Port Antonio and the Jamaican music scene are not ideas you would readily put in the same sentence.

Marlon Minott, aka Marly B of Illmatic Records Inc, is looking to change that. He operates his studio, mixing lab and voice booth all from a little nook in Port Antonio.

His spot is on the lane leading to the market's side entrance. The label is two years old but the studio is approximately six years old.

"My first artiste was my girlfriend. I used to be a DJ, mixing and all that," he said.

After living abroad for years, Marly B returned to Port Antonio in 2002 and was selling clothes but he saw a gap he thought he could fill.

Marlon 'Marly B' Minott (right) chills with one of his protégés, Brain.

"The rich musical history of Portland is not being highlighted. There's no one to help the youngsters," he said. So he started out giving aspiring young singers a chance. One of the youngsters he gave some voice time was Cavan, who went on to win the inaugural 'Digicel Rising Stars' contest. At first, Marley B would hang the clothes he sold over the voice booth, but soon he abandoned the apparel idea and focused on music.

"It's very hard but life is hard. Nutt'n too easy nuh work," he said. He said Illmatic will give listeners elements of hip hop, and rhythm and blues in the dancehall. Unlike others who feel there is no hope for Porti, Marly B sees it differently.

"Port Antonio set up good in a way. With recession comes opportunity. You have to create the thing you want," he said. "The highway can bring in more people and it (the town) can develop faster. It's just for the people to show creativity."

Marly B puts on a few shows as well, including the popular Waterfront Sundays. He also does music videos with his own camcorder. Some of his artistes include Brain, Wiseman, Sexy D and Steppa.