Black History in Reggae: The Untold Story of Leroy Scarlett – A Legend’s Journey - Reggae-Hour

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
From producing some of the greatest roots reggae anthems to
pioneering the unmistakable sounds that have uplifted the culture worldwide.
Leroy Scarlet is a name that echoes through the halls
of reggae history, and today we get to hear from
the man himself, his journey, his music, and his vision
for the future of reggae. So before we dive in,

(00:23):
make sure you hit that subscribe button, turn on your notifications,
and get ready for an exclusive, soul stirring conversation with
a true reggae architect. Now, without further ado, Reggae Massive
help me, welcome the legendary, the iconic Leroy Scarlet to
Reggae Hour with mister Elves.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
He will this hoongle know that there is hey, So.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
There's got to fever.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
Were there?

Speaker 3 (01:00):
Don't believe it? Some where are there for me? A
long time? We are telling them to rea love the moments.
There's got to be a bit to wait the better
of life out for me. Help me or got upway and.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Doing much relations and alhol Sometimes I feel like giving up.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
The father said, hold on chid, blessed love.

Speaker 4 (01:36):
Family.

Speaker 5 (01:37):
Welcome back to Reggae Hour, where we celebrate the roots,
the coaches, and the voices that keep the fire of
reggae music alive. Today, we're honored to bring you a
true powerhouse of reggae, a man whose journey started in
the vibran streets of Saint Andrew Jamaica, lifted boxes for
sound systems and chatting on rebeltone, to becoming a celebrated producer,

(01:57):
visionary and the heartbeat of the powerhouse band. He's worked
alongside legends like Gregory, Isaac's, Lyon Robbie and Frankie Paul.
He's built studios, crafted unforgettable tracks, and now he's leading
a band that's not just making music, but keeping the
soul of reggae alive for future generations. Lee Roy Scarlett
is here to share his incredible journey from Music Mountain

(02:20):
Studio to creating albums that honor the legends of reggae,
and to building a band with voices from across the Caribbean.
This is more than an interview, It's a deep dive
into the history, culture, and resilience of reggae music. So
grab a cup of tea like your incensts, and get
ready to reason with what of reggae's true ambassadors. This

(02:40):
is Reggae Hour and it's time to vibe with Lee
Roy Scarlett the Reggae powerhouse Band. Once again, thank you
for joining us, sir. How is your day going so far?

Speaker 3 (02:50):
Right Toms Hans having me so joh, I'm under diego
so far?

Speaker 5 (02:56):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. It's always a blessed day where
you get to ow open your eyes up.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah, every day you writes you have to give times
you don't know, you know, we don't have to be here.
We're so lucky to be here today having this conversation.

Speaker 5 (03:12):
Exactly, especially me, I'm in the I'm in the presence
of a great right now. So once again, I just
want to thank you for everything you have done for
the culture. So let's get into it. But exactly what
you have done so from lifting bosses for for Kilophonic
to creating the reggae powerhouse band, your journey has rooted
a persistence and passion. What was that pivotal moment when

(03:35):
you realize music was your calling?

Speaker 3 (03:38):
Well, honest with you, it started very young. That's about
five six coo. My dad. My dad used to be
like the Chinese used of a game they called Japan
all right, it's like cash put no.

Speaker 6 (03:56):
Right.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah. So my dad used to be like a banker
in the community, so he was a little famous man.
So his friend went away to the state and farmer
and can come back with a little record player. Remember
those look a record player back in the days, right,
Oh yeah, So bring back that record player and bring
back boat. I would say about six or seven records.

(04:20):
And every night I would go with my dad, sit
down with him when he's dealing with persons, I continue
playing the record player and dancing, you know, myself, just dancing, dancing, dancing.
I remember one of the songs, sucking my head until today.
Car you are the first black ead Chinaman. You clear

(04:41):
yourself and tell me where you're from. Prince bos the
Remember the son.

Speaker 7 (04:47):
John stole my bill Longing done give to your china,
MAUI knows he knows that you.

Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, so that's what really started. Yeah, used to dance
a lot, played the club player, and then growing up,
the use of a neighbor have a band called Grassroot Band,
and I used to screech across the fence and go
over there and watch them. And you know, they always
they always come, take the mic, come and take the
mic on free style. Yeah, and then have another neighbor

(05:29):
of a look a song called killer Phony. Yeah. That's
where my real talent come out and killer Phany Yeah. Yeah,
the first time we attempt to actually sorry do a
DJ and the song we did not have a microphone. Yeah,

(05:49):
and this guy by the name of g Mallett, he's
the one who won't kill a phany and the guy
actually take the tweeter and do some form of conversion. Yeah.
So I refer the song back to the Twitter. That's
what I can't hear it, back to the speak about. Yeah.
Oh wow, that was my first microphone bridging. Yes. From there,

(06:14):
we just don't look back then. Reverton is a great
neighbor mine. He always encouraged me whenever time I go
on the song, and I used to be on the
phone and couture rankin a guy named Melvin Iry. Yeah.
We have like three four song systems in the community. Yeah,
so we have access to kill a Manjar or Robert
toon further tour than Killer Funny but Knot. It was

(06:36):
like my own song if you understand me, Yes, that
was your baby.

Speaker 5 (06:41):
That was the first born.

Speaker 3 (06:44):
So whenever time and the song system coming in the community.
I remember there's a song called Kani with Daddy you
RAI first time I'm gonna see you ride them sure
U boat nine year old ten years or something like that.
And when the turn of the soone actually reached the
venue very early, like from about one o'clock, so by

(07:07):
five o'clock the soone string up and start to play.
I watched that U Ri DJ from about six o'clock
that monucause six mixt money. Yeah, in my Nicodemos, and
I said to myself, no one me have to be
a part of this te a lot bit too much,
you know, So keep pushing until I end up on

(07:31):
Killer Manjar. Killer Manjar opens the up as my neighbor
as well, you know, very respectable family in the community. Yeah,
you have to very be a good boy if you
actually linked with the family, because they don't deal with
no farmer rubbish. Yeah. So there mister Noel Alplock, he
used to every Friday night it comes string up a liquor,

(07:52):
two two speaker bags, the that of a shop and
there's one section we have a bar, so Friday Friday
and such an it was tricking up that local system
into the local bar and with us, don't there vibes,
no microphone, just vibing, listening to music and all to
them until one day say good by a song system

(08:13):
and both amount two months right now. Yeah, I didn't
come back and say, you know what, the equipment them
finally arrived to build the song system and we're like,
what was so excited? You know back in the days
speaker box will only make them from see the bully, right,
So we walk in the community, our bud, every first

(08:34):
seeder from every human being, other piece of seeder for
Bill speaker bout. Yeah, Ron Killermanjaro, I remember the first
dancer play. It was so excited. It becomes one of
the biggest machine in the world. I would say, Jamaica. Yes,
so I know, start going around with them. The first

(08:59):
guy who actually old the microphone and Killermanjaro was a
virgin of mine called five. Yeah them time you only
have like you Brown rankin Cheva and I'm you ry
am big you you don't have much artists and time?
What's DJs? So go to dance on five start djam,

(09:22):
start observe five, my dad stun up and the dance
allnight and watch five wrap the crowd. And when I
go on the mon and my dad said to me, listen,
and I don't go into be a box slifter. You
see they're playing the songs, are singing a DJ on
the soone. As I can't go back to no more
dance right this mine, I said to myself, no way, boy,

(09:49):
I have to start doing something. So I never have
the courage to touch the big microphone. I'm very comfortable
and Killer Panic and herbertone, but the Killer Vanjarra never
approached the mic until my Da actually put that odd
on me. Say, you're not going to grow at the backslifter.
You have to be more than that. Yes, So we

(10:09):
have this regional mini get married. Yeah, and there was
a wedding reception. So Killa Manjar playing at the wedding reception.
I was banned from going to that dance. Yeah, my dad,
I had my shoes. I take away my sister shoes. Yeah,
put my force my foot in the speakers. Yeah, go

(10:31):
to the dance. And when I'm in the dancer, stand
up next to mister Apa. Yeah something tell me look
around me, look around my dad's stand up. You drink
a lot, same two any king in one and and
two any king in the next hand, and it like
it barred the way we're supposed to run. If I'm
trying to run, I have to got you in. I said, God,

(10:52):
what I'm gonna do now? Anyway, great, guys, I just
drop a song called whoa Mister Brown's ran? And whoa Brown?

