Peanut man dreams of becoming a rapper

You may recognise him as the ‘nuts man’ from Papine who is always formally dressed and carries a skateboard.

But 19-year-old Oshayne Kamptha is much more than that. In the daytime, he is a businessman and part-time food and beverage student at the University of Technology.

But at night, he comes alive as Peanut Cline, a rising deejay whose debut song Tek Peanut is gaining traction beyond college circles.

Speaking to THE WEEKEND STAR, the artiste shared his dream of becoming a top-notch rapper.

“I used to deejay as a child and started rapping while I was at Papine High School, but I also wanted to be a mechanic,” he said. “The mechanic thing didn’t work out, so I went with food, and started deejaying again in 2016. Me inna the streets every day and me know Jamaica nah go just accept rap just so. Yuh haffi buss as a deejay first then do that; so that’s my plan.”

His plan seems to be working, as he said the Roe Summerz-produced single has been receiving love in several communities and at events, including the University of the West Indies (UWI) carnival staged last month at the UWI Mona campus, where he sells peanuts and coconut pastries.

“People really tek on to it, so it a gwaan good, me perform it all bout,” he said. “On a daily basis, me always at UWI back gate and turn on the rhythm and start deejay, and it help me fi sell off me goods faster, too. When some people hear bout me, dem think I am a joke, but after a while dem see seh me have vibes and see how other people tek on to me, so dem start like me.”

Peanut Cline said he has been “hustling” since 2013, and makes the Jamaican treats alongside his father, with whom he hopes to operate a business some day. Until then, he is gearing up to release new music.

“Me have some songs weh me soon voice, songs weh carry vibes, too,” he said. “Me also want to do albums and a collaboration with Koffee some day, and go into acting. Me is a versatile youth, so people a go be surprised with the progress and work weh me a go put in.”