From cheerful dreams of wifeys at home and shorties on the side on tracks like "Happiness," to opting for monogamy and eternal bonds on the open-souled realization of "Forever," Ghetto Love illustrates the life and times of a scared youngster turned fearless adult. Jaheim brings pure, real and simple skill to the music of Ghetto Love.
Jaheim has been singing since he could speak. As a child growing up in the projects of New Brunswick, New Jersey, Jah's life was one of tribulation. At the age of two, death took his father's soul before Jah had a chance to truly know him. Raised in a single parent household, Jah would grow susceptible to the inevitable ugliness of street-life, bouncing in and out of trouble, always following and never truly knowing his path. But music was Jah's saviour and relief from stress. "Singing was my way out," he says. "I focused on teaching myself how to sing by keeping Luther Vandross in my ear all day long. Everywhere I go I sing." Other R&B and gospel musical influences filled the ears of Jaheim's young body and old soul: his one-time professional singing grandfather, older brother, and notables like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and Stevie Wonder. These were mixed with the sounds of poetic hip hop artists like The Notorious BIG, Tupac, and Mobb Deep. His inspirations echoed through every talent show that Jaheim touched and won-from Uptown Comedy Jam singing bouts to a three-time winning streak at The Apollo at the age of 15. It seemed that Jah's vocal triumphs were endless.