Speaker 4 (11:18):
All right?

Speaker 3 (11:20):
And what that song? Yes?

Speaker 5 (11:22):
Yes, and there I got let's talking about on my playlist.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
That song was playing at the time, and I touched.
I touched, no, well, our pant said give you a microphone,
and it looked at me like what, yes, give it
a microphone, you know on what's my life is at
stake right now? Yeah? So you finally give you the
microphone with us smile yeah, and then flip over the

(11:46):
record and I start to DJ free miss in my
general lcom Oh it was so funny. I watched but
just shaking head and just walked back into the audience. Yeah,
so don DJ about two three hours the night when
I go on the MONE and then say, hell, you

(12:07):
got to go down stow So I'll give my father.
I will if he credits, because if he never do,
that might be able to still be about sit Yeah. Yeah,
I would say that that pushed me to do what
I need to get done. Wow.

Speaker 5 (12:24):
Yeah, I mean it's every father's dream of what I
see their child make it.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
And he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

Speaker 5 (12:31):
So thank him for us, you know, because without her,
we wouldn't be every where we got the date. Growing

(13:07):
up around those big sound systems and those big artists
in those days, I know, you learn plenty of lessons
from them as a youth. Like with some of those
lessons that you learned besides Brazilian.

Speaker 3 (13:19):
Boy, the most important one yeah, yeah, for patience. Yeah,
because sometimes it will stand up and persons using the
mic for three four or five six hours and you
get frustrated and walk away and you lose your chance. Yeah,
So patience was the key card for me. Yeah. Even

(13:40):
when Killermanjaro, Killermanjaro got your big process, before it becomes
a monster song system, it was like a community vibe
with are you sing? Other community? I try establish their
talents and stuff like that, you know, so when it
becomes the monster. So no, we only until oct nine o'clock,

(14:05):
the longest. You have a guy named dirty and learned
it's perfect, never refised. Check it out.

Speaker 5 (14:31):
Yeah, you hear that, and you know, it's a lot
of people that join in. It's it's this famous saying
that you know, you start off with a hundred people,
but at the very end, you only have those tin
that's left, and even out of those tin is only
going to be five great and those are the ones
who have that patience. You have that resilience and that
perseverance in order to be able to make it to
the final finish line. And I know that that was

(14:54):
like all on your mind as you hit your different milestone,
such as you were act Music Mountain. Your time at
Music Mountain shape your understanding of reggae's presence and production.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
Correct Music Mountain, do a lot for me, do a
lot for me. But before I reach Music Mountain, I
consider myself very very very lucky. George Nooks and I
we used to go to school, and every evening George
Nooks leaving school. You know, George, I always pick up

(15:26):
something and we have to walk. I have to walk
about a mile and a half to my home from school.
You have to walk like six miles to reach his hose.
So I make sure every day I'm outside the gate
waiting on him, because it's just lyrics from a leave
the school in DJ in e DJ straight to his
house get me. So him really inspirement big time. And

(15:54):
then you have a dj A by the name of
Big Joe. It's a community guy as well, and you general, general,
where have you been? So Big Joe come in the
community and blink up killer panic and were like wow,
you know driving his rental car. Look you know me

(16:17):
said no, I need somebody's life. Told me that a
cousin of mind coming from the state and you know,
building a studio and and need me to come and
live by the house. But so we lived there about
two years before we actually build Music Mountain. Yeah, so

(16:37):
during the back and forth put down some great dance
and killer Manjaro with the support of mister Noel Arp himself.
You know when I've reached Music Mountain now it's like
a super blessing. Yeah. I went there and there was
an artist by the name of Glen Ricks. I don't
know to know Glen Ricks.

Speaker 5 (16:56):
Not familiar with them, but I'm definitely check him out.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
Mama Anji, the best Rockford family family East Kingston's pick up.

Speaker 4 (17:04):
Every time Glen Rick says suns.

