Brush1 ready and radiating for carnival

Self-proclaimed ‘The Road Marshal’, Brush1, has for long known that Caribbean music was set to be the blueprint to his career as an entertainer. Mapping out a musical adventure was always the interest of the young Portland-born-and-raised boy, named Romario White, and, as such, he started the first expedition into a studio while still in primary school.

“I can’t even sing much less tell you one line from the song I recorded when I was around 10 or 11 years old ... and, to this day, there is this one bredrin inna Portland who reminds me of the song every time we come into contact with each other. It’s that type of love and respect that kept the dreams alive,” Brush1 told The Sunday Gleaner.

Being the professional talker he is, the emcee, radio personality, disc jockey and recording artiste did not stop sharing there. Like many young men of his generation, the desire to become an artiste was a burning one for Brush1, but his transition to high school forced him to pack away the childhood dreams, he said, even though he was surrounded by music.

Brush1’s journey with various genres of music has led him to having a successful career in a short space of time. His voice is the first noticeable thing about him. “I’m a talkative one, but I listen twice as much,” he chimed in as the conversation hit the topic of transitioning from commanding the audience over the microphone and playing music to being the voice on some of the tracks he and fellow disc jockeys would select in a dance.

He said, “You know that Kenny Rogers song that goes, ‘ you’ve to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away …’? Well, all this time my mother a play it, me think is about playing cards but I learnt it’s more than that. In life, you have to know when to stand your ground, versus compromise, and when to listen more than you talk. I may have put down certain things for other things, but I knew I was destined for great things.”

After moving to Kingston, he quickly established himself as one of the names to book on the college circuit, not only in dancehall sessions but for events like the annual UWI Carnival. Three years ago, he stepped back into a studio space with the production of Doukie Bounce, which started out as a dance he did on stage but transformed into a collaboration with dancehall acts Kacique and Kemar Highcon, “and this reignited the artiste flame from years ago, even though I was not taking it serious”.

More recently, the soca track titled Shell It Down, with Elephant Man, has been garnering the attention of a different audience.

“Sometimes we tend to feel like fish out of water but here comes a whole other genre of music with so many rules, so this is a different ball game. I mean I get nervous and feel like an imposter in the music, but I feel as though, if I love something and stay dedicated to it, I can sail the distance successfully,” he shared.

Brush1 is now in high demand on the carnival scene not only as the ‘road marshaling’ disc jockey and emcee but as a performer. He has already travelled to Trinidad, Germany, France, Italy, and St Vincent, representing for soca music this year.

“Europe was a passion project for me to make more of an intimate connection with persons in the industry outside of my comfort zone. I went on to discover the dancehall and soca communities in Germany and France and, to see how it is still growing, ... people who don’t speak English can sing a Vybz Kartel or a Bunji Garlin song word for word with all the slangs.”

He said that although the flame was lit, there was always a need to fan it a little, to make it blaze. The disc jockey explored more of his passion through planning events like Place Hot B, now known as Tanned, and he has recognised his purpose in becoming ‘The Road Marshal’. Next week Wednesday, he will co-host his first major carnival event.

“Here we are once again, caught up in the scene, in love with the music, and all I want people to know about Brush1 ‘The Road Marshal’ is that he is here for vibes whether dancehall, soca or Afrobeats. My sole purpose is to bring the people together, preserve and share the culture,” Brush1 said.

stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com