AS a sound system selector in his native Mount Salem, St James, roots singer Messieh was attracted to the bawdy nature of dancehall.

But after migrating to England 13 years ago and experiencing some tough times, his musical outlook changed.

“I got a bird’s eye view of the system of the colonial masters and the savage way they treated and are still treating the nation. While being incarcerated for several months for immigration issues, my passion for singing and using words increased. I discovered that words can be very powerful,” said Messieh, who is in Jamaica promoting his album, Revolution Time.

His latest releases include Big Up Mi Island Jamaica, Woman Fix Up Your Self and Selassie I is Still Alive.

Messieh was born Sanjay Thomas in Mt Salem and attended Ruseas High School in neighbouring Hanover.

His love for music impressed a friend in Mt Salem who appointed him a selector on the community sound system.

He says the British reggae scene is vibrant but there are challenges.

“There are lots of reggae talent in Britain. However, there isn’t a lot of media that plays reggae music, there is a shortage of reggae radio stations. One will never be able to fully understand the genre’s concept until they visit the land of its origin,” he said.