Entertainment

Baba Roots expands prodution

Babba Roots is expanding his production to include fashion and music. - toussaint smith

HIS ROOTS DRINK has become quite popular all over Jamaica and deejays have even endorsed it by including the name 'Baba Roots' in their songs. Now, the man behind it all, William 'Baba Roots' Webb is about to take his production company to a new level.

There are a number of things on the agenda for Baba Roots, including a Baba Roots Fest, to feature artistes like Beenie Man and Bounty Killer; a fashion line called the Baba Roots Brand, and a host of new Baba Roots products.

Baba Roots, in an interview with THE STAR explained his plans for each new venture.

"What we are actually trying to do is to bridge the gap between the artiste violence that they have for each other by having Beenie and Bounty on the same stage, because people look to the artistes for leadership," he said of the Roots Fest.

Some of the other artistes billed for the show include Ricardo Suave, Sugar Minot, Josey Wales, U-Roy, Shinehead and the St. Bess models.

"We will be making T-shirts, swim wear, evening and formal wear and also sports wear. Our colours revolve around those

of the rainbows, so we will have a wide variety of colours," Baba explained of his line of clothing.

According to Baba, there will also be artistes coming on board to help endorse these products as Ricardo Suave, the first artiste to be signed to the new Baba Roots Label (formed July of last year), has already been wearing some of the fashions.

"Apart from the brand Baba itself, we have other products like Baba fruits, Baba roots herbal teas and Supa Baba," Baba added.

The success of Baba Roots has now led him to the expansion of his business, but with this massive growth, comes the problem of piracy of the popular drink.

"We've been plagued with a mass virus of counterfeiting of the product which has threatened our financial standing and company and I'm desperately trying to curtail it as much as we possibly can," he said.

According to Baba, this is cutting into at least 40 per cent of his profit, but he plans to move ahead with the expansion of his business and at the same time try to educate the public via a series of public awareness campaigns.