Interview with: LEVI ROOTS
On the 14th of October, Adam Harris and I (Emine Vahib) interviewed Levi Roots, unfortunately this was by phone and not face to face, but i've tried to capture this animated interview in this written review below.
Since his appearance on Dragon’s Den, Levi Roots’ success has gone from strength to strength. With his entrepreneurial achievements in the form of “Reggae Reggae Sauce” still flourishing, would he ever have thought he could walk into Subway and ask for some of his sauce on a Sub of the Day?
Unbeknown to a lot of people Levi Roots considers himself a “musician” rather than a “business man,” telling us that “music always comes first,” having recently released his single — “So out of My Mind” with his album “Red Hot” soon following, Levi spoke to Adam Harris and I, on his success, his amazing stories of playing football in the park with Bob Marley and what inspired him to create the music he writes today.
Levi has collaborated with the likes of Mad Professor, James Brown and Maxi Priest and told us that “music is about learning as you go along.” Levi told us, his favourite collaboration so far has been with Michael Rose of the Black Sounds Uhuru; when they performed at a festival in Germany, 2000, singing Bob Marley’s “One Love” — “a dream come true.”
We questioned Levi on the rumours that he used to play football in the park with Bob Marley in Battersea Park, and it seems that not only is he a talented musician & entrepeneur, but a mean midfielder as well! We were told how he used to “bore” through midfield, with his team members shouting “GWAN LEVI.” Surreal or what?!
Mr Roots explained his most inspirational moment: Brixton, in a crowd of about 10,000 people “jerking” his neck to see Nelson Mandela coming around as part of his birthday celebrations. One of the security guards spotted him in the crowd and asked him inside to sing happy birthday. Levi held the cake, Shook Mandela’s hand, leaving Levi “feeling a warm glow in his palm”.
Lastly, Levi gave any budding entrepreneurs or musicians out there some tips on achieving any kind of success:
1) PLAN: dream, goal, aspiration without a dream there’s no point.
2) PASSION: everybody needs to “see it in your eyes” Levi went on to tell us: “if I cant stand face to face with someone and look in somebody’s eyes and tell them about my dream, then its not passion, I can tell by your eyes, your posture”
3) FOCUS: -future “many youths influenced by peers, TV, other types of media.
Interviewing this inspirational man was animated and lively, there was never an awkward silence in the 20minute’s we spoke for. Levi’s Album is out towards the end of October, go, buy, and see what you think!!
By Emine Vahib
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