Rastafari Youth Red I Scorch Keeps it Real
Red I Scorch is a Rasta Youth who stand firm in his beliefs and relentless in calling out Babylon and its injustices. He stands firm in his belief as a Rasta and musician. He uses music to ease the burden of township life and uplift his fellow peers. He never got disillusioned by the trappings of the industry nor got led astray from his way of life in order to ‘make’ it in the industry. His sings a lot about H.I.M and has just released a video for his latest single Nah Limit.
We caught up with him to chat about his musical journey, and here is what he has to say.
Who is Red I Scorch?
Red I scorch is a Rastafari youth from Boikhutso Lichtenburg in the north-west doing reggae music. The name Red I Scorch was inspired by my style of lyric deliverance, I used to spit harsh lyrics and most of the time Rastas would say “man you are fire” so I named myself Red I Scorch, Red representing the fire within, I representing the first Rasta youth to take reggae music as my career in my kasi, and Scorch comes from my birth name Scotchman, I loved it because scorch has something to do with burning and that time Capleton , Sizzla and Anthony B were big fire brands and it inspired me to be fire like them.
At what point in your life did you decide that you would like to pursue a career Reggae?
I’ve always loved doing music from back in the school choirs, kwaito was big then but my interest was reggae because my mother used to collect few reggae cassettes of reggae legends like the reggae king Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Lucky Dube, Burning Spear and Culture. I easily related to it because the music addressed many social ills I faced growing up in the ghetto including poverty. At the age of 18, I picked up a mic at one of the Rastafari gatherings held in Zerust NW, and shared some lyrics with those who were present, I got a lot of attention and appreciation that day, and one of my Rasta brethren Ras Pablo from Mahikeng encouraged me to do some recordings. A few weeks later he took me to one of the small studios in Mahikeng and I did a couple of recordings, from then I decided to live a life of a musician.
What have been your career highlights so far?
My highlight was when I met with Chantty Natural who took me to his studio, Live Wire Records Botswana in 2013 and produced my album First Fire. And recently my trip to Cape Town in September 2016 for the first annual Africa Unite Reggae Sunsplash.
Are you signed to a label?
No, I am independent. I manage my own brand. I like it because I’m in control of all my works. But sometimes it’s not always easy when you are not signed to any label or management. So proper management will do for now.
You always collaborate with Zion code, tell us more about this collaboration?
Zion Code, those are my Tswanshall brothers, I met Zion Code in 2012 at Tshing location Ventersdorp, invited by the group leader Ragga Damdee to do a collaboration on their project called Boom Tune. Gangalee heard the project and offered to Re-do the project at Gangalee productions, so we spent a few weeks in the Vaal working on the project and the relationship between me and the crew grew since then and we still continue to work together. Some of the singles we’ve being releasing are from that project.
You have been collaborating with other artists in the Tswanahall arena, but not with any other artists in reggae, how come?
Most of us who do Tswanshall are in the North West and Botswana and most of our promotions happen around the province. I would love to collaborate with other artists in reggae. I do sometimes perform in Jozi, but then the time is not enough to stay and link up with other artist and do collaborations.
What activities are you involved in outside of your work as a musician?
I participate in agriculture and would love to have my own farm one of the good days. And as a vegetarian I also love cooking, would love to own a restaurant with a stage one day.
What are you currently working on?
My First Fire project is still fresh so am working on video shoots for most of the songs, you know just to make sure that my brand continues to grow, score a couple of gigs around the country. But that can only happen if my works are fully rotating on radio and TV, so that’s where my concentration now making more money.
Which musicians do you draw your inspiration from?
Locally Black Dillinger, Jah Kongo and Skeleton blazer; internationally Lutan Fyah, Capleton, Anthony B and Sizzla.
Which artist would you like to work/collaborate with?
Locally Black Dillinger because he is one of the few artists that continue to do reggae with that real fireful massage by giving praise to Haile Selassie I through the music, fighting against injustices of this world and promoting love and unity amongst people, especially black people he’s just good at what he does.
Internationally Anthony B because I relate to his lyrics all the time while facing poverty in the ghetto, he defends the poor, I listened to a lot of his music he is like my musical teacher.
Which do you prefer; live performances or studio work?
Live performance because I then get to fully showcase my studio works, the fact that people react positively when I perform is inspiring.
How can promoters get in touch with you?
They can linkup on my email rediscorch@gmail.com and directly on my phone number:
+27 799181391 |+27 743507417