Lucky Dube

b. Ermelo Dube
August 3, 1964  Transvaal, South Africa
October 18, 2007 Johannesburg, South Africa

The most successful African reggae artist of all time, Lucky Dube (pronounced Doobay) has taken his Peter Tosh -influenced music further than his hero himself managed. Guitarist-vocalist Dube formed his first group, a mbqanga combo entitled The Sky Way Band, while still at school. An interest in Rastafarianism complemented a musical predilection for reggae, although, as a member of the Love Brothers, his first album betrayed none of these influences. His first hit single, the 'Zulu soul' of 'Baxoleleni', arrived in 1983, from his debut solo set Lengane Ngeyetha. Several LPs later, he starred in a South African movie, Getting Lucky, and performed reggae tracks for its soundtrack. His first reggae album, Rastas Never Die, was banned in South Africa on account of its militancy, and Dupe diversified into rap for Help My Krap. In 1986 his new band, the Slaves, recorded 'Think About The Children', and their second album, Slave, sold 300,000 copies. In 1989 he toured France and the USA with the group and appeared in the movie Voice In The Dark. Two albums in that year, Together As One and Prisoner, sold heavily, the latter going double platinum in South Africa in only five days.

In 1991 Dube became the first South African artist to play the Reggae Sunsplash festival in Jamaica, and again he issued two albums in one year, Captured Live (incidentally also the title of a Peter Tosh LP) and House Of Exile. Tours of Japan and Australia were also a success, and Dube additionally played WOMAD with Peter Gabriel. Victims again broke his own record for worldwide sales, shifting in excess of a million copies on various licensee imprints. Although Dube's style is probably too dated to achieve great success in Jamaica, he remains head and shoulders above his African reggae compatriots.

-- Courtesy (Encyclopedia of Popular Music) --

Lucky Dube (born: Ermelo Dube) (pronounced: Doo bay) is one of South Africa's best selling artists and one of its most outspoken performers.. Although he initially sang in the traditional Zulu mbaganga style, his move to reggae in 1984 was sparked by his quest to express his anger against the oppression of apartheid. While The Village Voice observed, "The spirit of Lucky Dube's music and dance epitomizes the spirit of Black liberation", "Niceup Magazine" said, "(Dube's) lyrics have brought an original voice to reggae by chronicling the political and spiritual struggles of his South African breathren". Dube's musical talents were obvious from an early age. By the age of nine, he was conducting his school choir. After singing with school rock and roll bands, he joined his cousin, Richard Siluma's Mbaganga band, The Love Brothers. Together with the group, he recorded his first single in 1979. Inspired by the controversal lyrics of Peter Tosh, Dube moved to reggae in 1984. His earliest attempts with the newly-adopted style were met by strong opposition by the then-all-white South African government and his first reggae album, "Rasta Never Die" was banned from radio airplay. Without notifying his record label, Dube re-entered the recording studio and cut a second reggae album, "Think About The Children". The album became a major hit and achieved gold record status. Dube's third reggae album, "Slave", sold more than five hundred thousand copies.

-- Courtesy (Craig Harris, All-Music Guide) --

Official Lucky Dube Website

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