Roots Reggae Sound System Legend Jah Shaka Has Died
© Musicfeeds Roots Reggae Sound System legend Jah Shaka has diedLondon-based reggae artist Jah Shaka, who inspired many artists across genres, has died. His management confirmed his death on Wednesday, April 12, and did not disclose the cause of death. Jah Shaka's exact age is also unknown, although he is around 75 years old.
Jah Shaka, also known as Zulu Warrior, is the loudest scene in London. Shaka moved to the city from Jamaica in 1956 and faced xenophobic walls from the white community. According to In Sheep's Clothing, Shaka said at the time: "During Widrush's time in London, there was a sign on the door that said: 'No Blacks, Irish or Dogs Allowed.'" to us: "It is necessary to work hard to overcome such a system, such a regime."
Bringing sound system culture to London provided a chance to connect with Shake and his contemporaries. “When people leave Africa for the Caribbean, all they can take with them is their music, songs and memories from home. So over the years, people have had to keep them together," Shaka told the Red Bull academy in 2014.
"In the 1950s and 1960s, London had house parties of 50-60 people per player. This helped the family get to know other families, which was important at that time because people had to live in isolation.
Shaka became one of the most influential dub and reggae artists and his sound system gained a large following; his rise and life are chronicled in the film Babel , in which Shaka plays himself.
Under his label Jah Shaka Music, he has released songs by Max Romeo and Johnny Clark, and Shaka himself is responsible for some of the hottest songs on the scene.
Further reading
The great jazz pianist Ahmet Jamal died at the age of 92
Sire Records founder Seymour Stein has died at the age of 80
Composer and electronic music pioneer Ryuichi Sakamoto has died at the age of 71.
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