MZANSI LOSES AN ICON

By now, most of you have probably heard about the merciless and thoughtless killing of South Africa’s legendary reggae icon, Lucky Dube. As Encore, we’d like to formally show our respect to the man that brought us groundbreaking hits such as “Prisoner”, “Taxman” and “Respect”. As a kid growing up in Soweto in the late eighties, I was undeniably captivated by this revolutionary who waved his massive dreadlocks in the air constantly while chanting freedom songs that the architects of the Apartheid regime were afraid would incite the millions who had been impeached for far too long.

I vividly remember seeing Lucky Dube opening for Sting at Ellis Park Stadium; the brother had so much energy and fire in him that he didn’t bother using a stage as is customary, instead he converted the entire field into his own playground. He ran energetically and covered the entire breadth of the field chanting his revolutionary choruses to the delight of the mesmerised 80 000 strong crowd.

“Is it the bodyguards around you/ Is it the high walls where you live/ Or is it the men with the guns around you/ Twenty-four hours a day/ That make you ignore the crying of the people/ Farmers get killed every day/ And you say it is not that bad/ Policemen get killed every day/ And you say it is not that bad/ Maybe if you see it through the eyes/ Of the victims/ You will join us and fight this/ Crime and corruption/

Do you ever worry/ About your house being broken into/ Do you ever worry/ About your car being taken away from you/ In broad daylight/ Down Highway 54/ Do you ever worry/ About your wife becoming/ The woman in black/ Do you ever worry/ About leaving home and/ Coming back in a coffin/ With a bullet through your head/ So join us and fight this/ Crime and corruption”
From the song Crime and Corruption, 2001

Lucky was slain in an attempted hijacking in Rosettenville in Johannesburg Thursday night, at approximately 8pm, whilst dropping off his children at a family member’s house.

Although Lucky attempted to escape the scene, he had been fatally wounded from the hijacker’s attempt to steal his motor vehicle, and he died almost instantly. Senseless and random, the death of Lucky Dube leaves a great void in the music industry, as 25 years of music suddenly ends in tragedy.

Lucky Dube was survived by his new wife Zanele and his 7 children Bongi, Nonkululeko, Thokozani, Laura, Siyanda, Philani and his brand new three-month old baby Melokuhle.

May our beloved ICON rest in peace.