Jem is an urban recording artist that was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At the tender age of 9, his eyes witnessed horror beyond imagination. He recalls, "I've seen it all. From torture to massacre, dudes killing innocent people in broad daylight, all of it. Still, I kept a positive attitude and lived. I never thought I'd be here though."
A year later, young Jem got the ultimate opportunity for success. His mother gained a full residency stay in the United States. After landing in Miami, Jem was quickly introduced to hip hop and R&B. "It didn't really hit me as something that I would be doing,'' he stated.
Jem moved to Brockton, Massachusetts a year after and started experimenting with sounds and producing music as an after-school hobby. Jem states, "I remember using a tape machine to record myself. Even back then I didn't know what I was doing and how major this was going to be for me in the long run." During his years at Brockton High School, Jem was introduced to the music of NAS. A friend gave him a couple of albums to listen to and he took off from there. “NAS showed me a new way of approaching public” he explains. “I began writing about my trials and tribulations. I started writing full songs in hopes of making an impact in the world of urban music. It wasn't just a hobby anymore. Making music became my life.”
One day a staff member at Brockton High heard Jem rapping over a beat he had made. It turned out to be Wayne Horton, also CEO of his own company, Mr. Wizard Records & Management. Jem states, “Wayne became my manager, took me under his wing, teaching me everything I needed to know about the music industry.” Jem ended up signing a management contract with Mr. Wizard Records a month later.
Soon, Jem was performing all over the East Coast. By the age of 19, he had appeared in several concerts, TV shows and newspaper articles. Jem attended the New England Institute of Art where he really took advantage of making music. The school had six multi-million dollar recording studios. The institute quickly became a musical playground for Jem. In just one semester he was producing, mixing and recording his own music. "I teamed up with a couple of artists that I knew were serious and worked on a body of songs to hit the streets,” he remembered. “Soon enough, I was featured on local mix tapes and producing heavy projects."
The Art Institute also introduced Jem to a young Cincinnati producer and engineer, Richard Max Raphael. Max, as he would prefer to be called, became Jem's production partner and they later formed JamBeats Music, an urban music production company. Soon enough, Jem and Max had enough material to present to the likes of Jim Jones.
In 2008, Jem released “Where Do I Begin?” “I decided to produce and officially release something that was different…something that people can definitely relate to and “Where Do I Begin?” was the record that I thought would do that best.” The test single was well received at college radio, reaching top 10 on most charts. Jem quickly became a local go-to artist. Other artists started asking for him to add a spark to their work. He has written and produced several tracks for most of the artists in and around Boston including another up-and-coming rapper, Octavian for his album CD, “Judgement Day”. Octavian and Jem developed a strong enough bond that allowed them to launch their own entertainment company, Viciouz Society Entertainment, LLC where Jem carries on the title of Vice President. Soon enough, the company became the platform for major entertainment concerts and events.
In the spring of 2007, Jem graduated from The New England Institute of Art with an Associate of Science degree in Audio and Media Arts. Later that year, he went on to perform with Octavian on a promo tour where he opened up for JR Writer at the Strand Theatre in Boston the fall of 2007. Jem also performed for a cause. "I did a show at UMass Dartmouth,” he said with excitement. “It was an AIDS Benefit Concert. I felt honored to perform at an event that stood for such an important cause."
In the fall of 2009, Jem teamed up with the world famous Statik Selektah to release his debut mix tape, "HERE I AM" which is available for FREE download at www.datpiff.com. Today, Jem is constantly in and out of the studio. He released an album for Haiti on March 2, 2010, on all digital formats. The album is entitled, "I Am HAITI". Proceeds will go directly to Haiti. On February 20, 2010, Jem was booked to perform at the Shake The Runway fashion event in Boston, MA. The performance was widely received by all in attendance which included several reputable names, press and media personnel, magazine editors, television news outlets and more. On March 13, 2010, Jem was then booked to open up for E1 Music’s very own Slaughter House in Providence, RI at Tommy’s Lounge. In the fall of 2010, Jem fulfilled his agreement with Mr. Wizard Management and inked a new deal with PQ Boyz Entertainment/Live Entertainment Group under which he is currently working on his new release, “IDGAF Muzik”. The new single off the upcoming release “I BE DOIN ME” has already started buzzing throughout the eastern region due to a leak prior to its release. To conclude, Jem states, "I thank God every day for giving me this opportunity. This gift is something that I will forever have and I pray that I can make a difference with it. I feel that with the right push it'll be a done deal.
JEM
