Continent boss Nigy Boy ‘love him mother like cook food’

It was just a few months ago that singer Nigy Boy literally rocked the continent and ensnared females across the globe with a honeyed infidelity message that they all seemed to hug up: “Caring is sharing”.

The viral single Continent, on Rvssian’s popular Dutty Money ‘riddim’, sent his career on an upward trajectory, as the music video quickly racked up 11 million views and more and shows started streaming in. But for all his brashness in comparing himself to notorious Biblical womaniser, Solomon, Nigy Boy, the self-proclaimed ‘Continental Gyalis’ is simply a mama’s boy at heart.

“Nigy Boy love him mother like cook food,” publicist Dave Rodney told The Sunday Gleaner and the visually impaired artiste, whose real name is Nigel Hector, concurred with his answers.

“I remember constantly being glued to my mother,” Nigy Boy shared, as he reminisced on his youthful days and the special relationship they had while he was growing up.

“Wherever she would sleep, I was with her; and whenever she was going out, I would always want to know where she was going and what time she would be coming back and I wouldn’t go to sleep until she came home. Since I was away from her for a good chunk of my childhood because I was at boarding school, I tried to spend as much time as I could with her when I got the chance.”

Nigy Boy, who hails from St James, attended the Salvation Army School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Kingston, many miles from home, but out of sight was not out of mind for him and his mom, and he declared happily that there has been absolutely no change in their relationship since his childhood.

Although Nigy Boy was born with challenges which saw him being placed in an incubator for the first three months of his life, and later losing his sight totally at six months old, he was quick to point out that he never received special treatment, as that was not in his mother’s playbook.

“I was treated the same as every other child in my family. I was not ‘babied’. I had to do chores like everyone else, for example, and whenever I gave trouble, I would be scolded like everyone else,” he recalled.

The 23-year-old singing sensation, who has been called Jamaica’s Stevie Wonder, has learnt many lessons at his mother’s feet.

“I think the most important lesson my mother has taught me is to remain true to myself in anything I do and to be headstrong and hyper focused on any goal that I’m trying to achieve no matter the challenges I may face. She always encourages me to do my best and to know that in everything I do, there is always room for growth,” said the aspiring lawyer, who is based in the United States.

And, to take the food analogy a bit further, one of the things that Nigy Boy like doing with his mother is cooking.

“I like trying out new cuisines with my mom. That’s one of the fun things that we do together. As far as how I plan to make Mother’s Day special for her, my aim is to do whatever is in my power to make sure she has a wonderful day,” Nigy Boy pledged.

However, his mother, Claudette Hill, told The Sunday Gleaner that her son has already gave her that special gift.

“Being a straight-A student throughout high school and graduating from the Stony Brook University with honours, that’s the best Mother’s Day present,” said Hill, who shared a snippet of life with Nigy as a child.

“Nigel was a very active child, very busy body, he was fearless, strong [willed] and stubborn. I guess this attitude carried over and was channelled positively which lead to this current wave of success he’s experiencing. By the time Nigel was [a] year old, he was singing and playing beats on a boarded partition in our house. Before he could even talk properly he was singing along to TV commercials and radio jingles. I remember clearly, him singing the TRESemmé shampoo commercial. Later, he was navigating his way through TV channels to find BET to watch the music videos. One of his favourites was In Da Club by 50 Cent. He would also mix Marcia Providence’s Hear My Cry Oh Lord and Elephant Man’s Bun Bad Mind while beating the boarded partition. He played the beats by ear. I thought he’d be a drummer and singer like Grub Cooper. He was a big Mavado fan. He also like listening to Luther Vandross and Air Supply. I knew he would do well at both music and education but I always encouraged him to put his lesson first and the music could come after. I knew was trying his hand at music but never thought it would come this soon or while he was in school,” said an immensely proud Hill, who could not contain her joy at her son’s success.

“I’m delighted, elated, euphoric, jubilant, thrilled. I knew we would do well in school because [he] is very focused and driven. As for the music I thought it would have come later but [I’m] extremely happy for where [he is] currently. I have not had the time to attend any of his shows as yet because I’m busy on the grind still hustling for mine, but other family members have attended. Reggae Sumfest is definitely a must-go for me and my family. I’ll be the biggest supporter in that crowd ... maybe second only to my sister, Margaret,” she shared.

For Mother’s Day, Nigy Boy will definitely be playing his mother’s favourite song from his own catalogue — Superwoman.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com