For the first time in the history of cricket, the West Indies will not be a part of the Cricket World Cup… and, we’re missing the swagger and the music — the calypso that would magically begin to play in the background as players like Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Chris Gayle took the field.
But fret not! We have you covered and bring you the man himself; the epitome of calypso cricket in the recent years; The Universe Boss; The Gaylestorm, Christopher Henry Gayle!
Chris is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most destructive batsmen to have played Twenty20 cricket. He also launched his music career in November 2020 with a dancehall music video, We Come Out To Party.
In April 2021, Chris released a music video, Jamaica to India, in collaboration with the Indian rapper Emiway Bantai and more recently announced his latest album Tropical House — Cruises to Jamaica that has been sent to the Grammy Awards 2024 under the world music and reggae categories. Chris features in the song Gimme Your Love with singer Shav A on the album.
The idea behind the album is to promote and familiarize India and Asia about Jamaican culture. We catch up with the formidable cricketer who has his sights set on the Grammys!
brought calypso to cricket, be it through your bowling or batting. Have you always enjoyed your cricket in this manner? Can you tell us about your early days in cricket?
“I’ve always had this outlook on the game since I was introduced to the game at the Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston Jamaica. I came from a very poor background — being on the streets — so, cricket for me was an escape and I really enjoyed the game, so, I went from playing for fun to being a student of the game.”
How did you come to be known as the biggest six-hitter in the world?
“There were several neighborhood teams when I was a teenager, and I would play and earn a little money to help my family. I never used to like running at the crease, so, I started to try hitting sixes. I became known as the biggest six-hitter in the world when I set the record for most sixes in international cricket.”