Jamaican singer Spice reveals how she went from church choir to making NSFW hits – & the sexist comments she still gets
JAMAICAN singer Spice doesn’t really know how she became the Queen of Dancehall after growing up in a strict Christian home. The Grammy-nominated songstress was just a teenager when she began to perform around Jamaica. Dancehall artist Spice revealed that despite her lewd lyrics she grew up in a Christian householdSpice Mirror 25 Press Photo Spice has been nominated for a Grammy award and has millions of fans across the worldAFP Grace Hamilton, better known as Spice, has racked up over 300 million streams on Spotify and received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in 2022. During her 25 years in the music industry, she has worked with artists including Vybz Kartel, Nicki Minaj, and most recently, Busta Rhymes. The mom of two, who also juggles being on the reality show Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta, is set to release a new album called Mirror 25 on August 9. Speaking to The U.S. Sun, she revealed that her method for creating “generational wealth” defied her religious upbringing. DADDY’S GIRL Spice grew up in Portmore, Jamaica in a house where her Rastafarian dad would play the music of reggae icons such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Professor Nuts. She was just six when she decided that she wanted to become a singer. “I know most of Professor Nuts’ songs because as early as six years old, I would sing them,” she said. “My father was alwaying them around the house and he would bribe me with extra food on my plate if I would sing them. “My father would always say to me, ‘Wow, you’re gonna be a big singer.’ “No one in my family did music professionally, but I was always told that my grandmother had a lovely voice. “I never got the chance to meet her. “I guess my father’s love for me singing came from his mother being a great singer.” ‘I WAS SET OUT TO BE A CHRISTIAN’ Spice revealed that not being allowed to choose the music that played in the house also contributed to her love for artists who were popular in the Golden Age of Reggae. Alongside listening to whatever her dad played, she would sing in her local church. “In Jamaica, most kids always have to go to Sunday school,” she said. “I grew up in church and I used to sing in the choir and be part of the JCDC (Jamaica Cultural Development Commission) festivals in the Caribbean. “My voice was always so loud as a little girl.” I don’t play my slack [vulgar] songs around my mom and I don’t play them around my kids, either. Spice Spice joked about now being known for her raunchy dancehall lyrics. “I started in church, I tell people all the time that I don’t know what happened along the way because I was set out to be a Christian,” she said. “Actually, gospel is my favorite genre and a lot of people don’t know that. “I’m a God-fearing woman. “I still go to church every Sunday and I’m a strong believer in God.” ‘HOMELESS TO GREATNESS’ Spice said it was “very difficult” for her mom when her dad died when she was nine. She now lives by the slogan “from homeless to greatness,” referring to her humble beginnings. “I remember my five siblings and I used to sleep on one bed together,” she said. My mom was always very supportive but she rather that I did gospel songs because she’s a Christian. Spice “And it was just a one-bedroom house so that’s the level of poverty that we faced. “There were moments when we didn’t even have food to eat and I used to walk to school. “At one point I became homeless because my house burned down.” Spice revealed her first show abroad was alongside Jamaican singer Baby ChamGetty Amid the struggles, Spice was given the opportunity to move to England to live with her maternal grandpa. She said the cold weather was a “culture shock” and despite having enrolled in school, she constantly cried to go back to Jamaica. Within two years of her living in Finsbury Park, North London, her grandfather “was over” her crying and sent her home. ‘NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THIS’ Bounty Killer and Ninja Man were among the dancehall artists that she was introduced to when she returned to Jamaica. “I couldn’t play them in my house though. I used to have to hide and do it,” she said. “And still to this day, I don’t play my slack [vulgar] songs around my mom and I don’t play them around my kids either. People started requesting to see that little girl that would bust the crowd and freestyle on stage. “My mom was always very supportive but she rather that I did gospel songs because she’s a Christian. “She was always behind me saying, ‘You must sing clean songs, you must sing clean lyrics. “And it was just fun for me to say ‘Mom, nobody wants to hear this.’” BRAVE BEGINNINGS Spice’s lyrical talent and persistence earned her the opportunity to perform at festivals an
JAMAICAN singer Spice doesn’t really know how she became the Queen of Dancehall after growing up in a strict Christian home.
The Grammy-nominated songstress was just a teenager when she began to perform around Jamaica.
Grace Hamilton, better known as Spice, has racked up over 300 million streams on Spotify and received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in 2022.
During her 25 years in the music industry, she has worked with artists including Vybz Kartel, Nicki Minaj, and most recently, Busta Rhymes.
The mom of two, who also juggles being on the reality show Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta, is set to release a new album called Mirror 25 on August 9.
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, she revealed that her method for creating “generational wealth” defied her religious upbringing.
DADDY’S GIRL
Spice grew up in Portmore, Jamaica in a house where her Rastafarian dad would play the music of reggae icons such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Professor Nuts.
She was just six when she decided that she wanted to become a singer.
“I know most of Professor Nuts’ songs because as early as six years old, I would sing them,” she said.
“My father was alwaying them around the house and he would bribe me with extra food on my plate if I would sing them.
“My father would always say to me, ‘Wow, you’re gonna be a big singer.’
“No one in my family did music professionally, but I was always told that my grandmother had a lovely voice.
“I never got the chance to meet her.
“I guess my father’s love for me singing came from his mother being a great singer.”
‘I WAS SET OUT TO BE A CHRISTIAN’
Spice revealed that not being allowed to choose the music that played in the house also contributed to her love for artists who were popular in the Golden Age of Reggae.
