Eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt’s reggae album debuted at number one on the music charts. Bolt’s best friend Nugent “NJ” Walker is the lead singer.
Bolt and Walker recorded their album “Country Yutes” in Kingston, Jamaica, and released it on Sept. 3. Many fans were surprised to learn about Bolt’s musical talents, although he released a mixtape in 2019.
The 35-year-old’s album “Country Yutes” combines Afrobeats, dancehall music and reggae music. The retired sprinter grew up listening to reggae music from Bob Marley, Beenie Man and Shabba Ranks and is very serious about his music career. Bolt said he has always been interested in music and had plans to pursue music long before becoming a track star.
Walker and Bolt wrote all the songs on the album by themselves in the studio. The Olympic champion said that he did the most of the producing while Walker sequenced the tracks. Bolt commented on his switch from track to music in an interview with Grammy.com.
“‘LIVING THE DREAM'” was the first single we put out for the album. They said we shouldn’t do music because we’re track athletes. We did it to show people. As a youth, I didn’t know I could be the fastest man in the world. Just living the dream and working hard, you know what I mean.”
View this post on Instagram
Bolt said that he experienced classism when he first moved to Kingston from the country. The Olympic champion noted that his childhood experiences influenced the album’s title “Country Yutes.”
One of the music producer’s songs is dedicated to a fellow sprinter and friend Germaine Mason. Mason was Jamaican but ran for Great Britain. He died in a car accident in 2016, and Bolt wanted to pay tribute to him on the album. The track “RIP MY G” is about Mason.
“RIP MY G.” It’s really about my friend Germaine Mason. He was a Jamaican high jumper who represented Great Britain. He died in a motorcycle accident in 2016. For me, that’s what it was all about. We wanted to pay tribute to him.”
Bolt wants to work as hard as he did to become a track star in his music career and be the best. He noted that he’s talked about his music career with Drake and gotten sage advice.
“I’m aiming for the top, you know what I mean? I want to get as many No. 1s as possible, I want to win a Grammy, get ‘Best Album’ — I’m just working,” said Bolt. “I’m not setting limits for myself. I’m just going to work and just aim for the top. That’s what I always do, and that’s been my mentality throughout my life. I’m not going to change.”
We do not doubt that Bolt can do anything he sets his mind to. Congratulations to Bolt and Walker on their new venture.
