Agent Sasco To Be Awarded The Order Of Distinction On National Heroes Day
Dancehall superstar Agent Sasco’s musical compatriots have expressed delight that he will be among 142 Jamaicans to be bestowed with National Honours on National Heroes Day come October.
Sasco, whose given name is Jeffery Campbell, is to be bestowed with the Order of Distinction, the island’s sixth-highest honour. He will join the ranks of Lieutenant Stitchie, Yellowman, U-Roy, Shaggy, Sean Paul and Shabba Ranks, as Dancehall artists who have received the Order of Distinction badge of honour from the Government of Jamaica.
According to the National Awards proclamation which was released to the public yesterday, Sasco will be inducted into the Order of Distinction (OD) in the rank of officer for his “outstanding contribution to music, philanthropy and positive pro-social message to youths”.
The Order of Distinction is awarded to Jamaican citizens who render outstanding and important services to the country, and upon any distinguished citizen of a country other than Jamaica (an honorary member).
“THIS IS IT. Agent Sasco mi tell u seh ppl a watch. Salute!!!” Konshens wrote, while producer Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor added: “👏🏽 Agent Sasco, Congratulations 🍾🎊 Love this! 💪🏾💪🏾”.
Regarded as one of Dancehall’s most outstanding songwriters, Sasco has a slew of hits under his belt, among them Idiot Ting Dat, Banks of the Hope, Do It If Yuh Bad, Mama prayed, Winning Now and Something’s Gotta Give. He has four studio albums to his name Infiltration, Gully Sit’n, Theory of Reggaetivity, and Hope River.
His philanthropic work has also been well recognized. In late 2019, Jamaica’s Department of Correctional Services presented him with the Diamond Award for his role in mentoring children at the MetCalfe Street Secure 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 had the artiste had been doing an amazing thing for the children since he was engaged in 2017 to be a Mentor and Ambassador for the programme. She also said he had shown commitment and passion to make a difference in their lives and his intervention had started to make a difference, particularly in building their self-esteem”.
That same year, Sasco, alongside his compatriots Tanya Stephens and Tifa, was hand-selected as an ambassador for Science Genius Jamaica, an education project, which fuses Dancehall music with science.
Sasco, who hails from Kintyre in St. Andrew, has been in high demand by corporate bodies to participate in activities that involve youth. He also delivered the keynote address to the 37 recipients of the Jamaica National Foundation PEP scholarships for the 2019/2020 academic year in September 2019.
In addition to Agent Sasco, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange is also another stalwart in Dancehall who will be awarded.
The former Specs/Shang executive, who was manager to Shabba Ranks, Patra and Bounty Killer, and who already holds the Order of Distinction, will receive the Order of Jamaica for her “sterling contribution to cultural development and political administration in Jamaica”.
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.