Alongside listening to whatever her dad played, she would sing in her local church.
“In Jamaica, most kids always have to go to Sunday school,” she said.
“I grew up in church and I used to sing in the choir and be part of the JCDC (Jamaica Cultural Development Commission) festivals in the Caribbean.
“My voice was always so loud as a little girl.”
I don’t play my slack [vulgar] songs around my mom and I don’t play them around my kids, either.
Spice
Spice joked about now being known for her raunchy dancehall lyrics.
“I started in church, I tell people all the time that I don’t know what happened along the way because I was set out to be a Christian,” she said.
“Actually, gospel is my favorite genre and a lot of people don’t know that.
“I’m a God-fearing woman.
“I still go to church every Sunday and I’m a strong believer in God.”
‘HOMELESS TO GREATNESS’
Spice said it was “very difficult” for her mom when her dad died when she was nine.
She now lives by the slogan “from homeless to greatness,” referring to her humble beginnings.
“I remember my five siblings and I used to sleep on one bed together,” she said.
My mom was always very supportive but she rather that I did gospel songs because she’s a Christian.
Spice
“And it was just a one-bedroom house so that’s the level of poverty that we faced.
“There were moments when we didn’t even have food to eat and I used to walk to school.
“At one point I became homeless because my house burned down.”
Amid the struggles, Spice was given the opportunity to move to England to live with her maternal grandpa.
She said the cold weather was a “culture shock” and despite having enrolled in school, she constantly cried to go back to Jamaica.
Within two years of her living in Finsbury Park, North London, her grandfather “was over” her crying and sent her home.
‘NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THIS’
Bounty Killer and Ninja Man were among the dancehall artists that she was introduced to when she returned to Jamaica.
“I couldn’t play them in my house though. I used to have to hide and do it,” she said.
“And still to this day, I don’t play my slack [vulgar] songs around my mom and I don’t play them around my kids either.
People started requesting to see that little girl that would bust the crowd and freestyle on stage.
“My mom was always very supportive but she rather that I did gospel songs because she’s a Christian.
“She was always behind me saying, ‘You must sing clean songs, you must sing clean lyrics.
“And it was just fun for me to say ‘Mom, nobody wants to hear this.’”
BRAVE BEGINNINGS
Spice’s lyrical talent and persistence earned her the opportunity to perform at festivals and shows with notable Jamaican deejays.
“Bounty Killer was the first one who handed me a microphone when I was about 17 or 18,” she said.
It was at a community event, and he told everybody to get off the stage.
“I walked on stage as a teenager and he was like, ‘Who is this?’” she recalled.
“I was never shy or nervous for the stage. I was hungry for it.”
Spice said she’s always been a “very confident performer” and never looked back after the big event.
GET THAT GIRL WHO FREESTYLES
Despite having a lack of money, she began walking to any opportunity where she could perform and was grateful when Ninja Man offered to pay for any taxis.
Word of her performances got her chosen to tour with Baby Cham and Ward 21 in England.
“People started requesting to see that little girl that would bust the crowd and freestyle on stage,” she said.
“Baby Cham was the one who said you have to record, you gotta get a hit song.”
Her debut song, Fight Over Man, has thousands of views on YouTube.
Spice said male artists were “very welcoming” of her within the industry.
She then reached a global fanbase by teaming up with her friend Vybz Kartel.
She admits to initially being hesitant to make their famed song Ramping Shop, released in 2009.
People still talk about females doing a lot of sexual content without even realizing that the males are making the same sexual content.
Spice
“At the time, he was very lyrical and he used to have this fast flow of delivery,” she said.
“When he presented the rhythm to me, I was like, ‘Why are we doing this very slow song?’
“But he was so talented, so I just trusted his lead in doing the song.
“And when I tell you, it literally took 24 hours to blow up, it literally just took 24 hours to blow up.”
The song currently has nearly 9 million views on YouTube.
“Cause me haffi wine pon di c***y like dis,” she sings. “Kartel spin me like a satellite dish.”
“Deal wid yuh breast like mi crushing Irish,” Kartel replies. “Spice I never love a pu**y like dis.”
Spice lost her voice celebrating the release of Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, when he was released from prison after 13 years on July 31, 2024.
SEXIST DOUBLE STANDARDS
Spice said sexism in the industry hasn’t improved within her 25 years of making lewd music.
She argued that men make more sexually explicit songs than women but they aren’t bashed for doing it.
“People still talk about females doing a lot of sexual content without even realizing that the males are making the same sexual content,” she said.
“The men actually do it more than us.
“But people act like they think it’s only women doing it. I feel like it’s very hypocritical.”
MONEY TALKS
Spice still lives in Jamaica but spends up to 10 months of the year in the U.S. filming Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta.
She said there was a language barrier when she first began to spend time in the US, with people unable to understand her Caribbean accent.
A country influence can be heard on her new album but she’s keen to remain authentic to her Jamaican roots.
Spice said her fans will be surprised by the subjects on her new album as she likened to “a diary.”
She is receiving her mom and sister’s help with her kids while touring and promoting her new songs.
“The proudest moment in my life is that I’m the first to bring generational wealth to my family,” she said.
“I’m an entrepreneur.
“I have a clothing brand called Graci Noir and I recently released my book called The Navigational Business Planner.
“I have a foundation called Grace Hamilton Women Empowerment, which is built to enrich women through education and entrepreneurship.
“The last thing I did was give away $5 million to kids for back to school.”
