Violence and crime never once plagued his consciousness. He had been instilled with a fear of God and chose a path less walked, even as a native of Arima, East Trinidad. The nephew of the ever-loved and truly missed Soca artiste, Dexter ‘Blaxx’ Stewart, Quacy James fondly remembers his uncle’s words…“Always remember, write music that is positive in nature. When I pass on, I want my music to live on and be relevant to any time.”
A living testament to the importance of purposeful parenting. Quacy, an artiste who delivered his very first single in January 2023, is now ready to unleash more music. He plans on becoming a name everyone in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, and even the world, will one day know. When they speak of him, however, their acknowledgment will always be positive.
“I chose the name Jelani Verse- my stage name, because Jelani means mighty in Swahili and VERSE is an acronym for, Vision Empowers Respect, Sacrifice and Endurance,” explained the multi-faceted youth.
When he is not writing songs or recording new melodies, Quacy is wearing his professional hat as either an Emergency Medical Technician or a senior Human Resource Clerk.
Driven and mindful of his blessings, Quacy believes a person’s dreams are more than just a faint image of their imagination. “To me, your dream amounts to all the hard work – your sweat, your tears, your sacrifices that you make to accomplish your goals,” he rationalized.
A brand-new reggae single, collaboratively written with music producer and artiste, Azaryah, James attests to his mother’s strength and guidance throughout the lives of he and his siblings.
“The song, “Day One Queen,” was written in honor of my mother for her sacrifice and hard work that she put into raising us. A mother will never stop loving her child and because of that, she is every child’s “Day One Queen,” explained the upcoming entertainer.
Crediting his mother and other women in his life, for the role they each played in how his life has unfolded, Quacy says he believes it is important that the music being released at this time, deliver messages that can uplift and honor women, rather that degrade them. “If God gave woman as a gift to man, why are there so many negative reports in the media about negative things happening to women?” he questioned.
Equipped with true humility and gratitude, Quacy highlighted the amazing effort put in by Azaryah. “I told Azaryah that I wanted something magical and he did not disappoint. He produced a song that is really amazing, touching, and to the effect and standards that I was looking for.”
“Day One Queen” was recently released and is the first of many projects set to be unleashed by Jelani Verse.
“I will continue to write positive, meaningful songs that I believe will inspire people and change mindsets,” he said, intently. Much like his uncle, Blaxx, Quacy’s determination to use his gift for the greater good, shines through.
