The ever-versatile DJ Nicholas
Sep. 8, 2005 - Article by Andre Huie for http://www.gospelcity.com
A look of humility smears across his face. With one glance, one can never easily tell that Nicholas Eccleston, better known as DJ Nicholas, is a hard-talking, dancehall gospel minister with a voice that wakes every sleeping crevice of your house and vibrates the trunk of your car like a sound system.
OK, maybe I am exaggerating, but if you really take the time and check him out onstage or hear him do a rough cut version of one of his songs without music, you‘ll be captivated by his reverberating voice which demands the attention of your ears. He belts out raw, righteous-filled lyrics that compel the converted to become transformed again and the unbeliever to join the fold.
Nicholas is no ordinary DJ (DJ in Jamaican terminology means a rapper, or dancehall artiste). His style is strictly unique (though it has a semblance of secular dancehall star Bounty Killa, Nicholas’ role model in the music biz.) DJ Nicholas considers himself a minister of the gospel of Jesus and delivers his message through the format of dancehall music to youthful audiences. And while there are many out there in Nicholas’ field, his persistence and fervor for reaching young people through this platform and his God-given, thunder-rolling, powerful voice, sets him apart from his musical peers.
The Journey:
Nicholas was born in Meadowbrook, Kingston, Jamaica, and now lives in Constant Springs, Jamaica. Although he attended one of the best schools in Jamaica, Nicholas’ heart was always in music so he pursued his passion in his teenage years. Nicholas recognized his talent for deejaying and honed this gift copying his idol Bounty Killa, who performed songs that, most of the times banned from airplay because of its lyrical content.
Nicholas, encouraged by his peers, ventured into the world of music like a lone ranger rapping messages with lyrics hailing the lawless use of the gun (usually referred to as gun tunes in the dancehall circuits) and songs depicting explicit sexual undertones towards women. This was the trend of popular dancehall music; DJ Nicholas ventured on with the hope that one day he would make it big on the dancehall scene. “I was looking a break…at that time I used to be called Nameless. Me did name myself because I said no word nuh out deh fi describe my talent so it neva mek no sense me call mi call myself Super Boy or Bounty Beenie,” says DJ Nick in his usual, yet casual Jamaican accent.
Though he never got the chance to make it on the big shows, Nicholas had an innate desire to discover the true God. Nicholas was confused as to which was the right belief system for him - Christianity or Rastafarianism. “I had reached a place where I was confused whether it was Selassie or Jesus. So I started praying and say God reveal yuself to me, reveal yuself and right there the devil see a loophole,” Nicholas reminiscences. Needless to say, Nicholas became an ardent follower of the Rasta faith after getting a dream that God was a Rasta man.
Rastaman Nicholas:
“Right there and then me stop trim (shave his hair), mi stop eat most meat, mi try segregate myself from Babylon (law enforcement officers),” says Nicholas, explaining the drastic changes in his life resulting from his conversion to Rastafarianism. The mentality of his belief was that the white race was made to thwart the progress of the black race. That dominated his thought patterns and thus Nicholas rebelled against the social system. He wanted to start a revolution against civil authority, which his Rasta companions in Jamaica seemed too hesitant to do though this too was their intention. Just before Nicholas talks about this, he interjects (as he intermittently does during our conversation) biblical and theological truths. Here he says that though Rastas read the Bible, they choose what they want or consider applicable to them, which he says is wrong.
“Nutten no go so. You have to believe the Bible in its entirety or don’t believe none at all,” Nicholas firmly asserts. You could tell this former Rastafarian, turned Christian, has a sturdy foundation in the knowledge of the Bible now governing his mission, purpose and his entire being.
“I was very rebellious. I wanted to start a rebellion,” Nicholas says, now retuning to the meat of the conversation. “All the Rastas (singing) about revolution and rebellion and nobody not doing it so me decide that me (alone) will do it.” A rebellion of this nature would mean shooting police, homosexuals and governmental authorities. But regardless of the deception that warped Nicholas, he was still diligently searching for the truth of God and like the scripture says, “Seek and you shall find.”
The time would come when Nicholas’ seeking would be over—for good. “Even though I was lost and confused, God saw my genuine desire to know him,” says Nicholas. He recalled a time when after reading the scriptures, he was brought to Acts 4:12 where it says “there is no other name in heaven by which man can be saved.” It was this that propelled him to take the first step to Christianity—forsaking his former lifestyle of Rastafarianism.
The mentality of DJ Nicholas was changed drastically but he credits God for this change in his life. “The enemy (satan) will still try and push Selassie name inna mi head but mi a stand up pan di word of God and mi conviction,” declares Nicholas.
DJ In The Church:
After his conversion, Nicholas continued his music career - only this time with a different message altogether. This was not an easy feat, as Nicholas was not sure if it was appropriate to deejay in the church. Even though popular dancehall gospel acts such as Papa San and Prodigal Son (who performed recently on Dutch St. Maarten at Xtreme Youthfest), were getting their big breaks on the gospel music scene, there was still a bit of skepticism in the Jamaican church community that exists even today. But Nicholas weighed the pros and cons and decided that it would be OK to deejay in the church as dancehall music was just another form of music. He had top class producer Danny Brownie and ace gospel event promoter Tommy Cowan helping to push him on the music streamline but with little results.
Now however, there is some light at the end of the tunnel for Nicholas, now under the booking management of Radical Communications, the same agent for gospel dancehall phenomenon Calvin “Prodigal Son” Whilby. Nicholas has traveled to two Caribbean islands to minister (Antigua and twice in one month on St. Martin) and he is in demand at shows in Jamaica. He still has a good relationship with Cowan who features him on some of his shows back in Jamaica.
In addition to Nicholas’ music ministry, he desires to be a powerful preacher/evangelist. He recently did a one-year Bible college course at his church, earning the highest test mark of 99/100. He is now contemplating a bachelor’s degree in theology pretty soon. “My heart is not just in music but in ministry. I believe I have a strong calling also for the spoken word not just deejaying but God know what he is doing,” reasons Nicholas. “I realize deejaying is targeted specifically and especially to the young so God knows what he is doing.”
Two of his biggest hits (Vessel and Rhyme Minister) are featured on Prodigal Son’s Recharge compilation CD released late last year. What inspires Nicholas? “God has made me very creative when it comes to writing…I write gospel. My belief is that you have different type of ministers but for me I try to keep it as serious as possible.” He then explains the meaning behind one of his songs Barrier.
“When me say God ‘im mi barrier and mi warrior, a serious thing me a talk. God is a shield, he has built a hedge around us, his angels encamp around them that fear him,” Nicholas explains while effortlessly teaching me a little theology from the scriptures - from memory.
Concerning the response of his church family to, what would be considered his raw, raucous style of relating the gospel message to young people, Nicholas assures that he is well-received. His church family realizes his motives are genuine. “But when they realize that you are a man really with a heart after God trying to please God eventually they start supporting you,” Nicholas says. “You could a be the toughest (Jamaican for most impressive) DJ if they don’t see you as a real man of God (they won’t support you).” Nicholas’ pastor supports him a lot.
Nicholas is looking for great things in the next few years and left to him alone, he probably would give up deejaying to focus on his preaching ministry. But he realizes that it is not his will, but God’s. So he rides with what he has been given to minister to the youth. “Young people are naturally energetic and a look fi something to relate to. So when we offer them something it’s there where they can relate and it also edifies them, equips them...its not just music, it has substance,” notes Nicholas. With this mission in mind, Nicholas continues to ride the tides of life to success in dancehall gospel, reaching the youth in a positive way for His Master, Jesus Christ.
Ride on Nicholas; ride on.
