Ride Cowboy Ride! - Wesrok gives country music a Jamaican makeover

July 11, 2025
Wesrock
Wesrock
Country-reggae artiste Wesrok (second from left) kicks up his heels with Thee Unlimited dancers (from left) Chippy, Harmonique, and Spirit during a high-energy visit to THE STAR’s North Street office on Wednesday.
Country-reggae artiste Wesrok (second from left) kicks up his heels with Thee Unlimited dancers (from left) Chippy, Harmonique, and Spirit during a high-energy visit to THE STAR’s North Street office on Wednesday.
Ex-cop Wesrok riding high with Country-Reggae fusion.
Ex-cop Wesrok riding high with Country-Reggae fusion.
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From being a superintendent of police to a stylish country-reggae artiste, Wesrok is on a mission to prove that country music can also be "fun, upbeat and trendy", while keeping that classy groove, through his latest single, ' Ride Cowboy Ride'.

"It was a deliberate act for me to write a song that was gonna be a part of the fun-loving audience - people who enjoy dancing and understand that country music is not the boring, classic music that younger audience would consider it to be," Wesrok told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"Music is always evolving and it's for the writers, producers and music makers to understand that there is no way your music can grow if you remain static. People are now gravitating to new sounds, so Ride Cowboy Ride is to make country music more fun-loving, something you can enjoy, and it goes with the fashion, too. The classical cowboy may ride horses, but the modern cowboy may ride big bikes...we are living in the tropics, but we can make that trendy," he said. Wesrok opined that country music will always have its place.

"The new sound and creativity is what is gonna take it to the next level, and that's what we're doing right now because the world needs a new sound; they are just tired of hearing the same thing over and over again. So it's just us as musicians to look at what we're putting out and to create a balance," he said, while encouraging more artistes to try country music. He clarified that his aim is not to "water down" county or reggae music, but to present a sound that can develop on these existing sounds while aiming to "be different and creative".

"Music brought me peace and serenity of being able to understand myself and my whole purpose in life. I didn't think music would've been my first career choice because at that time, to escape from rural poverty, music wouldn't have been the route to escape," he shared, while noting that that's when he decided to join the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

"It was more like using the force as a stepping stone and see what else is out there that I can move towards."

Wesrok, who spent 10 years in the JCF, said even while fighting crime, "music and business were always in my bones".

"Music is the greatest love of all and once it's in you, you just can't escape it. When I left the force, I didn't retire, I was identified with a new sense of purpose. When I went into training school, I had my guitar on my back and an attache case; the attache case represents a businessman and the guitar symbolises a musician," he said. He also credited the JCF for allowing him to hone his talent by performing at its social gatherings and events which showcased the "softer side of policing - bridging the gap between communities".

Though his music career is still in its embryotic stage, he has no regrets about pursuing his musical dreams.

"Because of where I'm coming from, I think I have a huge message for people out there, and music has been like a channel to do that. My message is, to always believe in God and believe in yourself, because once there's a will, there's a way; and once you can believe, you can achieve. It's also always important to set realistic goals and priorities, and that's what my music teaches," he said. Wesrok said one of his main musical goals is to "become a legend in this genre and change the world through my music in a positive light".

He advised others to always chase their passion, and never let a temporary decision stand in the way of their lifetime dream.

"Once you start something, there's a way to end it; even though you might not have all the ideas when you start, just making that first step is the most important thing," he said. He recalled that upon recording his first single, Looking Back, in 2020, during the pandemic, he got the motivation to go on after a listener in his studio session referred to him as Kenny Rogers - the late country icon.

Following up with one of his most popular personal life story hits, Poor Country Boy, Wesrok later rocked several shows, such as Reggae Sumfest and Rebel Salute, while scoring major collaborations with Busy Signal and Masicka. He marked his visit to Nashville, dubbed 'The heart of country music', as one of his biggest opportunities achieved through music. He is set to release a 12-track album featuring a mix of country and reggae music that will feature few collaborations.

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