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Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
CLEVELAND, Ohio is widely recognised as the “Home of Rock and Roll” in America and if Timothy Nkomo has his way, Bulawayo will become the country’s rock and roll capital.

Also known as Red Lion, Timothy is on a drive to carve a niche for himself in a music industry where screaming, growling and roaring is an important component of the pulsating genre.

The 29-year-old former rapper decided to switch from rap music to rock and roll in 2014 thanks to Linkin Park. The dreadlocked headbanger had been part of a hip-hop group with fellow upcoming rapper Rolex. The group was called Linkin Kasi.

“The fact that hip-hop was making me become a gangster made me change a lot of things about myself. I changed my stage name, production label from ‘Getto Six’ to ‘School of Life’ in 2015 and from there on, I haven’t looked back,” said the metalhead.

Hard rock is synonymous with violence, but, Red Lion says his tracks preach the gospel of peace and love, a trait he attributes to his grandmother, who raised him. In most of the songs he expresses gratitude and love to his grandmother.

Lion is working on movie sound track Take my hand. The movie, which is directed by Joyful Hlabangana, will be released next year.