Mutabaruka; Legendary Poet, Historian, Visiting Professor and Radio Host

One of the greats in the Reggae genre.  Mutabaruka is a poet that has put his poetry to music, coined Dub Poetry.  Born in Rae Town, Kingston Jamaica as Allen Hope.  Known as a "poet of the people" Muta was influenced in his early life by reading the works of Eldridge Cleaver-Soul On Ice, The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  Seeing himself as a young revolutionary Muta began to deepen his investigation of Rastafari.  Accepting Rastafarinism, he sees as part of a universal quest rather than a institutionalized religion, "Well I don't see Rasta as a religion.  Rastas don't have a church where they go and gather and say the same thing.  Rasta allow you to keep your individuality.  Rasta is a way of life.  It can be a religious idea, a religious concept.  Religion is when you have a group of people gathering in one place to express the same dogma."  On sexism in Africa.  "Of course there is sexism in Africa.  Sexism reached Africa by way of the Arabs, by way of the muslims who invaded Africa before the Europeans came there with their patriarchal religion.  Because in Africa there was no talk of God as a 'he'.  God was 'her'.  Mother Earth.  Mother Nature.  Most Africans saw God in the feminine.  It was not until the Arabs came into Africa that the patriarchal system started to develop and it has flourished even to West Africa."

Releasing his first album "Outcry" in March 1973 but has since enlightened our minds with Melanin Man, Blak Wi Blak,The Mystery Unfolds, & Check It just to name a few.

Let us acknowledge to our people while they are here with us.

Junk Food Poem

Remember de cold suppa           junk food fullin up de place

    shop                                         dis is a nada disgrace                

    dat u use fi stop at                     junk food fullin up de place

    u coulda eat anythin                   a now good food guh guh

    it was like u granny cookin         to waste

    corn dumplin and ackee             strawberry ice cream

    from big fat matte                      raspberry ice cream

    stew peas and rice                     dem a bury wi

    use fi really taste nice                u nuh si

    now a ice cream stand               ice cream ice cream

    teckin ova da lan                       liven de american dream

-Mutabaruka

Comments

[Lisa]

Not real sure how I feel about reggae. . . but I loooove junk food :)

[Victor Amenta]

Junk food, don't we all love it. Some just don't want to admit it like we do...LOL!! As far as this particular person is concerned he is more of a poet expressing social issues mostly for the uplift of Black people rather than singing a "reggae song." So, even if you don't know much about or how you feel about reggae, you will surely enjoy the words of Mutabaruka. Now, the Jamaican patois may give you a little trouble but, hey, he includes liner notes so you can follow along with the poem. ;-)

[BlackPearl]

I LOVE Mutabaruka! I was devastated when my CD was stolen (by some idiot who had no clue, no doubt). I haven't had the chance to replace it, along with many of my other stolen "treasures", but it is definitely on my list. He is a poet with a message, entertaining and educational. I just replaced my Sting: Brand New Day, and Mutabaruka is next!