South African Reggae Legend, Carlos Djedje, is set to perform at the Africa Descent Festival in Vancouver, July 20-21, 2019. The festival focuses on celebrating Africa Descent arts and culture in Canada.
Carlos Djedje, indisputably, the South African father of reggae rose to prominence in a politically charged climate at the height of Apartheid. With albums titled Remember Them, No Apartheid and Ahoy Africa, it was to be expected that his music would be banned by the Apartheid government. His music highlighted the brutality and inhumane racial segregation, oppression of the rights, movements, and freedom of black people in their own land.
The Tshwane based Reggae legend boosts a career that spans more than four decades, recording and performing reggae music as early as the 1970’s. His landmark performances include sharing the stage with Jimmy Cliff in Soweto in 1980 and in the same year in Zimbabwe at the memorable Zim Independence headlined by Bob Marley and the Wailers; in 1983 he performed alongside the great Peter Tosh in Swaziland. Elder Carlso Djedje was also part of the line up of the greatest Reggae Show ever staged in South Africa, The Reggae Strong for Peace Concert organised by Lucky Dube and Richard Siluma. In 2016 he was guest of the Jamaican government at an official ceremony to celebrate Marcus Garvey birthday and performed at Irie FM’s Annual Garvey Day Celebration. He has also worked with reggae greats like Marley Family, Eric Donaldson and Don Carlos. Over the years he and his backing band The Protectors have performed in international festivals like Penang World music in Malaysia, African festival in Wurzburg, Germany. He has also performed in Spain, UK and Denmark, Japan, Mozambique and Botswana.
In 2017 he was honoured by the by the City of St. Ann’s Bay in Jamaica for his contribution to reggae music. Prior to that, in the very same year, the Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Performing Arts (Musical Theatre) honored him with a special tribute by staging the first ever reggae musical called ‘The musical, King inna de Jungle’ to chronicle the legends life.
In 2016 in collaboration with the South African State Theatre, Elder Carlos staged the Reggae Explosion concert series where he shared the stage and created a platform for upcoming artists and other established reggae artists in the country.
The elder is still active in the industry but now focus mostly on educating and guiding upcoming artists.His latest project to date was the video for the song, ‘Don’t Kill the Rasta’ – from his Album ‘Conscious Reggae” released in 2015.
Mzansi Reggae Nation salutes Elder Carlso Djedje.
Elder Carlos Djedje Hospitalised
Friction and Nkulee Dube at the Africa Descent Festival in Canada
Compiled by: SoulSista