Emerging singjay Florish is promoting his single, Warning , which is hitting out against the rising levels of gun violence in the island.

“ Warning licking out on gun violence. When mi see how crime and violence a gwaan in the society, this song will make a difference. Mi nuh do gun violence inna mi songs,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Close to 600 people were murdered in Jamaica in the first six months of this year, figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force show. For the period January 1 to June 3, total of 585 people were murdered, representing a 16 per cent increase over the corresponding period last year.

“I put it ( Warning) out in 2013 on DCR Global Link Radio in Maryland. Locally, we have been getting no love in our own country, but it has been playing in Europe. Mi go England 2002 and I get some shows in the sound system [circuit] in England through which I get a lot of opportunity to perform.”

Florish (given name Horace Latouche) hails from Portland. He said he has no intention of being like the average artiste, and is working assiduously to take his craft to another level.

“Mi can sing, mi can deejay. I grew up with sound system. My grandfather had a sound system called Thunder Cat in Portland, but I don’t get any recognition in Jamaica,” he said.

He is aiming to change that.

— Basil Walters