Jamaican dancehall superstar, Agent Sasco is among 143 people who will receive the Order of Distinction national award at the annual Heroes’ Day event later this year.
Born Jeffery Cambell, Sasco will be inducted into the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer for his “outstanding contribution to music, philanthropy, and positive pro-social message to the youths,” according to a release from the Office of the Prime Minister.
Sasco will join the ranks of Yellowman, U-Roy, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Shabba Ranks, Lieutenant Stitchie, just to name a few, as dancehall artistes who have received the Order of Distinction, Jamaica’s sixth highest honor.
The Order of Distinction has two ranks, Commander and Officer and is conferred on a citizen of Jamaica who renders outstanding and important services to Jamaica and upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (an honorary member).
Regarded as one of dancehall’s most outstanding artiste and songwriter, Sasco’s music career spans three studio albums and an extensive catalog of more than 350 tracks. The reggae and dancehall artiste has a slew of hits under his belt, among them Idiot Ting Dat, Banks of the Hope, Do It If Yuh Bad, Winning Now among others.
Formerly known as Assassin, Agent Sasso has worked with some of the biggest artistes in the world, including Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Buju Banton, and Beres Hammond. He has four studio albums to his name Infiltration, Gully Sit’n, Theory of Reggaetivity, and Hope River.
Sasco’s philanthropic work has been well recognized. In 2019, Jamaica’s Department of Correctional Services presented him with the Diamond Award for his role in mentoring at-risk youths at the MetCalfe Street Juvenile Remand Centre in Kingston.
The Department, which falls under the Ministry of National Security, had said at the time that the Camperdown High School old boy’s recognition, was in light of his invaluable contribution to mentoring young boys at the facility as well as his continuous efforts in giving motivational talks to them through the We Transform Jamaica initiative.
At the time, the Department’s director indicated that the artiste had been doing an excellent thing for the children since he was engaged in 2017 to be a Mentor and Ambassador for the program. As an ambassador of the initiative, Sasco helped to build a recording studio to give the youth an avenue to not only learn about music and earn from it but also use it to help reform themselves while in state control.
In addition to Agent Sasco, 12 entertainment industry members will also be honored at the National Heroes Day Awards. These include legendary jazz singer Monty Alexander who is conferred with the Order of Jamaica (OJ), and international actress Sheryl Lee Ralph “for sterling contribution as an actress, cultural ambassador for Jamaica and contribution to the international film industry.”
In the meantime, Veteran Ska, Rocksteady and Calypso singer Lord Creator, who is Trinidadian by birth, will also receive the Order of Distinction for his “contribution to the development of Jamaican music and community service”.
Lord Creator, who made Jamaica his home after he started doing Ska and Rocksteady music, was the author of the song Independent Jamaica, which celebrated Jamaica’s independence from Britain in 1962..
