Lavva Dude Leo!

By Nilma Dole

Funky and fantastic is what it’s all about when chatting up with the dynamic and daring Michael ‘Leo’ Leone a.k.a ‘Prince of Colombo’ who has a lot of talent to start a hullabaloo.

He’s definitely not another handsome dude to burst into the music scene but a humble individual who has his heart set in the right place and a good head above his shoulders.

Ever since he was a little, he was into the whole ‘rapping’ phase which fired a new passion of musical spirit he says he possessed. “I initially started it off when my brother Christopher and we sang our rendition of Shaggy’s ‘Angel’ which came out pretty good on the home recorder”, he reminisces about his first kicking performance.

Starting his studies at St. Joseph’s College, Mike then shifted to the British School of Colombo to take up his International Baccalaureate. It was then that he met up his major mate ‘Bigga V’ who shone the light of music and told Mike to take his music up all way which thankfully he did.

“My music is all clean with absolutely no offensive lyrics, I do not talk about my private life and I sing about general stuff like growing up, love, life and all that’s happening”, he comments.

In fact, it’s a fresh perception to know that in order to be a rapper, you don’t need to sing like mainstream international artists do when they talk about violence, sex, drugs and crime to gain recognition.

Mike is a self-taught singer and dancer and highlights that the talent he has is completely inborn and that by sheer determination and practice, he harnessed the best of his singing skills to take it to the forefront.

“I like the more chilled rap and relaxed stuff to put to my music especially with incorporating Sri Lanka beats and I do not like to copy other popular artists because I have my own unique flow”, he states.

The actual musical turn in Mike’s life was going to the USA in order to do his International Business Management degree at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania where he got the ‘party started’. “I performed at the university’s Annual International Night which was held in a prestigious club in Washington DC”, he said.

Right now, the Ladies Man Mike has quite a collection of songs under his belt with ‘Wobble’ actually wobbling groovers all the way, ‘Baby Please’ (especially for your love), ‘Wonder What’ and a more intense heart-felt ‘Tears of War’.

One of the more recent tracks ‘Burn Me’ has been popular receiving much airplay on local radio and the latest just off his burner which I had the privilege of having is a pumpy dance track called ‘Work Ya Body’.

I’m sure all patrons of music will not hesitate to let their hair down once their ears open up to this vivacious music. Mike says about his album “I also hope to release my album after recording called ‘My Eyes’ which means my songs are about what I see”.

He enlightens about his success abroad “I auditioned for the renowned John Robert Powers Entertainment Industry record label that selected me and I hope to start recording with them soon”.

As for the future, he hopes to open and manage his own agency like his parents and wants to couple that with his musical streaks as well.

“Obviously that will be my ultimate goal and I’d like to have my own label of clothing and merchandise”, he says. He remains true to his musical aspirations but also had a headstrong mind to achieve his goals.

His parents are definitely the ‘coolest’ folks any Sri Lankan rapper would love to have because Mike has the most supportive parents in the world for they back him up 100 percent.

He acknowledges them and tells “Whatever I do, my parents are my main agents and advisors because even though I like to wear matching clothes and have sported every hairstyle imaginable, my parents always guide me into portraying my ‘clean’ image”.

He also prays and hopes that the war will end soon and mentions “I hope that blood will not be shed because it hurts inside to see the fear and sorrow in the eyes of Sri Lankans and I feel a lot towards the Sri Lanka because one Sri Lankan heart is equal to millions of hearts around the world”.

Thus he ends by saying “Sri Lanka is an example of love and care.” He firmly believes that the talent and potential in Sri Lanka is huge and that Sri Lankans can take their music to an international level because the rhythms and beats are original and exclusive.

He advises anyone who wants to make it big to “Do what you want to do but have a backup plan and use every opportunity to make it by having options ready”.

Mike thanks his producers ‘Unsolved’ especially to Chathuranga Perera and maestro mixer Michael, his brothers Anthony and Chris, his awesome personal manager Anil Balasuriya, his supportive friends Elena Falsini and Manuk Wijeyaratne who spices up his tracks and his amazing parents.

Pix: Priyantha Hettige