(Lion) Imain

 

Artist Bio:  Imain

Duane Jermaine Barham born in St. Elizabeth Jamaica, raised in Kingston, has always had musical influences around him from an early age.
Being from the same blood line as Jamaica’s most renowned dub poet Yasus Afari and Being a step-son to one of Jamaica’s most famous cartoonists, Jermaine has long been influenced by the arts both musically and visually.
Being an only child with both parents having their own agendas, Jermaine was forced to live with many different family members from his grandparents to his aunts and uncles, which led to him being relocated to numerous places in Kingston.
At age 11 he attended Calabar High School, one of Jamaica’s highest ranked private schools for achieving outstanding marks on the all-island common entrance examinations, which came as no surprise as his love for literature brought him to the finals at the annual spelling bee three years in a row.
while at Calabar, he indulged in the visual arts because of the frequent visits to the vice principal’s office and suspensions for fighting in class or participating in school gang activity outside the school premises in order to keep himself from going into the spiral that many youths without stable homes get trapped in, he was challenged by his step-father and role model to channel his energy in a more positive light.
His love for fighting eventually led him to the dojo Zendo Kai Khan in Portmore. His local community had to offer a Place where he could continue his love for fighting without getting into trouble.
Growing up in Kingston Jermaine lost a few friends to Violence, within their own communities or through school affiliated violence always being reminded that tomorrow wasn’t promised to him. He wrote to his biological father seeking answers and eventually getting an answer as to why he left him at such a tender age to relocate in Canada.
In early 1998 Jermaine got news that summer of that year he would be moving to Canada to better his life and shake the doubts about his future that may have been in question.
When relocated to Canada with a new Start the first opportunity he got to go right back to his artistic roots he took it. Taking up the mic on different occasions whenever it was available he followed his heart, adhered to the calling he felt was true to him and to what made sense.
The struggle continued leaving Jamaica at 16 to Move to a foreign country only to Move out of his Father’s house before his 17th birthday was only the beginning of the beautiful struggle.
Venturing out into the streets of Toronto with only the clothes on his back and dreams that were to be fulfilled he kept toiling forward. Facing the regular challenges of being a youth, in a society where being judged by your appearance is the norm and having left high school after one term in Canada there was no other choice but to settle for factory work.

Writing poetry was his only Escape from the reality of what life had to offer at that time. Over time the writing progressed to Spoken word poetry and small performances through the local vines available until being convinced by a good friend that adding instruments and beats to the message of struggle trying to be relayed would be more powerful and more receptive.
A stage name was needed after being called to perform by a few of his peers who were already on the local scene as somewhat prominent figures.
Meeting up with colleague and friend both inside and out of the music Jonathan Alvarado Jae Spillz was inevitable being in such a small community of entertainers Jae Spillz had a Studio where he could let loose with his craft and shape whatever bad experiences in the music previously encountered for a fresh new vibe an environment, the rest was history for Imain