Championing positive masculinity

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Top-flight dancehall artiste Masicka has renewed his deal as an ambassador for local stout brand, Dragon.

The 438 artiste, who first signed with Dragon as an ambassador for the ‘Be the One’ campaign in 2020, said his decision to re-sign was sparked by the positive light the brand puts on ghetto youths.

Dragon’s ‘Be the One’ campaign focuses on promoting positive masculinity and the importance of mentorship and inspiring role models among young men.

Through the Dragon ‘Be the One’ campaign, Masicka will have an opportunity to interact with young men and give back to the community, which has been supporting him throughout the years.

Positive masculinity

Masicka, who dropped his debut album in December 2020, said that, for him, positive masculinity is all about men expressing themselves in healthy ways that will not only benefit them as individuals, but also their families and communities. 

“I try to make music for all of my fans but, as it regards positive masculinity, we want young men to know that it is important to embrace who you really are and be a man that your children can be proud of,” he said.

The Chance artiste, who got his break in 2015, noted self-belief as a very important tool for young men on the journey to success.

“Never give up and always believe in yourself. At no point of my journey did I give up on my goals or stop believing in myself. Many doubted me, but it’s the self-belief that made me persevere and got me to where I am today and, trust me, I’m not where I want to be as yet,” the rising dancehall star said.

Initiatives planned for 2023

“We have a number of initiatives planned for 2023 that we will roll out with Masicka in the mix. ‘Be the One’ is all about empowering young men to be the best version of themselves so this campaign will be centred around that goal,” shared Dragon Stout Junior Brand Manager Arnaldo Martin.

Masicka urged fans to be on the lookout for some big news to drop in 2023 along with new singles and collaborations.

He declared his gratefulness for his success so far, saying: “Fans can definitely expect bigger things next year. To close out the year I’ll be dropping a new single and a video as well as a surprise collaboration for the youths.”

He remarked that ‘Be the One’ simply “means that each one of us can be that one person we dream of. What we need is to marry that dream with hard work, dedication and consistency”.

Martin said the alliance with Masicka supported the brand’s goal of promoting positive values, adding: “Masicka has been at the top of his game by sheer determination and hard work, and, as such, he has gained a large following because of his talent and work ethic. He has inspired the youth to stay strong and go after their dreams through his music and this is what the ‘Be the One’ campaign is about.”

For Martin, “Dragon Stout is a powerful brand in Jamaica that has been standing for 100 years. Our aim is to drive home that message about standing strong in the face of adversity and to be the one to lead and do the right thing, even when it’s not popular.”

Masicka made the point that, “Dragon is a household brand that promotes having fun, but responsibly. They are also a brand that the ghetto youths love and as an artiste from the ghetto I have been pleased with how they represent us. The work that we’ve been able to do through this partnership is something that I admire as well so to renew this deal is a signal that ghetto youths too can ‘Be the One’.”