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In the days that followed, emotions ran high. Friends and fans mourned a warm, talented woman whose life and career were cut short. In this interview, Cheyna speaks with James, father of Ginoue’s son and her former partner, about their shared history, their child’s grief, the events leading up to her death, and the album he has released in her memory.
This conversation touches on sensitive topics including domestic violence, threats, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised.
Cheyna: Hi, James. How are you doing?
James: I’m fine.
Cheyna: And your son?
James: Jameson is doing fine now. He has been here in Florida with me since February. In the beginning, he was not doing too well. He is still in disbelief about his mother’s passing. Sometimes he has a hard time sleeping.
Cheyna: Do you talk to him about what happened?
James: Yes. We talk about her all the time.
Cheyna: How about you. How are you coping?
James: Ginou was the love of my life and she still is. It is hard to lose someone you love so much.
Cheyna: If she was the love of your life, why were you not together, and how did she meet Valdo Jean, the man who later took her life?
James: Let me explain. We met through her brother, who was my best friend at the time. For three years I went to their house and never met her. One day she was on the front porch writing “chansonette française.” I asked her name. She told me, and from that point on I fell in love. She had a boyfriend then and would not give me the time of day. For a whole year I pursued her without success. Her boyfriend left Haiti for the U.S. and never contacted her again. That is when she finally gave me a chance.
Cheyna: How old were you both?
James: We were 16. We started dating. One day she called and asked me to run away with her because she was pregnant. I told her no. I loved her and saw no need to run away. I suggested bringing my parents to meet her parents to ask for her hand in marriage.
Cheyna: How did that go?
James: My uncle took me. At first they thought he was the one proposing, but once we cleared that up, her mother gave her a choice between me and her. She told her mother she loved her, but she loved me too and wanted to spend her life with me. Her mother said we were too young to marry, but she would take care of the baby while we both continued school. Later we could marry.
Cheyna: Why were you never married?
James: We went back to school, but I decided to pursue music. I formed Original Rap Staff. We were successful. Our song “Bagay Dròl” became a slogan in Haiti when Aristide went into exile. I got a visa to travel to the U.S. and stayed. I kept in contact with her and our son and supported them.
Cheyna: Did you visit them?
James: I did not have a green card, so for five years I could not. One day I told her I was getting married. She did not like it, but she understood it was the only way we would see each other again, so she gave me her blessing.
Cheyna: Did you ever reunite?
James: Yes. After I got my papers, I traveled to Haiti. It was good to be with her and our son, but the trip was cut short when people I had dealt with in the music business put a hit out on me.
Cheyna: Why was a hit issued?
James: They blamed me for Original Rap Staff breaking up.
Cheyna: Were you responsible for the breakup?
James: I left because the people promoting and managing us were working us hard, but we were broke. We had concerts with Wyclef and the Fugees and many successful tours, but they said promoters refused to pay. I got fed up and left. The second time I tried to return to Haiti, another attempt was made on my life. Aristide rushed me out of the country. That is when Ginou told me she refused to lose me. She said to go back to the U.S. and live my life. If it was meant to be, we would reunite.
Cheyna: Is that how Jean Valdo came into her life?
James: Absolutely.
Cheyna: Did you take her advice and move on?
James: Yes. When my significant other was pregnant, Ginou called to congratulate me. Nobody knew. I was shocked. She said she had a feeling. We always stayed in contact. When she met Valdo, she called and said she had met a man who treated her well and she was thinking of moving in with him. Two months later she called again and said he was not who she thought. He wanted her to sleep in all white on Thursdays.
Cheyna: For mystical reasons?
James: Of course. He worships Erzulie and other spirits. She told me she saw him doing magic where things would disappear.
Cheyna: Was she afraid of him? And how did they meet?
James: They met while she was filming “Le Miracle de la Foi.” He was on set. I am not sure in what capacity. He offered her a ride after shooting, and that is how they started seeing each other. She became afraid when he told her he worshiped the devil and that the devil saw her on TV and wanted them together. Ginou believed in God and wanted no part of that.
Cheyna: Why did she stay?
