Yung Lion, Trinidadian-American Reggae Artist, Grateful For Sumfest Reception, Says Speaking Patois Comes Naturally

Teenage Trinidadian-American reggae artist Yung Lion says he is grateful for the warm reception he received during his debut at Reggae Sumfest.

The 19-year-old, who was raised in North Carolina, was one of the opening acts who left a lasting impression at the Reggae festival in Montego Bay last Saturday night, singing and speaking to his audience in “impeccable” Patois.

“It was amazing. At the end, when I asked everybody to sing along, everybody was singing along. I was really happy. It was my first time on this show, and the love that they showed me was amazing,” Yung Lion told DancehallMag in a post-performance interview.

Yung Lion also attributed his ability to master the Jamaican vernacular to his close connection with the island’s culture, heavily influenced by his mentor, the late Reggae artiste Jo Mersa Marley, who died in December 2022.

“I said, Jo Mersa Marley was my mentor, so I grew up around a lot of Jamaican culture. And my dad’s from Trinidad, so all of my uncles, they listened to 90s dancehall. So, it just came naturally to me,” he explained.

During the interview, Yung Lion also discussed the inspiration behind his latest EP Lion Up, which he says showcases his musical versatility and personal experiences.

“The backstory behind that, my mentor was Jo Mersa Marley and he always used to tell me, ‘lion up, you have to be strong in this business’, you see what I mean? So, all of the songs on this EP, the eight tracks, show you what lion up means to me and how I perceive it. So, there’s positivity, there’s heartbreak, there’s songs for the moms and everything,” he said.

According to Yung Lion’s biography, the artist, whose given name is Christian Low Hoy, was born in Staten Island in 2005 and raised in Charlotte. He discovered his passion for music at an early age, performing reggae songs for his family and practicing using various musical instruments.

The defining moment in his musical journey occurred at the age of 10 when he performed alongside renowned artists on a cruise, the biography explains, noting that the loss of his cousin Josh, a key motivator in his life, profoundly influenced him and fueled his career, inspiring the creation of his heartfelt song titled Violate.

It also noted that Yung Lion launched his career in 2019, blending Dancehall with ’90s reggae and R&B, while drawing inspiration from his Caribbean roots and the legendary Marley family, who have significantly shaped his style and message. It described his lyrics as ranging from themes of peace and love to critiques of global corruption, showcase his versatility as an artiste.