Malawi's Reggae Unite Concert To Honor Reggae's Fallen Legends

They might be long gone but when the vibes infiltrate our society everyday, the contributions that fallen reggae stars made cannot be ignored.

Whether it is Lucky Dube’s ‘Think about the Children’ or Evison Matafale’s ‘Tiimba,’ the strength of their message will be recognised at the Summit Cultural Centre on Sunday.

Other artists who will be remembered during this show are Musamude and Gift Fumulani as well as Jamaican reggae star Joseph Hill.

The reggae concert has been organised by Rastafari for Unity under the theme ‘Reggae Unite Malawi.’

One of the organisers Ras Judah said the show which is mainly a fundraising event will also be used to commemorate fallen reggae artists.

He said some of the musicians who will perform at the concert include The Black Missionaries, Black Miss, Flames of Fire Band, Mystical Wellahs, Charcoal Fire, Motoboo and Ras Hope Kuwede.

Ras Judah said that the Rastafarian community would like to raise funds for setting up an office.

He said the rastas used to have offices in Kawale in Lilongwe and in Bangwe in Blantyre but the offices were since closed in 2006 due to lack of funds.

The Black Missionaries Band is the leading reggae group in the country which was carved by Evison Matafale. He died at Lilongwe Central Hospital on November 27, 2001.

He was arrested on November 24, 2001 on allegations of malicious damage. It was later reported that the musician had died of chest infections.

In the absence of Matafale, with the guidance of Musamude, the group achieved a lot including Entertainers of the Year Band of the Year runners-up in 2003, Band of the Year in 2004 while ‘Ndamusowa’ was Song of the Year in 2004. The group was crowned Luso Awards Band of the Year in 2005.

Other than that, the group was the headlining local act in the 2005, 2006 and 2008 Lake of Stars Music festivals.

Musamude, who led the group after the death of Matafale died on September 17, 2007 when he succumbed to tuberculosis. He was born in 1980.

Musamude’s cousin Gift Fumulani died on June 19, 2008. Gift, just like Musamude, died after suffering from tuberculosis.

The musician, who was inspired by the Bible, was born on August 22, 1981 in Chileka, Blantyre where he grew up practising music together with his cousins.

Together with Musamude and Anjiru, Gift was raised by his grandfather Enock Robert Fumulani who is regarded as the grandfather of Chileka music.

In an interview yesterday, Anjiru Fumulani said the memorial show will take place in Chileka on November 23.

Another artist to be remembered during the reggae concert is Lucky Dube. The South African musician was born on August 3, 1964. He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans in a 25-year period and was South Africa's biggest selling reggae artist.

He was murdered in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville on the evening of October 18, 2007.

Some of his albums include Rastas Never Die, Think About the Children, Slave, Together As One, Prisoner, House of Exile, Victims, Trinity, Serious Reggae Business, Tax man and Soul Taker.

In 1996, his compilation album, Serious Reggae Business was one of his best. He was later declared "Best Selling African Recording Artist" at the World Music Awards and the "International Artist of the Year" at the Ghana Music Awards.

The former leader of Culture, Joseph Hill will also be honoured on Sunday. He was born on January 22, 1949. He died on August 19, 2006 in Berlin Germany during his reggae tour.

He was the lead singer of Culture but the name was later personalised after other members Kenneth Dayes and Albert Walker left the group.

The group became famous for such songs as ‘Two Sevens Clash’ and ‘International Herb.

Culture recorded 22 albums. The albums include Two Sevens Clash, Culture at Work, Lion Rock, Wings of a Dove and One Stone.

The Reggae News Agency

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