Lucky Dube for Independence

Lucky Dube, South Africa’s preeminent recording artist, is coming to town tomorrow. This artist is expected to present a real independence treat to Vincentians, given his track record and popularity here at home and throughout the world of reggae.

Lucky Dube has garnered four media-platinum albums and has won numerous awards in only ten short years and has become one of the most important voices in international music.{{more}}

In 1985, inspired by the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh he gave up a successful career as a traditional Zulu Mbaqanga singer to pursue his Rastafarian beliefs and launch a career as a reggae artist. The album “Rastas Never Die”, recorded against the wishes of his record company, was banned and consequently met with little success, but he rushed back into the studio and created “Think About the Children” almost in secrecy. It was an immediate success, eventually going gold. Lucky’s career as a reggae artist took root.

Despite the banning of some songs by the South African government, then still at the height of apartheid, his next album “Slave” went gold. Subsequent recordings, “Together As One”, “Prisoner”, “House of Exile”, “Captured Live”, “Victims” and “Trinity” were trenchant works filled with lyrics dealing with social issues and spiritual inspiration in the best tradition of Lucky’s heroes Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Meanwhile Lucky embarked on the most relentless international touring schedule since Bob Marley, becoming popular in Europe, America, the Caribbean and most notably throughout Africa where he became the best selling artist of the eighties and nineties.

Lucky’s rich, buttery voice – capable of soaring through three octaves and dynamic stage antics – is described by one reviewer: “like some manic Olympic marathoner … Effortlessly, he will demonstrate his three-octave vocal range, slipping from his Peter Tosh-like mid-range to his shades of Smokey Robinson highs, the bass deep and feral, all the while jerking his Zulu kick in vivid syncopation.” His music is resplendent in its intertwining of African musical forms – Mbaqanga (traditional Zulu) and Soukous (West African soca) with roots rock reggae. Lucky is one of those rare artists who is able to combine supremely melodic songs with lyrical substance and his series of bestselling recordings transcend commercial trends marking him as one of the most exciting live performers in the world. It’s not surprising that his performance at the 1996 International Music Awards in Monte Carlo was the hit of the globally televised event.

Lucky Dube is being brought to SVG courtesy Moments Promotions, the same outfit which brought Jimmy Cliff here ealier this year, to celebrate with us our 25th year of Independence. See you all there.