‘Perseverance’, his first book, was released on February 17 by Cyber Clerical Creatives at the Queens, New York offices of VP Records. It contains 84 poems by the dreadlocked Jamaican, who was part of dub poetry’s new wave when he launched his career 14 years ago.

Like his recorded material, many of the poems in ‘Perseverance’ deal with social issues and international affairs. Issues he believes need to be addressed as the world continues to recover from a deadly disease that killed over one million people.

“The world need this message, especially coming out of a pandemic and people all over the globe need to be strengthened. The title and the book cover is bringing hope to many and I look forward to all the book enthusiasts to have a great time reading the plethora of perspectives that I have shared; I believe the time I invested was worth it,” Richie Innocent said.

Six of the poems were previously done in recorded form. They are ‘Good Old Days’, ‘I Am Special’, ‘Hills Mi Deh’, ’Monster’, ‘L.O.V.E (Where Are You’) and ‘Come Mi Community (Community’).

Born in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, Richie Innocent spent most of his formative years in rustic St. Elizabeth parish, in the heart of the country’s farm belt. He excelled at creative writing in high school, although he was unable to read until age 10.

He had an educational spurt during his teens which led him to writing about current affairs such as crime in Jamaica on ‘Drugs fi Gun’, his 2010 debut song which looks at a thriving trade between contraband smugglers in Jamaica and arms runners in nearby Haiti.

Like elder dub poets and fellow Jamaicans, Oku Onoura, Mutabaruka and Yasus Afari, the fractious nature of Jamaican society and black pride, are dominant themes in Richie Innocent’s work. However, he takes on other pressing matters in ‘Perseverance’.

“I have also written in support of bipolar and autism, impacts of slavery and the choice to make decisions that are unpopular in support of our children and teenagers. I have touched on so many topics, it’s now the readers’ moment to feast upon the finished product,” he said.

(Photo contributed)