5 Questions with Safaree Samuels

Rapper and reality-television star Safaree Samuels has long embraced his Jamaican roots. Currently based in the United States, the performer has been in his homeland for a few weeks and keeping his fans updated on his trip, posting photos of his first home on social media. He seems most at ease when he’s on the island, and though he has no immediate plans to relocate here, he intends to strengthen the connection with his birthplace.

Safaree plans to dig his roots a bit deeper by giving back and is putting things in place to donate computers to some schools in rural Jamaica.

Today, the rapper released his first single of the year called No Regular Girl, featuring local sensation Jahmiel, and we caught up with him for this week’s Five Questions with ...

1. What is currently happening in your music career?

On Friday (March 29) I will release my new single with Jahmiel today. The song and video [are] out; it’s called No Regular Girl. It’s about to be the biggest song of the year. It’s a women’s anthem. Every woman across the globe is going to be using the hashtag #NoRegularGirl. [the video was] shot by Jay Popworth. This is my best video to date. Everything is visual now, which is why I’m dropping the song and video at the same time. When ­people drop songs nowadays, their attention span is so short that it takes a lot for them to hear it, hold on to it, and keep it for a while. You have to do something to hold people’s attention – whether it be a music video, a scandal, or circus act to go with dropping a new song. You always have to have something visual to go along with it.

2. How is your sex-toy business going?

It’s still going. The hold-up was not ­knowing if I wanted to do it with a specific company. I feel like if I do it myself, I’d benefit way more. ‘Percent-wise’, it would be way better if I could do it on my own. But a lot of people ask me about it, and they will not let me forget about it if I wanted to.

3. How did the leaking of your nude photos affect you?

Some people think I did it, but I did this show, and they hooked me up to a lie detector. I took the test, and I passed. I got catfished. I was talking to somebody, and I sent them the video, but the person I was talking to wasn’t really the person they were pretending to be. I still don’t know who it was.

4. How has re ality televis ion affected your life?

It affects everything I’m doing because it gave me a platform to be on an international scale. There are places I go and I’m surprised how far the reach is for that show ( Love and Hip Hop). No matter where in the world I go, people of all colour, age, ethnicity – everybody knows me from the show.

5. Will this be a springboard to the big screen?

Yeah, I just shot two movies. One is a Christmas movie called Hip-Hop Holiday, coming out this year. I’m excited to see that. And the other one I haven’t shot yet, but I’m ­getting ready to.

Bonus: What is your favourite place in Jamaica?

I love the countryside more than anything, especially my old house in Hanover.