Even those who were not following the 'Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition must have been familiar with perhaps the most popular talent-show competitor ever, Poor and Boasy.

The talented deejay caught the attention and hearts of Jamaicans when he auditioned for the show in Kingston, making his story and struggle the inspiration for his lyrics. His story was one that we had heard before, but something about him was different. Perhaps it was the fact that, unlike some in his position, he was actually embracing an opportunity to better himself.

motivation

Week after week, he competed fiercely and progressed. Even when his performances were not as good as they could have been, the votes kept on coming and he did not give up. Perhaps this was because, as he stated many times, he was motivated by his young daughter.

on top

On Saturday, May 2, his journey came to an end right where he wanted to - on top. He was declared the winner, and he struggled to hold back the tears, like many who were watching.

Here was a man whose daily life before the show, included nothing but hitting the streets, braving vile and angry motorists and dangerous men, just to earn a living. It could not have been an easy task and he must have wanted better, that's why he entered the show. On Saturday night, May 2, all of Jamaica saw that dreams do come true, with hard work and perseverance. Of course, it doesn't hurt to be people friendly either.

It would be an understatement to say that this has changed his life greatly. Moving from collecting a few coins at the traffic light to being a millionaire is no simple thing and will take some getting used to. However, it goes to show that although things look bleak, we simply cannot resign ourselves to a life of mediocrity and non-achievement. Poor and Boasy has shown us all that better must and will come. It will take a while, and we may be tempted to give up, but there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the hard part is getting over all the obstacles that lie along the way.

inspiration

We hope that his story will serve as an inspiration and motivation to those who are in similar position and get them to realise that killing and stealing are not the only options. We wish him all the best in his career and in life and hope he will use his story to motivate his friends at the traffic lights.