by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – Last year was busy in terms of recording for deejay Mission da gr81, who reckons he did 10 songs for various producers. One of those tracks, Hostage, is scheduled for release this month.
Hostage is produced by JonFX, the South Florida-based Jamaican who has enjoyed success with rapper XXXTentacion, Sizzla and Gyptian.
JonFX also produced Yardman Style, Mission da gr81’s previous single which came out in early 2023. He expects Hostage to set the pace for a productive, but calculated, year.
“Wi not rushing anything, wi doing things gradually. Wi going to put them (songs) out slowly, but surely,” said Mission da gr81.
Originally from Linstead, a market town in St. Catherine parish, Jamaica, Mission da gr81 also spent some of his formative years in St. Mary, another rustic parish.
He lived for many years in New York City where he was big into dancehall and hip hop. Although he did the sound system rounds for several years, it was not until 2022 that Mission da gr81’s first song was released. That song, Champion, was produced by Lighthouse Records.
That was followed by Off The Hook, produced by The Legion, a California independent label.