by Howard Campbell
KANSAS CITY – With a 10-year career as a high jumper in Jamaica and the United States, Jerome Foster is used to aiming high. He does the same as deejay Nowlege with Big & Heavy, his debut album which was released in July by his Clear Shot Media LLC label.
It recently debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart.
Based in Kansas City, Kansas, Nowlege presents nine songs most of which have a stripped-down rub-a-dub sound reminiscent of old school dancehall.
“This was my decision, I always want to feel like I am on stage performing to a crowd and the live instruments give me that feeling. Ryan Castillo of Youthman Records and myself are the ones who play the instruments on the live tracks,” he said.
Big & Heavy features guest appearances by Josh Heinrichs, Skillinjah and Nicolette Paige, popular artists on the US Midwest reggae circuit.
Some of the set’s strongest moments are General, a drum-and-bass rocker which hears Nowlege hailing dancehall heroes like Josey Wales and Ini Kamoze; You, a lovers rock duet with Paige and Good Vibes with Heinrichs and Skillinjah.
Big & Heavy’s raw energy, Nowlege notes, is evidence of reggae’s growth in the Midwest.
“The reggae scene in Kansas City is really diverse and it is getting better as time goes. It’s becoming a place where people travel to for festivals such as The Sunshine Roots Fest and Summer Fest,” he said.
From Portmore, a community on the outskirts of Kingston, the Jamaica capital, Nowlege excelled for Bridgeport High School at Boys’ Championships, winning the Class One high jump.
His athletic achievements in Jamaica earned him a scholarship to Kansas City Community College, where he studied audio engineering.
Prior to Big & Heavy, he released mixtapes to expose his music.
