Jaja Soze

Elijah Kerr (born 16 February 1980), known as Jaja Soze,^[1] is a British Hiphop artist,^[2] street activist, and entrepreneur.^[3] Well known for his key role as founder to gang and music group PDC. Jaja released his debut studio album Streetboy in 2008, along with his second I love Music album in 2009, followed by his illegal download album in 2010, All of which were distributed independently. His fourth studio album The Last Message was released in 2012 and went to No. 19 in the iTunes Hiphop chart.

His influence on and around British street culture^[4] as a key figure, and rap legend,^[5] has seen him appear on many of the popular media and music platforms, such as Tim Westwood,^[6] talking about his experiences and influencing the up-and-coming generations.

Early life

Jaja Soze was born Elijah Kerr on 16 February 1980 in Birmingham^[1] England, to parents from Jamaica. The oldest of five siblings, and grew up in Handsworth, Birmingham. Kerr attended the Westminster Primary school, where he grew up, looking up to the local sound systems of the 80s. Whilst also being inspired, by a popular local gang called the "Incheyes" who later would split up into the Johnsons and Burger Bar gangs.^[7] Because of domestic disputes in his family, Kerr moved to Brixton, on the Angell Town Estate in South London in the early 90s.^[8] Where he then became heavily involved in crime, and convicted in 1996 at the age of just 15, for a bank robbery. He would then later be convicted and jailed at age 22, for drug dealing offences.

Jaja Soze grew up heavily influenced by gang culture,^[9] especially that of a well known, early 90s gang, that he had grew up seeing in Brixton, called the 28s. Jaja then grew to be a part of a well known london gang, known as the Peel Dem Crew, of which was Started by a popular street Villain called Micheal "Killaman" Archer^[10] of which jaja later founded and transformed into PDC Rap Group Also known as Poverty Driven Children or P.D.C.

As told in the book written about his journey called Street Boys written by Elijah Kerr and Tim Pritchard and published by Harper Collins^[11]

Career

Jaja Soze began creating music at the age of 12 years old (1992), heavily influenced by his up bringing of Rastafarian music with a mix of early American 90s hiphop like Public Enemy and U.K London posse. Which was rumoured to have sparked his interest in starting his own street type movement.^[12] Him and his friends, would later go on to set up PDC rap group, and create a massive platform, for young disadvantaged youth, to be able to express there opinions and struggles of the U.K street culture, via music.

Jaja's music today, is seen as a controversial message, of revolution and street culture,^[13] with a deep message some will consider as "Black power" or music with a humanitarian feel. His music even though, sometimes can come across aggressive continues to inspire many, and create progressive waves in the music industry. Jaja has won awards such as outstanding work recognition, by starlight music group, and also, outstanding achievement, in the mixtape culture^[14]. From the Official Mixtape Awards.

Discography

• PDC First Cassette Mixtape (1999)
• PDC Pray Days Change Album (2004)
• Boss of the bossses mixtape (2005)
• Street Boy Book Published by Harper Collins
• I'm not a rapper I'm a revolutionary Mixtape
• Street boy Album (2008)
• i love music (2009)
• Illegal Download (2010)
• The Last Message (2012)
• Power (2014)
• The Creative Struggle (2014)
• Frequency (2016)

References

jaja mtv wrap up interview 2103^[15] Elijah kerr guardian interview 2007^[16] Jaja soze bbc asain network 2017^[17] Ashley walters presents top dad ft jaja soze t4 on demand^[18] Evening Standard interview 2008^[19] street boys book by harper collins^[20] bbc world services interview 2008^[21]

Mtv showcase young poets 2014^[22] complex magazine 2017 rap king jaja^[23] huffington post creative spoken word 2014^[24] bbc radio 1 live interview and freestyle 2014^[25] Danny Dyers Deadliest Men on Netflix 2009 featuring Elijah Kerr^[26] PDC BBC RADIO ONE 2017^[27]