He is only 27 years old, but already JABALANCE -- the conscious youth from the hills of St. Ann -- has made a name for himself as a promising newcomer to the roots & culture genre of reggae. With a new 14-track album to follow his single releases on the More Life Productions label and with smash performances at shows and clubs across Jamaica, JABALANCE is taking the reggae world by storm.

Born Lance Dehaney, January 10, 1985 in Port Antonio, he moved with his parents to St. Ann, where he attended Marcus Garvey Tech High School. The family home moved to Savannah-La-Mar, and he attended Savannah-La-Mar High school.
It was there that his love of music began, at around age 14. JABALANCE says he and his friends would ‘beat desk’, making rhythmic beats on their school desks over which they would rap lyrics. These informal sessions were held during lunch hours for a growing group of enthusiastic school friends, but sometimes when their popularity with fans cased performances that extended into school time, JABALANCE would often be taken out of class as punishment.
At the encouragement of his student fans, JABALANCE performed at school concerts and fair days, gaining more experience and popularity. His first big break came at the 1999 Bling Dawg Summer Hype, held in Portland. JABALANCE, then only 16, was backstage when Fancy Cat recognised him, knew his talent and invited him to come on stage. “At first, the response was slow,” says JABALANCE of that moment, “but as the song continued, the response grew until by the end I knew I had done OK and Fancy Cat could feel good about calling me up.”