In the eighties and nineties of the last century, the South African Ermelo 'Lucky' Dube was the thorn in the fur of the white rulers with his anti-Apartheid texts. The arrival of a new government in his country ensured that Dube could also make international progress. Lucky Dube is now one of the most famous reggae musicians in Africa. Lyrically he still carries his heart in the right place. His
… Rasta faith is an important inspiration: 'Love those who hate you, bless even those who curse you', he sings in the title track. Musically, Dube is firmly rooted in the roots reggae tradition of Bob Marley and his hero Peter Tosh. Every now and then there is a trip to rock or mbaqanga, such as in Shut Up where part of the lyrics are also sung in Zulu. The album is too long (75 minutes) to captivate from start to finish, but with Respect Lucky Dube has certainly added a number of good songs to his extensive oeuvre. (PdK)more