General B, good Samaritans helping Jakes build a home

Dancehall veteran General B has teamed up with an old friend and philanthropist Andrew 'Natia' Burger to provide some much needed assistance to 'Jakes', the common-law husband of popular TikToker, Rosalee.

After the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) took the children on September 18, following an "ongoing investigation of alleged abuse by the kids' mother", Jakes set out to build a house with desperate hopes that his children would be returned to him soon. After hearing his cry - and side of events - supporters from across the world tapped in to assist. For General B, who, hails from Seaview Gardens, where Jakes resides, the support and love came from a place of sharing a "family-like bond".

"When mi really check it out deep is like a family thing because a Seaview mi come from and mi realis seh him [Jakes] madda and me a good friend and [members of] him family a people weh mi grow wid. And my brethren (Burger) who a help him, also comes from Seaview Gardens. Dah place deh change mi life suh is nice fi jus be a part of supm weh a change back somebody life," the deejay told THE STAR.

General B described Jakes, given name Damion Baker, as a "trying youth" whose inner-city life challenges him to search hard for opportunities, and for this particular one, he believes the pressure is greater because it's aired publicly. He expressed hope that Jakes will receive nothing but the "happiness he desired for himself and his children".

Though the artiste clarified that he's not responsible for funding the materials for the building of the house, he oversees the operations and personally assists with the daily "run-ins and spontaneous spending on the grounds" as well as a flood of new "gifters (TikTok supporters) who used my platform to give Jakes whole heap more money than he expected".

He explained that Burger, who now resides in Canada, operates an online programme called 'Natia Lifestyle' in which he assists the less fortunate. After seeing the heart-rending story of Jakes, he was moved to help.

"Him just ask me to be the face of it and mek myself present as an artiste and represent on my social media live fi garner more supporters and mek di people dem and even other artistes know waah gwaan," said General B.

Burger told THE STAR that he was touched by Jakes' story because he is a family man as well. So far, he has purchased blocks, cement, steel, sand and other material for the house, as work is currently under way.

While the children remain in State care and the good Samaritans join forces to help reconnect them with their families, Jakes, who admitted that the situation has left him restless and distraught, is adamant on doing "whatever it takes" to get back his children.

"My focus now is my pickney dem...CPFSA want to know seh dem deh somewhere safe, and we a get a relative fit enough to keep them until the rest sort out," said Jakes.