Speaker 3 (17:15):
Wrong things into the Glenrix was there and I was like, yeah,
they tell me Glen Ricks. I'm actually one of Glen Ricks.
I don't really know Glen Ricks, but I see they're
taking pictures because my cousin full Rose Rice and Glenn
was driving one of the Rose Rice back and top
in the in the grass and taking pictures and I'm
like okay, and I'm there watching. So they roll off

(17:38):
the hill and going to Barronly Studio and in three
mile and I was pat home. You have a grand
piano in the ols, and I said to myself, I
have to learn to play this thing because I love
to try. You get me out of got to Yeah.
So the same time, you have this big teap RECRD
and we're putting shortly remember them tape recorder right, yeah,

(18:02):
the bo So I put it next to the piano
Michigan and smileing of a song no more Upton down't down,
so Shabars well down. And I'm feeling out the keys.
I'm feeling out the keys, yeah, until I finally find
the baseline. Yeah. And I started a bloom boom boom

(18:25):
boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom, yeah,
and then just stuck in my head. Now so after
I find that key, no, I'm gonna start figure out
now what next? Yeah, so I'm gonna started it now
now now yeah, recording and and I was singing a
cover version song and the reading I remember exactly the

(18:47):
song I was singing. So any way, I recorded, my
cousin came home and I played Fame and I'm like, what,
I'm gonna be a studio. I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'm gonna be a student and don't worry, man, just
gonna work of think. I'm gonna say about to school

(19:08):
and I'm gonna build a studio And like, okay, all right,
So while you're saying that, every weekend, I have to
go find kill a Manjara away ever the song plane
Oh wow. So I'm back and forth from the house
to all the dances with Killer Manjaro. All right. In
the process of doing that, now he said he's ready

(19:31):
to do the studio. So we have this massive piece
of land next to the hoase. It's a residential zone.
We're not supposed to build a studio in that zone.
But you get away with it, and the guys start
pushing down the lever with a tractor and the guy
gets sick. As I said to you, I love to

(19:52):
try stuff. I used to be on the tractor with
him every day because I want to see what I'm doing.
I want to learn everything what you're doing. And I
see the truck tell him. And then there's a couple
of days he miss it, and then we'll find out
it's sit bad. And my cousin starts, a boy, you
know that place need to finish. It's supposed to finish
from the last two weeks, and I say, yeah, first thing.

(20:16):
The next morning, I go in the track down. I
remember everything that man do and I started starts up
the machine and I start pushed on the land. When
you wake up and up, I'm moored on the land
with the tractor right about two three o'clock in the
day because I'm man with sleep most day and hoping

(20:39):
the night time when you come outside it come on,
sit on the truck down and said to me, you
sop melicin, you're tapping it to something else. It's something
about you. How you know for do this? I'm gon
tell them I don't sit and learn. I'm not the
brightest guy. But I'm very clever. Yeah, I catch on
to things very easily the next day. But finish it,
and finish it. You start at the material matia start

(21:01):
coming and we'll start. We're working on that. Strew the
day and night, motivated day and night, two o'clock, mixing concrete,
taking cement, carrying bricks on the It was odd, but
you know what, we'll get the job done. Reached the
pinnacle pine to finishing. I have an accident with a car.

(21:26):
You have a Cadillac and we used to use a
Cadillac carr cement. So I have to drive back from
the student to the house because he's gone on and
leave the car. And I said, I'm not leaving the
car in the room right, drive the car or bomb
the lights to go up on the car. Accident, whole
lot of car front, you know. I tell my friend

(21:48):
go and tell him that the car crash because I'm
so scared what it was going to do to me.
And he come down and he gets readal mad box me.
I never get backside that in my little life.

Speaker 5 (22:01):
Oh wow, yes, safe to say he was mad.

Speaker 3 (22:08):
That my own life. Manne they hold on to me
and anyway, as trubble and I get away from him
and I said, boy, I'm not going back near this
mining them, So I run away and head back to contry.

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Speaker 4 (23:36):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (23:36):
Wow? And back on Killer manchar and up and down
with a so and I get it more, getting better better,
bettam better, you know, but coming up to one here, No,
since I leave the studio something, tell me let's go.
But I can apologize on cum say you know it's

(23:57):
a ear or no, it might be cool off, you know,
not upsetting any more. So I went back scared, like
Helen has a very serious man.

Speaker 6 (24:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (24:08):
So when I went back a while, I was telling
the boy and was tired and work and blah blah.
And she said, okay, I understand, I understand. Yeah. She
said he's sleeping now, but we'll tell him that you're passed. Yeah.
And she gave me the number for the old landline
and she said Carlas. I said, okay, I will call him.

