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He's launching a new video as well - and we used the opportunity of that launch to sit down with the Griga Boy gone da foreign to hear about his life story:..

LOVA BOY - PUNTA ROCK ARTIST
"Yes I it is I Lovaboy, yeh."

Jules Vasquez reporting
That introduction has become his calling card - but don't mistake his glitter and distinctive red tinged locks as the appurtenances of arrogance

LOVA BOY
"It is a very humbling feeling because when you take music from something that just comes up in your head and a riddim come in your head and you say you will write this down, and then to see it goes from your brain to be singing in a stadium of people. I can't explain that feeling."

Humbling because this Griga boy who grew up without his mother around - has made it from under the rock to the mountain top. And while he'll freely converse on any subject, ask him about his past and Lova Boy becomes paused, reticent:

LOVA BOY
"Well that is something very rough to talk about but we are here. Like a lot of other immigrant people that migrated to the United States in search of a better life, my mother did the same thing, all due respect to her, I love my mother, she is one of my best friends at the moment. However she was distracted by certain things and that led to a very negative effect earlier on in my life. Like what you just said I was raise by my grandmother. Rest in peace, love you grandma. But I went through a whole lot, lots of abusive situations."

"I couldn't articulate, right now I can put in words and music but back then what happen is that it turned into violence, it turn into the streets."

And that what's led him to a criminal life

LOVA BOY
"I own the fact that yes I was involved in criminal activities and mischievous activities. What happen is back in the days in the 90s when men were getting dip from foreign (US) with the gangs because gangs were heavy in foreign. So you had a lot of Belizeans that got dip there. If they were bang out there, they came home and bang also. So as youths these were our friends, these were our role models. These were people as children who we look up to."

That led to juvenile detention - after he migrated to the USA to rejoin his mother

LOVA BOY
"I've been in the facilities if you will a couple of times before I decide to make the change and decide that I want to live and to something before something do me. I refuse to make myself be a statistic. I am telling all the ghetto youths that all you have to do is refuse that, don't accept that, don't give that any sanction. All of us get different cards to play but just play your cards to the best of our ability and follow your dreams. Never ever give up and don't make any excuse. That is my main thing. Once you tell yourself there is no excuse you are on your way. I don't disown any part of myself. I don't have anything to hide because if it weren't for that I wouldn't be Lova Boy. It's the challenges that make me feel like I am a strong person."

"I know my past was a rough past but at the moment it give me character. They say the hotter the battle, the sweeter the victory and that is what we are dealing with right now because the battle was hot and it still goes on. Every day is a challenge, i go through my own issues like everybody else but I've been bless with a beautiful career because of the most high and the fans."

And now, for those fans, he has a new album on the way and a new video for the mildly controversial song, "You Da Wife"

LOVA BOY
"The song is about "you da wife" and a "ting" on the side. This song is not promoting cheating. It basically is saying that you are the wife (the significant other) and then the females that are calling are issues on the side."

And his fans seem to get it - whether he's professing true love or whipping up a tornado - this artist has very little sense of entitlement.

LOVA BOY
"It's a dream come through. As a youth when I was building my combo; the trap set thing with the milk pan and you put the broom stick. I am getting to live that. That is priceless, there is no price on being able to get paid to live that same dream that you dreamt about as a child."

Lova Boy left this afternoon for a new year's concert in Chicago.