Born James Harris in Harlem, New York, Jaquae spent the better half of his formative years with his mother in South Carolina, where he became enamored with the vibrant, southern “crunk” culture that permeated every corner of the country at the time.
Growing up in South Carolina, Jaquae explains how cookouts and local radio were the cornerstones for fun social settings where dancing was a necessity.

Jaquae joined the Hood Presidents Dance Crew at the age of fourteen when he moved back to his native turf in Harlem to live with his father, a former DJ. It was with this group that he got his first taste of the music side of show business, as they toured with former Def Jam signee Jason Fox. Intrigued by the music industry, Jaquae, joined Bad Boy’s infamous street team, which ultimately led to a connection that landed him a touring gig as Fred The Godson’s hype man in 2010.

By 2011, Fred convinced his young excitable hype man to write the hook for a song, which became Jaquae’s own first hit single “Big Booty Judy,” an ode to his ex-girlfriend. Energetic and fun, the song encompassed the NYC hustle flow with a southern bounce that made it likeable to the masses. Over the next year, the song’s growing buzz ballooned to a deafening regional craze. The song earned Jaquae his first radio spin on Power 105 soon after and gained headway with the rest of the world. From that point on, Jaquae was on a mission to further prove himself deserving of the spotlight.