(24:30):
So I call him in the nighttime and then tell me, hey,
where are you? And I said, I mean, I mean
Conte younger at the moment by my auntie. But we're
doing it younger. You need to find use for your yard, okay, boss,
So jumping a taxi. Yeah, and just ed woman back
in the studio when I went there a studio opening

(24:53):
with Jimmy Cliff. Jimmy Clif come and blessed the studio.
That was a blessing. Trust me, that was something boy.
I will have some fun. I big you Voocanan was there, Yeah,
Tapa Zuki was there. Yes, wow opening the studio. Yeah.
So yeah, after the opening opening a shooter. Aw, then

(25:17):
people start coming over for bookings. Should start get really
really busy, people from all over the globe that books
shoot the time for the studio. Yeah, so all right,
I said, I said to myself, why what am I
going to do in the meantime, because really, actually you
tell me I'm going to be a shooter for me
to sing. So I'm waiting for my time. Yeah, my

(25:40):
time now not coming at us. Say stay patient. Yes,
I get really frustrated. Yeah. And one name and come
up and said to me, all right, this is such
that we're going to do some work in the studio.
That's okay, cool, I'm looking forward to that. Yeah. So

(26:02):
the started dot com the go inside and the engineers
sitting inside it. He went downstairs, Lee rest I think
it's a love the way lee Rest. So my first
song I actually try to sing agree, I immediate lee
Rest because I'm good at that as well about good imitator. Yeah,

(26:23):
so I imitated the rest. I put on too vook
And when he come here, he said to the engineers,
a Les Martins here. The guys said no, put it
on the book, say you're lying. And it was so excited,
more even more excited than me. But anyway, we're put

(26:44):
on the tour book and not seeing that up and
again they're just there. I bring the little guy who
was a windscreen wife on the street. You take him
up the streets, and I bring him to the show
that introduced him to him and he actually to release
a song with a guy in a week put in
an every radio station, come a life. So happened to
my son exactly? Then who happened to me? Yeah? And

(27:06):
the famous rated DJ Barritte. Everybody excited one ship Bog
and that song. Oh wow, we'll get me really frustrated.
I said this, ma, I'm working against me. Why is
this so continue?

Speaker 4 (27:21):
Go on?

Speaker 3 (27:21):
Go on till you know boy Judge turn up at
a studio one night. Yeah, I never know it was
boy Judge. Yeah, I don't see this man dress real funny.
So I go on the intercom and column answer some
some dudes here from London, you know. They look like
boy Judge and they're like, yeah I expected him. He
come up and boy George tyroon down and from Babmarl

(27:44):
and the Wheelers did you book then? And there chatting, chatting,
chatting and yeah. But I'm trying to hold it as
much as possible. So boy Judge come, they do the thing,
they shoot a video. Yeah, boy Judge, leave back to London. Yeah,
he recording all kind of people. Jim Riley coming down,

(28:05):
our master fits Toots and I'm sitting there watching everything.
You know, he says Tom. I said, when am I
gonna get to live? So it happened that Slyer Rabbi
now book the studio, the Black Book, the Studo for
like six months, and every time they come, I will
run to the car, take out the jump machine, carry on,

(28:25):
Rabbi bess guitar, go to the shop by food to them,
cook the food and just hung out with them. To
me a rabbi shicks getting really close and they started
teaching the business. There was doing the album with I
ain't come mostly at the time, so I said to him,
I said, boy, I seem like these people showing my
more love, more than my own family. So stick around

(28:46):
sling rabbit every day, every day around them until one
day Rabbit said to me, listen, you're ready to put
on some vocal I'm gonna say yeah. I say yeah,
kind of not sure. Yeah, come and get frustrated now
and then listen, ma mel get the ship my book.
I should the field for the whole day they us
go and put on some vocals, and that it did

(29:08):
not let me use music mountains book dynamic song it
because was doing some mixing and music mountains right and
to the time start run three four guys the vices
song before me. And then I actually advised my first
song called Murder.

Speaker 6 (29:27):
This is a music I murder on our way hill
to our farming in a Jamaica. Why it's so read
and make so read and makes makes that.

