Artist Name: Jadee

Birth Name: Jerry Dane Sellier

Birth Place and Date: Marabella San Fernando, Trinidad, W.I.


Official Bio
ONCE WAS LOST...

It is a significant occasion when a musical artist at the peak of his career denounces everything and turns to Christ.

At the age of fourteen Jadee's song writing skills developed mimicking rap artist like Ice Cube, Biggie and Tupac as he fell in love with Hip Hop music. After chasing this dream of three years he landed a compilation deal with French based label Rituals records, he then decided to move on.

Being a Trinidadian and knowing Soca was in his blood he decided to try it. After three years of experimenting and taking part in all major Soca and Calypso competitions such as the International Soca monarch, Young Kings and the likes, he was chosen by Horizon, one of Trinidad's biggest Soca bands. He moved on after gaining a year of hardcore soca experience with the group.

Jadee then landed a two-year soca compilation deal with Link Up Records owned by Chinese Laundry, the most influential and established soca label in the Caribbean. Jadee's first song with Link Up called "Aye-Yo" went to #1 on the soca charts. Performing at every huge Carnival Party in the country for the 2000 Carnival season, he gained local celebrity success and garnered the attention of international promoters. This brought Jadee to places like Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Jamaica, Montreal, Toronto, Queens, Brooklyn N.Y., Long island, New Jersey and just about everywhere that celebrated Carnival.

Now along with all of his touring profits came fame, alcohol and women. At the age of 23 drunk and sometimes high on weed, Jadee had become a leader of revelry--that was what he thought happiness was. In the process of it all he ended up hurting his family and most of all his long-term girlfriend Giselle Martinez, who he has been with from the very start of his carrer. At that point Giselle had left him and rededicated her life to Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Jadee participated in the next year's (2001) Carnival to fulfill his contract. Even though the love of his life had hated him for his wrongs, she showed Christ like qualities by encouraging him to come out of that dead end lifestyle and turn to the Lord.

NOW IS FOUND...

So with the help of Giselle (who is now his wife) and his sister, together with everyone who was praying for him, Jadee eventually began getting conviction from the Lord so he started reading the Bible. Even while performing through the 2001 Carnival season he found time to go to church. He gradually realized that he could not serve two masters at the same time. Many prayers were answered in the month of March 2001, when Jadee surrendered his all and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

This man of God has not thrown away the gift God gave him, but he now uses it for the honor and glory of God. Jadee then penned an international recording and licensing deal with growing recording label FlowMasters in July 2001. Immediately he began to work on songs that would give God the glory. Jadee described his style as gospel soca and said it is designed to testify, teach, praise and worship God.

After his conversion he released six gospel singles that made it in the top ten on Radio. Jadee has been nominated in the Marlin Awards for three consecutive years 2002; 2003 and 2004, he took home his first Marlin Awards for his song "God Be For Me" featuring Sherwin Gardener. Jadee then took the award for best gospel artist of year for 2005 Soca Awards and was dubbed best male gospel artist of the year 2005 by The Perfect 10 Gospel Show I95.5 FM. Jadee recently received a nomination for best male gospel artist from the Bigger Caribbean Music Awards to be held on the island of St. Croix.

Through the gospel he has ministered throughout the Caribbean and North America and has shared the stage with an impressive list of gospel artists like: Papa San; Carlene Davis; Prodigal Son; Nicole Mullen; Toby Mac; CeCe Winans; Kirk Franklyn; Bishop T D Jakes, Bishop E McClendon; Sherwin Gardner; Vanessa Briggs; Gitta Dan; Monty G and many others.

2006 Jadee caused a frenzy in the industry with his single "Baptize" from his first international gospel release, "Altar Call". The track was produced by Edgehil Thomas aka 'Maximus Dan', and Sherwin Gardener, with whom Jadee has collaborated over the past few years. Regarding this song, in which he calls the names of many popular soca artistes, Jadee says: "It is just a Prayer. I'm praying for all my friends in the music industry. It is not to condemn any body, but to show that God is Love because he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Every body should be baptized in Jesus' Name. I just used these artists (names) because that's where I came from and I have a lot of love for them." "Baptize" has gained heavy rotation on all radio stations in Trinidad and Tobago and is #1 on the UB 1 gospel charts in London. This song and his "Altar Call" album have put him back on the international stage-this time to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. The response has been massive!

Exclusive Interview with GospelReggae.com
GR: Tell us about yourself. where were you born? Where did you grow up. What is your family like.

Jadee: Well as you know, my name is Jerry Dane Sellier aka Jadee. I was born in South Trinidad but grew up in Arima, with my mother Cyrillia, father Jerry and two sisters Charlon and Gabbie. I am married to my beautiful wife Giselle and have an angel for a daughter. I did the Boy scouts and camping and all that good stuff growing up as a child but not long after I got caught up with the wrong crowd and did the whole artist thing, smoking weed and selling it at times, stealing and robbing people, running from police and hiding guns under my sister's bed. I was a drunk, slept around etc... But I thank God for saving me. I now have a gospel band called Altar Call featuring Dawn Fairways and Devine Virtue. I am a former secular soca artist that has become a gospel soca warrior and song minister. I could go on and on but I don't want to put you to sleep... (he laughs!).

GR: How did you begin doing music?

Jadee: I was introduced to music by my sister Gabbie back in the early '80's through break dancing--she was a pop and lock master (he laughs). I could not dance too well and in dem days if you could not break, you were like an outcast. So I started to get interested in the rhymes through my cuz Marlon Mark. At that time not a lot of people rhymed and I found that I did it pretty well. I was only like 11 years old and was ready to chump on any MC! I did Hip Hop for the next ten years.

