Saturday, February 1, marks not only the beginning of Reggae and Black History Month but also what would have been the 68th birthday of Jamaican Reggae icon Dennis Brown.
A prominent and dominant Reggae singer during his life, Brown’s memory and music are celebrated yearly in Reggae Month in Jamaica as well as internationally to commemorate his contribution to the genre. The son of a Jamaican actor and brother to a comedian, the Kingston native was born into a creative household.
While his calling was not in the theatre, Brown’s passion still lay in the performing arts, and he began his love affair with music at a young age. He was dubbed the “Boy Wonder” when he began his music career, and as he built a prolific career during his adulthood, he was styled as the “Crown Prince of Reggae” by Bob Marley.
In addition to working with prominent music producers such as Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd of Studio One, Brown worked with artistes such as Byron Lee and the Dragonnaires, Bob Marley, Cocoa Tea, and Freddie McGregor. After releasing his first album, No Man is an Island, during his time at Studio One, the talented singer/songwriter went on to release over 70 albums.
Included in his long catalogue are Wolfs & Leopards, Promised Land, Here I Come, Revolution, and Money In My Pocket, which are currently the top five songs streamed for the artiste on Apple Music.
Here I Come remains one of his most recognisable songs and is his most popular song on YouTube, with an upload of the song acquiring over 20 million views on the platform. Released in 1979, Here I Come was Brown’s call to spread love instead of hatred and a warning that both could not co-exist.
Despite his potential to create even more timeless singles, Brown, like many artiste’s during his era, had fallen prey to drug abuse, which led to the slow deterioration of his health. The Crown Prince of Reggae died in 1999 at the age of 42 from a collapsed lung, but his contribution to Reggae lives on through his music and the next generation of stars that he mentored and influenced.
