Career
Levi Roots" is a jerk barbecue sauce. In 2006 4,000 bottles of the sauce were sold at the Notting Hill Carnival. He later took the sauce to a food trade show, where he was spotted by a British Broadcasting Corporation producer who approached him to appear on Dragons" Den.
He appeared in the first episode of the fourth series, seeking £50,000 of investment from the Dragons in return for a 20% equity stake in Despite erroneously claiming that he had an order for 2.5 million litres of the sauce (when in fact the order was for 2,500 kilograms), he was offered the £50,000 for a 40% stake in his business by Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh.
Shortly after his appearance on the programme, Sainsbury"s announced that they would be stocking the sauce in 600 of their stores. The music video features a cameo from Peter Jones.
All of the money raised went to Comic Relief. The song, which formed part of his pitch on Dragons" Den (and was also sung by Roots in an appearance on Harry Hill"s television Burp), was also released as a download single.
"Proper Tings (The Song)" received its first play on Allan Lake"s breakfast show on Core.
He spoke at the SWRDA"s enterprise conference on 24 November 2008. Roots has also spoken to the Isle of Manitoba Junior Chamber of Commerce. He is a keen supporter of children"s enterprise, as exemplified when he did a tour of Plymouth School talking about how he became a successful musician and businessman.
A news story in The Grocer magazine in 2010 states that a range of ready meals were to be launched, and that Roots had stated that the value of the brand had then increased to £30 million.
In June 2014, Roots attended the Grillstock festival in Bristol, where he performed several songs on stage. Roots was convicted and imprisoned twice as a teenager for assault and possession of drugs.
