Lucky Dube’s songs encapsulated a revolutionary era and a generation of idealistic young people longing for a new Africa free of foreign influence.
Due to his absence of a diasporic cultural background, Lucky Dube is regarded as a particularly unique dub artist. This was since Reggae and dub are often used as a platform for expressing displacement from one’s hometown.
Well, Lucky Dube had a kind of positioning as a poor Zulu tribesman in racially divided South Africa provided him with a distinct viewpoint.
The Genesis of Lucky Dube
Lucky Philip Dube was born in Ermelo, South Africa, in 1964. His single mother considered his birth as a miracle, therefore he was given the name Lucky.
Though he spent most of his youth with his grandmother and two siblings – working as a gardener during this time. He decided to go to school after realizing that the money he earned was insufficient to sustain his family.
Lucky Dube began as a performer of local songs, the “mbaqanga” type of Zulu music, in his town. He joined the choir and established The Sky Way Band in high school.
His first band, The Sky Way Band, was a big smash, producing the album “Bazolelen” in 1983 and a popular song called “Zulu Soul.” Dube appeared in the film “Getting Lucky” in 1984, and the soundtrack from the film was released as an album.
Lucky Dube’s New Found Love in Reggae
The young guitarist was uncomfortable with his status as a “local” vocalist. He looked for inspiration outside of South Africa, and his search led him to Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff of Jamaican Reggae. It was known that Dube felt a strong affinity for Jamaican music.
“Reggae is the one and only way of reaching the masses. I wanted to sing reggae for a long time because I felt it in me, but outside forces did not want to hear it and they kept it from happening. I finally just could not keep silent with that message and made the decision that reggae would be my life as a musician.” The Reggae legend was quoted.
He decided to explore the new musical genre and proceeded to release the “Rastas Never Die” mini-album record in 1984.
Lucky Dube’s Trials and Limitations
Though, contrary to his mbaqanga record, which sold 30,000 sales, the Reggae record did not sell well – selling about 4000 units. The apartheid state banned the album in 1985 because of its critical lyrics, such as in the song “War and Crime,” in order to stifle anti-apartheid action.
Nonetheless, Lucky Dube found a forgiving heart in a life of adversity, and he shared that message with the people of his own homeland – South Africa – as well as a global audience. His message conveys care for women and children, as well as a desire for improved inter-racial understanding.
Lucky Dube’s Rise To International Recognition
Lucky Dube was unfazed, and he proceeded to perform the Reggae album live while also writing and producing a second reggae album – “Think About The Children” (1985). It went platinum in sales and established Dube as a prominent Reggae singer in South Africa, as well as garnering international recognition.
Lucky Dube managed to record albums that were commercially successful. He won four OKTV Awards for “Prisoner” in 1989, then another for “Captured” Live the year after, and two more for “House of Exile” the following year. “Victims,” his 1993 album, sold over a million copies worldwide.
He later signed a worldwide recording contract with Motown in 1995. Following Motown‘s acquisition of Tabu Records, his album “Trinity” was the label’s debut release.
Lucky Dube later won the World Music Awards for “Best Selling African Recording Artist” in 1996 and the Ghana Music Awards for “International Artist of the Year” in 1997 for his compilation album “Serious Reggae Business”.
“Respect,” his most recent album, was released in Europe courtesy of a partnership with Warner Music. Lucky Dube traveled the world, performing alongside singers including Sinéad O’Connor, Peter Gabriel, and Sting.
He performed in the 1991 Reggae Sunsplash where he was brought back on stage for a 25-minute encore, he also performed in Johannesburg Live 8 festival in 2005.
Notably, Lucky Dube was a part-time actor who appeared in the feature films “Voice in the Dark,” “Getting Lucky,” and “Lucky Strikes Back,” in addition to singing music.
Lucky Dube – The African Reggae Legend
Inarguably, Lucky Dube was South Africa‘s best-selling Reggae artist, having released 22 albums in Zulu, English, and Afrikaans during a 25-year period. Unfortunately – on the evening of October 18, 2007 – Lucky Dube was murdered in the Johannesburg neighborhood of Rosettenville.
Lucky Dube‘s music embodied a revolutionary era and a generation of aspirational young people who yearned for a better Africa free of foreign influence. When he died, his songs’ lyrics became revered, and his voice provided therapy for many folks. Lucky Dube, like the legendary Fela Kuti, was yet another icon that could not be compared to anyone else in the African music industry.
Listen to Prisoner by Lucky Dube