Speaker 4 (29:42):
I will show them that we show them murder murder, murder, murder.

Speaker 9 (30:00):
Yeah, the taxi labor to READIM splash, I don't ever
see that youth because wish to trying that.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
Yes, yes, definitely, A whole deal was on the track
and cattur half fine. A portion of people is a
compilation called to wadom clash. Anyway, I went back home.
Did not tell my cousin what I've done, Yeah, because
I seemed like interested in my think, So don't tell

(30:32):
him nothing. Right. One day we had the studio, the
radio on and the son come on, and I started
play and then started to say, you us call it
London Star rubbery laborer. I see him look around, I
mean like when you do that looking attention to my boss. Yeah,

(30:54):
And I said, boy, sorry one, and I apologize and
I said it's studios, Yah, where did you want to
It was a dynamic, so on him said why a
good dynamic? This is because you never have time for me.
You have time for everybody else. Upset me exactly, And
I can't see him fearbad. But I was very happy,

(31:15):
yea very happy. So no slayer, Rabbit becomes my friend,
Rabbie becomes my super meant as Rabbit turn up, Rabbi
would turn up studio Hurley like Hurley, and Rabbi would
sit me down for a part of five minutes and
reason with me, as I look at you teaching me

(31:35):
the business. He tells me that his whole life story
or he started boy been through the gangster team and
music saving. Yes, so we have that pecial band may
rubbish experience. Yeah, it really hurted me even speaking about here,
but life goes on. Talk about you, you know, but

(31:56):
my brain just go blank speaking about him. Yes, I
do another song I was starting. So we're gonna work
on Harbor. He went away to the state. I tell him,
when him come back, he must bring me a master tape,
the twenty four and so what are you gonna do
with it? He said, I want to be like you?

(32:16):
He said, I want to be like you. And I
said to Pan, said, you know what I always observed
you idolize you and Rabbis ShakespeRe them too many is
my high count? I said, okay. He went away to
the state to come back. He bring me the twenty
four tuck tape and I said, what you bring me

(32:37):
the twenty four chuck tape? When when him bring the
tape for me? He was working on Blackpool album as sure.
It was a solidarity album, one of them album that
was working on with black and there was quite busy,
so I know, trying to get some really money tea
to do my team. So I went to Tyron down
it as a keyboard player about money. He was our neighbor,

(32:57):
and he tells me, all right, I'm gonna play some
trucks you so Tyro and put them together at his home.
And then who got the student and dub the mouth
And there was a guy called Chapa John from Blood
Fire Pussy. He's a keyboard player. Yeah, that tell her,
I am blessed Particimarly, you need to get your own labor.
I said, I don't know. I don't know nothing about libor.

(33:19):
I don't know where to go, what to do, and
so don't worry yourself. And he takes me to our
bridge in it's Calfronto. Yeah, okay, mommy, I'm pression plant
when they do the labors, so boom there comes my
first record label, car Reality to record. Yeah, that was
my first labor, Reality to record. Start. My cousin not

(33:46):
payming on mining. And I'm moving like a new player.
I can tell you that. So when I get the
labor now. And the funny thing is is friends is
my biggest support. Yeah, this is Bona Fire Bdrid his friends. Yeah,

(34:06):
and then both to Rubby and I said, yeah, I
get two trucks, and him saying, yeah, that's a good man.
And I'm saying the rest of the spears and the
I'm gonna put on the rest of trucks and pull
the tape reading trucks. Yeah WOWO. When Gregor walk in
the studio in just in common scarlet, it's a scarlet

(34:28):
come in. Momi introduced to Greg Gregory and the cinema
whatever we can do for album album Approach the street.
Take him car was a rough kid, you know, grew
up in the streets at Jamaica. Is not in the
better rules to get man who was right in the
art of one of the Wikness lecture Jamaica ever seen. Yeah,

(34:50):
just come out height and Edding in the early eighties
and Gregor said, yeah, man and good man from running around.
I'm good, all right, cool, so bomb. My job is
take the thingdom out of the car, put them in
a studio. When they finished, them back in the car.
If then want anything of the Glost store, I go buy.

