The fastest rising roots reggae singer, Haile Cush AKA Leaf Of Life was all smiles when justrapcha.com linked up with him after his stage show at Long Board Bar And Grill in Pacifica, California, USA.
Leaf Of Life was on tour to promote his brand new “Loving You” EP. The five songs EP is a special to gift to all the lovers around the world. He is really and truly a jack of all trades. A self-taught artiste, his talents encompass all musical art forms: writer, composer, producer and vocalist. Professionally, Leaf of Life Music has released over 15 singles, 3 compilations, 4 EP’s, 1 album and 8 music videos under his record label Haile Cush Records.
Life hasn’t been easy for Haile Cush, most of his friends and family didn’t make it out of the ghetto. While he’s faced many trials as a ghetto youth, he hasn’t let that hold him back. He’s already reached Billboard with his combination with Lutan Fyah and Akae Beka “So di World a Run”, wrote songs for big acts such as Queen Ifrica, started a non-profit for youth (Leaf of Life Youth Rising) and performed at the top shows in the US and Jamaica.
From the community of Dunmair Close in Kingston 19, Jamaica, Haile Cush started his career under the name “Stranger” and had his radio debut in 2000 on Irie FM with the single “Higher Inna Life”. He recorded under the Young Blood label until he recognized Rastafari as his calling. He attended the famed, Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress (EABIC), in Bobo Hill, Bull Bay and the, “School of Vision”, at Blue Mountain Peak.
In 2003 he took the name “Leaf of Life” (meaning Medicine, Representative of the Forest, Healing of the Nation) and recorded his 1st song ’Gully’ on the Middle East riddim. The Middle East album also features Movado and Vybz Kartel released by Greensleeves records in 2004. His adeptness for freestyling and creativity lead him to recording and performing non-stop, releasing songs on popular riddims such as Police in Helicopter and Jamaica’s Crying for Peace. Leaf of Life has worked alongside award-winning artists such as Queen Ifrica, for whom he has written songs such as “Yad to the East”. Songwriting comes so naturally to him that he currently has over 300 unreleased songs written.
He’s performed throughout the Caribbean at such shows as Rebel Salute, St. Mary Mi Come From and Spice in the Hills. In 2009 he made his first trip to the US with Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica who performed at Madison Square Garden and he hasn’t looked back since. Now on his US Tour, he’s played with Anthony B on Reggae on the River, on the Richie Spice World Cycle Tour, at Moe’s Alley and the NYC Reggae Festival.
