Janine Cunningham, better known as Jah9, experienced a significant shift in her life at age 9 when she moved from Falmouth to Kingston, Jamaica. Her transformation into the acclaimed vocalist Jah9 was influenced by her exploration of poetry, which deepened her connection to the written word. Jah9’s university years at the University of the West Indies further nurtured her burgeoning consciousness, shaped by her preacher father and social worker mother. During this period, she found solidarity with Rastafari brethren and developed a profound respect for Haile Selassie I.
By 2009, Jah9 had become a prominent figure in the underground poetry scene in Kingston, where she also discovered a passion for dub and roots reggae music. Jah9’s initial demos, recorded with keyboardist Sheldon Bernard, caught the attention of reggae icon Beres Hammond, who contributed to refining her recording skills. Her debut album New Name, released in 2013 and produced by Rory ‘Stone Love’ Gilligan, was critically acclaimed and celebrated for its deep cultural roots and spiritual messages.
Jah9 has since performed worldwide with her band, the Dub Treatment, and continues to intertwine her music with her roles as a yogi, poet, artist, and activist, releasing the album Note to Self in 2020. It marked the fourth project released with VP Records. She followed it up with her single, “Open Heart” in 2023.