James: It is not easy when someone is controlling you. At first she did not believe him because he never did anything in front of her. One day she called and said that while they were in a car, a group of zenglendos stopped them. They were getting ready to kill them. She said in her heart, “Jezi sove m.” The zenglendos left. That night he told her, “You really believe in God. If you had not said ‘Jezi sove m’ in your heart, I was going to disappear on the spot.” She was shocked he knew what she had said silently.
Cheyna: Why did she not report him to the authorities?
James: He had connections in Haiti. Government. Gangs. Money. He made sure she knew it. He threatened her many times that if she left, he would kill her son and the rest of her family. She loved Jameson too much to risk it.
Cheyna: Did he have a history of violence?
James: Yes, but she found out later. He had been married and had two children. His wife left him 14 years ago and fled to another country because he tried to kill her. He even killed his own sister in the Dominican Republic.
Cheyna: His own sister. What did the family and authorities do?
James: He told his family she was acting up, so he left her there and was not responsible for what happened. After they learned he killed her, nothing could be done because it was outside Haiti’s jurisdiction. He never served time.
Cheyna: Did Ginou come to the U.S. to work at the UN?
James: Yes.
Cheyna: Why did she not use that opportunity to escape?
James: Our son was still in Haiti. She tried many times to leave him. The first time she got a visa, he took it. She had to get another one. Church members sometimes had her sleep at their homes so he would not start a fight.
Cheyna: Did your son ever alert you to the abuse?
James: Yes. He told me one day Valdo was beating his mother, but she fought back and beat him because he has a bad arm.
Cheyna: Then how did he manage to beat her to death?
James: That is why many people thought they had been fighting that day. He waited for December 24, a mystical sacrifice day. He waited for her to fall asleep and then must have delivered the fatal blow to her head.
Cheyna: Did she die on the spot?
James: No. She took her final breath at the hospital. Some people saw him and tried to disarm him, but they thought he had a shotgun. They called the police. He stood over her and continued to hit her on the head and in the eyes. When he tried to flee, they captured him.
Cheyna: A carnival song suggested she was cheating with many men and that is why he killed her. How do you respond?
James: What other defense would a man have for killing a woman in cold blood.
Cheyna: Did you attend the funeral?
James: I was advised not to. Many people told me I could be killed because even in jail he was controlling his gang.
Cheyna: Since her passing, has anyone stepped forward to help with your son’s education?
James: We have received many offers, but nothing concrete so far. I am aware of how many people profited from her death.
Cheyna: I noticed you released your new album independently. Why make that choice?
James: Because I have my son’s future to think about. If something happens to me, I do not want my son to suffer.
Cheyna: Tell me about the album and the timing.
James: I had been working on it for a while. She once suggested a gospel song for me to record, but I could not remember which one. She wanted to work on the album with me. After she died, I pushed to finish it. I wanted the music to communicate what was in my heart for her. That is why I have a song with my son.
Cheyna: Your son sings on the album?
James: Yes. We dedicated a song to her memory titled “Ginou, I Miss.” Overall, the album is for my son too. I hope it is successful so it can help him. The album is called Posse X in Memory of Ginou and has 17 tracks, including “Ginou, I Love,” “Ginou fo m ale,” “Bon Dieu ap Disparèt w,” “Posse X in Your Chest,” and “Yon ti Gagan,” among others.
Cheyna: Thank you for the conversation. God bless you and your son.
James: Thank you. I want to add a message to young women. Do not be taken in by a man’s car or money. Do not jump into anything without finding out more about him. It might save your life.
Final Thoughts
Ginoue Mondésir’s death is a devastating loss for her family, her colleagues, and the audience that loved her. It is also a stark reminder of how isolation, threats, and manipulation can trap victims in dangerous relationships, even when they are public figures with strong support networks. James’s testimony underscores the importance of listening to survivors, taking warning signs seriously, and building systems that protect women and children before violence escalates.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, consider reaching out to a trusted community leader, faith group, counselor, or a local crisis hotline for confidential assistance. Speaking up is difficult, but help and safety planning can save lives. May Ginoue’s memory be a blessing, and may her story move us to protect and uplift those who are at risk.
