There’s a kind of creativity that persists through any odds, and will produce something even if the situation doesn’t permit it. Reggae artist Jah Cure is fully qualified to discuss the topic, having produced his fair share of material behind prison bars, under a charge that remains to be fully substantiated.

Jah Cure: Jammin’ Jamaican Jah

“If you hear me sing something and it’s not reggae, remember: it’s just music.”

There’s a kind of creativity that persists through any odds, and will produce something even if the situation doesn’t permit it. Reggae artist Jah Cure is fully qualified to discuss the topic, having produced his fair share of material behind prison bars, under a charge that remains to be fully substantiated. He took it all in stride, however, recording and writing new songs as he went.

Jah Cure: Not Just a Kid

Born Siccature Alcock in Hanover, Jamaica in October 1978, he spent most of his youth on the streets of Kingston. He’d been exposed to reggae music for much of his young life and had begun making attempts at original music in his teen years. He was rewarded with some interest but no real fame until the late 1990’s.

At 18, he managed to release King in This Jungle, a track performed with fellow reggae musician Sizzla and produced by singer Beres Hammond. The team-up and the success of the track catapulted him into the public eye and helped him produce his first string of real hits. By the end of that year, Alcock had become the next rising star on the horizon.

Things, however, would not continue so well for so long. In November 1998, police took him under charges of robbery, rape and possession of a firearm. The Gun Court found him guilty in April 1999 and sentenced him to 15 years’ incarceration. Alcock, however, maintained his innocence the entire time. His supporters also fanned the flames, keeping his reputation alive outside of the prison block and continually calling for his release.

Jah Cure in the Cooler

Record producers, meanwhile, were doing their part. Compilation albums and other new releases helped spread the word, and Jah Cure was soon known in Europe and South America. Alcock was also transferred to the Tower Street Adult Correctional Center, which featured a recording studio that was open to inmates. He continued making music.

Even from behind bars, he was a consistent hitmaker. He churned out three albums while in prison: 2000’s Free Jah’s Cure The Album The Truth, 2003’s Ghetto Life and 2005’s Freedom Blues. A shot at freedom wasn’t available until 2007, when he became eligible for parole. He was granted parole that year, after serving 8 of his 45 years.

A mere three days after his emancipation, Alcock released his fourth studio album, True Reflections… A New Beginning. A month later, he headlined at the Reggae Sundance concert. His fifth album, 2009’s The Universal Cure, features his first material since his release.

Did You Know That…

• …the legal proceedings of his trial were very troublesome? He reportedly had to wake up his state-provided attorney so that they could attend court hearings.

• …his Jah Cure name was supposedly given by reggae great Capleton?

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