On the 15th of January 2012, the 83rd anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I was watching KING, a film based on his life and work. The scenes were frequently ones of bloody abuse of African-American’s and their supporters in their peaceful struggle for civil rights as expressed in the nation’s constitution. These scenes created perplexity in my grandson who then turned to me and asked, “Why are they beating the black people just for being black?” I was moved almost to tears. Not emotions from the history being replayed before me. I had either lived or been witness to some of it and had been a part of the artist contingent along with Stevie Wonder on the marches to establish Dr. King’s birthday as a national holiday in the USA. I was becoming happily tearful at the fact that the civil rights leaders vision was unfolding as here sitting right beside me was a new generation finding human injustice to each other appalling. How did we emerge from this nightmare of brutality? The human desire for freedom, equal rights, justice, love and peace is ingrained in our spirit, mind and body and is evident in the involuntary love for life that makes even the suicidal person struggle to remain alive at that ultimate moment when life is about to leave the body. Entrapped beings will initially struggle to be released. Some do succumb to the seeming futility of their effort due to consistent pressure but there are those who as the artists say “ Can’t cool, can’t quench”. On the African continent, ones of this disposition started to resist as soon as the colonizers’ intentions became evident. In the Americas, the ones taken away resisted slavery every step of the way and in Southern Africa the attempts by settlers to subjugate the indigenous population met fierce resistance. Driven by a greedy lust for the people and their wealthy land, Middle Eastern peoples and eventually Europeans developed comparably advanced weapons of mass destruction. Using these weapons to compensate for their being severely outnumbered they enforce pseudo-religious myths of race supremacy and inferiority and were able to create minority regimes to administer wickedness and brutality over the indigenous people and their territory.

The end of the last great European tribal war known as world war 2 saw nationalism rear its head universally and by 1960 Harold Macmillan then prime minister of the UK heralded the changes in his speech given right here in South Africa stating that, “The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it.” Pan-African discussions inspired by leaders such as the Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey fuelled a chain reaction of liberation movements and agitation for political independence. People of Africa at home and abroad embraced, coordinated, communicated and became active in the affairs of Africa and Africans universally. The Honourable Dudley Thompson QC represented and got an acquittal of Jomo Kenyatta in Kenya, Kwame Nkrumah declared Garvey a major inspiration, and a picture of Dedan Kimate inspired the now popular dreadlocks and as a child in Jamaica I grew knowing about Patrice Lumumba. In 1493 Pope Alexander VI was audacious enough to draw the Tordesillas line through the Atlantic Ocean granting all territory west of it to Spain and all territory east of it to Portugal (hence Brazil as the only Portuguese speaking territory in South America). This line was extrapolated in the carving up of the African continent at Otto von Bismarck’s Berlin Conference in 1884. The post war liberation movement succeeded in erasing the political dependency aspect of the line so that by the 1980s there was only a small fraction left to go and that was “ the ignoble and unhappy regime that held our brothers and sisters in … South Africa”

The struggle against the incarceration of Africans in their own land brought universal action. From the Caribbean, Cuba provided military support much to the chagrin of the so-called right wing western powers. Macmillan’s speech had divided the world into 3 with the so-called left wing being the Marxist/Leninist communists. The resulting Third World was left to be non- aligned but at the mercy of being “developed” by the other 2. The left were often times the only ones who allowed voice to the black and other oppressed peoples as the right were still steeped in the legacy of colonialism and slavery and the so-called first world fear of communist alignment was used as a convenient means of overshadowing the injustice being meted out in many of these countries.

Ian Smith seceded from the British Empire and North Rhodesia was not granted independence yet nothing was done, though warships were dispatched to miniscule Anguilla for similar reasons, the military struggle in what was then South Rhodesia, apartheid in South Africa and the Eastern European struggles against Soviet domination stirred world conscience and the artists of the Caribbean played a significant role in the enlightenment that created and maintained that consciousness.

By this time the Jamaican born reggae music had been use in land of origin as a vehicle for opening the eyes and ears of the audiences to black liberation that was not being taught in schools and were sometimes against the law in a country of 98% black people whose first national hero is the Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The Ras Tafari movement’s unrelenting African centricity established its influence on the music. Just before the 1970s the Jamaican government and the higher income classes had discouraged this African centricity as radicalism and had deported Guyanese born, UWI, African history professor Dr. Walter Rodney, declaring him persona non grata. The invaluable education that we had received from him especially about Africa before the Middle Eastern and the European arrivals was by this time indelible and so the movement energetically surged forward.

