The world cries for Cure's World Cry

Leighton Levy, Gleaner Writer

Fresh off the success of his Song of the Year, Unconditional Love, reggae crooner Jah Cure is banking on his upcoming single World Cry becoming an even bigger success because it's a song that the world needs.

"The world cries for World Cry," he says, as he sips on a blended fruit punch at The Pub on the grounds of Devon House.

The single, set for release early next month, he says, is a tribute to the victims of the devastating earthquake that destroyed sections of Haiti just over a year ago.

"Right after that we created that song ... children on the corner/hungry every day/living in the shadows where the sun don't shine their way," he says and adds that the song also applies to many people in the world who are suffering under similar circumstances. "(There are) nuff people out deh for whom the sun don't shine their way."

That's the message of the song and the album of the same name that is due out by mid-February.

World Cry, the album, is scheduled to be shipped worldwide by February 15 and Jah Cure feels this, his latest work, could take him farther than Unconditional Love did. The album features several collaborations with international stars including Keri Hilson, Rick Ross, Shyne, and Jazmine Sullivan among others.

Exciting collab

Also included on the album is a song that means a lot to him for several reasons. "One of the most exciting 'collabs' is the one I did with Tupac," he reveals.

Tupac Shakur, one of the biggest names in hip hop history, sold more than 75 million albums worldwide before he was gunned down by unknown assailants in September 1996.

"This is a Tupac the world has never heard before. It's called All By Myself and speaks about the struggles in captivity," Jah Cure says, referring to his incarceration in the late '90s until 2007 when he was released. "We were both charged with a similar crime."

Cure said he relished the opportunity to record with one of the best-ever rappers.

"He is one of the greatest and I feel privileged to have worked with him." Another song on the album he really likes is the tune he did with Jazmine Sullivan whom he describes as "awesome". The song is called Choose Up.

The collaboration happened by chance as he had first offered the song to Shaggy, who said it was too slow. He also had an unnamed 'Rastafarian' friend say the same thing. He then sent Sullivan the song and she loved it, he said.

Sullivan, he said, has mentioned that she is quitting the music business but he says he hopes she changes her mind because she possesses extraordinary talent.

Like I See It, a collaboration with rapper Rick Ross, is the latest single the singer has out. The song, Jah Cure says, is about telling the story of life as he sees it. It's a song, he said, that marked the realisation of a desire Rick Ross had to work with him. "Is ma bredren from long time and he's always wanted to work with me," Cure said smiling.

"Even before the song was released he (Rick Ross) tweeted about it and in an interview with worldhiphop.com, he was calling Jah Cure the next greatest thing."

The song, that also features a remix with Mavado, is already doing well in clubs and dancehalls in the reggae diaspora, but Cure feels it will only serve to bridge a gap between his last hit Unconditional Love and the hit to be World Cry. "It's just a song to hold a space. It's a song to show that Jah Cure is versatile, but it's not really a heart toucher and I am all about the songs that come from the heart," he said, still slowly sipping his fruit punch.