It is easy to react to Lucky Dube’s murder with outrage and grief. It is right to do so. I would also wish to celebrate the life of a friend. It is appropriate to do so in this blog, because Lucky Dube was an unheralded pioneer in the world of interactive digital content that pre-dated Web 2.0 by many years.
His 1996 10th-anniversary album, Serious Reggae Business, was the first South African CD to use the CD Extra format to include written and visual content on a music CD. Although CD Extra was also being used in 1996 to include MWeb’s new starter software on music CDs, Lucky’s album was the first to go fully multimedia with content that tied in with the music.
Gallo record company had commissioned Andre Venter, a pioneer in multimedia production, to handle the production, and myself, as a music journalist and long-time friend of Lucky’s, to conduct the interviews, and write the script and album liner notes. The interview turned out to be one of the most intensely personal I have yet conducted.
The songs on the album represented the greatest hits of his first 10 years as a reggae artist. He refused to call it a greatest-hits album because, he said, a greatest-hits compilation is for dead artists.
The liner notes combined my interview with an overview of the songs to give context to his music and life story. Today, it is my tribute to a complete human being.
Serious Reggae Business, liner notes by Arthur Goldstuck, Johannesburg, 1996, based on an interview at Downtown Studios, Johannesburg
This is the unedited version of the liner notes. Some of it was removed from the printed liner notes. Clips from the interview can be viewed on the CD itself.
Lucky Dube was born on August 3 1964, with almost nothing in his favour: alcohol led to the break-up of his family, he lived with a succession of uncles and aunts, and he grew up amid hunger and poverty. More than three decades later, he is the most successful recording artist in Africa, but he has never forgotten his origins. In fact, it is his understanding of suffering that enables him to create the songs that have the power to move the world.
Serious Reggae Business marks the 10th anniversary of Lucky’s career as a reggae artist, and a year in which he was named the world’s best-selling African recording artist at the World Music Awards. The album also sends a signal to the world that Lucky Dube does not want to rest on his laurels, but rather wants to move forward by adding new influences and new technologies to his music. So, while this is largely a compilation album, it is not a greatest-hits album.
“Greatest hits are done when people are dead or when they cannot make music any more, when they don’t have any more ideas,” says Lucky. “This is not the end of everything — there’s still more to come.” He adds, with typical modestly: “Maybe I’m still going to have some hits in the future.”
Mr DJ
Although Mr DJ sounds like a classic example of kind of songs many artists produce to get radio airplay, it was part of Lucky’s live act for many years before he recorded it. “This is how we open our show; it was going to be an intro to the album as if we are in a live show. We were not necessarily asking DJs that they must play this song.”
Feel Irie
Lucky is best known for his stirring reggae anthems, but many of his songs explore the personal demons — in reality often senseless fears — that haunt many people and have as much impact on their lives as do the political events around them.
“The idea behind my music is I write the music about people’s fears, people’s joys, people’s dreams and everything. Feel Irie talks more about people’s fears and my fears as well, because it says there that no man can hide from his fears. Since they’re part of him, they’ll always know where to find him.”
Together as One
This is the song that Lucky acknowledges broke the “political virginity” of the state-run South African Broadcasting Corporation. The title track includes the line: “Too many people hate apartheid, why do you like it”. The first instincts at the SABC were to ban the album, but it was persuaded to reconsider its decision, and an anti-apartheid song received airplay for the first time.
“Together As One was a difficult one. Dave Segal was there and Richard Siluma was there, and when I mentioned the word apartheid — because they didn’t know the song before we did it here so they just heard me singing in the song, “Too many people hate apartheid” — they immediately stopped the tape and they said you can’t say that, you can’t say apartheid. That was what was happening at that time; you couldn’t mention that word in a song, and so we stopped and talked for a while. But eventually we thought, yes, this is what I wanted to say and this is it.
“That was at a time when South Africa was changing, and we did not have as much trouble as we expected. The SABC wanted books and things, wanting to know where I come from, how I think, and things like that, just checking me out basically. And after that they played the song.”
Slave
Lucky’s third reggae album, Slave, was one of the great success stories of South African music, going triple gold in three months, and having sold more than half-a-million copies to date. Although the theme of Slave is the impact that alcohol has on people’s lives, the refrain “I’m just a slave, a legal slave” caught the imagination of the music-buying public.
“I’ve seen a lot of families breaking up because of drinking; I’m a victim of that. So it was just my way of trying to warn people against it, but then people read into songs, which is why maybe we write songs for people and not for ourselves. So they read that ‘legal slave’ part into the song, which I didn’t have a problem with because a song is meant for the people. That is cool, I’m happy with it, because it means that they are listening to the song, they are not just dancing to the song.”
Steel Bars Steel Bars always plays two roles in Lucky Dube’s live show: to introduce the next song, Prisoner, but also to give the backing vocalists a chance to shine.
“I allow everyone to have some sort of a contribution to the whole show. When doing shows everyone must contribute something to make it a success. I’m not saying it’s a Lucky Dube thing so it’s only Lucky Dube that’s got to do things here, but everybody can do what they want to make the show work better.
“As long as it’s all working to make the show better and not working against the show. If I believe it’s good, then we can do it to make the show better. That’s the reason why the girls have got their intro where they sing without me. That helps them as well to improve and know they mean something to the band.”
Prisoner
If Slave changed Lucky’s life, Prisoner changed the South African recording industry. In five days, the album sold no less than 100 000 copies, and another 120 000 in the next three weeks. Ironically, in the week of its release, eight of South Africa’s longest-serving political prisoners were released from jail, a major step in South Africa’s slow road to democracy. As so many times before, Lucky had unintentionally tapped into the national spirit of freedom hungry South Africans. Yet, he has never regarded his songs as political messages.
“They are all dealing with true and real-life experiences in our day-to-day lives. That’s what they deal with: social issues, even though some people see them as political things.”
Reggae Strong for Peace
In 1991, with South Africa in the grips of political violence, the country’s top reggae acts, led by Lucky Dube, decided to play for peace. The result was the Reggae Strong for Peace concert on May 2 1991, with 14 acts performing at an all-day festival, and coming together at the end to perform a theme song written by Lucky.
“It was kind of difficult to write a song like that which was going to be sung by a lot of different people. I don’t just write a song from nowhere; I mean there’s got to be something that triggers it off. That’s maybe why I have a problem writing a song for some other guy, because I write a song about something that has happened to me or to someone next to me, something that I know about, something that I’ve seen, something that I’ve experienced.
“With the Reggae Strong for Peace song, that was like maybe all my experiences in life and so I had to take it and give my experiences to other people to sing. It was a difficult one, but it was cool.”
(Mid-album comments)
We’ve reached that time of the album where, just as in his live shows, Lucky has slowed down the tempo and introduced a mellow atmosphere. This is the time when he shows off his astonishing vocal range — no less than four octaves, which would almost qualify him as an opera singer — as well as the depth of his musical skills. We listen to him slip easily from a reggae backbeat into the quiet piano moments of his ballads and love songs.
“The music must go with the message. Even though I’m a reggae singer, it doesn’t mean that I understand or write only reggae and nothing else. I do write other forms of music, and so thought if I did Remember Me or My Son I’m Sorry in a very groovy type of thing, maybe the message wouldn’t go to the people as it did in a ballad. It’s slow and it’s an easy-listening type of thing, so people can listen to it very easily and get the message. The music goes with the lyrics. It’s got to balance.”
My Son I’m Sorry
A few months before he put together this album, Lucky was reunited with his son, whom he had barely seen in 10 years. His former wife had refused to let him see the boy, but as strenuously as Lucky worked to push his career to new heights, so hard did he work at trying to earn the love of his son. One of the results was this song:
“I was maybe, what, about 21 or 22. I had a son at that time but we had problems between me and the mother, and so eventually I was not allowed even to go near this guy and we would see each other, like, from a distance. I didn’t want to stay away, because I have experienced that, being without a father. I didn’t want him to be without me. But the only way I thought I could talk to him in a way was through my song. I was trying to reach this guy and say, ‘I’m sorry, I wish you could understand, I wish I could talk to you, I wish I could tell you what happened.’”
Remember Me
Lucky never knew his own father, but in the same way he reached forward to make contact with his son, he reached back to “talk” to his father — as well as to other children in his situation — in yet another intensely personal song.
“My music is about me, my music is me. It talks about my fears, my joys and everything. Remember Me talks about my father. I don’t know him, I’ve never seen him, maybe I saw him for two or three seconds one year, I can’t remember, but I basically don’t know him. I wrote that song not necessarily for me, but for all the children that would be in the same situation as me, because I know there are a lot of children out there who don’t know their fathers, who have never seen their fathers.”
I Want to Know What Love Is
This is a song that the whole world came to know through the work of other artists, but Lucky has breathed new life into it with his unique vocal treatment. But why this song? How does it fit into Lucky’s reggae showcase?
“I’ve always liked Foreigner. I’ve been listening to their music for a long time, and I think it was last year when we started doing I Want to Know What Love Is, but I wasn’t doing the whole song. Live on stage I would just do the chorus, but I would fuse the chorus with Together as One. The band loved it, and people loved it, and everybody was just singing along, which was a great thing, because it’s also important that people should sing these songs so that they do get the message.
“South Africa needs a lot of love at the moment, and so we put that song in there just to make people aware that there is something we need here that we don’t have — we need love, and there are a lot of question marks as to what love is.”
House of Exile
On the House of Exile album, Lucky once again tapped into the national mood of the time as political prisoners were emerging from the jails and South Africa’s exiles began returning home. But there was one “exile” in particular who inspired the song.
“We all have suffered as black people or whatever, oppressed and all that, but no one has suffered like Nelson Mandela. Even though we were oppressed and everything was happening to us, at the end of the day we would all go back home to our children, wives, and everything, all our loved ones there. But he did not have that. He was just locked up there somewhere.
“It doesn’t matter whether you are poor or suffering or whatever, as long as you’ve got people around you that love you, people that care for you, it’s OK, but he didn’t have that. He was in that house of exile. And as the song says, in the night we dream of Romeo and Juliet; all he dreams about is the freedom of the nation.
Peace Perfect Peace
The Reggae Strong for Peace concert did not only mark Lucky’s first attempt to write a song for a large group of acts, but also one of the few occasions on which he performed other artists’ songs. Once again, though, it was the right song at the right time.
“It was also at the time when South Africa needed peace and the people needed to hear peace. We did Peace Perfect Peace. It’s a Toots Hibbert song, but I thought it’s a song that’s got the right message, and that was a message people wanted to hear at that time. We have resurrected the song and put it on this album because people still need that.
“We still need to maybe even educate people about peace, because we talk about it, politicians sign peace treaties which mean nothing to the people — it’s just something between the politicians, but they don’t actually talk to the people about peace, they don’t teach people about peace. I don’t think signing a treaty means anything to a guy in the street. So I think it’s every musician’s duty to try to teach people or educate people about peace.”
Victims
In 1993, Lucky captured the bitterness of a nation at war with itself on his album Victims. Lines such as “still licking wounds from brutality, still licking wounds from humiliation” were among the most heartfelt and angry Lucky had written. Critics described it as a “peace cry”. But when it was suggested Lucky had become a politician, he rejected the idea out of hand.
“I don’t know much about politics, you know, but I know about truth. I wanted to be a politician myself some time, but I just didn’t know much about corruption. Maybe that’s why I’m a musician, because I can just do what I do and just tell the truth. But if you tell the truth, they say you’re a politician.”
Nevertheless, the album quickly entered the Billboard world music charts, and set the stage for his most extensive world tour yet and the first documentary video on his life, The Man, The Music.
I’ve Got You Babe
Sometimes, Lucky Dube does sing about the simpler things in life, like love and happiness. “That’s what maybe keeps the world going,” he quips. “Man and woman.” He has no concern that people might confuse the song with an earlier hit by a 1960s duo, pointing out that “there’s a song I know that was written in 1923, called I Love You“.
It’s Not Easy
In 1992, Peter Gabriel invited Lucky to participate in the Real World Recording Week and joined him on stage at the 10th-anniversary Womad Festival. They performed a duet on It’s Not Easy, beginning a relationship that would see Lucky join Gabriel on the Womad world tour and share stages with a range of artists ranging from folk musicians to rock stars. But that song did not come easy.
“That is me that the song is talking about, but at the same time it’s talking about a helluva lot of people out there who have also been in the same situation as I have been in the song. We all have these dreams in life, but sometimes they never come true, you know. Sometimes they just don’t become what you thought they would be and that was my situation.”
Different Colours One People
Lucky detests racism so much, he even rejects tribal identities that people try to use to categorise him, saying: “I am just a human being. People would ask me if I’m a Zulu or a Swazi or whatever. I’m not that. God did not make Swazis, God did not make Xhosas or Zulus; God made people.” It was inevitable that he would keep putting that ideal into songs.
“I was touring Australia. They had a human rights association, and they had a campaign that they were doing there. It was called Different Colours One People, trying to get people in Australia together and just showing their different cultures and all the differences that they have there. I liked that title because it was exactly the same here in South Africa and that’s what inspired the song.”
Natural Man Natural Man is also an intro to the next song on the album, but it does say something about the way Lucky sees himself. He is one of the most clean-living artists in reggae, and rejects even ganja, insisting that there is no real spiritual basis to its use in Rastafarianism.
“My grandfather used to smoke ganja, but not as a spiritual thing, not as a reggae or Rasta thing. He didn’t know anything about Rasta or reggae. The only reason he was smoking ganja was because at that time the only smokable thing was this ganja, before white people came with cigarettes and cigars and whatever smokable things we have today.
“That’s not to say it had some healing power or spiritual power to it. It was just a herb that people got freely and they started smoking that. It’s something that started in Africa, totally innocently, not as a Rasta or a reggae thing.”
Back to My Roots
In reggae language, getting back to your roots usually means getting back to Mother Africa, but for Lucky it has an entirely different meaning. After all, he is already deeply grounded in his African roots.
“Reggae music is what I originally wanted to do before I started doing mbaqanga music, but at that time I could not get a contract from a record company as a reggae singer, because reggae was not happening in South Africa. I had to start as an mbaqanga singer and then move on.
“So when I recorded reggae music for the first time, I was saying yes, I’m back to what I originally wanted to do, I’m back to my roots. I’m reggae. I’m reggae. There’s a song I wrote some years ago saying the bed I sleep on is a reggae bed, so even though I do other projects on the side, I’ll always be reggae.”
180 Responses to “Lucky Dube: A complete human being”
Thursday night was one of those times when, as a journalist, it is easy to be emotionally affected by the news. It’s happened to me before: during days of covering the Beslan school massacre, for example.
Late last night I was editing reports on the Benazir Bhutto bomb massacre in Pakistan, and already feeling sad about the massive, meaningless loss of life. Then the news broke of Dube’s violent death.
Today I am not as excited about the World Cup final as I thought I would be. It’s hard to cheer when so many people, from a star musician to innocent bystanders, are dead.
I am shocked at such an act being committed to such a renowned musician… I’m sure even criminals themselves are shocked by this. Such foolish and ignorant minds aren’t meant to reside close to or within our societies and locales. May justice prevail! Lucky Dube will be missed!
To have read Lucky’s history, only at this time, i feel we should have more insight on local people who also make a difference and play a role in changing SA and South African’s lives for the better.
Lucky Dube, what can I say, he was a good ambassador of the Azanian music. A real musical icon to the sons and daughters of Azania. His music spoke for those who were speechless in the times when we were voiceless. Lucky, may your soul rest in peace.
Jah Guide,
It is an understatement that I am deeply saddened and almost traumatised by this senseless loss of such a talented brother who is Lucky Dube.I have been following and supporting his music from the days when he still sang mbaqanga and sampled some disco as well.I am originally from Newcastle in KZN and khow his home in eMadadeni.
These servants of Lucifer have robbed this country of a greatly talented individual whom I rank as highly as the late Peter McTosh and Robert ‘Bob Marley’ Nesta. He still had so much to offer this world.It is very sad that he had to die for a motor vehicle especially since he was not a materialistic person.The government should heed the call of the people for the reinstatement of the death penalty.
My deep felt condolences to his family and may his beautiful soul rest in eternal peace.
Barney 'Jahman' Ndodana on October 19th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
I read with shock the news of Lucky’s killing by ruthless thugs. I am in Senegal and believe me the Senegaleese are as sad as South Africans. May his soul rest in peace and justice prevail.
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 everyday
And you say it is not that bad
Policemen get killed everyday
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
Farewell, Lucky Dube. A victim of the circumstances he tried so hard to convince our leaders to acknowledge. Now our artists are dying, and
yet our leaders still tell us that it is not so bad. Artists are the eyes of the nation, and without them we have no vision for our future.
Dube’s truth shall be missed.
I was listening to YFM in the shower this morning when they announced that Mzwakhe Mbuli will say a few words to commemorate Lucky Dube. Lucky Dube’s face flashed in my mind, but I never made the connection that he had passed on. Driving to work, I heard the story of his passing, anger and sadness just overwhelmed me all at once. “How long will this go on?”, “No one is safe”, but as I drove alone the scariest notion dawned on me, and I pray I am wrong, we will loose this fight against crime, it’s only gonna get worse unless something is done. So I have decided, I am going to find out about the community police forum in my area, I will not let them win by putting fear in me and slowly destroy the hope I have for this country and my daughter.
it is said that we as South African we kill our self.if we kill our lovely talented stars so where are going as South Africans i think this is what makes us NOT to develop.we will always remain poor if we escape our poorness by killing people who try to make our country to be rich.i loved your music,i love your music and i will always love your music Lucky Dube.we will left here in the world listen attentively to your music and take your advices.and also peace that you was always seek from God it will be unto us and you.i wiil always miss you my role model.mourning for you it cant help so let just celebrate his perfect life.may your soul rest in peace.i miss u even South Africans miss you.
IT is with great desmay and shock that young talented icons such as Luke Dube who promtes and boost the reputation of not only South Africa but african culture in the world are brutally murdered by some greedy and ignorant idiots who wants to ripe what they did not sore.Whether they are apprended or not,they will be judged by their conscience. May his soul rest in peace. My depest condolence to the famliy.
I was listening to Motsweding FM this morning when they announced the death of the legend Lucky Dube. What a lose to the country but not only a country to the universe. He was in did a charismatic person, a visionary man and also a developer, he was man of his principle and he believe in his instinct. He once said “If Rastafarianism is about having dreadlocks, smoking marijuana and believing that Haile Selassie is God, then I am not Rastafarian. But if it is about political, social and personal consciousness, then, yes, I am Rastafarian”. May his soul rest in peace, he will always be remembered just like his song.
Phemelo Mohutsiwa on October 19th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
The connection between the Jackie Selebi corruption story, the killing of Lucky Dube and human trafficking is startling.
On his way to France for the Rugby World Cup, Mbeki had this to say about the killing of Dube:
“Even as we prepare to celebrate the victory of the Springboks, we must also grieve the death of an outstanding South African and indeed make a commitment that we shall continue to act together as a people to confront this terrible scourge of crime, which has taken the lives of too many of our people — and does so every day,”
Such statements will continue to ring hollow as long as Jackie Selebi remains the Chief of Police. A major reason behind the police’s dismal failure to deal with “scourge crime” is because of rampant corruption in the police service.
Was it not Selebi who suggested, a while back, that ‘prostitution’ should be ‘legalised’ for the 2010? Was this out of compassion for the poor women forced into sex work because of poverty, or was he thinking more about what he and his ‘friends’ allegedly involved in human trafficking stand to gain?
waking up to the news that Lucky Dube has died really made me mad. I don’t know him personally but through his music i felt like I did, especially when you were first introduced to reggae through his music
Lala ngoxolo Lucky,we thank u for the meaningful contribution u had to ur music, u were the pioneer in ur field,the true original, There was no fake aboutu and ur music. May ur soul rest in peace!!!!
As Riaan, I’ve been looking forward to the rigby final since day one as I’ve watched the games and, together with a Congolese friend who grew up in Frnace, had lively discusion over ruigby and who will rich th final and, like in FIFA World Cup, I was right: Boks and England. But thios morning I told my wife that, yes, I’m going to watch, but it would be vulgar to celebrate: muted celebration are in order for me. I cannot celebrate on the shadow of such huge death and the further testimony that our morality no longer holds.
Last night when I got the news that Lucky Dube has been murdered in a hijack just after finishing watching late night movie on e.tv, I could not share my grief with my wife who was fast asleep then. I couldn’t send a friend even an SMS as I had no airtime. But early in the morning when my wife woke-up I told her that Dube has passed away in the most violent manner: murder for car-hijack. She was shocked; she thought about his daughter whom she has seen once Bongi Dube. I told her he died in front of his other two children.
There’re only other two instances when I was ever moved by the death of a star in the past 10 years: when Mafikizolo’s Tebogo Madingoane and football player Gift Leremi died. Only these two deaths of prominent persons had previoulsy moved me to tears and lumps in my throat. But I was angry with those two for wrong decisions that led to their deaths; generally, I’m moved by death of ordinary people who in one way or another I know personally.
But for Dube I was angry at my country for letting the moral ground to slip so much out of our cognition. I was angry because the safety and security policies are too idealistic and not suffciently home-grown to recognise a peculiar reality infomred by a century of impoverishment and illiteracey. Greed is affecting the rest of us and corroding the morals of self-restraint and self-control in our public morality. These laws do not recogniose impoverishment, poverty and illiteracy; they’re the laws of a country with sufficiently literate and whose citizenry do not live in want.
It was strange because I didn’t really like Dube’s music, but his eminent person was most pleasure to know: I liked the way he behaved, his strict teetotaler and non-smoking creed, his religious beliefs and spiritual dedication, his interaction with his children, moved me the most. I suffered a lump in my throat as I struggled to prevent tears from falling from my eyes. I thought about my two young daughters; I thought about emigration; I thought about murder, robbery, and rape; I thought about the Sodom and Gomorah parable in the Old Testament; I thought may be all this ceaseless raining of curse upon this country is the number of irrational laws we’re passing in the belief of our advanced ideology. (As I write this I think about Baudelaire’s poem Crespuscule du soir where criminality and its old ally prostitution is let loose upon the world as soon as evening descends.)No, it’s not possible that this country suffers murders averaging 50 per day second only to Colombia, that is, we’re a society more violent than Russia and Brazil. For long I’ve been privately arguing with friends that there is something deeply wrong with our morality as black people; the much-vaunted ubuntu needs must be re-visited. It can’t be that we claim to have this life-enhancing, communal-oriented morality yet the disrespect for life that we have, the sheer insolence to life as motorists blast out the brains of harmless pedestrians, the complete lack of respect for traffic laws from especially black motorists, murder, violent robbery with clear intentions to murder if possible meeting with obstruiction and clear intentions of raping if founding easy lay of woman during the process of robbery, the daily threat and imminent presence of rape to women, indicates a deeper malady with our morality. That as a father I can no longer with my own daughters, worse as the other one is a step-daughter. This is sickness.
As I keep on saying that ethicists can philosophise all they want about morality, but when morality can’t prevent senseless murder and rape then that morality is seriously flawed. Murder and rape goes into heart of morality and morality is ultimately designed to prevent from causing harm to either ourselves or others. Yes, morality, like culture, is founded on the real presence of effective violence. But this effective violence is directed against that which seeks to diminish life, what is inimical to life. So we must we abandon such morality because it’s premised on violence as Liberalas argue? It is controlled employment of violence for the good of enhancing life. when this violence has no authority that controls it, that relies on its sheer brital force to effect it, that it becomes most dangerous, aimless, indiscriminate and bloody? If a morality can’t prevent such senseless criminality, gentlemen, I’m afraid, let’s abandon this template; it’s no longer serving any purpose.
Lucky Dube, you were one great human being, may your sould rest in peace.
I am deeply saddened by the senseless killing of man whose artistic talent was so inspirational.Once more South Africa, Africa and the world at large has lost a talented individual .How many more will die before the authorities in South Africa take drastic action to end such shocking crimes and disrespect of the sanctintity of human life?
frank chirumbwana on October 19th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
As a Zimbabwean who has grown pretty much used to senseless tragedy and suffering, and the death of so great a human being from a continent desperately short of people of courage, Lucky Dube’s death came as a unexpected shock.His songs inspired many throughout the motherland, who else could have expressed its suffering and hopes in so vivid a manner.
May his sole rest in peace.
Today I weep not only for Lucky, but for all Africa
It was with devastating shock that I learnt of Lucky Dube’s premature death. The news must reverberate thru out the world judging by messages of condolences I recieved. I can’t help it but feel guilty , as a nation we failed Lucky after attaining our freedom. We never accorded him the respect he deserves, his popularity abroad bears testimony to that.
May his family find it in their hearts to accept(albeit painful) his death. As a Nation we need to take stock and answer difficult questions such: What kind of a Nation are we?What can we collectively do to defeat the cancer of crime in our society.
Am in Tanzania .I just heard this news through a local radio,I couldn’t beliave it ,am shocked with such crime commited.My deep condolences to his family,Lucky Dube we will miss you,may your soul rest in peace.
The gap which was been letf by Lucky Dude,i think it will not covered,sori South Africans,sori African,am in Ug now but we are feeling the some as S,African.May his soul rest in Enternal peace.some thing must be done in S,Africa.
We loss one of the best Reggae singer in the world not only because he took the reggae form Jamaica and renew it but his letters were poems against racism, against impunity, corruption and criminality. In Central America, we cry and prayed to the lord for his soul.
They have killed lucky dube, and with his death a part of humankind is gone with him. Namibia has been trumatised by this news, i spent this morning sobing on the phone with friends and family in Zambia as if we lost family. most difficult was delivering the news to my two small kids who sunday afternoon means watching Lucky Dube’s documentary about his songs and life. I am so bitter with South Africa. I can not find words. Where is the funeral house for the millions of us outside South Africa? Wher shall we moan lucky dube?
I was greatly saddened to learn of the kill of the great singer and man who is Lucky Dube and I send to his familly and to the pleople of South Africa, my most sincere condolences
Paris, France
It is soooo sad that we as South-Africans are not safe anywhere.The death penalty should SERIUOSLY be considered as we killed for own things.I would like to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family of Lucky Dube.Know that he is now in Gods hands and safe.
How are we going to be able to host the Soccer 2010 World Cup, if this is the image that we set for the world.Can something be done, in order for lives to be saved and a successful 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Heather-Joy
please publish
Sadly missed,because your Music and your message will live.If all People in different colours come together as one in Love,as one of your song,then the world would be safe…May your soul Rest in Peace…
Paul Silivale.(Fiji)in USA on October 19th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Am a Zambian purusing my studies in Duisburg, Germany. I started my day as usual with reading the main papers on line and was suddenly hit by this sad news…At first I thought that I had misread the contents but after checking with other mails….I realised that it was true. I never met Lucky Dube but I truly appreciate his music and the message. Actually I liked his personality based on what I read about him. His death is a big damage not only to the music industry but to all of us. May his soul rest in peace and his spirit prevail amongst us.
This is a sad news for the Rasta Commuty in particular, South Africa and the World in General. We know death is the end of living person. And Lucky knew he would dye one day. But, he never wished to be murdered infront of his teenage children who cherished their beloved father; No. This is outraging. My strong wish is that police lays hand on them and give them examplary maximal punishment. May Jah welcome your sould and provide him with what he deserves for having spread all along these years the message of peace among all those who live in this world. I bow to you dear Lucky. Go in peace please.
Ras Aloys Niyoyita on October 19th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Five years ago, I was travelling through northern Ghana. Working for a local NGO, I was issued with a driver, who slalomed through crater-like potholes at bloodcurdling speeds. His English was rusty and my Bimoba was non-existing. Tired of listening to the radio, which emitted erratic burst of high-life music and static, I held up a tape in the hope that the driver would catch my heavy drift. He did. On it was a compilation of Lucky Dube songs; Songs that reminded me of my adopted home in Namibia, southern Africa. Dube’s mild, swaying reggae with is characteristic synthesizer rhythms boomed through the car speakers. All of a sudden the driver gave out a loud yelp. Startled I looked over to find him in tears. To my utter surprise this proud man, of whom I knew very little, was half humming, half singing along to the lyrics - in a language he did not speak. Passing villages, goats and people on the roadside at an unremitting pace, my anxieties passed as we both crooned along to the music. We had found a common denominator, a common voice in the music of lucky Dube. I never thought that his music was popular in Ghana, but I guess true quality knows no boundaries.
Dube, rest in peace! You will be sorely missed, but your legacy will live on.
Shame on South Africa! Cursed be those who killed a music star. What a disgrace! As a Namibian and a Pan African I am deeply sadned by how Lucky Dube was gunned down over a car. What is going on with South Africans? Jah blessed South Africa with a talented artist such as Lucky Dube and all South Africa could do was gun him down in disgrace. Why is South Africa unappreciative? Lucy DUBE was a musician, an international icon, a reggae star, a freedom figter, a peace seeker, a rastaman,a Pan African, a music prophet etc. I was saving money to come down to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. Now I say Voetsek South Africa (Nogmal groot voetsek Suid Afrika). I am not coming anymore cause I down want to be hijacked or gun down for a few Namibian dollars by crime crazy South Africans. Not worth loosing my life. To Lucky Dube’s family, Namibia is with you. We too are mourning the loss of the African son. Jah gude and bless
Thank you so much for this, Arthur! It has made a difficult day and somber news a little bit bearable. Though I was never a fan, I know how greatly loved and appreciated he was in Uganda where he honoured us with a performance in 2003. It is todate still the largest turn-out of music fans in our record books. I see my friends mourning and I feel their pain. I’m passing this link to help them come to terms with this shocking end of a beloved icon. I cannot even begin to imagine how his children will ever recover from this.
I am so angered and pained by yet another senseless killing. earlier this week Gower’s blog on her and her family’s ordeal at the hands of criminals left me feeling so emotionally drained I couldnt even bring myself to sympathise. I want to blame the leadership or lack thereof when it comes to crime but we are all responsible because we let it happen to ourselves. Democracy is supposed to empower people to change what they do no like through the ballot. Are we just accepting that criminals will continue to be free to run amok and run us out of our homes since they are not likely to suffer the punishment they deserve? I am currently in Tunisia where this kind of crime just doesnt happen. While I think we should certainly celebrate Lucky Dube’s life and his gift to us, we need to make a collective effort to say no more criminals of any sort will be tolerated in our midst.
Wat gaan aan met Suid Africa. Hoekom maak Suid Africa vir sy eie wereld beroed seun dood? Wat het die arme rastaman Lucky Dube gemaak? As Suid Afrika haar so onbeskof gedra kan Suidd Afrika vergeet om n Wereldbeker te win. Suid Afrika stink vol van sonde. Ek haat vir Suid Afrika want dis n land vol hongere boewe.
Am Namibian studying in China. What is this?? I don’t know what to say as to how south Africans are. Dube was great in my life , educating me in my secondary school life with his messages through to UNAM. So I am surprised that he is killed by fellow South African in such manner. Dube rest in peace and we will be with you via your music for ever
what happen to lucky for me was not something that was within but only God will know why such crimes can happen to such a preacher of peace we the youth of the world are said to hear that cos of car such a being who comes in world for once in a century has been wasted by such stupid creatures.
may his soul rest in peace we in ghana are very sad the whole nation even the president.
with Jah Blessing, we have lost one of the best
Reggae Icon, I am so greatful that I been able
to see you in the British Virgin Island in 2006
for a Concert there. May Jah Bless you and
guide you my Brother, Sleep On.
I AM AN AFRICAN ZIMBABWEAN BY ORIGIN AND NOW LIVING IN THE UK, I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT I WOULD RAISE MONEY TO HAVE BIG BROTHER LUCKY DUBE (AFRICAN LEGEND) ON MY WEDDING ONE DAY, NOW THAT HE IS GONE, IAM DEEPLY SADDENED AND DEVASTATED AND COULDN’T DO MY JOB PROPERLY AT WORK.MAY JAH BLESS HIS SOUL. MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY.
maltina samhungu(London) on October 19th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Iam a Ugandan currently living in Canada. i remeber watching Dube performing in Uganda live in the Great Mandala National Stedium. Its so unbelievable that such an active icon is gone in such a funny way. Iam deeply suddened by these senseless murdering of a MAN whose presonality and music has been and still inspirational.
“Dube you’re gone, but your music will live for centuries and centuries. AND MAY YOU SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE”
Luck Dube was and is still my inspiration and hero. Just can’t think exactly what to say, his death is so ruthless. His death will not be invain and he will always be my #1 musician.
God bless his and his soul in peace
That crime is too much, South Africa! You don’t even deserve the 2010 World Cup - people are scared. As a Namibian working for the United Nations in Angola, I couldn’t believe my ears hearing Lucky Dube’s ugly death. Please, the police authories should do its best to trace the satans who killed Dube. What a riddle South Africa! My personal condolences to Lucky Dube’s family.
Am a Ugandan,Funs its so sad!Lucky Dube rest in peace I have been praying for you since 1986 and i didn’t know that you would die what you have been preaching,every time i listerned to your songs i could kneel down to pray for the,poor,children,prisoner,needy and the opressed.This time i would love to AVENGE as a human being but because of your songs,full of love and forgiving i can here your voice crying and telling me to do what is in ROMANS 12:17 REPAY NO ONE EVIL FOR EVIL.HAVE REGARD FOR GOOD THINGS IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN.IF IT IS POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS DEPENDS ON YOU,LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN. BELOVED,DO NOT AVENGE YOURSELVES,BUTRATHER GIVE PLACE TO WRATH;FOR IT IS WRITTEN,”VENGEANCE IS MINE,I WILL REPAY” SAYS THE LORD. IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY,FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY,GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON HIS HEAD. DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL,BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. On your behalf i have forgiven your killer and enemies,thanks for the seed of restoration you have sown in us, let your sweet sweet spirit rest in peace in Gods hands.
iam a nigerian living in usa. I have seen LUCKY DUBE live and have most of his record. He was not only a son of AFRICA but agift to the whole world. May his soul rest in peace.
I AM FROM GRENADA……Don,t no where to start still in shock.Its so hard to digest the fact that lucky dube has being mudered.
I am deeply saddened and almost traumatized by this senseless loss of such a talented singer who is Lucky Dube have been following and supporting his music for some years now.
Luck Dube was and is still my inspiration and hero. Just can’t think exactly what to say, his death is so ruthless. His death will not be invain and he will always be my #1 reggae singer.
My deep felt condolences to his family and may his soul rest in peace.
mo matter where i go or what i do, i would always remember you, in my heart where you would stay.
Theses killers dont no what they have done to me, i was addicted to lucky dude music.
MAY YOU REST IN PEACE
WITH LOVE LUCKY DUBE
CARLA JAMES
FROM GRENADA (WEST INDIES)
I am devastated by the death of Lucky Dube. He meant the world to me, and to everyone who listened to his music and heard his positive message. How can such a senseless and violent act happen to such an ambassador of Peace?? I am shocked and in complete denial that he is gone. My prayers of love are with his family during this terrible time.
I have been blessed to have met Lucky and all I can say is that he was a true gentleman. He was extremely humble and down to earth. When I told him how much his music has meant to me and how much I loved him, he told me that meant more to him than winning a Grammy award!! He was the most talented and precious man and I will miss him more than words can ever express. May your soul rest in Peace my friend. You will always be my hero.
I am a Mozambican living in Canada. I was preparing breakfast for my daughter this morning when the phone rang. It was my brother Matata on the other end informing me of Lucky’s passing. I was honoured to watch Dube perfom live in Vancouver a few years back and couldn’t stop crying when he sang TOGETHER AS ONE.
I am deeply sadened by his death. One true reggae legend who represented the whole of Africa. Why did he have to die South Africans? May his soul rest in eternal peace.
I am a South African living in London. My daughter attends the same school with Lucky’s daughter in Johannesburg. Through my daughter, I gained an insight into this icon and feel as though I knew him personally. He was a good man. I am deeply saddened by Lucky Dube’s untimely and senseless death. I would like to extend my condolences to his family and kin. Lala ngoxolo, Son of the soil. You have left an indelible mark in many people’s lives around the world through your music and the way you lived your life.
The people who did this are the government sycophants who tell us that 55 murders a day are not a problem. That’s 20,000 deaths — mostly of ordinary South Africans with no celebrity status. Now a reggae icon is murdered, we have meaningless mouthings from the government about how terrible this is. What about the other 20,000 who are going to die this year, bra Thabo?
Jackie Selebi we hear is doing a great job: he meets the key criterion of being a team player.
Philip Machanick on October 20th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Hi All,
Having read the struggles that a great music composer/artist/freedom striver and legend had gone through,was every reason why his music impacted and will continue to impact many souls.It was a privilege to attend two of his concerts in Fiji and strenthen my interest in his meaningful lyrics which till today i listen too.
I reason with a comment made on how can we tolerate such behaviour in society.We all grieve when a soul is lost but what do we do collectively to alleviate a life being lost is what needs to wake people up.The majority of society is filled with good so why not gang up against what is ruining our societies and reduce the risk of your life being taken away like Lucky’s was.
A talented muscian has been relinguished of the gift of life but a true legacy has been left behind.One that had sincere meaning via real experiences and a heart to see lives change through his music.
To his family,my heart felt condolences are with you in this time of grief.May you continue to live his dreams through your actions like the many fans that have taken on board the message in his music.
Rest in Peace Lucky Dube.
John Namua (Fiji Isalnds)
I was so puzzled by Lucky’s death. To his family and fans its a big loss. I do believe Lucky’s message will still sink in those who loved him. He has left a spirit that will go on even in his death. I will still listen to your music Lucky and pray to God to watch over you and the family you left behind. To those who took Lucky’s life remember he still forgave you for it’s in his music. Love reggae, Love Lucky Dube. RIP
May the world gather around those who were closest to Lucky and provide them with strength and comfort to come through this horrific time. For us, and so many worldwide, this artist brought forth conciousness, inspiration and one love. We are grateful to have heard his messages and will carry those with us, working to spread them as he did. Thank you, Lucky.
Lost is an icon to the senseless african violence of our time. We mourn the loss of an icon who preached love and peace through his music. Lucky Dube go in peace and meet your maker in heaven and always remember we loved your music and will continue to love and play it for the children of the world to know you are still one amongst us - PEACE!!!!!!!!Fungai Marange USA
The world has lost an icon. I get a high listening to Lucky’s music. I was privileged to see him peform at Crossroads nightclub in Bladensburg, Maryland, only 2 months ago. I will always love Lucky, he was my inspiration. I know that he is in Zion with the other great reggae artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Culture, Dennis Brown. My condolences to his family.
I lived in boston usa. I was shocked when i learned that Lucky dube was killed in south africa. At first, i couldn’t believe it. i had to confirm by checking ten diffrent sources. Lucky
Dube was one of the greatest talent Africa had produced. I am in morning, and don’t know what to make out this great lose. I am an addict fan of his music. His music had touhgt me a lot lessons. I had all his albums. I can’t believed that my brother Lucky Dube is gone. I saw him live at a concert in july 12 2004 in lowell massachusetts on my birthday. that was the best birthday i ever had. Lucky you will be missed greatly not only by me, but by all music fans around the world. My only question why now,and how i’m going to survive without new comforting massages from you. So long my brother African. My your soul rest in the comfort of the lord. Your musics will alway live on. Thanks for the comfort you had given us the helpless
Words cannot expresss the hurt I feel inside today. Lucky Dube was truly the world best inspirational Reggae artist. He inspired so much people and brought so many nations together thru his music.
His music was so soothing and so real; make you want to search your own heart and correct any wrong that you might have found. Lucy is a “LEGEND” and legends never die.
He was a man of honor, a man of interigty and a man with heart of gold. I have had the opportunity to see him peform on two seperate occassion in the Turks and Caicos Islands; this man have travelled the world and have touch soo many souls with his inspertional music.
It breaks my heart to know that he died especaially in such a sensless act. There will never be another like the great “LUCKY DUBE” nobody else can never compare because he was one of kind!
On behalf of the people of my country Turks and Caicos Islands I send our most sincere condolences to his family. RIP in peace my superstar and world renowned healer you healed so many hearts and touched so many lives during your short stay on this earth.
One love, gone but never, never can we ever forget you.
To defeat apartheid, as South Africans we brought the country to a STANDSTILL. Likewise, to show the government we’ve had enough OF THIS SENSELESS CRIME — there should be NO WORK, NO SCHOOL, NOTHING…. UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT SORTS OUT THIS MESS.
LUCKY DUBE’S MUSIC GAVE US HOPE IN THE BLEAKEST TIMES OF OUR PAST.
In South Africa, it’s clear …there will never be peace until as a people we …. FIGHT TO STOP THIS THUGGERY.
SHAME ON SOUTH AFRICA, you have murdered a great man for what, a piece of steel with rubber wheels on it. SHAME ON YOU! Who needs enemies when you have your own greed and hatred of your own people. This is an unbelievable event…whoever you are, I hope you rot in prison all of your miserable life.
I am happy that I escaped ZA when I had the chance, you deserve the troubles and strife when a car is worth more than a man!
I have never met lucky Dube in person but ever since I was growing up I have been listening to his songs. The lyrics of his songs give real inspiration to the ordinary man on the street. In both sad and happy moments there couldn’t be another artist for me to listen. His songs I can relate to… When I heard of Lucky’s passing I was saddened.
Rearly we do not know what was the motive of the assasins of my icon of life.Irecieved the news very early morning of 19th/10/2007 through alocal radio,but it was as if adream.this should serve as an eye opener to what the gorvernment has to do to protect its citizens.he sang the song th crezzy world not for fan but to inform people how leaders forget.May the fire lucky lit keep on burning till the end of the world.We will miss this great son of africa who is hard to replace.
Hearing of Lucky’s death yesterday and reading all these posts here today is so sadning to me. I had the privilige of seeing him perform live once and it was truly a great experience!!
As sad as I am today I’m also angry because of the state that our beautiful country is in. And the complete denial of our leaders!
The whole world looks at us today asking: “what the hell are you guys doin!!??”
I agree with Mzi we must make this country come to a standstill so that Government can open up there eyes!
My sincere condolences to the Dube family in this time of sorrow!
oh another icon has bow so shamefully why?africa
u kill some one like luky dube for his car my God,
we do not want any thing good from africa,others have j-zee,mike tyson,jet lee,samuel l jackson,and so on we only have lucky dube who any time u hear his music u feel good what ever the situation we have killed him GOD will keep him since we do not like him may the good lord aimighty forgive him his sinns on this world and grant him eternal rest till we meet again,for his music will leave on for ever till this world pass on . am in ghana takoradi when i heard the news i felt sad all i said was why?africa why? so nothing good should come from europe or america sine we are killing our own ,we have a proverb in akan language which says that if u do not talk to ya mothers son when he is being carried and hit to the floor or beating by strangers its does not pitty you??its will since its the same blood,what ever we do on this earth we will get the reward here so my fellow animals who commited this crime i know u have regretted what u did now just go and surrender ya self to the police or else sleep we call its sleep u will never have one.
bobsway(papaappiah) on October 20th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
once to every man and a nation there comes a moment to decide,and what ever choice we make today is what will end our future,am in ghana takoradi and all the hoods are sad bcos an icon of peace has been killed by some animals who called them selfs thugs ,death is for every one but how we will go its very crucial for some one who has toiled for so many years to reach such a status in life and just the pull of trigger has wasted him.
why?africa why? so every good thing should come from america or europe why? this our own we have kille him south africa am only 26 and i bet u that we will die our grand children, children will come and still u will not have one like lucky dube mark its on where rain will not touch, my country did the same and by killing kwame nkrumah since we have never have a leader like him ,some people are Gods special one for a purpose they hardly come by south africans were not able to honour luky now he is dead by the same things he preached abt its are going to honour his ghost? let remember our living heros for they deserve its ,for the family i say have faith in God in his wisdom he allow things to happen GOD could have save him but who knows why? he giveth life and takes its back that for all things we should give thanks and praise to him for every thing happens for a reason look at judas.my email add is bobsafemode@yahoo.com
Its over 24 hrs since i recieved this life shattering news of Lucky Dube’s death. A day later the pain and sorrow can not seem to subside. People i am hurting. I got an sms from zambia last night “people here are devastated, some are planning to drink the night away until they die.” For some of us life has been permanently altered, we are now living in a post Lucky Dube era, and so far its all filled with pain, sorrow and anguish.
As i am writing this my eyes can’t stop crying, since i read about the death my lifetime hero,some time i think that i am dreaming, waiting to wake up,and find that its not true,but its not happening,by now its starting to sink that its true.
I can’t believe how ruthless this world is, that such loving person can just be shot.he has been preaching about guns,but little did he know that it will end this way.may the GOD rest his soul in peace till we meet again.for as long as live his music will always be my best.
please pass this poem to the family
I Do Believe
There is nothing i can do,
to make him come back
There are no words I can say,
that can replace he words you long to hear
There are no answer’s I can give,
that will satisfy your questions
There is not another soul I can introduce you to that will ever replace his
And, there is no love I can offer that will ever replace the love you shared
I can not promise your broken heart will ever be complete
I will not say it could have been worse
I will not deny it was a tragedy
I will not lie and tell you he will come back
He never really left
I do promise he hears you when you speak
I will say he loves you no matter the distance
I will not deny he is in a better place
And, I will not lie; he is waiting to greet you someday
He is every you step you take
He is in everything you do
He is the air you breathe
He is every beat of your heart
” He is like the wind. You can not see him…but you will always feel him
This poem is mine to LUKY DUBE
So far away,
By the time the light reaches my eyes
You are no longer there
Seeing the past as the present
Orbiting around a memory
The centre of a paralysed galaxy
Happiness was only an eternity away
That flash in the sky
You are so far away,
I don’t see you for what you are now
As you existed a lifetime ago is all I know
Brilliant and alive
My shining star
But I know,
Deep down in my gut
That you are like light in my heart
Cold but glowing
My star
A constellation only I seemed to appreciate
The world never cared enough
far away,
I don’t want to see you
Floating through the void
Space trash!
Discarded and wasted
Silent and forgotten
My dead star
my condolence to the Dube’s Family,and most of all the fans that had long for his music and his words of wisdom. i am a fan of lucky like everybody else but i was touched by his music in 1991, he performed in mexico q.roo and also performed in belize. i went to both concert and must say that reggae will never be the same for those that new him. may your soul rest in peace. and once again you will be missed by your BELIZEAN fans as well as others around the world…
Dr. kunle Adesokan on October 21st, 2007 at 12:18 am
Lucky, when you said in your album House of Exile that we are living in a crazy world i didn’t understand you well. But now i know better. Indeed we are in a crazy world- lose morals ,little or no respect for human lives. Rest in peace brother.
Dr. kunle Adesokan on October 21st, 2007 at 12:23 am
We were beginning to feel your powerful presence and suddenly you have been taken away. You will always be remembered for standing for the voiceless. RIP.
i remember i was just three months ngifikile in canada and i was home sick and he was playing in ottawa canada i was very happy that he take me back home ,to south africa how could you kill yo own shining star .he adverts the country for you. you are known in the world becouse of him ,he was the voice for the poor rich ,young and old whats wrong with you south african why are you not pround of you heroes.i feel for his family who are let down by south africans .may yo heart find peace and let his soul rest in peace .and to all south africans for lucky dube to rest you have to award him by finding his kills the world is wartching ?
I am profoundly saddened by such a senseless and cowardly act of violence. Although Lucky has left us, I know that he is in the company of all the prophets before him. Let us imagine him laughing with the great Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Fela, Jimmy Hendricks, Marvin Gaye, Madilu Systeme, Pavarotti, Elvis, George Harrison, John Lennon, James Brown, Janis Joplin, and all the other great musicians that have gone before him. He will not be forgotten. My condolences goes to his family, South Africa and music lovers everywhere. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE,PERFECT PEACE!!
Again, another (wonderful) person has been killed, due to an irresponsible government.
HE WAS MURDERED IN FRONT OF HIS CHILDREN!!!
I’m definitely considering cancelling my holiday to South Africa, as I’m sure many other overseas tourists are.
In the apartheid years, they put sanctions on SA to end that brutal regime. Should we now boycott SA tourism to end the violence?
Or should we continue to “trust” Mbeki to cure this nation?
words cant express how I feel right now. one of my favorite songs of yours God bless the women I will surely miss you my brother cause raggae is strond rest in perfect peace coming from the sweet island of ST Lucia.
How long was the reach and appeal of this man? Well last night in my little village of 5000 people in Western Massachusetts (USA), we had a dinner party where we played Lucky’s music all night, and once again marveled at its beauty. The world mourns his loss, and the senseless insane violence that is tearing his homeland apart.
MAY THE ANCESTORS PREPARE A PLACE FOR LUCKY DUBE AS HE HAS BECOME A ‘SACRED ANCESTOR’ IN OUR ANCIENT RELIGION.
As a member of the world’s 600,000,000 (six hundred million) people of African Traditional Religions Society - LUCKY DUBE, one of the great creators of conscious reggae music, IS NOW A ‘SAINT’ among the PANTHEON of GREAT ANCESTORS recognized by the over members of the ancient religions.
Hence, during our meditations and rituals, the souls and spirits of GREAT MEN Like Lucky Dube (and Great Women) are praised in our temples and through meditation in our sacred shrines and spaces. Members of the Orisha, Shango, Ifa, and other African religions recognize that WHILE A HUMAN MAY LIVE FOR A 100 YEARS, HIS SPIRIT, HIS WORKS, HIS NAME LIVES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
Lucky Dube will be considered a SACRED ANCESTOR (SAINT) by all of us who are Orisha, Vadu, Shango (and Africanized Christianity forms like Penticostalism). He will also be remembered by the Rastafari Order ( http://www.raceandhistory.com ) Boboshanti, Twelve Tribes and others.
He will be remembered by the UNIVERSAL ZULU NATION (of America/the world) and by the Global Africanist Movement.
It is very painful that a freedom fighter was gunned down by imbeciles who have no respect for human life. This should be a wake up call for the South African government that crime and violence are out of control. Don’t deny it. The government needs to get tough on crime. Make criminals pay heavily for their crimes. Make it illegal for people to possess guns and other deadly
I am ashamed of this waste of Human life. Lucky Dube came with a message of peace yet his life ended violently, Killed in the land he loved so much by the people he loved the most. he was a true hero someone who in his own right fought against apartheid,
His music was not only entertaining but it bore a message
Innocent okorocha
I think this is a very big shame to all southafricans. For a well known world figure to be killed like a dog on the streets worst still in front of his kids, it shows how unsecured your country is and this is the main reason why i see southafricans (Government) incapable to handle the world cup in 2010. I want fifa and also the world to take this matter as serious as possible so that we wouldn’t have to lose a sportsmen that would participate in the world cup
My grandfather one time said: “good things never last for long.” indeed the , I known reggea superstar, Lucky dube did not live to see his grand children.
NOW southafricans in general, has left a wound that will never be cured. He did not only entertain people but strongly stood up for values like equality and liberty, among others. His zeal for suffering people and children is second to none (at least in modern day Africa).
This is another sad moment in Africa’s history.Lucky through hardwork and against all odds you made a name for yourself and mankind all over the world.Lucky continue to rest in perfect peace.Though you are dead physically but you will forever live because your message will never die.What another bad day in Africa.Lord save Africa from all it’s problems.
Amen,
Lucky Dube R .I.P
I was lucky myself to see Lucky Dube play twice in Australia.I will never forget the smiles he brought to everyone’s faces and the zest for life and humanity that he held and shared with us.This is absolutely heartbreaking not only for South Africa but for us all.Farewell Lucky,you were a voice of change and a prince of peace.
This is can’t believe. I’m writing from this tiny south seas islandsin the South Pacifi…when Fiji took on SA in the RWC Quarter Finals i was cheering for Fiji….when SA was playing England i was cheering for SA and when they won i gladly could say that Fiji lost to the World Champs…But i tell you this my fellow comrades…South Africa, Africa and the world has lost a truly great son, a leader, a legend and simply a MAN…in Lucky Phillp Dube…..We the Lucky Dube fans here Fiji join in mourning with Dube family…why africa why him….To his childrenb and wife…..be strong and continue the work of Lucky Dube…..I pray for his soul….may it rest in eternal peace for ever….
I am grateful that i have witnessed this greatman in concert and will always cherish thise moments…here in Fiji..
Tuks [Fiji Islands] on October 22nd, 2007 at 6:38 am
I am a Zimbabwean who was a fan of Lucky Dube. His death has robbed me (and the whole world)of a true liberator. Who wil sing for me “Together as one?” He liberated us through his music. He should be declared an international heroe and a national hero in South Africa.
I am a ugandan who was a fan of Lucky Dube. His death has robbed me and the whole uganda of a true liberator. Who wil sing for me “NO TRUE IN THE WORLD?” He liberated us through his music. He should be declared an international heroe and a national hero in South Africa.
I am so devastated by the death of Lucky Dube.He was the jewel of South Africa he should have been TREASURED I cant believe that these murderers didnt recognise him. The world have lost a brilliant performer and a great artist .Lucky u will never b forgotten. Ur music will keep u alive in our hearts and mind.My condolences to the Dube family n ur BAND. May the Lord give u peace,perfect peace. RIP UR FANS WILL MISS U.
I am rwandese ,I remember Lucky Dube in a concert in Rwanda, it was fantastic.Now we will never seen his in Rwanda….and we cray for him…
He join Brenda and other atrists we lost during the genocide in 1994 .
Wold liketo send my sincere condelescence. Am london but i was so shocked when i heard this devastating news. May God give his famiky the perfect peace and may his soul rest in peace.
“What a Shame”…and how disgusting…
I must commend - Borro Ndungula from Namibia, whos comments state “Voetsek South Africa, he will not be attending the World Cup Soccer in 2010″…
May the whole world know what the crime rate is really like in this country, and we live here in
constant fear.
Condolences to Lucky’s family…
“The South African Government needs to Catch A Wake Up”
J Pillay
For those who are wanting to attend the 2010 in South africa, may i add…that you might want to do some homework re the Crime Rate in this country before u come here.
The death of Lucky Dube has robbed many of a hero in the struggle. Lucky sided with the poor and the masses in most of his songs and fact that his death was a result of violent crime which he had so many times poetically sang about makes it all the more painful. Lest we forget that about 50 South Africans die each day in similar ways. This should serve as reminder to the authorities of the many nameless victims who die each day. Its time to address the issue and not pass on the bark by blaming the crime on foreigners as this only works to increase Xenophobia. Lucky Dube’s music and legacy lives on may his dream of violent Free SA live as for much longer and become reality
Am in Uk though a ugandan national. I have grown up listening to Lucky Dube’s music. I was so devasted when i heard this sad news, May the Good Lord Protect his faimly and keep them in perfect peace. May his soul rest in peace.
Dube’s death is a shock for nationalistic hearted like myself. I feel ashamed for the south africans thugs who took the body of our icon. Its true that the spirit will keep on and we will cherish with forever.
I’ve been devastated by the brutal cold murder of Lucky.Growing up in Nigeria I loved Lucky’s music for the rhythm, now than I am grown up in the US, I understand and hold very dear his message and the scrifice he made in the emancipation of his race at large.In one of his songs he said; “nobody can stop reggae”…I believe the criminals have murdered reggae…”the only one left in Jah creation”…and they must have been disappointed by their actions.Goodnight big brother!………Jah shall keep your soul!
I am lost for words on learning that Lucky Dube was short dead. One really wonders why anybody could think of killing such a peace preacher and where this level of violent crimes will take us. Oh God! Help us. This is a crisis the world is facing now. Violent gun crimes everywhere. Innocent people are killed everyday. Oh God! Help us. I am left speechless and with unbearable pain. All my prayer goes to the family for the loss of a great African who lived and preached peace across nations. May God gives you courage at this difficult time and may his soul rest in peace.
lucky is truly a legend.i am from the solomon islands and a great fan of dube.he was truly an amazing person.its a very big loss to the music family. his songs has inspired me because he wrote songs that are real today and i for can relate to some of the songs he had and sung.
over the weekend in my country,people were shock and sad hearing the news that lucky has gone forever.every local shops played dube’s records,even taxis and cars on the road.our national radio station broadcasted the news throughout the whole country and even local FM stations here.
my condolence goes to his wife and his children.truly your dad was a good man and a hero.God bless you and bring comfort to our hearts together.
The death of the Philosopher–Lucky Dube–is a great loss to us all in Africa. They killed him but did not burry down his message to the people of Africa! To me Lucky Dube is my Professor—he is my mentor too! I keep printing every news I read on the death of Dube and the possible trial of the criminals who killed Lucky Dube.To the criminals, they will not settle at all, they will run and fall down but eventually they will stand behind the bars in the prisons. The bad thing with South African Democracy is that they had abolished death penalty way back in 1995 following Makwanyane’s case, this is a great loss and detriment to the peacelovers of Africa. How do the public feel about the death of Dube? In my opinion, there is need for death penalty to be reinstated in South Africa more particularly to the criminals who killed Lucky Dube.Consider the way they killed Dube-an innocent man and Saint of GOD–why then should the criminals continue to be fed up with tax payers’ money in what will turn to be long term sentence?
Dube, I see my library I see your face,
I see the wall of my house I see your face,
I think about your death I remember the CDs I bought in Pretoria in 2005 especially “Rasta never Die”
I read baout the trail of the suspects of your murder I remember your songs: “War, Crime and Corruption, The way it is, Up with hope down with dope,Reap what you sow, and Together as One!
DUBE I will meet you in Heaven,
Peace be in South Africa,
May GOD rest Dube’s soul in eternal peace!
I’m from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)and have been a fan of Lucky Dube for over 17 years. Though we are a french-speaking country, his music crossed over all classes of the population. Lucky Dube was a greatly appreciated and loved african STAR, in the DRC. His tragic death has affected us, and me in particular. What a loud voice he was for the abandonned, the speechless, the weak ones!!! You will be missed, Lucky.
Rest in Peace.
Le congolais.
Rest
Thanks for the great times. I remember listening to you in 1988 while sitting at a beach in Puerto Rico. Saw you for the first time 2 months ago in Atlanta, Georgia USA at the Variety Playhouse. Waited one hour for you to get out of backstage and into your tour bus. Thanks for signing all 6 of my CD covers. Last night I looked at your signatures and smiled. Keep them jammin up in heaven.
R.I.P.Lucky,your talented life was wasted,like many other lives by senseless crime thugs.South Africans,take note and put the bad Gin back into bottle and bury it miles deep…remember;Those,who sowed wind will harvest storms!Best regards to all his fans from Czech republic,Bob.
Those nitwits must be thrown to jail for a very very long time. They don’t deserve to live, they are less that animals and they deserve to be treated as such. Killing one of our best musician, a peace loving brother, father, and a son of the soil for nothing is just don’t add up. Shame to you bastards, may your damn evilness rot to hell. Ahoy to Lucky and his family, friends and fans all over the world. May his soul rest in peace! At least he left something we will remember him with for long long time to come, his music.
Those who killed Lucky Dube deserve hell. Justice has to be done. They have to say why, because in reality they didn’t want to rob his car. There’re misteries behind this violent death of a man of peace.
Gil Filipe Tembe (Maputo, Moz) on October 23rd, 2007 at 3:49 pm
This senseless killing shows once more that only the Death Penalty and the killing it does will stop the killing of the innocent every day on our streets.
Lucky Dube, one of RSA’s greatest unheralded exports. Anybody who is anybody inside the Global Reggae Community is shocked. Right from Kingston to Ruvoeniemi, Finland. He was truly a (lucky)star, and an authentic one at that!
How can I be a proud South African when everything that Lucky stood for and everything that we stand for as a people is shot down by a government that doesn’t care. What a paradox that an artist has to die by the very acts he stood against. Its a pity we have to lose our talented artists to senseless violence, whilst our president pretends it does not exist.
Its been a sad few days for me. As a little boy, my mom bought me the ‘House of Exile’ album and I was hooked onto Lucky. Now the lyrics from Victims resonate in my head as I try to understand this senseless tragedy:
She took me outside to the churchyard
Showed me graves on the ground
and she said;
There lies a man who fought for equality
There lies a boy who died in his struggle
Can all these heroes die in vain
While we slash and kill our own brothers
Knowing that already they are the
Victims of the situation
The Africa that we know and love kills the brother’s and sisters that we know and love..Lucky’s struggle for peace and prosperity must continue, not just for SA but for Africa and the rest of the world.
how saddened i was to learn that the great lucky dube has become a high profile statistic of senseless killing from the barrel of the gun. I had just finished unwrapping ‘HOUSE OF EXILe’ CD from e-bay on friday 19-10-07. Went on cnn. com and only to be greeted by such disturbing news. disappointed that the english media did not cover the news. Even the springboks should have worn a black band in his honour. Lucky has been my companion with his music. The world of music is hollow without you. your killers will be haunted to their graves. rest in peace.
What a waste of such a great person - such talent - Lucky has uplifted so many with his music. The irony is that these criminals did not even know who he was. Who is safe today?
Sincere condolences to Lucky’s family and close friends - He will be greatly missed…
oh God!! noo!!! not atleast Him at this time! No! we still needed him. what shall we do oh God! He has left us with no successor! His music with a message, who shall sing for us more.Oh God remember us, remember Africa! Remember Dube’s family! Rest his soul in eternal Peace!
l have never been so shocked in my life n so angry l love lucky dube’s lyrics. his music kept people like me sane, in touch with the african spirit. the animals that shot lucky have the front row seats of hell waiting for them.
rest in peace lucky u will always be remembered through yo music.
gloria in manchester uk
Five days later, the pain is just as fresh. The only thing keeping me sane is recieving these postings. I have read every single one of them. I hope that one day the sun will shine again. In Namibia we are having a tribute this saturday at the warehouse theatre, we plan to play a selection of lucky’s electricfing songs non stop. We will also open a memorial book, for people to sign. Will let you know how it goes.
Lucky, you will never be forgotten. You were a great musician and a great man. I have travelled all around the world, and after Bob Marley, the one reggae star that everyone I met knew about was Lucky Dube. It is incredible just how much his music meant to people worldwide, and my only consolation is, although they killed his body, his music will never die.
I was very shocked when I heard the news of the brutal death of Lucky Dube. I have attented some concerts of his in Holland and I always felt very proud and happy that someone was speaking out about the hardships and problems in Africa and in the world. Sadly he was the last one to do so and now he is gone. For decades Lucky has been singing about crime and corruption in South Africa. Now it has cost him his life. I do hope that the government in South Africa finally does something about this, otherwise the senseless death of this ‘SUPER STAR’ would have been in vain!!
I cannot start to express the way I feel about his death. I wont lie and say that I was a big fan of Raggae or Lucky Dube, but he was good at his job. All of his songs were from deep within and you could tell that from listening to them.
I just hate how crime is taking away the lives of the people we love. I remember the death of Tebogo from Mafikizolo, it was similar to Lucky Dube’s death.CRIME. Why do these people have to do this? Why?I just hate this.
Lucky Dube will be missed by millions all over the world.
Even though he is gone, I am proud to say I am from South Africa, where he is from.
Kelebogile Seitshiro on October 24th, 2007 at 8:48 am
We have lost a great Hero!May his soul rest in perfect peace!I wish his family will be comforted
by the grace of Jah.
It is rather unfortunate that the media seems to be unconcerned about his death as a result,most people in France are not aware up to date!!!!????????
The year was 1989, I was just 8 then. My parents and their friends had organised a road trip for us. We had a great time touring the less know areas of Venda.
The minibus was filled with joy and the kids were busy humming and stumbling over Lucky’s songs. We had a great weekm and I that Lucky’s death has taken away the innocence that I felt in the summer of 89, the innocence that his music reminded me off.
The scary thing is that two weeks before he fell a friend and I were talking about the man and praying for a greatest hits release..
Great life was wasted…everybody cry why?We must go to the root of the problem!Those,who opened the borders to the invasion of illegal emigrants (14 000 000!?) from the NORTH,must be kicked out of their positions!!!The borders must be closed again,emigrants drastically repatriated.Those pretexts,that the comrades from the North helped us to fight apartheid,and now we must help them,are senseless.Such people are unemployable!!!I understand,that they have family to feed and thus they turn to crime.:’( Charity begin at home mister Mbeki!If you like blame yourself and all unfortunate fellow South Africans during the incoming World Football Tournament by pretending,that crime is not existing in our country,then carry on!If you are unable to GOVERN in our country,hand your powers to somebody,with know-how!
R.I.P.LUCKY,South African from Czech Republic.
P.S.Death penalty can bring also some solutions…
It has been hard to come to term with the violent and painful death of such an icon. I remember vividly when i was in my final year at college, and my mother’s health was deteriorating, i played her the song Hold On(Just a Little Bit Longer), my mum smiled. She unfortunately passed away when i was writing my final exams, before her only son could do much for her. I had never seen her smile like that, i can still see it today.
I am pierced in the heart to learn that such timeless hero of Africa was indeed killed in his very country. Lucky, you have lived a fulfiled life, although so short it was for we your African brothers who always want to hear you say “together as one.”
If the killer(s) of Lucky Dube happen to read this comment of mine, I wish to state categorically clear to them that THEY SHOULD PREPARE FOR A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH. THEY MUST PAY FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO AFRICA AND THE ENTIRE BLACK RACE OF THE WORLD. “HE WHO KILLS BY THE SWORD WILL ALSO DIE BY THE SWORD.”
The whole Nigeria dearly loves you Lucky, and pray God to console your dear wife, kids and entire sibblings and fans around the world. We shall meet again one day in heaven to part no more.
“Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am a diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
I am the flower in the backyard,
Planted there with loving regard.
When you awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush,
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starshine at night.
Do not stand by my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die.”
Farewell Soldier. You will always be remembered for your contribution to the development of your nation and Africa as a whole. We love you and your memories will live with us forever.
“Blessed is the hand that giveth than the one that taketh”
Your hand gave us a lot and it was blessed. The good Lord will bless you. The hand that taketh your life shall be judged accordingly.
I am very saddened by the death of this legend I still remember as a kid going to school or in the afternoon comming back home and you woud hear one of his songs on radio especially remember me, and the Lyrics I’m sorry. The man had a message and his songs made sense. We used to listen to his music in the Christmas season, that was how revered he was here.
Lucky had a message which can clear and touched your inner being, believe me in Zimbabwe he was a legend. Some of the songs we are knowing of them now because of lack of money and because some were not played on our radio but really look for the lyrics and then play the music you will tell what a teacher the world has lost.
Food for thouth for the powers that be:
Think of Lucky Dube’s death in Isolation. Assume he was the economy, look at the number of jobs he created, the foreign currency he earned South Africa, the tax revenues he gave to Government, the families directly and indirectly he assisted with a decent living that will tell you what this death has cost South Africa. In the killing of Dube there is a real loss (yes some might say his music is now selling more), but live shows makes more money than record sells. If you quantify this in relation to the car that they wanted to hijack then you realise that its a real loss. I want to agree with the death penalty and the whistle blowing otherwise the country will lose all productive people in the mould of our LEGEND Lucky Dube. Or they will leave the country and still the country loses.
The Government needs to chose being left with a country of murderes and rapists (because productive people have left or have been killed). South Africa really needs skills and not murderers
In totality what is described above is what is slowly but surely happening to South Africa and its not good for the country.
At the rate at which skills are migrating there will be a monumental disaster economy wise.
A Look on BBC on the Crime Debate it will tell you the negative image that the country is viewed. The international community in their eyes think that the moment you drop off at the airport you will be shot. The message is if S-Africans can kill one of their own legend then what more of visitors.
The way the country is headed if not well managed will lead SA to where other African States have gone and never came back.
Man is so callus in our times that you will give him a million dollars today amd he will stab you tomorrow. What could possibly drive a man to kill a prince of Peace. Lucky Dube was and still will be the the most voiced opposer of Apartheid and any social ills that’s affecting Africa and the world today. I am angry, yes am very angry because am his biggest fan here in GRENADA. Lucky is very big in GRENADA. His music is loved. We lost a very good one but only in the physical form but not in spirit. His music is heating up the airways as i type this message of condolences. I cried and am still crying. Lucky..you are dead wrong to say BIG BOYS DONY CRY because i cry and it is beacuse of the pain,hurt and the news of your death that i feel insode.
Long live my prince of peace.
Am your biggest fan, even in death.
If sentencing a criminal person was a wish, I could (by way of a penalty/sentence), let a criminal to the public to deal with him accordingly. Have you ever seen an angry growd beating a criminal person? This is what should be done to those who killed our Best Star, Lucky Dube. I wounder when will South Africa improve its laws to protect our lives. Rest in peace Lucky, though your killers can run and hide from the policy, or can be imprisoned, they cannot run and hide from the FIRE that is waiting for them in Hell!!!