(35:11):
Let them want food to cook, I'll go buy and
come back and cook. Yeah. So they love that. So
one year Gregor asked them to go get some stuff
at the shop. You go get it, come back, steam
some fish and crackerd Steme and he was like, from
now on, every time it's a minute, let's make sure
you have cooked some hot and he went away the week.

(35:38):
He went away on the Friday, and he come back
to Jamaica. We'll think about the Thursday. And they said
to me, so whatever, ready minute and have the mana
master diff studio. The engineer puts it down and they
sang the first song from the song called Lo the
Tear Drugs goes Melloly. Yeah, yeah, oh man, that's history

(36:17):
right now. They've done that song. The sentiment there haven't
link her with Dennis Brown put the manager as well,
Oh what so I get in some problem on the street.
You don't know the street vibe youngster vibe and Gregor
sent to me and listen they have a passport. Well know,

(36:38):
i's it tomorrow. I'll come link here. That's at the
bassbort beature. I give the money and stat of the bassport.
That's how I end up with a bassport that was
a gradu.

Speaker 4 (36:51):
Oh wow.

Speaker 3 (36:53):
We're going on a tour in the Caribbean and he
take me with him and I meet Dennis from front
the all the Greats, introduced him to all the greats
and then still with it for the time. He don't
answer Jamaica right now, so stay away from about four

(37:15):
months speading into five, get really frustrated on board. Mhm,
come back in Jamaica hid from him until the final Tamir,
Yeah you don't listen. I'm the idea is, yeah, I
don't want you down the street to Jamaica. Somethe telling
I changed my wheels and try for us, live with
people and don't forst on All right, that's where I'm

(37:38):
going on and then it's wrong. Come no one and
put them on a truck to make our rude? Boys?

Speaker 4 (37:43):
Are you know where to.

Speaker 6 (37:46):
Your skin is gonna better?

Speaker 5 (37:49):
You think you're a japion and way to legend.

Speaker 3 (37:55):
You went to your mother loser you just yeah, I'm
Frankie Pa do a sung for me? Wonderful romance su

(38:16):
my lo time kill I myself? Look you farm you

(38:37):
my cousin on one side, did not even paying me
no mining at the time of them. Time you have
brist druns in the studio recording album with Grace. Yeah
he done the boy char steing me done done. Just
looking at just looking at the big names.

Speaker 5 (38:53):
Yeah, exactly, and not realizing that you're building the future.

Speaker 3 (38:57):
Yeah, so happened. That's I finished some work, meet a
couple of giants from all over the place as producer,
and the record companies. I find out total license stuff
and get paid, and that this what is done to
me producing distruck me from being an artist. Yeah, from
the time I start producing and never ever go in

(39:20):
the studio and try to do something with myself, right
until I found the band of reggae Paul's band the
first album and have problem with the artists them, And
I said to myself, why am I going to so
much struggle with these artists? And I can't do this.
I know I can do this. Sag Bam, do a

(39:40):
collaboration with Black Euro Yeah for the album, and then
I do like four more singles on the album. This
album is Yeah. And then I said to myself, for Noah,
I'm gonna start doing this. I'm gonna start doing this
because you know, I had to deal with the artists then,
and plus I have a lot of unfinished my t

(40:02):
yearal with Greg Grey. I still have songs with Greg Grays.
I couldn't release them, and Dennis Brown, Oh wow, till
this day. Yeah, two years ago I put a tribute
album called Tribute to the Legend with Greg Gras, Dennis Brown,
and Frankipaul. I don't have to see the album.

Speaker 5 (40:20):
Oh yes I did.

Speaker 3 (40:22):
I did, And I'm just wondering, how did that?

Speaker 5 (40:24):
How was it unearthing all of those relics, those treasures.

Speaker 3 (40:30):
Well, vising them over the years and just have the tape.
Once upon a time, the business gets so bad. Vinyl
wasn't selling anymore. Yeah, the business get real shaky, right,
the vinyls them store up, Yeah, and set to myself.
One day I'll find a way to, you know, use
them up. So I start using them up and start

(40:51):
the collaboration to them. Yeah, have a collaboration coming to
Greg ra right now. Yeah, I don't want to Locian.
I was number two with the charts in France. No
number four. What's number four? So I just stop yet
more attention to me right now? Exactly exactly. I'm trying

(41:11):
to tell these kids that ages that's a number. Yeah,
it's all in here, brother. I feel like I'm sixteen
year old right now, and I'm giving it to that. Yeah,
don sail anyway. They take me. I'm beer exactly, you know,
I'm just don't watch mege, don't watch me ed.

