No more Tanto Blacks, just Real Rich - Dancehall artiste changes name and lifestyle

It is always fascinating to watch artistes reinvent themselves, but, for dancehall entertainer Junior Henry, who has gone by the moniker Tanto Blacks for almost a decade, he is not announcing any big transformation. Instead, the 'Tru Billionaire' singer wants people to acknowledge him by the stage name Real Rich the name he would like to create a legacy under.

"It is from long time ago I tried telling the people my name is Real Rich, but when I said it to the people, it connect but them still never understand," he said.

"It is not slang if I say what's my first name, Real, last name Rich. That is the name I was telling everybody."

Real Rich says that after a policeman informed him of a wrongdoer who was going by the alias Tanto Blacks, it made him all the more concerned. But by that time, the dancehall entertainer had risen to popularity after entering the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition in 2009 as Tanto Blacks.

The energetic stage performer said that artistes are pressured on a daily basis to accept what people expect of them, and the name change is a step away from that mindset. It also comes from a desire to make an explicit distinction between his past body of work and the completely new catalogue of music he is about to release.

Currently, Real Rich is working on what he describes as spiritually changing music a step away from his single Real Rich produced by Bambino in 2015 and Lifestyle Rich, the collaboration with Teetimus on the Claims Record label in 2016.

Now his catalogue boasts tracks like Stronger and River Kingdom.

"I cannot say what I am putting out is dancehall or reggae alone because I can go overseas and do hip hop or I can meet up with Sizzla and do a nice culture song. I am all for anything that feels right and great," he said. "But for now, I want to get my songs as Real Rich out there before I start to collaborate again."

Although the image is not far from what his audience is used to, Real Rich revealed that he has made a few lifestyle changes as well. "I don't drink liquor anymore (three months and counting). Sometimes is like a war with my inner self to buy a bottle of Hennessy when I go to a party, and I have not had meat for about five months," he shared.

He also said that he restricts social media use when he feels like it is taking the attention from things like praying in the morning.