The nation of Jamaica though small in area and without military or economic might, rose up to have an artistic and more specifically musical effect on the world that seemed to fulfill King Solomon’s dream as outline in the Kebra Nagast “…And He came forth where they did not look for Him, and illumined the whole world, more especially the First Sea and the Last Sea, Ethiopia and Rôm…”. The Ras Tafari movement inspired mainly by the teachings and activities of the Right Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and of the Negusa Nagast Haile Selassie I challenged oppression using a simple musical form that evolved into being a great vehicle for the message. Rehearsed in its own homeland the themes surpassed just the dancing with and admiration for beautiful women to repatriation to Africa, reparations and human rights. The acknowledged father of lovers rock ( a style of reggae based on male/female love) Alton Ellis released “Going Back To Africa ‘cause I’m Black”. illustrated that positive attitude could create achievement in “You Can Get It If You Really Want”. Mixed race British bands like the Equals challenged racial inequality with “Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys”. There was an alignment with the anti-Vietnam war movements out of San Francisco and bands like Blue Mink’s music searched for the racial “Melting Pot” but not without better treatment of the downtrodden. Groups like the Abyssinians not only took their name from the land of the Negusa Nagast but as orthodox Christians wrote their African centered views, hope for repatriation and gave Amharic cultural information in songs like the anthem “Satta Amassa Gana”, speaking of the land far away and giving praises in Ge’ez an Ethiopian liturgical language related to ancient Hebrew.

Africans at home and abroad get a significant boost in confidence when one of ours becomes an international celebrity. Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masakela are examples of South African icons that gained international acclaim by introducing South African music to the world. Their stardom inspired black youth in those days to the extent that the hairstyle called the Makeba, imitating Miriam’s low cut natural hair, predated the Afro and the Soul and was very popular among black women in the USA, Europe and the Caribbean.

By the 1970s the Wailers emerged out of Jamaica as a force to be reckoned with universally. The power of the word now stood beside the power of the bomb and the power of money in the cold war era. The group chanted down a system that was likened to the Babylonian displacement, enslavement and exploitation of the nations of Israel. Their music reflected on “400 years” advising the slave master that the table had turned and the system was about to “Catch A Fire”. The oppressed were encouraged to “Get Up, Stand Up” for their rights and not to give up the fight against poverty, for black self esteem and for human equality towards “One Love”. The little island’s music was about to be the “Small Axe” ready to cut down the big tree of hatred.

The artists themselves did not escape as the recording companies were concerned about making money and often reluctant to support music whose message could offend some buyers. Communications technology at that time was nowhere near what it is today so the artists had to rely on the recording industry’s distribution mechanisms to disseminate their products. These factors presented a creative challenge that reggae music addressed by creating a blend of dance rhythms and conscious message. The international reaction convinced the recording moguls that there was a movement. “Exodus, The Movement of Jah People” going on and they treaded carefully into what is now an established success.

The Wailers split and the Honourable Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley was propelled to being the foremost icon of this new popular message music form, reggae. He address the struggle by appealing to the continent “Africa Unite”, addressing Southern Africa with “Liberate Zimbabwe” and giving thanks to and for those who made it this far through all odds in “Survival”.

Peter Tosh confronted apartheid head on by releasing “Fight ‘gainst Apartheid”. He unequivocally established that peace was not acceptable until there was “Equal Rights” and justice.

Bob Marley capped the issue by putting Haile Selassie’s 1963 speech to the United Nations to music and declaring that if racism did not give way to the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship and the rule of international morality then every where is “War”.

Awareness of the conditions of the African population in South Africa, the incarceration of activists especially Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko and a call to action had now taken centre stage in this newly emerging aspect of popular music and culture. This coupled with the racist rants of prominent white pop stars led to musical movements such as Rock Against Racism in Europe. Reggae inspired other aspects of the music such as punk rock where white working class musicians expressed solidarity with the musical movement against racial oppression. Dub poetry gave activist poets such as Oku Onuora, Mikie Smith, Jahfahda, Jean “Binta” Breeze, Claudette Pious, Yasus Afari, and Linton Kwesi Johnson the opportunity to express their revolutionary vision on the revolutionary beat of dub reggae. The heavy bass lines, the one drop drums, the organ shuffle, the piano bang and the guitar ska marched militantly supporting the message music of many a singer coming out of Jamaica and the Jamaicans in the UK.

A reggae remake of Nina Simone’s “Young, Gifted and Black” scored number 5 on the UK pop charts for Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths in 1970 giving the black population in the UK and by extension the African and Caribbean people working and studying there a connected sense of hope and identity. In Jamaica Joseph Hill and Culture expressed that “I and I are Conquerors”. Black Uhuru declared “Solidarity” universally and Luciano requested “A One Way Ticket” to Africa. The UK/Jamaican bands such as Aswad spoke to apartheid in “Set Them Free”, Steel Pulse expressed serious remorse that “Steve Biko” died and UB40 declared that “We Will Sing Our Own Song” a sentiment that was also expressed by Judy Mowatt. Eddie Grant called fro hope from in “Gimme Hope Johanna”. Harold Butler created a most touching piece based on the voice he heard “Crying In Soweto”. Lorna Goodison expressed her shock in a touching poem about Winnie Mandela’s bedspread being arrested for being the colours of the ANC.

Conscious reggae was now in vogue with the call for the end of racist, oppressive regimes and the building of the esteem of the oppressed at the forefront of the themes. Artists from the African continent felt the inspiration from their brothers and sisters in the Jamaican music movement and great reggae came from Salif Keita, Alpha Blondy, Lucky Dube, Babamaal, Yousuf N’Dour, Angelique Kidjoe and others who added their own African flavour to the rhythm. The crossroads of reggae music created a cultural exchange between black Jamaica, black Africa, black USA and blacks in Europe. The common heritage was no longer a secret and confidence was inspired to action culturally, politically and economically.

Stephen “Cat” Coore, Milton “Prilly” Hamilton and myself assisted in the pioneering of the Inner Circle band. Working in that group especially backing artists on stage and on record, brought us in touch with all the great pioneers of reggae music. We left in 1973 to form our own aggregation the Third World. The influences mentioned before inspired our own lives and one of our signature songs “96˚ In The Shade” is inspired by the famous Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica in 1865. Further influences on our black awareness and consciousness came from meeting Feea, Daughter of Zion. An artist and composer she works spiritually for the Awakening of Black People towards the Totality of Mankind. Together we worked on social and cultural projects some of which involved organizing meetings to teach a people about themselves and to inspire peaceful action against injustice towards all people but more so towards Africans at home and abroad. Our meetings had a reputation for large-scale attendances as we utilized musical performers and poets as well as guest speakers. We also gave support to Africa Liberation Day through their committee headed by Ms. Beverly Hamilton. Everyone of a certain consciousness worked assiduously to spread the word at a time when some members of the society still had doubts about publicly identifying with black struggle for fear of being ostracized. Some of our more effective meetings involved visits from activists from Namibia and South Africa to speak in Jamaica. Of note was the visit of Dr. Tjiriange of Namibia and Johnny Makatini of South Africa. Third World’s “Love Got Me Dancing On The Floor” became a hit on the UK charts and resulted in a hit in South Africa. This initiated an invitation from Sun City at an offer of $1.5G US at a time when artists, sportsmen and sportswomen were being advised to support the boycotts and not play in Sun City until things had changed. Our research revealed that this was the situation so we refuse the offer. Johnny Makatini tried to get 10 African countries to collectively match the offer so that we could tour Africa in solidarity with the struggle but to no avail. This was a profound statement as to where we need to go in not just being reactive to injustice but to be proactive against it.

Guidance also came from Dr. Fred Hickling a noted psychiatrist who has been compared to Franz Fanon for his approach in analyzing the psychological impact of colonialism on the colonized. Production direction came from choreographer/director the late Tommy Pinnock. Together we presented a first in Jamaican cultural history. The show was a dramatic work called “Explanitations” scripted to exhibit the history, the resulting cultural impact of the history and to offer solutions. The uniqueness came from the band being the actors, musicians and dancers in the production. It is alleged that attended 14 performances.

