lucky dube

Biography

Lucky Philip Dube was born on August 3, 1964, in Ermelo, Eastern Transvaal (now Mpumalanga), South Africa, to a mother named Sarah who named him Lucky after several failed pregnancies; his parents separated before his birth, and he was raised by his grandmother alongside siblings Thandi and Patrick.[1][2][3][4] As a young man, Dube worked as a gardener but returned to school to improve his prospects, where he joined a choir, formed his first band the Skyway Band, and discovered the Rastafari movement; at 18, he joined his cousin's band The Love Brothers, playing mbaqanga (Zulu pop music), and released debut albums as Lucky Dube and the Supersoul with Gallo Records.[1][2][4]

Transitioning from mbaqanga, Dube was inspired by Jamaican reggae artists like Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh, drawn to its socio-political messages amid apartheid South Africa; his 1984 mini-album Rastas Never Die was banned by the regime but he persisted, achieving breakthrough with the 1985 platinum-selling Think About The Children, establishing him as a reggae star.[1][2][4] He released 22 albums in Zulu, English, and Afrikaans, with hits like Prisoner, House of Exile, Victims (over 1 million copies sold), and Trinity on Motown; awards included Best Selling African Recording Artist at the 1996 World Music Awards, multiple South African Music Awards, and performances with artists like Sinéad O'Connor, Peter Gabriel, Sting, and at Reggae Sunsplash and Live 8.[1][2][4]

Dube's legacy endures as one of South Africa's biggest reggae artists, blending roots reggae with messages of struggle, unity, and social justice, influencing global audiences until his tragic death on October 18, 2007, in a hijacking incident; he was survived by wife Zanele and seven children.[1][3][4]

Fun Facts

• Named 'Lucky' by his mother Sarah because his birth was considered fortunate after several miscarriages.[1][2]
• Played all instruments himself on his debut reggae mini-album Rastas Never Die, which sold only 4,000 copies initially but was banned by the apartheid regime.[1][2]
• Performed with global icons including Michael Jackson, Ziggy Marley, Celine Dion, and at Live 8 in Johannesburg in 2005, despite humble roots as a gardener.[1][2]
• Recorded in Zulu, English, and Afrikaans, winning over 20 awards while maintaining a humble persona unaffected by fame.[2]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jimmy Cliff - Primary stylistic influence for reggae transition and socio-political lyrics (Inspired shift from mbaqanga to reggae like Rastas Never Die) [Early 1980s]
• Peter Tosh - Key inspiration for reggae's messages relating to South African apartheid struggles (Influenced albums like Think About The Children) [Early 1980s]

Key Collaborators

• Richard Siluma - Cousin and bandmate in The Love Brothers, co-producer on early reggae (Rastas Never Die mini-album) [1982-1985]
• Dave - Studio collaborator providing effects on first reggae recordings (Rastas Never Die (played instruments with studio support)) [1984-1985]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #reggae, #roots-reggae