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Jah CureText by Harry Hawks

A disciple of the nineties 'Rasta Renaissance' whose eight years behind bars served to strengthen his resolve to record righteous reality music...

Jah Cure

Real Name	Siccaturie Alcock
Born	Oct 11, 1978
Place of Birth	Hanover West Kingston Jamaica
Related Artist(s)	Anthony B Beres Hammond Capleton Jah Mason Sizzla

Born 11th October 1978 as Siccaturie Alcock in the rural parish of Hanover in the west of Jamaica and then brought up in Kingston Siccaturie was named Jah Cure by deejay Capleton because he looked "young and healthy". Determined to follow in their footsteps he strove hard to emulate the success of his musical heroes Burning Spear, Black Uhuru, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Garnett Silk and heroine Marcia Griffiths. It was never enough for Jah Cure to merely make music but to make music with a message, music that actually meant something, and the ideology of the Rastafarian religion has proved to be an all pervading influence on his work. During the nineties reggae music was experiencing a 'Rasta Renaissance', the lyrical values and tenets of seventies roots music were now accompanied by digital rhythms, and Jah Cure was one of the outstanding exponents of this blend of the traditional and the modern.

His first big hit came in early 1997, a combination with Sizzla, 'King In This Jungle', for Beres Hammond's Harmony House label. Beres Hammond became a mentor for the young man and released a string of hit singles on his Harmony House label including 'Zion Way', 'Zion Await' and 'Hanging Slowly'. In 1998 Jah Cure toured the Caribbean and Europe with the Harmony House Family to great acclaim.

In November of that year when he was arrested in Montego Bay and charged with four crimes and, despite strenuously denying all charges he was prosecuted at the Gun Court the following year where he was found guilty. Sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment in the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre he continued to maintain his innocence on his transfer to Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre. The enlightened regime at Tower Street took the 'correctional' title literally and provided a digital recording studio for the prisoners. Jah Cure released his debut album 'Free Jah's Cure The Album The Truth' in 2000 and two further albums 'Ghetto Life' produced by Beres Hammond in 2003 and 'Freedom Blues' which included 'King In This Jungle' in 2005. A number of singles were also released and 'Jamaica' and 'Longing For' both reached Number One in the Jamaican charts... all from his prison cell.

He continued to propagate his message and despite, or possibly because of, his highly unusual situation his resolve and renown were strengthened and there were concerted national and international campaigns for the release of not just Jah Cure's music but Jah Cure. After serving eight years of his sentence he was released on parole on 28th July 2007. His fourth long player, 'True Reflections... A New Beginning', was released three days later and, in August, Jah Cure headlined the 2007 Reggae Sumfest.

"My struggles made me who I am today. That's why I sing with feelings... it comes from my heart 'cause I feel the pain. Who feels it knows it." Jah Cure

Jah Cure "believes his incarceration was Jah's way of teaching him humility and love for his fellow man" and in order to propagate his message he continued to record extensively with various independent producers as a solo performer, 'Unconditional Love' was yet another Number One, and in combination with other top level artists including Junior Reid and Mavado. Two more albums, 'Universal Cure' and 'World Cry', helped to reinforce his stance and, after establishing his own Iyah Cure Productions label, he hit again with the singles 'That Girl' and 'Life We Live'. With the imminent release of 'The Cure' album and an accompanying world tour (February 2015) Jah Cure's promise that "his only remaining goal for the rest of his life was to spread love and promote peace and healing through his music" continues to resonate as a resounding reality.

Date Added: Oct 04, 2019