songs about black leaders

[james19]

Yami Bolo - Free Mandella
Vybz Kartel - Selassie I Luv We
Johnny Clarke - Marcus Garvey
Sugar Minott - A Letter To Nelson Mandella
Militant Barry - Idi Amin Disco
Noel Ellis - To Hail Selassie

Any so the list goes on

[james19]

Prince Buster & The Revolutionaries - Idi Amin 7" - titled after him, rather than a song about him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6hLLsK4XUg

@Rico - check the recent thread about Mandela songs

Incredible tune that one.....mega rare.

[johnnyB]

@Roman: I will never get involved in a reasoning about shades of black (or white) but I assure you Obama is seen as a black man by afro-americans and especially in Jamaica.I remember collecting at least 20 tunes about Obama at the time of his first election.It is true skin coplexion has always been an important issue in JA and political leaders have often been judged for how black they were but with Obama people seem to have put aside this criterium.

[manfas]

another song about Idi Amin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Y71zFXVcY

Toussaint L'Ooverture is mentioned in this tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOG6-9j81Ds

[capullo]

thanks for the link manfas! beautiful tune! funny how he pronounces Toussaint L'Ouverture - sounds like "Toussaint Lee Overtore" haha

haiti was the first independent "black nation" in the new world. it is said that a man swam from haiti over to jamaica to spread the news. haiti paid nuff blood and tears for being so outrageous in the french colonialist eyes to kick them out and go independent. but it was the very french revolution that declared "egalité fraternité liberté"

[lankou]

Capital Letters - President Amin
Alpha Blondy - Sankara
several songs by Tiken Jah Fakoly mention african leaders for good and bad reasons.
Lord Brynner - Congo War (a whole list of Congolese leaders!)
BB Seaton - Sam Sharpe Rebellion (dub). BBS also produced a song named Bogle Sharpe & Nanny - or something along the lines, which currently eludes me.
religious hymn turned traditional mento, then covered in several JA genres : Dip Them (Bedward). One cover is by Stanley Beckford. (+ Dillinger, Pampidoo, Papa San...)
Dennis Brown & Cocoa Tea- Shepherd Be Careful: mentions Mandela, Steve Biko, Walter Sissulu and Desmond Tutu.
Noel Ellis - Farrahkahn's Song
Jackie Mittoo - Nanny Skank
Max Romeo - Martin Luther King

[minidub]

just off the top while reading this thread (that I think haven't been listed):

various artists -- tribute to marcus garvey LP; several on the LP
akabu -- warrior queen
jah woosh -- king shaka

and there are so many more...plus the x amount of Selassie tunes.

m.

[Mick Sleeper]

Classics - History of Africa is exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohG0veCUt04

[minidub]

lillian allen -- harriet tubman (verse to vinyl LP)
lillian allen -- mandela (verse to vinyl LP)

m.

[Ranking Glasses]

Al Campbell - Gone Down the Drain

[skunkride]

Twinkle Brothers - Our National Heroes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fI9U5xbzG4

General Echo - Afrikan National Heroes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yobSIY_8t2c

Prince Far I - Jamaican Heroes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRjOsX-kUmU

Cimarons - Paul Bogle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBHO8ywBSE

[Bob M]

Reggae fi Radni - LKJ

[lankou]

Walter Rodney, right?
How could i forget the great stormer Dr Rodney by Carl Dawkins?
I wouldn't be too surprised if Peter Tosh dropped that name in one of his songs, as he was arrested during a protest in favour of Dr Rodney!
(seems like Prince Buster was too and he recorded Black Power (Dr Rodney).
And there are all those early 70's songs mentioning Joshua (Manley - not to mention his 7" on Clandisc) and Pharoah (Shearer)

[Ringo]

another song about Idi Amin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Y71zFXVcY

Also on the Conflict label I have Idi Amin - Militant Barry, replete with picture cover:



Several other Idi Amin tunes mentioned in RKR:

General Amin - Bongo Herman
General Amin - Joe White
Idi Amin - Dean Fraser

ETA: Just noticed a couple of these had already been mentioned.

Not sure what this one is from!

[Ringo]

I'm sure there are a couple of songs mentioning Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta.