A Thought On Lucky Dube
Lesley Mofokeng
June 2022
When he eulogised Lucky Dube in 2007, Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya wrote “… there was no disputing the fact that he did not produce a single mediocre song. He sang beautifully of his country, his people, his culture and the social conditions around him. He pricked our consciences, made us dance, made us hum and made us happy.”
From 1985 to 2007 South Africa and the world were gripped in Luckymania. The formidable force of music that was Lucky Dube broke barriers and flew South African and reggae flag high.
Lucky started off as a Mbaqanga singer who transitioned to reggae, and in one album, Slave, he hit the big time as one of South Africa’s most sought-after musician.
The archive is a window into the life of Lucky. An artist of firsts, an experimenter of sounds and influences, a performer always on the road, an aspiring film star and a trailblazer for a generation.
We get to hear his innermost thoughts in some of the most personal interviews he did, where he revealed the intensely private and the superfluous details of his life and idiosyncrasies.
Lucky had a touring schedule of a megastar. He had dozens of sold out shows in the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa. He was truly South Africa’s global. The end of the cultural boycott and the dawn of a new South Africa, conspired to lift his career to unimaginable heights. For his generation of musicians, he became the most cosmopolitan with an enviable following across territories. The French couldn’t get enough of him, the Japanese begged for more, in Sierra Leone he was mobbed as he brought traffic to a standstill.
For his generation of musicians, he became the most cosmopolitan with an enviable following across territories.
South Africa is yet to produce a music star of Lucky’s magnitude who defies borders, influences, gender and age. He was signed to Motown Records, the first reggae artist at that time to be signed to the legendary soul label.
He was on par with international acts, staging shows with Peter Gabriel, hobnobbing with Ziggy Marley, appearing on Later hosted by Jools Holland on BBC2 in the UK, performing with Chris Isaak and Radiohead, Elvis Costello sitting opposite him and Boy George in the middle. Tracy Chapman and Youssour N’Dour shared a stage with him at the Kyalami Racetrack at Radio 5’s 21st birthday concert.
His enduring lyricism that was so relevant in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s still rings true in 2022. Lucky Dube was a visionary, a social commentator and a prophet of his time. He will remain irreplaceable and his loss was one of the most crippling for the music industry. His music lives on in the airwaves and the streaming services across the world. His words continue to echo and reverberate as he reminds us to be kind to each other and love one another.
