Usain Bolt Thanks Fans After Receiving Billboard Plaque
Sprint legend-turned-music producer Usain Bolt was in a mood of gratitude on Saturday after receiving a Billboard plaque for his Country Yutes album, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart in 2021.
Across his various social media accounts, the icon shared a photo of himself holding the plaque with the caption: “Thanks to all my fans who have supported me in everything I do. Just know I don’t take these moments or granted. #CountryYutes”, followed by a lightning bolt emoji, praying hands and two others.
The album, a 14-track collaborative project between himself and longtime friend and business partner, Nugent ‘NJ’ Walker, had tallied over 1,800 units in sales and streaming equivalent units during its first week of release.
It spent just one week on the Reggae chart.
Country Yutes, released under his A-Team Lifestyle label, was Bolt’s first full-length album as a producer, and represents a rather passionate and serious venture for the legendary Olympian. He made that clear when he first announced the then-budding project in 2021.
“We’re just trying to get a foothold, trying to make people understand that we’re not just here joking around,” he shared in an interview with ZIP FM radio.
“We’re serious about the music so we’re just going to take our time. Just like in Track and Field, it’s all about work and dedication and just taking our time. We don’t want to rush into anything, make any mistakes, so we gonna take our time. We will get there. We believe in ourselves, and we believe in the product that we’re putting out there.”
Speaking with The Sun last year, the father of three revealed that he was working on his second album and that he had several collaborations in the pipeline, but shied away from divulging the details.
“We have talked to a few artists in the UK who we would like to work with as well. I would definitely like to do more collaborations on the record,” he said.
Having been to peaks in Track and Field most won’t ever reach, Bolt harbors similar aspirations for his music career, with the ultimate goal being to win a Grammy.
“The music industry is very harsh and I can’t understand that because the pie is very big. Everybody is doing music so why can’t I? Look how many rappers, they are a dime by the dozen and everybody is just cool cause the pie is so big. So I don’t see why when I come into dancehall it’s an issue?” he had said.
Bolt continued, “If you do good music it doesn’t matter what kinda music me do it nah take nuh money outta your pocket. It is something I love and I’m gonna pursue it. Just like how in Track and Field, the haters and the negative people were there but it never bothered me in reaching the top so I’m gonna treat music just like that.”
“I want to win a Grammy, that would be the biggest thing for me. That’s my end goal,” he added.