Jah Shaka ADD
Rest in Power – Jah Shaka Zulu Warrior
04/12/2023 by Shrik Kotecha
REST IN POWER – JAH SHAKA ZULU WARRIOR
The reggae and sound system fraternity have lost a real warrior today. It was early on Wednesday 12th April 2023 when news came of the passing of a man who has almost become synonymous with roots reggae and dub sound system culture not only in the UK but across all continents.
Jah Shaka (his birth name is unknown to this day), was born in Clarendon Parish and migrated to the UK in 1956 as a young schoolboy. Growing up in London, his first forays into sound system came on the Freddie Cloudburst Sound System as an operator before setting up his own sound system named after the great eighteenth-century Zulu, King Shaka, the ‘Black Napoleon’.
Jah Shaka is considered very much the father of soundsystems in the UK and has gained a huge fanbase for not only his musical selections and ability to play one away dubplate mixes of songs revered by his ever growing followers but also for the unique style and delivery. His sessions at legendary north London venue The Rocket during the 80’s and 90’s were a truly mystical and somewhat spiritual experience, and when he hit the echoes and effects... you were transported to another dimension.
His Jah Shaka King Of The Zulu Tribe label has seen a wealth of consistently high quality musical offerings from both UK and Jamaican artists including Vivian Jones, Bim Sherman, Twinkle Brothers, Max Romeo, Horace Andy and Icho Candy as well as a now legendary series of albums ‘Commandments of Dub’.
His avid followers would always patiently wait for ‘the Shaka last tune’ to close off his marathon sessions, sometimes running into eight or nine hours of musical teachings. His musical influence and legacy has inspired many genres of music including the bass frequencies of Jungle/ Drum & Bass as well as inspiring thousands of sound systems worldwide a new generation of sounds including his son Young Warrior. [Pictured below: Jah Shaka with his son Young Warrior in Jamaica @ JaRIA Honour Awards 2017]
TRIBUTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
DENNIS ALCAPONE: “Greetings FB Family and friends. Just Getting Some Sad News That The Great Jah Shaka Has Passed Away. The Zulu Warrior Left Us. Very Sad indeed. More To Come on That. May His Soul Forever Rest In Perfect Peace. Condolences To His Family And Friends. Gone But Never Will Be Forgotten.”
MACKA B: “R.I.P Jah Shaka the great Zulu warrior.The greatest Roots sound system to grace the face of the earth Guidance on your journey to the ancestral realms king.RasTafari guide and protect the I.Condolences to family and friends.”
GREENSLEEVES RECORDS: “A real titan of the music and a pillar of the community who inspired so many to listen to message in the music. He will be sorely missed and our thoughts go out to his family during this time.”
JUMPIN JACK FROST: "The king of Kings has left us. The greatest soundman that ever lived."
TOP CAT: “Can't believe this. Jah Shaka the legendary sound man and producer from my area in south London has passed away this morning from a heart attack.
When I was at school Jah Shaka was the top Roots and Steppas sound in the country. His single Revelation 18 was on regular rotation on my home set. I used to hail his younger brother on the endz in New Cross. Later on in my teens Shaka used to live and have his sound system across the road from where I wrote my first hit Love Mi Sess, in the high rise block behind Home Park in Sydenham.
As an artist I have travelled the world performing and everywhere I have been I have seen flyers and posters of Jah Shaka either there before me or he would soon be there. Busta Rhymes is the only other artist I've seen who's posters were like that too.
A few weeks ago I saw Jah Shaka while I was out and he came over to hail me. I was moved because he is an elder from the endz and an inspiration to me. I drove past his brother just a couple of days ago. It's the first time I've seen him in decades. This afternoon I was around the corner on my endz and one of the old school man hailed me and told me the news. I checked the internet and there wasn't any news of this. I called a couple of people and they hadn't heard, then one got a text to confirm the sad news.
It's on the internet now so I break my silence and send my condolences to his family and friends, also to all his fans around the world. The term Legend is used commonly nowadays. For me Jah Shaka is one of the people who truly deserve that title. He was elite when I was going to school and he never dropped off. Never. That in itself makes him a true Legend.
Rest In Paradise Godfather. Your works here on earth live on. You have earned your place in Zion! Selah”
MAD PROFESSOR: "It’s a sad day today, as we say farewell to my friend Knocky, the Zulu warrior, Aka Jah Shaka. Shaka played a huge part in the establishing of AriwA.
In the very early days he would book the studio by the days, and later we shared a building in Gautrey Road Peckham, with Jah Shaka Music operating from the 2nd.
The international popularity of Dub music would not have happed without Jah Shaka. Huge loss to the Reggae Fraternity, with many Shaka imitators all over the world, the Roots Warrior, King of the steppers cannot die!"
IN THE PRESS
JAH SHAKA: DUB AND REGGAE PIONEER AT THE HELM OF LONDON SOUND SYSTEM CULTURE HAS DIED
"Musicians have shared tributes on social media to the singer and producer, who influenced dub stars and punk musicians alike." Full article @ THEGUARDIAN.com
JAH SHAKA DEAD: DUB AND REGGAE PIONEER DIES AS MUSIC FANS PAY TRIBUTE TO ‘TRUE LEGEND’
"Shaka, also known as Zulu Warrior, has been described as “the greatest soundman that ever lived” Full article @ INDEPENDENT.co.uk
JAH SHAKA, DUB AND SOUND SYSTEM CULTURE PIONEER, HAS DIED
"Tributes have been paid to the inimitable sound system operator, record label boss and producer also known as the Zulu Warrior." Full article @ DJMAG.com
