Africa: Guns And Roses - Tribute to Africa

Africa: Guns And Roses - Tribute to Africa

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)

OPINION
25 October 2007
Posted to the web 25 October 2007

Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey

I distinctly recall that precise moment over a decade ago when I first heard Lucky Dube sing. The soft mellifluous voice, the trademark cadences not unlike the sonorous call of an inspired Imam to early morning prayer, the powerful use of electric drumbeats and perhaps above all, the conscious lyrics, what Lucky Dube would call, the message. That moment under those trees, with The Prisoner album blasting from someone's car, that moment was the love that caused that first heart beat for me.

In a musical career spanning twenty five years, South Africa's reggae star has shown remarkable consistency with the release of twenty two albums thus keeping faith with his core and adoring fans. Today also, the matter of his birth, the baptism with the name Lucky from a mother in supplication to the Almighty for sparing her son's life, his career start up with the mbaquanga zulu music, his switch to world class roots reggae and his recent evolution into and experimentation with what he called Rasta-kwasa all culminating in a platinum award -winning musical career are all a matter of common folklore.

In more ways than one therefore, Lucky Dube was South Africa's gift to Africa and Africa's gift to the world. Of all the things I could talk about today, it is the music that comes most readily to me and it is on that I will dwell, nay, am capable of dwelling seeing that I am a broken man.

The consciousness of his message was never in doubt. Indeed coming from the throes of apartheid South Africa, Lucky Dube's music captured the challenges of building a multiracial society as the ward-winning Different Colours, One People would portray and also the vicissitudes of being Lovers in a Dangerous Time. He also delved into matters of love and relationships as only a gifted expert would, not forgetting his commentary on social ills. In the process, he succeeded largely in establishing his as the strong voice of advocacy on responsible and accountable political leadership.

In the Rasta man's Prayer, the Rasta man is heard thanking God for creating marijuana and making it grow internationally even though the police cut it down, it grows again. The politician also earns a tongue-lash for thanking God for making him to be able to lie with a straight face while the nation burns. Other socially relevant content of Lucky Dube's music included the tear-filled pleas of aborted babies-mama why do you destroy me? What have I done to you? I deserve to live like anybody else, affirmative action-education is still the key, police corruption- police have joined forces with criminals, police hate competition, we can't sit down, and something must be done!

In The Way It Is, he advises us to be good to the people on the way up the ladder of life because it is the same people you meet on the way down. The video clip on this one is so funny with the political leader going up the presidential ladder hitching a ride in the musician's jalopy. Once his political goals are accomplished, he is immediately surrounded by body guards who literally throw out Lucky Dube when he attempts to see his old friend. As he puts it, now that you've got what you want, you don't even know my name. It's so funny, we don't talk anymore! After the big speeches complimented by appropriate wild gesticulations, after the power walk, after the summary use and abuse of authority, guess who Lucky meets on his way back in same old jalopy-yeah you guessed right! Mr. Big Politician all reduced to a suitcase standing dejectedly on a kawokudi-like sakora (grassless) park. Yet again on his way down, he bumps into Lucky Dube who graciously obliges Mr. Politician a ride on his way back to reality.

Be good to the people on your way up for you'll meet them on your way down!

Lucky Dube preached that if you stand for the truth, you always stand alone unless you compromise before you get along fine with everyone else. To him, the choice couldn't be clearer-Do you wanna be a well-fed slave or a hungry free man? May be we all want to spend a little more time thinking about what to me represents a powerful question -a hungry free man or a well-fed slave? How far really is one willing to stand up and be counted on matters of principle and not convenience? How readily will one sacrifice honour and values on the alter of opportunism? Well fed slave or hungry free man? How much do you really believe in what you say you believe in? Well fed slave or hungry free man?

Of course he also sang about street crime as my title and introduction would portray albeit little knowing in what heartless manner this scourge would affect his own life.

But Lucky Dube's music was not all "serious". He created sweet music for the sole purpose of pure unadulterated enjoyment. Those that come readily to mind are I Feel Irie, Romeo and Juliet and the more recent Ding Ding A-licky licky Dong in which Lucky almost teases us that

Tears cannot bring you joy But joy can bring you tears Even though I cry today I will not hide it It's for a different reason Joy!

LOVE

When it came to love, Lucky Dube proved unequalled in talent and in I Wanna Know What Love is, an adaptation from an old original, his voice dexterity is brought to the fore in the most amazing example of the fusion and slick transition from cool ballad to a roots reggae rhythm. Now at the precise moment of that transition, he lets out a trademark yelp in a sustained falsetto that could only have come from Lucky Dube. In Romeo and Juliet, an aspiring Romeo confesses that he is not the kind of man that will bring you flowers everyday or tell you " I love you" in many fancy ways but I've got to tell you that I love you, I want you

Africa: Guns And Roses - Tribute to Africa

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The House Of Exile album is quite popular with the classic It's Not Easy attaining a sing- along status in the mouths of most. In it of course he tells the familiar story of a man who faces marital challenges with a woman who is hardly all he had thought her to be. Man's mother understands that It's not easy to understand it son, but I hope you make it, you'll be happy again!

In a band set up with a back up reminiscent of Bob Marley's I-Three, Lucky Dube spun his music with this energetic lady trio that supported with sweet harmony. I wonder how they are coping today.

True aficionados will however acknowledge that in the latter stages of his career, Lucky Dube had started experimenting a fusion of traditional rhythms with classical roots reggae in what he called Rasta-kwasa. The latter part of the classic Ding Ding A-licky licky Dong is an excellent example of this fusion.

And so it was that in the stories captured in his music, the fans of Lucky Dube were left feeling they knew the man.

GHANA

This showed clearly enough in an interview he granted one Ghanaian radio station when he first visited Ghana in I forget when. Most of the questions sought a clear divide between what was real life account and what constituted pure creativity. Of course as he calmly explained in his soft voice, this was hardly necessary as he sang about real life incidents involving him and others.

And so we learnt that no, he was not a liquor slave. Au contraire, Lucky Dube neither smoked (including leaves of any sort) nor drank alcohol. Given his genial looks, it was hardly surprising that the marriage question popped up many times, but as he explained he was unmarried then although he had children. Recently however, we were to learn that he has been freshly married with a four month old baby to show for his efforts.

Once again, if his fans feel so much pain, then I simply cannot begin to imagine what his family, close friends and relations must be going through.

On the Friday morning after, beside myself with grief and disbelief, I amble over slowly to my senior colleague and big brother with whom I share a common love for Lucky Dube's music. It is my aim to share the tragic news and to seek solace if any. From the unrepentant blast of Remember Me from his room, I surmise that he is already in the know. Indeed, he is and as we mourn, he reminds me that in this one terrible year, we have also lost Joseph Hill, the face and voice of Jamaican roots Reggae group Culture and now Lucky! What are we going to do? Who will regularly prick our conscience with sweet conscious reggae music? Killed as in dead? Not even hurt to be nursed back to life and music? O God! The whole world is empty!

If I have refrained from dwelling in any appreciable detail on the tragic events of Thursday night, it is only because I am still grappling with its harsh reality with which I am yet to come to full terms as are countless others. Today I do not have the heart to talk about criminals or gun culture or car jacking or lessons to be learnt or any of them predictable kominini things for that matter!

I only have the heart to talk about Lucky Dube's great music-the music of the greatest African roots reggae musician, a man whose un-denied impact on the whole world would continue to reverberate long after he is gone. Blessed is the Hand that gaveth forty three years of this gift to the world. Now let the works of the consolidation of his legendary legacy commence.

You are here today Tomorrow you are gone You don't wanna be Another number in the book - Lucky Dube