“My energy from the time that I walk on stage until I walk off, it’s not a build. My energy will always be up.”
Written by: Tyisha Blade
Award winning rapper Jamequa “Infinity Meec” Blade is a thriving artist who focuses on elevating her career and raising her two children, 7-year-old DeShawn and 3-year-old Storm. Her goals include becoming internationally known as a rapper as well as setting her children up for success. “As long as my kids are doing good in school, I’m OK with that,” she said. “If I could get them into classes [to learn how to speak] Spanish and French, that’s what I would do right now.” The entertainer also says when she’s faced with a challenge, she takes the time to hit the ‘reset’ button. “I know I have a lot of goals that I am trying to accomplish and it’s hard,” she exclaimed. “Sometimes I just let life be life around me. Then, I go reset mentally.”
Infinity Meec grew up with four siblings in her two-parent household. The family resided in East Cleveland on Mann Ave. before moving to Orinoco Ave. She says though she had two parents, the siblings raised each other and she took much of her guidance from her eldest sister. “By us raising each other, our bond became stronger and we are still solid to this day,” Infinity said. She notes difficulties growing up without her biological father in her life. “Even though I had a father figure in my home, I always knew that there was a part of me that was missing,” she said. “A part that I didn’t understand. There were things that only my biological father could help me with. When he got out [of jail] I was 15, then I understood it.”
She started rapping at an early age and says her talent began as a hobby, and later progressed into a career path. Infinity Meec says her younger sister Ri’an Ficklin made the beats drumming on books using pens as sticks to make sound. “I remember practicing with Ri’an when I was younger,” she said. “With [my older siblings] being in [Shaw High School Marching Band], Ri’an just knew she was going to be a drummer.” She says the early beginnings of her rap career were fun and she loved to freestyle.
The entertainer also mentions how music helped her overcome obstacles such as bullying and skin shaming which can be defined as humiliating or criticizing someone because of bodily features. As a dark-skinned African-American girl, her music was her therapy. “I got into a lot of fights [as a child] and becoming a rapper helped me release some of that energy,” she said. “Everybody wanted to be light skinned, and if you were dark skinned you weren’t considered anything of beauty.” Infinity was triumphant; those experiences give her a heightened confidence when she performs. “Now, when I’m on stage, I don’t see [color], I just see me.” She also mentions the tragic 2009 shooting death of her then significant other Louis “Reck” Walton. He was also a rapper whom Infinity greatly admired at the time. “He was hard [with rapping], I ain’t gone hold you,” she said. She used her talent as a coping mechanism to get help through her grieving process after his untimely death. “[Rapping] became something deeper in me when I started losing friends,” Infinity shared. “I couldn’t mourn at home. I couldn’t play my sad songs. Yes, we were young. I had the type of parents who were trying to figure out why I had a boyfriend when I was 16 years old in the first place.” She used writing and rapping as an outlet.
As Infinity Meec currently pursues her rap career, she also balances the busy life of motherhood. She says her two children, DeShawn and Storm love her music although, sometimes they disapprove of the sensitivity of her videos and performances. “Storm saw me twerking one day and she wasn’t on that,” Infinity said. “They do look up to me though, and love that their mother is a rapper.” Infinity Meec’s children recently made guest appearances in her music video “Molly (Baby Momma)” which dropped in August 2021. She says growing up with multiple siblings helped to instill disciplines in her children that keep them connected. “I see many siblings that fight, envy and even poison each other,” she said. “My kids are going to grow up being tight and solid just like me and my siblings are.” She also mentions how she wants an appropriate understanding of her children when they are in vulnerable states. “I wish my parents were more understanding of us,” she added. “[Parents] don’t always realize that children really do have emotions.”
The mother and entertainer has another role: student. She recently enrolled in class at Heart to Heart Health Care Center in Cleveland where she studies to become State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA). She says she previously worked as a home health aide and decided to finally get an official license. Infinity concludes her studies in spring 2023 and is looking forward to completing her state board testing soon.
She recently received her third Ohio Entertainment Award Nomination and performed for the platform’s 10th anniversary award show in November 2022. “It’s a very big deal, and the people who believe in you vote for your nomination,” she said “Realizing where I started from and comparing that to where I am today, I’m like ‘now, we’re rolling.’ I’m getting my credit where it’s due because I’m really out here working.” Infinity Meec prides herself on her vivacious, stiletto-sporting, p-poppin’ performances. She won Best Live Performer at the 2021 Ohio Entertainment Awards.. “My energy from the time that I walk on stage until I walk off, it’s not a build,” she said. “My energy will always be up.” She continues to search for ways to give her fans performances they’ve never experienced. She wants to create memories for her followers every time she performs. “I want them to leave wanting more.”
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