After six years of music ministry, Jamaican gospel recording artist, Prince Saj, has been honoured by the cities of Tamarac and Lauderhill in Florida, with the proclamation of Prince Saj Day.
The historic proclamations were made by Mayor Denise D Grant and Commissioner Kicia Daniel. Prince Saj’s ministry was birthed in 2020, when he publicly championed Christ in a local competition. Since then, his reach has stretched into other countries, which has contributed to this historic recognition. Speaking with Freedom Come Rain, he says that when he walked into Lauderhill City Hall, the thought of receiving such an honour was completely unexpected.
“ I turned up at the city hall just thinking that I would just talk to the mayor. The mayor just wanted to tell me that the show was good and just probably share a word of encouragement or something like that. But when I got there, the mayor asked her assistant to show us around. I just thought it would have been that,” he said.
He said that though he spotted a camera, [and] a group of people in the area, he still did not anticipate what would happen next. However, when the knowledge of the events that were taking place became apparent, the emotions started to surface. He recalled that in that moment, he remembered his journey.
“I was very emotional,” he said, “At first I did not think it was real, like am I receiving this, and then I’m thinking to myself that, there I was coming from a place of homelessness, a place of being counted out, a place of neglect, a place of molestation, a place where many persons didn’t think that I would ever turn out to anything, and now I’m in a foreign land, receiving something like this, where they consider every August 27th to be Prince Saj Day, where they would showcase the different things that I’m doing for God and the impact and influence that I’m having on society.”
This proclamation is just the latest of a number of official recognition since the launch of his career. He however says that the driving force behind his ministry and productivity has always been Christ and the initial conviction that fuelled his first steps into gospel music. The 26-year-old also sought to clarify that walking the path of a gospel artist has its ups and downs, and discouraged the idolatry that may come with admiring impactful figures.
“It’s not a perfect life. We are humans, just the same, and many times people would see us and they would think that we too don’t make mistakes or we too don’t have emotions or they just don’t see us as humans sometimes. Sometimes things will happen and persons would be like, ‘I can’t believe this.’ No, the only thing that’s different with us is that we choose to see Christ and God has chosen us to do a particular work. But on a different occasion, we are human beings, just the same,” he said.
He also encourages gospel artists who have not yet experienced a tangible manifestation of gratitude or honour, as he has, to continue working for Christ, as their work is impacting souls, though they may not know it.
“Keep pressing on. You are definitely reaching people…it doesn’t mean that your work is not reaching people or your work is not being applauded or appreciated, “ he encouraged, “You know, sometimes your work impacts people’s lives. They just sometimes don’t come out and share it publicly, but you have impacted someone in some way with what you’re doing.”