We pray that Justice will prevail for those people who committed such a evil act. I pray that God will Grant Lucky’s family especially the children that he has left behind his grace and favor and also keep them in his perfect peace. may his soul rest in peace. JACQUIE- UGANDA
Am a ugandan that lives in Uk. I still listen to Lucky’s music. I still cannot comprehend for what has happened to this great hero. I know that even alot of Ugandans both here in the Uk and in Uganda are in so much pain.Please lift his entire family in prayers. We send our love and prayers both to his family and south africa as a country. REST IN PEACE lUCKY LIKE YOU have always preached.We will always remember you for all your greatness.
the whole world need to give their live to Jesus he is the only Prince of Peace that has solution for the world problems and atangible promise of a mansion and city of gold that cannot be compare with earthly glory thre is more yet to be unveil God is just watching us from the throne of grace and mercy.
They can kill Lucky Dube physically and take his earthly possesion but they can,t kill his soul and spirit hissoul touch remain forever in our hearts what a great brother he is to the world may God have mercy on Him because of his son Jesus Christ I want him to reign in heaven among the saints worshippers singing rejoicing in the Lord where there is no sorrow or death anymore Lucky sorry for what happened to you rejoice and hold your peace till that glorious day amen I love you forever
From
Grace John
and all Nigerians because you are a star to us
Since the time i heard this sad news, I have stayed in a state of denial. Why should Lucky Dube face this, South Africans?? The killers of Lucky Dube are equally capable of Killing Nelson Mandela in the same way. What Mandela faced in Prison is what Dube faced on the streets during apertheid.Surprisingly, It seems that i have a better eyesight from Kenya than those in south Africa.
May your soul rest in eternal peace. I love you and we´ll meet in heaven, Teacher.I have songs with your heartfelt messages.
..last friday morning the world stopped turning, when i heard the horrible news. how can i live on now, my hero was wiped away..so brutally, so fast,so respectless, so without sense…my humble wise teacher, true rasta, i’m one of your thousands and thousands sisters and brothers, who will remember you forever! we keep your wonderful music, your message of truth alive. we sing your songs and we tell the people about you!! but the pain nearly kills me… god help us all…
-one eternally love-
R.I.P. - see you then…
As a reggae dj in Southern California, I’ve enjoyed the music of Lucky Dube since 1987. I was lucky to have seen Lucky perform several times as he played festivals and clubs in the area. While celebrating my birthday on the 18th, I got the news of Lucky’s murder. I am so devastated. Lucky was a true spokesperson for the reggae music of unity and peace and love. His loss is huge to the reggae fans he made all over the globe. Like the murder of Lucky’s hero, Peter Tosh, we find ourselves asking why, why did you kill this great man. The weight of the world’s tears would crush those who pulled the triggers.
RIP Lucky and thank you for making our world a better place.
His blood is on all our hands - it is up to us, the people, to put a stop to the rampant crime, not the authorities. Expect nothing from them. I am not talking about becoming vigilantes, I am talking about finding a moral center where this kind of behavior is not the order of the day, and where it is not tolerated. However, in South Africa, you can be robbed in broad daylight and what do people do? Nothing. No one steps forward to help. No one. What do we expect?
Bula from fiji my dear bloggers the sun has set on a man lucky Dube and am deeply sadned that man who spoke the truth about life has been a insiperation.
Thankyou Dube from all your fans im Fiji and may JAH shower down his blessings on your family and give you comfort.
The iconic Lucky Dube has finally passed. We live in such a cruel world and so often become victims as Lucky put it. I loved Lucky Dube and bought every single album he released since 1984 to 2006. While I attented his powerful live performances in Kampala in 1995 and 1997, I still respected the man for his messages of peace. I was planning to attend the world cup in 2010 in South Africa but frankly Im really scared now. I visited South Africa in 2001 but the staff at the hotel I stayed in gave me a really thorough warning about the streets of Johanesburg. The government must really move out to fight that crime if 2010 is to be successful. I would like the media houses to dedicate space to show us the life of a man so many people loved from Australia to Green land, from Japan to Chile.
We pray with contrition for Gods blessing to the family and hope that his deeds live with us forever. Rest in peace Lucky. You will always be loved.
Kia Ora from AOTEAROA, NEW ZEALAND..Lucky Dube…u n your music wil live in my heart4eva..REST IN PEACE NOW BROTHER…Thank you Lucky….JAH BLESS YOUR FAMILY…
something warm comes from all these painful comments…(i already left mine before) have to say that it’s wonderful to feel lucky’s spirit in all your heards…he will be our guiding light for ever!
I am deeply hurt most of all because Lucky Dube put South Africa on the map, and he was not only an artist he was a revolutionist. His own revolution on contiousness was expressed through his music, the revolution of humanity;doing what is right and refraining from the wrong things in life. This teacher will live forever in my heart and likewise to the rest of the world who listed to his music and actualy did somehting to help the generation of today by taking his teachings seriously. I SALUTE him for all his hard work. May his soul rest in peace and may he forever be remembered by the world.
Matshidiso Moiloa on October 25th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
R.I.P
Although they took Dube from us his spirit will live on deep down in all of our hearts and his music will live on in all of our souls forever. As we listen the message in his music tears flow from our eyes to know someone who preached against violence and injustice fell victim to those **** roaches with out brains. He was one of the true prophets of reggae and his music will live on and on. Lucky Dube may your soul rest in peace, My sympathies to Dube’s family and on behalf of country Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
I realise South Africans are tired of fighting, after decades of fighting apartheid. But it’s time to rise up again - this time against crime. Stop waiting for the government to do something. The only people who can stop crime are the people of SA. Stop complaining about it, get off your chairs, volunteer at your local police station (answer phones, paperwork, anything you can do that can get qualified police back on the streets); when you see a crime, report it. If you know of any abuse, report it. Stand up and fight for this incredible country. One more time.
i am searching like crazy for the site that tell me that a trick have been played on me.i just cant belive it.no one can understand and imagine what those animals have done to me.what do they expect the world (especially me) to do?DUBE i was and wil always be ur back up singer.in 1988 i first heard his songs which a verse have become a permanent prayer since the.NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP I PRAY THE LORD MY SOUL TO KEEP THAT IF I DIE BEFORE I WAKE I PRAY THE LORD MY SOUL TO TAKE.DUBE had me facinated with afrika and i wanted to visit there so badly but not anymore they have killed all the afica in me.DUBE i have all your songs will cherish them.no matter what they do they cant kill u in me.i want to no y they did this to me Y Y Y Y Y?he introduced me to reggae and taught me never to listen to anything that is not preaching a message.
TO HIS FAMILY I NO I CANT DO ANYTHING FOR U FROM ALL THE WAY IN ST KITTS BUT I JUST WANT U TO HOLD ON KEEP PRAYING.I WISH I CAN GIVE U COMFORT BUT I WILL PRAY FOR IT FOR U.I DO HOPE THE KIDS ESPECIALLY WHO WITNESSED IT IS OK.
LET HIS SONG GIVE US HOPE AND CHEER US UP.
WHEN i heard the news i immediately said oh no way his car had nothing to do with it it is more than that.
I am in Canada and I feel the pain ,the loss I am overwhelmed in grief ,yet there is mo where I can go to be with people that loved this man and his music. I had the good fortune to see him live perform in Montreal in the dead of winter a canadian winter on a cold cold night about three years ago.His music maybe from Africa but he knoew of the universal suffering and his music was a force that unites us his message is strong and it lives within us to stop senseless violence. It makes no difference if we are black,white,yellow we all bleed red.I am thankful to have this space to share my feelings and my sorrow.His music is painful to listen to knowing he has been slain,But he still speaks to us from the grave listen to his sings remember me,money momey and feeling Irie I can go on and on but I loved this man and his music. Lucky lives on long live this lion of Africa and this brave warrior of peace
I read with dismay the following message: “Tloubatla, who took to the podium in a modest suit - a contrast to her usual vibrant Mahotella Queens costume - introduced a political dimension to her tribute when she blamed “foreigners” for Dube’s death.”
The denial that South Africa has a problem will continue to haunt the country. There is no way “foreigners” will come and terrorise people without local hosts who are also hard core criminals, otherwise they would have been picked up by the police.
We are foreigners and believe me we feel the pain that was caused by the murder of LUCKY. If a musician is accepted outside your borders they cease to be citizens of a particular country, we identify with you South Africans in this loss. Why do MaHotella Queens perform in foreign countries it means they are accepted and they have foreigners there that support them otherwise without a host you cannot survive, do they want us to boycott their music. Lucky was an African ambassador, look at the condolense messages and the news about him, its only Japan, Korea and China that I havent seen talking about his death the rest from Australia to Green land, South Africa to the Nordic Countries are talking of the loss.
These ANC politicians you have were once hosted all over Africa and the world and they were welcome. They had hosts, if they were not welcome they would not have stayed in those countries. South Africa is in a sense hosting these criminals. If they are unwelcome and the laws as well as the punishments are harsh they will reduce crime. Sending foreigners back will not solve the problem as these criminals can jump the border and the next morning they will be back. There should be strict laws in terms of possession of stolen property, this will destroy the market for stolen property and people will favour buying from reputable companies. Criminals should be dealt with harshly.
Deal with the markets for stolen goods (put harsh laws over dealing in stolen goods)
Deal with the criminals you have harshly and the stealing type of crime will go down. You can learn from other countries about this especially in Africa.
The criminals actually have their own economy in South Africa and that can be destroyed from source (criminals) to the buyers of second hand items (cars e.t.c), there will be no incentive for crime. Arrest both buyers of stolen goods and the criminals and give them equal punishments this will eradicate crime to low levels. As for other types remove the organ that caused the crime. It should be clear to criminals that crime is costly and if you want something you should get it in an honest way.
Do not be a denial country its worse that saying “its not that bad” to quote Lucky Dube.
I think Mahotella Queens should look at how the economy functions and how these criminals create a niche market for themselves and then deal with that. There are lessons of how to detroy an economy that can be applied in detroying the crime world.
Please look at the problem and solve it and not look at symptoms, because the problem will not dissappear.
I am so bitter about what has happened - how many more of Africa’s sons and daughters are going to die for nothing but sensless violence in a country that cannot or will not look after it’s childrens’ safety. Lucky’s death came as a shock and has left me mourning someone I never knew personally. Every time I read anything about his death I cry as if I have lost one of my own. His beautiful children are now fatherless because of greed and the utter disregard for a precious life. I only hope and pray that his death will not have been in vain and that his songs and his patriotism will have far-reaching repurcussions in a country that has become anaesthetised by crime. Lucky, may your legend live on in your music and through your selfless patriotism for the country that you loved so dearly. Rest in peace, you will not be forgotten.
Adele Oosthuizen on October 26th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
At this stage what is an enemy saying? In less than 15 years of freedom the man who fought for our rights during apartheid regime is fallen! Killed by who? By the same black skin he fought for! Am sorry at this moment am very disturbed! I don’t know if it is part of our freedom to kill; but to my understanding freedom is to live, learn, grow, to become better, to heal within, to know and understanding “What love is” to LIVE “Together as One” not with crime and corruption”. Lucky’s soul is looking back and saying yeah right, was it worth fighting for? My own people - the one I trusted took away my life my soul, from my family, loved ones, my colleagues, my employees, my SA”. Why SA Why? Why are we becoming a disgrace to the world? Is n’t time to embrace each other? Love each other, console each other? help one another? I will repeat it again…Lucky DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE! He was a good man, non drinker, non- smoker, a man of God, humble. He was a man of good character, good soul, a giver, a friend (to all), he was a man of his word. Down to earth! How many men like that in SA VERY FEW! He was our pride, our inspiration, our mentor… now he is gone! for what? for a car? Is his life or any life worth that?…No! Come on guys let us do better than this! I am sick and tired of always worried Oh my God who is next? Crime is getting out of hand in our country. We need to work together hand in hand to make our “Mzantsi” a better place. How many souls have been laid to rest for the same reason…crime? And can we proudly say for sure we are ready for 2010? Let us start with the first things first! People’s lives matter most!
