He is the Grandmaster's stepson, but that's not Kevin Kelly's claim to fame.
Known on the streets as 'Bocco-T,' he is rapidly making a name for himself with the up tempo "gial mi like yo" which is getting major afternoon airplay on the radio but the 30 year old is no "just come" to the rap game; he's been spitting rhymes for the past 15 years in between jail time.
That's right he's had a troubled past, but after his release from prison last September, Bocco-T vowed not to go back. He went into the 'Heights A Vibe' studio to start work on an album. Today he released a 17-track compilation CD on which he raps lead vocal on 8 songs. He was making the rounds today promoting the new disc and told us how he went from the confines of jail cell to a recording studio.
Bocco-T, Rapper
"I was a very troubled youth in my past. I came from one of the roughest neighborhoods, namely pink's alley, and everyone knows that area too damn good. But music has come into my life and it has played a different role because most of the time instead of giving trouble, I am in the studio doing music. So music is a part of good rehabilitation and it is also my strength and something I am talented at. I wasted a lot of time around gang members and hanging out on the street and I didn't know I had this talent."
While music gave him strength and hope, so did his love for a certain girl he wrote countless love letters to while he was in jail. Those love letters were like a lifeline and ultimately the inspiration for his radio hit 'gial mi like yo.'
Bocco-T,
"What happened is that I used to have this girl and I used to write her 5,6, 7 times a day. At times I would write this girl as much as 12 times a day so over two years time I have written over 5,000 letters to her and she the same to me. So I decided to the song 'gial mi like you' and that was how the song came about."
"'Gial mi like yo' is my number one tune because like I said it is from personal experience."
Bocco T also smiles on the fact that like his personal relationship, he himself has come a long way and this album was a long time coming.
Bocco-T,
"It was a lot of handwork and dedication. My determination and motivation came from the people of Belize, meaning my fans. They were the ones pushing me and so I decided to work on album and give them what they need."
And that's what Bocco-T says he did on this 17-track compilation, 8 of he songs are his originals.
The CD is available at DJ Tambrans for $20. Bocco-T works as a youth activist when he is not in the studio recording.