“They were calling families to say goodbye.” Those chilling words now define one of the most transformative chapters in Spice’s life. The Queen of Dancehall has revealed that a near-death medical emergency, which left her undergoing seven surgeries, not only saved her life but reshaped her spiritual journey. Speaking candidly in a new interview with PEOPLE Magazine, the Grammy-nominated star says the experience inspired her deeply personal gospel single, God Don’t Play About Me, marking a powerful new chapter in her career.
In the interview, Spice (born Grace Latoya Hamilton) recounts fighting for her life after suffering sepsis while in the Dominican Republic in 2022. The artist, who was alone on the island at the time, explains that complications from a hernia repair sent her body into septic shock. “One of my intestines opened up and sent my body into sepsis shock,” she told PEOPLE. “They had to cut my body open from top down. My body was becoming poisonous.” Doctors feared the worst as the infection attacked her lungs and organs, prompting calls to family members to prepare for the unimaginable.
Against overwhelming odds, Spice survived what she now calls a miracle. While hospitalised, she recalls hearing her sister play Jekalyn Carr’s gospel song You’re Bigger, a moment she credits with pulling her through. Although she underwent a total of seven surgeries, with the final procedure completed in 2024, the singer says her recovery defied medical expectations. Despite severe skin damage that required a plastic surgeon’s assessment, she healed without skin grafts. “Thanks be to God, my skin grew back to its normal form,” she shared, later adding that even doctors were stunned by how “perfectly healthy” she is today.
That survival story now lives on through God Don’t Play About Me, a worship-driven release that reflects how the ordeal deepened her faith. The Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta star says she now prays more, reads her Bible more, and is more intentional about how she shows up spiritually. For Spice, the song is not a departure but a testimony. With a global platform and a renewed sense of purpose, she hopes fans will not only listen but worship, just as passionately as they sing along to her dancehall hits.
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