To Lucky’s mom I can say ” mama you are a Shero” They say a child is his’her mother’s mirror - through Lucky we saw who you are and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts”. Mzi wakwa Dube anilahlekelwanga nodwa sonke siyakhala sidandathekile - Thuthuzelekani”.
To the nation “Let us stand up and fight this scourge of greed, envy, jealousy, bitterness” It is a bunch of people who need light and redirection…we have come so far…our history have shared enough blood now let’s share wisdom knowledge and human kindness, compassion and love… peace be with you…!
thanks for this site i am feeling little better cause i get to greive.dont no when and if the pain will ever end.i listen to at least one his songs daily and more now cause it really helps me alot cause thats how i choose to remeber him.alive singing delivering his message to the world.and a positive message to that.LUCKY made me love and appreciate reggae and i mean real reggae which is music with a message.what make this worse is what and who he fight for has taken his life treating him in his last moments like an animal.i have seen LUCKY perform live once (which i risked my job for)and it was spectacular it is the best live concert i have ever been to it is over 3 years and i remember it and talk about it like it was yesterday.i feel like it is my brother my mother bore that has passed.i never greived like this.it is hard.i am wondering how i will make it thru.are those holagons aware what they have done to the world?are they aware what they have done to africa?well let me tell them they have DESTROY all the good there is or was.I PERSONALLY FEEL IT WAS DELIBERATELY DONE.NOT FOR ANY CAR.holagons y LUCKY y u had to do him like that what have he done to you?did his car value more than him?well let me answer his life was way more valuable than a car more than any materal thing in this world.
to africa i am disappointed in you u have let me down.y wait until now to celebrate and talk good of LUCKY?y only now u choose to see and say all the good of him when he is way gone?y u didnot give him the praises and flowers while he was alive?y didnt u protect him and other africans?y dont u tell the truth as to y LUCKY is really dead?instead of killing him for bringing the suffering that going on in africa to the world,u should have joined with him and make africa a better place make it b the envy of the world.
dear GOD almighty thanks for letting the LUCKY star to shine thru the world that all of us could have a peice of him in or heart.to mommy DUBE thanks for the wonderful job u have done.i no cause look at what a wonderful person he turned out to b i look at him and see ur work thru him and i greive with u.to his dad even though u a bum thanks for doing ur part in giving us this wonderful LUCKY star.to his children please let daddy (LUCKY)shine thru u.please dont let him down.to his wife just hold on and dont forget him keep him close to ur heart.he will always b with u.dont give up now cause he wouldnt want u to.to the whole world who is greiving with me lets keep him more alive now thru his music.
TO THE HOLOGANS I SAY MAY U ROT IN HELL.
LUCKY NOT HERE IN BODY BUT IN SPIRIT.LOVE U ALWAYS THANKS FOR ALL U HAVE GIVEN TO US.(FROM THE CARIBBEAN PPL)
“jiah”- so i feel…had that same pain 14 years ago when my mother died, and i died with her..now i died with lucky..the world is only pain and rivers of tears cannot wash it away. i have completely lost my faith, that life on earth could change one time to good. forgive me God my negative thoughts, i’m helpless but i believe in you and in zion. give me the strength back to believe, that we’ll win the fight. one the most important things lucky teached me is to live without hate, thank you, wise and friendly soul, you freed me from a dangerous poison. thank you for everything you’ve given to me, love you eternally, but how can i survive this pain…
last night 8 o’clock i went to meditate inside the dark forrest, mp3 player on my ears. listening to “you stand alone” and “man in the city” it was holy there, the trees gave me some peace, one tree told me to come to him and take him in my arms, so i did and i felt, he embraised me also. thank you jah for your miracles..
..would like to share my thoughts about lucky with all you lovely people, maybe we can build contacts and help each others to go on..i can be found at myspace.com/reggaemum
It’s hard to believe that such a great talent - philosopher, freedom fighter, prophet and musician - has departed this earth. And to think that the very thing you preached about is what attacked and killed you. We are all victims. Your inspirational music, which always gives me chills and a lot to think about, will always be with us. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. I hope and pray that you have received rest in the bosom of the Lord and that you will receive a reward for your struggles and commitment to the well being of your fellow man. Peace!!!
Oh no!!!! What a sad end to a rising star. I saw Lucky in Montreal years ago and personally charted with him and his crew. Lucky I enjoyed talking to you about SA. I miss you so much. Your music is so uplifting. We will miss you so much. May your family find strength during this difficult period.
Rest In Peace Lucky. I love you my brother. Flora- from Uganda, Currently residing in BALTIMORE,USA
Lucky Dube’s passage in this earth represents a book of peace. Your killers will earn nothing in this earth but hell. R I P my borther. You are an internationalist.
today is the day your body goes down into the earth. here where i live, the sky is perfect blue, sun is shining, the air is cold. you don’t need our prayers, you have reached the highest high, blessed one! prayers go out from my weeping heard to your family, in my mind i’m standing at your grave with them together. may jah help them and dry their tears one day! praise to god, he created your wonderful soul, living eternally in our heards!
Lucky,Lucky,words are failing me.
My son Neo, wants to know why dad can’t sing “DING DING, I LICK-LICK-BOMB”, no more. How can I.
Yours was the only song he, at two years could ably
sing.
You were our joy and our every thing.
We’ll never forget you, Majesty, rest in peace.
emmanuel msowoya(Malawi) on October 28th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
[…] and I am again humbled on his death, to experience the enormous outpouring of emotion in more than 150 comments left on this blog in the past week. The words in all those comments underline the extent to which […]
I was at the live concert in Namibia for his “Soul Taker” album debut in 2002. A week before his death i had written to “Mail n Guardian” (A letter directed to His Excellency Thabo Mbeki) about crime in South Africa.I never saw it published. Lucky Dube has been my star since 1988 when i first listened to his songs. It was in cassette form those days. It was green in color. I think it was Prisoner.He is my best Reggae artist and reminds me of Peter Tosh.How long will such murders happen in South Africa? It begs for answers.May the almighty rest his body in peace.We are in moaning together with family.I feel your pain.God will take care of you.
It is just difficult to believe it still that Lucky Dube will nolonger be physically available.God gave us but God has taken away.The gunmen stands condemned in the eyes of God.
I have two very importante wishes in life before i died One is to shake hands with Mandela the only great african leader and the other to see Lucky performe live.I guess the later was not meant to be what a shame. I hear the news from an American friend who is also a fan I could’nt believe it i wish he had never told me. That was how deeply sadened i was. I was just saying to myself Dube can’t die Not now.I remember in a music introductory class I played a song by Dube and the teacher asked me why I like him. I just said I listen to other music for mere entertainment i listen to Dube to think about every day life. His music is an inspiration to me. No matter how bad I’m feeling Playing Lucky’s music has the power to erase that sadness. To his family and fans around the world my deepest condolences. We have lost a great man. A men among man, A true son of Africa. may his soul rest in peace. may he be emulated.
I urge South African cops to do what ever they can to find those responsible for this barbaric crime. “Rasta never dies”.
Ibrahim Oumarou USA
high respected lucky dube, you have been my guiding light for so many years, and your words are planted in my heard for all my life.. you are the most precious pearl i found on earth and my heard is breaking i will never see you again. GOD, why do you give us so much pain…we are so weak..we are longing for peace…we are crying…help us all!!
Why? Why?? Why??? Buddy Lucky Dube. I saw you at 1st Ave. nite club in Minneapolis Minnesota in August, we laughed, hugged and danced today I am crying for you. They took you away from your young children and fan base accross the globe. Where cometh my joy who is gonna wipe my tears. Oh Lucky Dube please come back to me. Will forever miss you. Jah rest.
akpan
I am a Zambian studying in the United States. The death of Lucy Dube has affected me in many ways.Lucky Dube was my role model, hero, and inspiration. I have almost every reggae (English) album and I listen to his songs everyday. He has died , but his music still remains the same. I am a reggae lover and Dube’s music always come number one. I have respect for his music and I wish I had time to meet him when he was alive. I will remember Lucky Dube for ever. His last album called Respect is very informative and the track Respect tells a lot. Touch Your Dreams- tells me more about my life and reminds me who Dube was.
May his soul rest in everlasting peace.
As a reggae artist myself pursuing the same goals, Lucky’s death is really a great lost. Reggae is a language of love and we must fight against the forces that attempt to destroy it knowingly or unknowingly.
I am originally from Nigeria. I accidentally found started listening to Lucky Dubes when my wife was listening to his “serious reggae business” I fell in love with his music. I started buying all his music. I still could not get enough. I remember when respect came out. I asked people who when heading to Nigeria to get me a copy, because it was not available here in America yet. This year, he came to our town in Dallas Tx. My wife being pregnant with our first child. We decided we would see him “next year” When I think about this moment tears roll down my eyes. I never got to see this man in person who’s music helped me get through those difficult days and times. Let us all cherish what we have. Tomorrow is never promised. Love !
Who killed lucky dube?
What did he do?
Why?
What’s the world going to do about his killing?
The whole world is crying, for the lost of this man. Can the killer show himself?
Can we stop corruption in africa?
Well, after months since Lucky’s dead, it is still hard to believe this happened. Everytime I think of it I pray in silence for him.
I’m from Puerto Rico and I have read almost every post here and even though I’m still mourning his dead… reading your comments makes me feel much better. It shows the world the real power of Reggae music and the messages.
There is one of the comments here that touched me hard.. A father that teached one of Lucky’s song to his two years old son… the first song he could sing at this age… it makes you think. It makes you proud.
So long my friend… I still remember the first time I heard you.. I’ll always will. I promise.
U really labored in educating the world in all your sonorous songs without relinguishing. Lucky u were sagacious in ur teachings just like Job Paul Kafeero. may u rest in peace since ur daugther is gigantically spreading the philosophy of Raggae music
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Arthur Goldstuck is a South African journalist, media analyst and commentator on information and communications technology (ICT), internet and mobile communications and technologies. Goldstuck heads the World Wide Worx research organisation, and has led research into ICT issues such as the effects of IT on small business, the role of mobile technologies in business and government, and the technology challenges of the financial services sector. He regularly provides strategic insights and guidance on trends at conferences and corporate events across Africa.
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Legends From a Small Country Revisiting and updating the urban legends that have appeared in Arthur Goldstuck's various books, and monitoring new ones as they appear and disappear from the psyche. The focus is on South African urban legends, but sometimes goes global.
Little Blog Little Blog is a 5-year old human being who exhibits all the characteristics of a blog. Very often, her worldview suggests a far more interesting world than that experienced by her Official Adults.
The Big Change The Big Change is a business strategy blog and newsletter published by Arthur Goldstuck.
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Thursday night was one of those times when, as a journalist, it is easy to be emotionally affected by the news. It’s happened to me before: during days of covering the Beslan school massacre, for example.
Late last night I was editing reports on the Benazir Bhutto bomb massacre in Pakistan, and already feeling sad about the massive, meaningless loss of life. Then the news broke of Dube’s violent death.
Today I am not as excited about the World Cup final as I thought I would be. It’s hard to cheer when so many people, from a star musician to innocent bystanders, are dead.
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