By Aaliyah Cunningham-
Observer writer—
Dennis Brown —
Today marks the 62nd birthday of reggae icon Dennis Brown. To three generations of Jamaicans, he is the Crown Prince of Reggae, but at the University of the West Indies’ Mona campus, it seems only a few people remember his legacy.
This week, Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Splash visited the school’s St Andrew campus and interviewed students. Not many could speak with any great knowledge of his music or career. Brown died in July 1999 when some UWI students were not born.
“By Dennis Brown, you mean the Crown Prince of Reggae?” asked Dr Chris Parchment, a graduate studies student. “The one who sing like Should I Have Faith in You, Love and Hate, the one who sing ’bout Revolution? He died tragically at the University Hospital I think in about 1999.”
“Dennis Brown is a Jamaican reggae artiste. But I don’t know much else. He sings the song Love and Hate,” said Dashavon Lewis, a first-year marketing student from Barbados.
Adrean Gentles, a first-year master’s student in Computer Sciences, said: “He is the Crown Prince of Reggae. A lot of songs from that era I’m not familiar with but I know the voice very well. However, I’m not sure of any names of the songs.”
Their vague statements were echoed by Raheem Green, a second-year psychology student.
Dennis Emanuel Brown is arguably the most influential Jamaican singer. Because he made his name as a prodigy in the late 1960’s, he was dubbed the ‘boy wonder’; Brown inspired numerous reggae vocalists including Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minott, George Nooks, Junior Delgado, Michael Rose, Frankie Paul, Richie Stephens and Luciano.
Still, at the UWI, which has a Reggae Studies Unit, only a few students knew anything detailed about him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard about him,” said Yanique Grant, who is in her second year in History and Archaeology.
“I guess I know him, but mi nuh know nothing ’bout him. Like mi probably hear ’bout him but I don’t know,” said Shenell Williams, a first-year Political Science student.
Brown, who was 42 years old when he died, started his career in 1968 with singer/producer Derrick Harriott. The following year, he went to Studio One where he recorded two outstanding albums for producer Clement “Coxson” Dodd: No Man is An Island and If I Follow My Heart.
In the 1970’s, he was never off reggae charts. Money in My Pocket, which made the United Kingdom pop chart, Westbound Train and Baby Don’t d o It were some of his hit songs.
In the summer of 1999, brown performed his final concert in Salvador, Brazil.
He is buried at National Heroes’ Circle in Kingston. Dennis Brown was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 2011.
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