Lucky Dube

ONE YEAR after he was murdered in Johannesburg, South African reggae singer Lucky Dube is being remembered by record company Rykodisc with Retrospective, a two-disc set that covers his career.

Retrospective was released in the United States on October 21.

One of the discs contains 13 songs from Dube's first album (1981's Lengane Ngeyethu) to his last, 2007's Respect. The other is a DVD, the 90-minute Lucky Dube Live in Concert, and five music videos.

"While the release marks the anniversary of his death, it more importantly celebrates the life work of a groundbreaking artiste who helped effect profound and political change in South Africa," said a release from Rykodisc.

Mark made

Lucky Dube was one of several African acts who made a mark in Europe and North America throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Senegal's Youssou N'Dour and Fela Kuti of Nigeria are also among those breakthrough performers.

Strongly influenced by Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff, Dube recorded in his native Zulu, Afrikaans and English. The million-selling Victims, Tax Man and Trinity, all released during the 1990s, represent some of his best work.

Dube finally got his wish to perform in Jamaica on Sunday, March 11, 2007, when he was one of the acts on the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony in Trelawny.

The singer was murdered in a carjacking incident on October 18, shortly after dropping off two of his children at their uncle's home in a Johannesburg suburb.

- H.C.