Lucky Dube

Lucky Dube launched his career at age fifteen, issuing traditional Zulu records to South African audiences. Inspired by Peter Tosh’s socially charged lyrics, Dube turned to reggae in the mid-’80s, secretly recording the scathing anti-apartheid call to arms Rastas Never Die. The effort generated considerable controversy when the government banned it from the airwaves. The censorship strategy nearly worked — Rastas sold dismally, and Dube was forced underground, issuing records under assumed names in order to get his music to the public. Dube gained an international following with the release of 1987’s Slave, and he hasn’t looked back since. The 39-year-old luminary produces authentic roots music in a genre known for overproduction and keyboard excess. He has also toured the world numerous times over, cementing his reputation as one of reggae’s most energetic and uplifting performers.