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The Enterprise of Brockton, Mass.
www.enterprisenews.com

By Elizabeth Gemmell
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
BROCKTON —

As a young boy, Stephane Alce played soccer barefoot in the rugged streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

These days, the up-and-coming hip-hop musician has found common ground in the streets of Brockton, where he now lives.

Growing up in Haiti was pretty rough, Alce said in a recent interview. But even with all of the negativity around us, we found a way to enjoy the scenery. A lot of that happiness was in the music of Haiti. Brockton needs that music, too.

Alce moved from his humble beginnings in Haiti to the U.S. at age 10, and soon after located in the north end of Brockton where he now lives with his grandmother, Evette; his mother, Fleurinette; his father, Amos; his brother Stanley and sister, Wendy Michelle.

The hip-hop artist goes by the stage name Jemini — the name his friends suggested to represent his on- and off-stage personality.

Alce was a high honors student at Brockton High School.

There, he entered school talent shows, where he began to make a name for himself. In May 2004, Alce earned second prize in the Brockton High School-HarborOne Credit Union annual art show in the computer digital imaging category.

Alce graduated from Brockton High in 2007 and, two years later, received an associate of science degree in audio and media arts from the New England Institute of Art. He is back in school again at Bunker Hill Community College studying for a degree in information technology.

Im actually a geek, Alce said. I love math.

His love for math was one reason he got his chance in the music industry, Alce said.

I was tutoring a girl I had a crush in math after school back at Brockton High, Alce said. I had told her that I write my own music so I sang one of my songs for her.

When I finished, the school janitor walked by me and told me he liked what he had heard, and he slipped a card in my pocket. I didnt know why the janitor had given me his card.

The Brockton High custodian was music manager Wayne Horton. Horton, the CEO of Mr. Wizard Records and Management, soon took Alce under his wing. He taught me everything, Alce said.

Alce now has two songs that can be downloaded to MP3 players from napster.com and amazon.com: Where Do I Begin? and Bump It. He also has a mixed tape called Here I Am, said Horton.

Im always in the studio working on my music, Alce said.

Alce also produces music as co-founder of JamBeats LLC, and works with his entertainment company Green Team Productions. Alce performs in Brockton, in and around Boston, and not long ago performed at Millies Tavern in Manchester, N.H.

Im doing this because I love it, Alce said. Im not chasing the money or fame. For me, it all pays off when a kid recites something I spoke, and he actually knows what it means.

Alce said he avoids using a lot of explicit material in his music. You should be able to make music without it, Alce said.

Musicians such as NAS, Luther Vandross and Boyz II Men have influenced Alces music.

Those are some of my greats, he said, But Im always going to write my own music.

Alce credits his family for the support that has allowed him to get where he is today, he said.

His goal is to reach the people of Brockton with his music, he said, and then touch people outside the city.

Music is something that will make a dramatic change in their lives, Alce said. I just want my music to make people feel.