Together with Feea we reacted immediately to the famine in Ethiopia and we released “Land Of Africa” before the USA artists released “We Are The World”. The performers were Third World, Steel Pulse, Aswad, Freddie McGregor, Mutabaruka, Triston Palmer, Dean Fraser, Gregory Isaacs and the I Threes. The funds were contributed to the victims of the famine in Ethiopia but the lyric spoke to the condition of the whole continent at the time and hopes for the future. Then there was the release of “Apartheid No!” The band was signed to CBS/Sony at the time and on entering the company’s office we were greeted with the customary warmth. After playing the recording for the executive not only did they refuse to release it but the office was like a graveyard on our departure. In the summer of 1986 the United Nations presented Africa Week hosted by Harry Belafonte. The first presentation featured one of my favourite South African artists Letta Mbulu. The final presentation for the week was Third World, with David Hines of Steel Pulse sitting in for two numbers. At that ceremony we were awarded the UN Peace Medal for the work we had done in advancing the universal consciousness on Africa and more so the evils of racism in Africa. We also released “Man Of Nobility” for the Marcus Garvey centenary in 1987.

The drummer from the band, Mr. Willy Stewart still promotes a very successful annual expose of the music of Africa and its Diaspora influence. This show is Rhythms of Africa held in Fort Lauderdale. He has worked along with Feea and myself on numerous musical projects some released some yet to be release and on the 11th of February 1990 the above mentioned team along with Mutabaruka and Sister Flo O’connor, who was the Human Rights Council Chairman at the time, put on a mass rally in the Half-Way-Tree Park to coincide with the release of Nelson Mandela. We did it with no government support, no police or soldier supervision. We were given the support of the only African embassy in Jamaica at the time, the Nigerian High Commission. I remember holding a borrowed radio to the microphone to air Mr. Mandela’s first speech on his release. Mutabaruka declared to the estimated 10,000 in attendance that as of that moment the park should be named Mandela Park and so it was. That show featured top artists such as Jimmy Cliff, Judy Mowatt, the Nyahbinghi Drummers and Yellow Man all backed by a section of Third World. In 1992 the Mandelas visited Jamaica and I was charged with producing the musical tributes for the mass gathering at our national stadium. The South African government subsequently set up an embassy in Jamaica and removed the need for Jamaicans to have a visa to visit South Africa. Winnie Mandela met Mutabaruka on his visit to South Africa and declared her appreciation for reggae music and the inspiration that it was to the struggle.

Andrea William’s programme “Running African” and Mutabaruka’s programme “The Cutting Edge” both run on IRIE-FM in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, have been instrumental in keeping the African consciousness going. If Muta was not available I would host the programme on his behalf and I utilized this opportunity to make a link with Rwanda and am one of the few Jamaicans that have been to Rwanda and Burundi to view first hand the after effects of the genocide and must mention Ras Iqula for the work done in that region.

The Jamaican government of then prime minister the Right Honourable P J Patterson bestowed the highest honour that Jamaica has for someone not born in Jamaica on the South African president of the time the Honourable Thabo Mbeki. I performed at that function and gifts of one of Feea’s paintings and a song entitled “Africa’s Freedom” were also given to Mr. Mbeki.

20 years later, a few months before the first African hosted world cup, which is now reputedly the best hosting ever, Duma Ndlovu starts the My Mandela moment organization. On the Internet he asked for responses from persons inspire by Nelson Mandela. On receiving my response, I was invited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mr. Mandela’s release. This would be my first visit to South Africa in stark contrast to the 1980s when we toured in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Tin those days the flight stopped in Johannesburg but we were not allowed to disembark. The South Africans who liked our music had to come across the border to Botswana. During my 2010 visit I was ably hosted by the Deputy High Commissioner of Jamaica Ms. Shorna-Kay Richards and I also met ACCORD’s CEO Mr. Vasu Gounden who invited me to perform for the African Peace Awards where we debuted another song called “Peace Africa Peace” featuring South Africa’s own Sandy B. ACCORD also utilized my services at the All Africa Day Peace football match in Ghana featuring the All Africa 11 headed by Essien vs. the World 11 headed by Astley Cole.

Shorna-Kay is concerned that the new generation of South Africans are exposed mainly to the escapist aspects of reggae music. I have no problem with escapism and partying heartily but I understand the concern if the valuable contribution of reggae music to the struggles against oppression in Africa are not recognized. I hope I’ve been able to enhance the awareness and encourage you in an age where communications technology is at an all time high to make use of the fact that much more information is now readily available. It is important for my grandson to see what Dr. King and Nelson Mandela went through. While recording “Peace Africa Peace” in a studio in Cape Town, I asked the engineer who seemed to be in his twenties how he feels about the new South Africa especially since he was either not born or just a small child in the days of the old regime. His response was, “We asked for freedom, now we have it, it is up to us to decide what to do with it.” I will posit that the best way to move forward is to know what has happened before.