Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Shawn 'Revelation' Baccas, gospel singjay. - CONTRIBUTED
Revelation knew he was born to serve the Lord. Shawn 'Revelation' Baccas' mother, Sonia Baccas, had a vision while he was in her womb. She saw an angel stretching a baby towards her and that baby was Revelation.
"THE SKY was my bed and the cloud was my sheet. The Holy Spirit told her that I was a gift from God and that I would go through some rough times making decisions," said Revelation.
Revelation had his own visions from six years old, when he saw himself walking with angels and fire coming from the sky. He even got into trouble with his father, Silvester Baccas, as he would often fall into trances, oblivious his father's commands.
Revelation says the strangest thing that happened to him as a child was sitting on his mother's coal stove, sparks flying in his eyes, without being burnt. "These visions and these happenings proved to me that I'm supposed to serve God to the fullest," said Revelation.
BIGGEST OBSTACLE
However, the biggest obstacle he faced was in the Good Book. Despite his choice of name, he was very afraid of the Bible's final book. "I feared the name Revelation, then I got interested in it and started reading it. I felt the power and the spirit while reading," he said.
Revelation attended Tarrant High School and has five brothers. His father was a jockey, and although that was the path intended for him by his family, he chose the Lord's way. "I'm afraid of the horses, plus I was always about God," said Revelation.
In 1999, he was baptised at a Penwood Church of Christ crusade in Waterhouse, the church he often visited before his rebirth. Years later, the Holy Spirit told him that he had the gift of music and he started writing and singing as a gospel singjay. At the dawn of his music ministry, the name Revelation also came to him.
"Singing is a gift and I use it to minister to people. The name just come to me, Revelation, because I was the chosen one. Who the Son set free is free indeed. Why fight it out? The name just stick to me and so I stick with it," he said. The wrote the songs Preach The Gospel and War, both of which will appear on his album to be released early summer 2006.
VIBE
"I have experience in performance, so I have a vibe. I have that experience, so I know what to say to let the people move. I know what to do," said Revelation.
His first recording was at home in Waterhouse, at Studio Mix. He went on to Glory Music and is now signed to APS (Anointed Praise Station) Production. With APS, he recorded Praising Non-Stop and Pray on a compilation album to be released this year.
He has performed at concerts and youth fellowships across the Church of Christ churches, at the Stony Hill Church of God Stage Show, Prayz House in Kingston and in Mandeville.
'PRACTISE WHAT I PREACH'
But the chosen one had obstacles in singing his ministry. "It takes money to do the music; you need equipment and links. Only 50 per cent of the people like what I do, so I have a little problem at my church. I am not perfect, but I try to practise what I preach. It's not when you fall you sin, it's when you don't get up back. It's tempting out there because people still ask me to come and select, but because I'm doing God's work I can't go and they think I'm being mean and that I have no love," said Revelation.
"People say we are wrong to turn gospel music into dancehall. But I tell them it's not dancehall, it's a radical music. Mi just use mi raw voice and get the message across," said Revelation.
