Emperorfari sound system, Leicester, founded in 2006.
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“My aim is to keep our heritage. When our roots music was played back in the day it was times of great suffering for our parents, grandparents and ancestors. We never went to normal bars and pubs due to racist elements in this country, so small school halls and community centres where the places where dances were originally held, and we could freely listen to our music and fulljoy the dance. Naturally times have changed now and I personally follow the teachings of Rastafari in my day to day livity, so my aim is to bring music to the good people who attend our dances and to give them a safe environment where they can come and meet like-minded brethren and sistren, and fuljoy the uplifting vibes of a real sound system.”
SCEE, FOUNDER, EMPERORFARI
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With African and Caribbean heritage, Scee’s inspiration is drawn from many of the sounds of the late 1970s and 80s: he sees them as providing a much-needed safe space for his parents, grandparents and ancestors, in which to come together and enjoy their music.
Scee’s aim with Emperorfari is to honour the heritage and suffering of his parents, grandparents and ancestors, and to remember how roots music was used and plays: as a way of uplifting people, but often sidelined by mainstream society, forced out of bars and clubs and into smaller community venues. He also – as a Rastafarian – aims to spread a positive message through his dances, giving people a safe, accepting place to go and enjoy music; whether that’s just through his sound or paired up with others playing in the dance, in the UK and across Europe. He even created Roots Conference (a gathering of sound systems, usually alongside Emperorfari) with 6-8 conferences taking place throughout the year at Leicester venues.
For Scee, it’s important to value reggae as the music that comes from his family background and heritage – both Caribbean and African – but he also thinks it’s similarly important for people from similar backgrounds: ”The music is the heartbeat of the world, it is the off beat which is predominate in our music which is felt through the sub bass speakers in a gathering, unlike nightclubs and PA systems. It is very spiritual and uplifting – people come to free their minds and souls and can simply close their eyes and feel the vibrations taking all their laden worries away.
“Our gatherings are not like other clubs and events, no one is judged and you are free to wear comfortable garments when you attend. It’s a place where all creeds all colours, people of all ages and backgrounds come and attend and join in to feel the ONELOVE message we promote and try to spread unity amongst each and all.”
Scee feels similarly passionate about vinyl – it’s the only format he uses on Emperorfari, and again feels that it connects him with his heritage, in both the wider sense of sound system culture (using the same format and skills as previous generations of sound men) but also in the way that his record collection is made up of vinyl passed down from generation to generation in his family. He does acknowledge, however, the expense involved in using the format, and does not exclude sounds that use digital methods. “Personally I believe as long as the music reaches the masses and uplifts the people than it doesn’t really matter how it’s being played,” he says. “But keeping our heritage, still pressing dubplates…Emperorfari will always play vinyl.”
Scee also embraces the changing make up of sound system operators. He thinks it’s refreshing to see more women emerging on the scene, believing they play and bring the vibes just as well as sound men (and sees them being received well by audiences / other sounds), and says that the increasing popularity of reggae with people of all backgrounds is a positive thing for the scene and for dances. He does think it’s important to keep playing roots and culture though, and not bend to pressure to just play crowd-pleasers like dubstep. “I have seen many youngsters coming to dances only for extremely loud bass,” he says. “Some sounds play so loud that even with earplugs the levels are dangerous for your ears. New technology enables sounds to play at levels which personally I feel are ridiculous!”
Emperorfari will continue to focus on spreading the message of ONELOVE and unity, he says, through playing roots and culture at a level heavy enough for dancers to feel the vibrations but without the need to wear ear plugs. “Each to their own,” says Scee, “but we appreciate all our supporters and other sound systems alike who see the same vision.”