Yaksta Drops Sophomore Album and Pushes for Fairer Systems in Jamaican Music

As he marks the arrival of his second studio album, The Microphone Saved Me, Yaksta is turning the spotlight beyond his own catalogue toward deeper problems inside the music business — from closed doors and double standards to weak structures and limited ownership.

The 15-song set, which hit platforms on Monday, also draws on his personal path through the trade and the hard lessons picked up along the way. Speaking about the work, the singjay said it moves through ideas of growth, uprising, thankfulness, affection and honesty, while also speaking plainly to what he has faced inside the industry.

He described the record as proof of change and endurance, telling the story of a creator whose bond with music opened space for serious commentary.

"I never looked at myself as a rebel, enuh. A dem gimme that title, so me just tek the label cuz I like it. I never said I was, but they called me that in quite a few posts and interviews, so I took that moniker on because if that's how you see me, that's how you see me. I'm not trying to fix it," he said.

Yaksta said that if he had the power to reshape the landscape, his first target would be the design of the systems themselves and who profits from them.

"If I could change anything, I would change hypocrisy, even though I know that will never happen because we are dealing with human beings. I would also change how we view things and how it is set up because a lot of what is established was not done so by us, but was designed for a particular set of people to win while keeping our people imprisoned. I would also use technology to further expand the industry itself and give it more structure while implementing a better system for publishing," he said.

He also had counsel for young talent hoping to break in, stressing that preparation matters as much as passion.

"Understand the industry before you enter it. Have your money and have your solid team who believes in your vision and also in you," he said.

"And in order for it to work, money has to share, and even when it [is shared], you will still have some naysayers in the group or some form of revolt or betrayal. It's a part of the package, so you experience it in its rawest form so that you can overstand the journey."

His sharpest remarks were reserved for those he sees as gatekeepers, whom he accused of blocking genuine talent from rising.

"The issue I have with the gatekeepers is that they need to move. Just pack up and gwan wey dem a go. If a person is not stepping on your toes or stopping your food, don't try to stop him or her because you see the potential. They need to understand that none of us will outlive the industry, and none of us can undo what was ordained for an individual," he said.

"So with all the gatekeeping and stopping, you still won't win because in the end, you still get old, sick and dead like everybody else, if something nuh kill you before time. So I just think they should move. When it's your time, it's your season. When it's not, just move out of the way fi somebody else until your season come again."

Even with his criticism of the business, Yaksta said The Microphone Saved Me carries a broader aim rooted in awareness, responsibility and direction.

"Every song comes from a real place. This is more than music; it's a call to remain conscious in a world full of distractions, to stand firm in truth when compromise is celebrated, and to remember that growth, accountability, and purpose are still revolutionary. That's the mission, and that's the message," he said.

On what comes next, he said he plans to stretch his brand past recordings alone.

"I'm into merchandising, concerts, gatherings, pop-up shows and tours. We also have a restaurant in the making, or a 'rasta-rant' I should say. [The year] 2026 will be a year for me, and all the movers and shakers of music will believe in 'I-tinity' because this is not a fictional thing to get clout, fame and a little money."