Amid all the Rugby World Cup euphoria, South Africans woke up to the terrible news about the killing of reggae musician Lucky Dube. Dube, 43, was shot and killed instantly when he was hijacked by a gang of men near Bassonia, south of Jozi. Why anyone would kill Dube, right in front of his kids, is still baffling. Hijackers have been given license to take our cars away from us, but taking our lives is totally unnecessary. Widespread condemnation and fear has been heard throughout the land from this very sad event. I just hope rumours of an "inside job" are not true.
Dube was a true patriot, a national hero who rose from certain ashes as a farm boy raised by a single mother, to become one of the world’s most celebrated reggae artists. His achievements include earning over 20 international music awards and being the only SA musician to have signed a recording deal with the famous Motown Records label. He performed to thousands of fans at a time all over the world including Ghana, Jamaica, Australia and the US. The city of Dallas in Texas has even given him honorary citizenship.
For one known for massive reggae hits like “Slave”, “Prisoner”, “Together as one”, “Think about the children” and “Feel irie”, Lucky Dube actually started out as a mbaqanga arist, recording with his cousin Richard Siluma, the famous Richie S. In fact he recorded 6 Zulu albums and one Afrikaans before his very first English recording Rastas Never Die in 1984.
Dube was an avid fan of horses and owned a few on his KwaZulu Natal farm. Rest in peace Lucky Philip Dube. May your children and the rest of your extended family find inner peace as well.
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