busy Signal (Stay So) and Jahmiel (True Colours).

For him, working on set with two Grammy winners was a special experience.

“Being with Shaggy an’ Sting was cool, plus I always wanted to work with Jay Will. Being in a video like this put mi in a worldwide market,” TV Boss said during an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

It was Jay Will who recruited him for Til A Mawnin’s video, which salutes Jamaican sound system culture. TV Boss plays one of the ‘rude bwoys’ in the dancehall sequence.

Born Johnoy Williams, he got into acting while a student at Buff Bay High School in Portland. Once he decided to make it a career as TV Boss, he enrolled in the School of Drama at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston.

His big break came when he became a regular on The Ity and Fancy Cat Show, which aired on Television Jamaica. True Colours marked his music video debut 10 years ago.

TV Boss believes the Jamaican music video scene has come a long way.

“First time, it was jus’ a artiste an’ a girl. People like myself an’ [actor] Cornelius Grant bring a difference to di thing. Now, it’s a short film style with substance,” he said.