Back To My Roots Lucky Dube ✮ «Recent»

The standard edition of "Back to My Roots" features the following tracks:

While Back to My Roots focused on identity, Lucky Dube’s broader catalogue cemented his status as the "Peter Tosh of South Africa." Songs like Prisoner , Slave , and House of Exile deconstructed the political landscape of the time.

Musically, “Back to My Roots” is a masterclass in authentic reggae production. The bass line is deep and wobbling—the "heartbeat" of the earth. The organ chords are sparse and ethereal, evoking a church or a sacred gathering place. Dube’s voice, a rich tenor, glides between tenderness and authority.

During the mid-1980s, South Africa was engulfed in the brutal realities of Apartheid. Black artists faced strict censorship and segregation under oppressive legislation like the Group Areas Act. Lucky Dube began his career performing Mbaqanga —a traditional Zulu musical style mixed with jazz elements. However, seeking a more potent vehicle for anti-apartheid messaging and global solidarity, Dube made a highly controversial pivot to roots reggae in 1983. TikTok·reggaemusiclovers Tenor Saw Live: Reggae Hits from 1986 - TikTok

His music was dangerous to the status quo. In 1985, he released the album Rastas Never Die . The Apartheid regime, threatened by the growing consciousness of the youth, banned the album. But they could not ban the message.