South African singer, songwriter and music executive Tumelo Ruele is entering a new chapter in his career, one that moves beyond simply making music and into reshaping how artists are supported in the industry.
During an interview with TheJournalistDJ.Com, the former hip-hop artist turned soulful house vocalist opened up about his journey from varsity stages to working with global icon Black Coffee, while also unveiling the vision behind his new venture, Scorpion Records.
From Hip-Hop Dreams to House Music Success
Tumelo reflected on his beginnings in the music industry, revealing that many people first knew him during his hip-hop days as part of the group Optical Illusion, where he performed under the name Geno. Despite eventually becoming known for soulful and Afro-house music, he says hip-hop still remains part of who he is.
“I started in hip-hop with Optical Illusion. I still am hip-hop at heart,” he shared.
The turning point in his career came during his university years at Tuks, where he regularly performed at open mic sessions while playing guitar. It was there that Black Coffee discovered him before even launching his own record label.
“He actually discovered me in varsity at Tuks. Someone told him there’s this young man who sings there, and after the performance he immediately told me he wanted to work with me,” Tumelo explained.
He further revealed that he became the very first artist signed to Black Coffee’s label, a move that ultimately transitioned him from hip-hop into the house music scene.
Why Tumelo Started Scorpion Records
Now stepping into the role of music executive, Tumelo says Scorpion Records was created to address the unfair realities many artists face in the music business.
According to him, years of experience in the industry exposed how artists often lose out financially due to exploitative contracts, publishing structures and poor industry education.
“You look at how much money you could have made and realize that music was unfair, contractually, with publishing and copyright,” he said.
Determined to better understand the business side of music, Tumelo pursued a master’s qualification in music business and publishing before partnering with fellow executives Vic and Rio to launch the label.
The label’s mission, he explained, is to create an artist-focused ecosystem that helps musicians record, release and monetize their work while also receiving proper education about the business.
“We created it almost like a one-stop shop where artists get education, recording tools, music release support and help with profitability and sustainability,” he explained.
A Different Kind of Record Label
Unlike traditional labels that tie artists into long-term deals, Tumelo says Scorpion Records currently focuses on signing music rather than locking artists into restrictive contracts.
“We’re not at the point where we want to sign artists as yet. We have signed their music,” he clarified.
The label is already exploring sync licensing opportunities, including discussions involving the PSL, while also generating revenue through management structures and performance bookings.
Tumelo believes this flexible structure reduces unnecessary risk for both artists and the label itself.
“If we just work on one song or one project, that’s cool. We exploit that project and then move on to the next,” he explained.
Launching “Music Culture Forever”
The interview took place during the launch of Scorpion Records’ new compilation album titled Scorpion Records Presents Music Culture Forever, a project designed to introduce the label’s roster to the industry.
Rather than centering around one artist, the album acts as a showcase for the label’s talent, featuring multiple artists across different songs and sounds.
“It’s a showcase of our roster,” Tumelo said.
The rollout strategy includes releasing three singles during the winter season before transitioning into additional releases later in the year. Tumelo also revealed that the label plans to expand into Afro soul and gospel music alongside Afro-house and 3-step sounds.
“Profitability requires diversity, and diversity minimizes risk,” he added.
Tumelo Is Far From Retired
Although he is now heavily involved in the executive side of the business, Tumelo made it clear that he has no plans to stop making music himself.
He revealed that he has already contributed to multiple projects this year and is still collaborating with some of South Africa’s most respected names in dance music, including Artwork Sounds, DJ Clock, Shimza and Dark Horse.
“I’m far from retiring,” he laughed during the conversation.
“The Time of the Conventional Artist Is Over”
One of the strongest themes throughout the interview was the importance of education in the modern music business. Tumelo encouraged young artists to study business, law and publishing in order to fully understand the industry they operate in.
“The time of the conventional artist is over, the artist who just comes to studio, signs and leaves,” he said.
He believes the future belongs to artists who understand both creativity and business.
“We need to be educated in order to really exploit the music business,” he concluded.
