FAST LANE INTERNATIONAL
Lucky Dube Many things have changed in South Africa since Lucky Dube recorded his first reggae album in 1984. Apartheid, the country's apparatus of racial segregation, has been dismantled, but, he says, political and social issues remain unsettled.
stays constant
By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.comSpeaking by long distance phone from a Midwest tour stop, Dube (pronounced "doo-bay") said that "even though there have been changes in South Africa, it doesn't mean that all is well. There's changes, of course, but the changes haven't reached everybody at the same time. It's going to take a long time to get things back to normal because this apartheid thing has been going on for a long time. It's going to take more than just 10 years to sort it out.
"There's Zulus and Xhosas ... and Swazis, so everybody claims to be the big nation and all that, so there's always these tribal feelings that go on now and again. That's kind of subsided now, but there's still political issues that come up that need to be discussed musically," he said.
Lucky Dube returns to Hawaii this weekend for a three-date interisland tour, starting tonight at Kapono's. If all goes well, he'll be able to spend a few extra days here, but not much longer than that. It's back to the mainland U.S. with a new album to promote.
Dube's concerts will be a must for local reggae fans -- not only is he a major figure in the music, but in his success and survival as a politically conscious reggae artist, he stands as a example for aspiring artists the world over -- and nowhere more than here in Hawaii. While some local self-styled "kanakafarians" have sung reggae standards that call on "the people to reggae down Babylon" from the safety of our temperate political environment, Dube has lived the life of a reggae rebel in a repressive society in which prison or worse awaited those who voiced their opposition.
Dube was already known as a successful mbaqanga (popular Zulu music) artist when he decided to play reggae. But rather than just imitating the Jamaicans, he added Zulu nuances to the music and addressed issues of relevance to black South Africans. It was a dangerous mix.
He released his first reggae album, "Rastas Never Die," in 1984 against the wishes of his South African record label. It was banned by the government and sold poorly as a result. He defied his record label by recording a second reggae album, "Think About the Children," which somehow got enough exposure to establish him as a leader and innovator in South African reggae.
The government responded by banning some of his songs and letting him know that his work was under scrutiny. He responded by obscuring the political content and releasing songs that were subject to interpretation. For instance, on the title song of his third album, "Slave," the song could be interpreted as either being a slave to alcohol or a slave to the country's apartheid system.
The album established Dube on the international scene, and in 1990, he gave Hawaii reggae fans a taste of the real thing when he headlined Jelly's First International Reggae Festival in Blaisdell Arena. His unique fusion of Afro-Caribbean reggae, West African soca, and mbaqanga was as impressive in concert as it was on record. His high-energy revue -- Dube backed by a tight-knit band dressed in olive-drab fatigues and three singer-dancers, comparable to Bob Marley's I-Threes -- remains one of the most memorable concert performances by a visiting reggae artist.
And about those changes -- one thing that has changed since his previous Hawaii visit, he says, is that South African radio stations now welcome reggae music.
"You can talk about things now that you couldn't talk about 10 years ago, so in the radio, there's not much problems there," he said.
Where: Kapono's, Aloha Tower Marketplace Lucky Dube
When: 9 p.m. today and tomorrow
Tickets: $20; available at all Ticket Plus outlets
Call: 526-4400
Also: 4 p.m. Sunday at the A&B Amphitheater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Call 242-2787 for info.
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