Shenseea’s manager Romeich Major gets candid about his personal life and his rise in the Jamaican entertainment industry.
There is a very good reason why “Me wa rich like Romeich Major,” is one of the most loved lines from Shenseea’s “Bad Habit/Don’t Rush Freestyle,” which was released over two months ago. The singer’s words were taken as gospel. After all, she has a pretty close relationship to the business mogul who has transitioned from fashion to entertainment, artiste management, and back to clothing, all while perfecting the art of fatherhood and philanthropy.
Romeich Major was speaking to Yendi Phillips via her Odyssey Youtube series when he spilled the beans on his amazing journey while dropping nuggets of inspiration and life hacks for young entertainers, up-and-coming business heads, and anyone who is trying to succeed in life.
Romeich explains that his knack for business was noticed from an early age when he would do his sister’s chores for payment, which he would then save. Those same skills would take him to Ardenne High, where he earned the nickname for his scholastic abilities, which he transformed into a business when he started doing other students’ maths homework for payment. At the age of 16, he was linking with the likes of International Cricketers Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, as well as members of renowned reggae group TOK.
It was not until one specific outing that the name Romeich would begin its rise as one of Jamaica’s biggest names in fashion. As the manager/mogul explains it, he purchased a shirt from a trendy New Kingston clothing store which he wore to the then-popular Asylum Night Club. The purchase was made with the intention of being the only person rocking that specific get-up. However, he was quickly taken aback when he noticed other persons rocking the same outfit.
“From That we say me ago stop buy clothes and start make clothes,” he said before explaining just how he recruited his very first designers. “Me go a arcade right at Half-Way-Tree and me start mingle. Me start get pants and cut them up and tear dem up and patch them up.”
The fresh new styles Romeich introduced to the party scene were quickly snapped up by partygoers, and soon industry giants and friends were placing their orders. “From de so me say you can make money offa this,” he said. Following high school, Romeich took the money his father gifted him for school and paired it with more from a car dealership where he worked to fund his fledgling clothing brand, which would later be rocked by dancehall entertainers cricketers, and footballers, among other local and Caribbean celebrities. He would go on to supply corporate Jamaica, with one of his biggest cheques being from communication giants FLOW. The huge order of over 5000 shirts helped to cement Romeich’s brand as well as led to an expansion of his factory space at his Waltham Park Road residence.
With booming business in fashion, Romeich set out to get his start in his first love music. His managerial endeavors kicked started nearly a decade ago when he worked with Versatile, as well as launched his Bank Inna Pocket Riddim. Romeich admitted that his first time wasn’t the greatest, and he did not get back into the managerial duties until Ding Dong convinced him not to sell his studio equipment. That gave rise to a number of hits for Ding Dong with Romeich at the helm. At this point, the Romeich Ent. brand boasted event promotion, bottle and concierge services, among other arms of the sector. Dancehall entertainer Shenseea would later rise from the ranks of his promotional team.
“Shenseea come…me did love how she work. Not only say she beautiful, but if you give her 5 work back to back she de pon time, she no late, no excuse no matter how she tired,” he explained to Yendi. “Dem time de my Romeich Entertainment thing with the girls it a fire everyday me have work. Me see she work 5 day straight and me say you have your weekend good.”
Romeich explains that he was hit with a surprise the following Saturday when he called the “Rebel” singer and was informed that she had taken public transport to work at an event in Mandeville on her day off. At this time, Shenseea’s son Rajeiro Lee was only three months old. It was soon discovered that his hardworking promotional girl was also blessed with musical talent after one of his employees shared a clip of some of her earlier work.
“Me willing fi get back inna music fully but me wa manage you,” were his words to the young mother of one upon learning that she had potential. Shenseea wrote her first single overnight, and by the following day, she was recording “Jiggle Jiggle.” After a few rounds of review, Romeich sent the final demo to a few entertainers and producers who all had concerns about her musical direction. Romeich Major formulate his own plan for his young protege. However, Shenseea’s inability to find suitable care for her young son proved problematic. It was during these days that Romeich would form a strong bond with Rajeiro.
“Everyday she come a studio me have him … and is like me fall in love with him and me business bout him more than me business bout her work… Me end up go buy a playpen supm for my office,” Romeich said. “Me and him grow together and nobody can’t tell me say me a no him daddy.”
“Even now me tell her say even though me bring happiness to you because you can do music and you bring an international thing to Romeich Entertainment now, him is still that de factor de,” he said before confirming that Raj and Shenseea are a combination of friends, family. “If me no good she no good, if she no good me no good.”
Romeich is currently dad to Xzander, who lives in the United States, and is actually expecting a baby girl within the coming weeks. While sharing his life hacks about fatherhood, he stated that “Fatherhood is all about love and spending time.”
His life hack for Xzander was simply, “Stay in school because you going to be rich…The beauty with this is that him name Xzander Romeich Major so every business me have him can take over.” He boasted that the musical talents are already being displayed on the two boys in his life. “Raj ago be producer and him ago be artiste eno. Xzander can write eno, like he write great poems, him write song and all a dem supm de, him just likkle shy still.”
How much has fatherhood changed you or shaped you?” Questioned Yendi.
“Fatherhood changed me wol heap,” he commented while breaking the news that his life would change even more with the impending arrival of his daughter. “You know I have Xzan and when I got him that really turned me into a man… and me tell me self that whatever I couldn’t have back then because family did treat me bad and me affi just work hard and make sure say me son can good,” he said.
“And Raj come inna me life. Raj have a different personality from Xzander but a the same love, like me no love none a dem more. Me always want was a daughter and me a get was daughter now … Dem inna trouble,” he joked.
“I’m going to have a beautiful daughter and I’m going to be happy…Boi she ago spoil,” said Romeich.
You can check out the complete interview below.