Speaker 5 (41:32):
Facts facts right, because even you, you found a way
to be able to honor reggae ruts and still incorporate
fresh elected sounds which are banded with diverse members, Like
how where is the idea and that where does the
motivation come from?

Speaker 3 (41:49):
The inspiration? To be honest with you, I'll never stopped,
and I'm always trying to find ways to come out
bad situation. You know, it's all ways, don't cure about
the situation. Yet always to myself. You know, I can't
jump over that fence. I'm coming to that be okay,
you get me. So I always try to create and

(42:11):
do different stuff because right now I'm speaking to you,
I'm in the middle. I write in a book. Yeah
it's my whole is true with reggae music, dancehall on
the street, and it's just me something to read when
it comes.

Speaker 5 (42:26):
Oh, we definitely got to make sure we get a
copy of it and there's.

Speaker 3 (42:29):
Some to read, something to read when it common. Yeah,
name it is in it. I have Grace Jones in
it because I have a history with Grace Zones. And
my cousin music Mountain. Oh, we don't have enough time,
and it seems like I'm about you die.

Speaker 5 (42:46):
We have another interview for that one right now.

Speaker 3 (42:50):
Listen. I I live it. I seen it all. Yeah,
I don't done it all, but I've seen it all.
I've seen the jogs, I've seen the crime. I see
name it to seeing that, the music, the street, the politicians,
the Old nine Yard, I've been through it. Yeah.

Speaker 5 (43:10):
Theill reflects to your music. How do you make sure
that that music always keeps on the tradition of advocate
for like social justices and liberation and topics of that nature.

Speaker 3 (43:22):
To be honest with you, I like the roots part
of it. I love the message side of the music,
like right now Lucia and is my my everything right
now because the kind of words his speak I sing
from his mouth very power. I'm more into that more

(43:42):
than the looking street stupidness. I can't go stupid. Yeah,
but I love consciousness. I have a singing by the
name of easy Be living in London. I put on
an album with him called Prophecy.

Speaker 4 (44:01):
No we can't, We can't.

Speaker 3 (44:12):
And if you listen to the album, it's some spiritual
concial songs on the album you can't.

Speaker 6 (44:20):
Ww let's see we kidd moscow down, we kids go down.

Speaker 3 (44:29):
So the other day it comes to Jamaica and we'll
leak over our song. He come with the idea, He
come with the song and he said to the lead
him saying, no, so we have one problem. So what
is the problem? He said, this world people, we as
a people will have a problem, and we don't seem
to notice the problem. Awi hm hmm, wow, yeah, chancelve

(44:52):
the problem and the problem Awi, exactly. I love it.
That's me. The man said, oh, no, one make it's
on a wire to make peace. It's one of the
most powerful lyrics I hear in a long time. And
man him, come together our composer song right now in
the process of mixing right now that song is the
words in the song is super powerful.

Speaker 5 (45:16):
Right.

Speaker 3 (45:17):
I love the message part because right now that you
the last Yeah, because it's teaching the monument the young artists.
They're promoting crime and sex right now, that's all they're promoting.

Speaker 5 (45:28):
Exactly exactly, like what messages do you want to the
generation to actually understand and start not only just promoting boom,
you know, actually living.

Speaker 3 (45:40):
We cannot forget our roots where we are coming from.
Don't ever forget marcaus Garbaboub Mali. Yeah, yes, yes, don't
forget our roots. It's very important. Okay. So if you
don't have our roots, the teacher you both, what you're
gonna teach them about going and sex every day? To

(46:01):
our people to leave a girl, bod? Come on, what's
in that exactly? You know? If we don't get some
conscious youth back into the music, I'm pushing them real
odd to make the message to their alive. I'm sorry
for the next generation.

Speaker 5 (46:20):
Are there any artists that you see coming out now
that probably dabbling dance all but try to keep the
roots message and dance all

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Black History in Reggae: The Untold Story of Leroy Scarlett – A Legend’s Journey

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Black History in Reggae: The Untold Story of Leroy Scarlett – A Legend’s Journey