GR: What has been the greatest mistake that you have made in ministry and learned from? How have you used this experience to change the way you approach ministry?

Jadee: (He Laughs) well ok... I came in the Church thinking that ALL Christians had my back and were looking out for me. I thought that ALL pastors and people in ministry would always say and do the right thing. I never knew that the Devil would use anyone or anything (even a pastor) to kill me and get me out of the will of God. I was always looking out for Satan in Secular places. I almost died. So now I know how crazy real this walk is and how serious the work of the Lord is. So I am no longer blind to the devises of the Devil, in whatever form or fashion he comes.

GR: If you could share the stage with any Christian or secular artist in the world (living or dead) who would it be?

Jadee: Well of course Donnie Mc Clurkin--the Man ah Boss. And I'll give you a Secular Artist; Alanis Morisette--I really like her.

GR: I know that you have written a whole heap of songs in the past, but what's your favorite one? Now, if that is too hard for you to answer, then tell me this; if you spent 5 minutes with an avid reggae fan and only had enough time to play them one of your songs, which one would you play them?

Jadee: Well it's actually a song on my "Altar Call" album. It's called "Don't worry Family" ( lady keep your head Up). It's real stories of women I know and I just love it.

GR: What's your favorite verse in the Bible and why?

Jadee: Romans 7:14. It's the first Bible verse I ever saw or really paid any attention to. 'Cause when I just got saved that was the verse my sister showed me to comfort me that everything will be alright, She told me that I'm not the only one who make mistakes and has trouble doing the right thing. But thank God for Jesus.

GR: What Bible character do you most identify yourself with?

Jadee: That would be Peter... He started off a bit unsure but still loved the Lord. He was always getting into some drama and putting his foot in his mouth... (laughs), but ended up one of the most anointing men out of the crew, healing people with just his shadow and all that!!!!

GR: As Christians, God is of course our true inspiration, but beyond the generic response of "Jesus," what are your muses in your life (for lack of a better word)? For example, what are the people, places, or things that trigger a fresh musical idea and ultimately a new song for you?

Jadee: Well I'm still on the block and on the streets. I'm not there smoking anymore but just letting my Christ light shine and dropping songs. So I get a lot of vibes and inspiration from the street. You would be amazed how and who the Lord will use to talk to His people. I also get songs from sermons that pastors preach. I am inspired by their message title or something that they might say. Also from just normal life experiences.

GR: What's the most embarrassing job that you have ever had?

Jadee: No job should be embarrassing. Regardless of what you do for work, eat your food and bless it in Jesus name. But stealing is NOT a job.

GR: Name one thing that fans do not know about you.

Jadee: I don't like Photo shoots--I really hate them. I'm not big on singing autographs--now I do it okay... I know how to sit down and sign out autographs in a school of like 1200 kids wanting you to sing there paper or poster like right nowwwww! I do it and I do it with a smile but I really don't like that.

GR: What are the three things you enjoy most about touring? And least?

Jadee: I love meeting new people and knowing that God is going to do something new in their life when I get to talk to them. I love getting to know new cultures. I like walking into a new airport with my iPod very loud, knapsack on my back and pulling a light piece of luggage. I don't like to fly (laughs) and if it's more than six hours I'm jumping off the plane. I hate immigration checking through my dreadlocks for guns and bullets taking off my shoes and feeling me up all over like a rub down and then when I go through, the person behind me did not go through anything like I did.

I don't like Promoters taking my rider (contract) for granted and not doing anything I asked to make the concert run smoothly. I hate stand by tickets, I don't like Delayed Flights for more than three hours. I hate air pockets (when your ears pop on a plane). I don't' like bad landings or landings on the whole. I don't like when the runway is full and there is like four other planes trying to land at the same time and you have to circle around and around 'til you get sick. And last but not least, I Really hate when the airline loses your luggage. You're in Miami and you stuff is still in Trinidad arrrrrrhhhhhhh! That drives me crazyyyyyyyy!

GR: If you could whisper in the ears of youths aspiring to start a music ministry like yours, what would you say?

Jadee: well first of all I'll say this is not a game. This is not entertainment. I did the entertainment thing and this is not it. This is some life and death stuff. If you want to get into this you must have your leadership and your church praying for you, you must have a covering. You don't want to sing never having served in your home church. You must serve at home first. Clean some toilets, wash some chairs and wipe some cloth on the windows. Serve and submit yourself to God. Get a relationship with Him and then learn how to lead. And may God bless you.

GR: Are you working on any future projects/releases that we should look out for?

Jadee: Yeah, look out for the Devine Virtue Song "Best Friend" for Carnival 2007. I'm featured on that. Look out for my video for "Recruit." And just look out for me @ at Church or a concert near you.

Ministry
"To preach the good news of Jesus Christ in song throughout the nations of the earth. To feed the poor, to clothe the naked and to empower the youth with the spirit of love, peace and holiness"--Jadee

JADEE, LIVES WHAT HE BELIEVES, QUOTING MARK 16:20 "AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE. HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED, BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED."

Discography
Jadee, "Worship and War" 2005, (FlowMasters)
Jadee, "Alter Call" 2006, (FlowMasters)
"Turn It Up Volume 1", Various Artists (FlowMasters)
Soca Baptism, Various Artists, (Lion of Zion)

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