THE CROWN PRINCE OF REGGAE
Born in Kingston, Jamaica on 1st February 1957, Dennis Emmanuel Brown was hailed as ‘the Crown Prince of Reggae’ in the early ‘80s by Robert Nesta Marley, the ‘King of Reggae’. Marley had passed this title on to his favourite Reggae singer. Unquestionably, Brown is loved the world over like no other Reggae musician and is considered by many (in the fraternity) to be the ‘true’ King of Reggae. He made beautiful music for over three decades and his career was seen as the most fruitful and colourful ever. Brown had made at least 80 albums for some 37 record labels and has produced more Reggae classics than anyone else in the history of Reggae music!
Brown lost his mother at a very young age and so, he turned to his father for inspiration. He was surrounded by entertainers - his father was an actor and his uncle a comedian. He grew up in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) constituency of MP Edward Seaga (later Prime Minister) who was involved in the promotion of Jamaican music during the early ‘60s under Alexander Bustamante’s administration. Seaga recalled how Dennis came to his attention: “Dennis Brown was a very young member of the political organization in the constituency that I represented and at that time, I gave the opportunity to the young people in that constituency to form their own musical band. They developed their own singers and so on and Dennis was one of these”. Dennis first became noticed in West Kingston in the ‘60s, the era when he used to perform on ‘beer boxes’ with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. It was this preparatory experience that the nine year-old Brown took with him to the Tit-For-Tat Club where, one night he made a guest appearance with The Falcons Band and proved to be a child prodigy. The manager of the Band was so impressed with him that he immediately made him the vocalist for the band and soon brought Dennis to the attention of the now legendary producer, Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd who, owned the famous Studio One label.
Brown’s career took off at the tender age of twelve. His first hit, ‘No Man Is An Island’, came out of the Studio One stables in 1969. Most would agree that the musical style he had used throughout his career was evident in this first hit. This style is what made Brown stand out from other Reggae acts. He had a deeply poignant voice that remained consistent throughout his musical career. His physical nature was appealing to all - he was a friendly, approachable person that always wore a smile. From the Soul-influenced Reggae tunes of his earliest years, the conscious Roots Reggae of the ‘70s and ‘80s and the ‘best Lovers Rock ever recorded’, Dennis had encapsulated the Reggae world. It is noted that ‘few artists could remain as consistent throughout a 30-year career as Brown and his releases capped an incredible life whilst serving as a reminder of one of Jamaica’s greatest talents’. Whilst at Studio One, Dennis produced another sublime album, ‘If I Follow My Heart’ which, just like ‘No Man Is An Island’, is an all-time classic.
Brown spent the early ‘70s moving between several studios recording for a variety of producers including Lloyd Daley, Impact, Joe Gibbs and Aquarius. During this time, his music was also becoming very popular in the mainstream music world. He recorded his third collection of songs, ‘Super Reggae & Soul Hits’ that became another classic with the combination of his compelling voice and Derrick Harriott’s strategic arrangements. At this time, Brown moved to work with Winston ‘Niney’ Holness’s label and this proved to be a profitable move for the young star. He recorded two albums with Niney, ‘Just Dennis’ and ‘Wolf And Leopards’. These two albums were recorded within a three-year span but, their Roots characteristics clearly made them appear to be from one body of work and many claimed that ‘Wolf And Leopards’was perhaps his best work ever. However, it was in the mid ‘70s that Brown’s talents and sincerity began to attract thousands of fans. Whilst the Rock critics were latching onto Dub, it was Brown who was drawing mass audiences, almost unnoticed outside Reggae’s heartlands. His combination of serious ‘message’ songs and soul-wailing melodies was irresistible! This was representative of his true style - a distinguished voice that continued through a time when Reggae was witnessing a change in direction. His live shows became very popular at this time. Packed with excitement and sincerity, these shows were reputed as ‘events’ because of their positive nature.
‘Money In My Pocket’ was Dennis’ first hit to enter chart territory in 1979. Around the early ‘80s, he signed with the major label, A&M Records. He also set up his own DEB Music label (the initials of his name) in South London. Brown and his cousin, Castro recorded many famous Reggae artists such as Junior Delgado, Black Uhuru, Ranking Joe, The Tamlins, Gregory Isaacs and nurtured many new UK Lovers Rock acts including the girl groups 15,16,17 and Black Harmony. Dennis quoted, “it was hard work; some of those artists don’t get enough work and sometimes, artists get frustrated too. So, we try and look out for the better ones”. During these years of producing and recording, Brown spent most of his time in London where, he had settled. He continued to produce a number of Reggae hits for several other labels. His series of hits included ‘To The Foundation’ for Gussie Clarke; ‘Revolution’ for Taxi and cuts on his second label, Yvonne’s Special (named after his wife). Although these years were prosperous for Dennis with his music and popularity continuing to spread internationally, he was soon to face the first obstacle of his career.
Around 1985, digital music exploded onto the Reggae music scene and Brown was unsure of what to do but, he adapted well to the trend and recorded ‘The Exit’album in this mode. It was a success and a crucial career move for ‘The Crown Prince’. In 1989, he decided to pursue the young market and moved to Gussie Clarke’s Music Works Studio where, he did one of several duets with Gregory Isaacs. He was back in demand in Jamaica, at the roots of the music and rolling once again, recording everywhere and anywhere. And, in 1995, he recorded with Beenie Man and Triston Palma for the hit compilation ‘Three Against War’. Brown’s lyrics and tone brought his listeners in close to himself. His songs were about real life that showed sincerity through his own personnel experiences. Brown was quoted saying: ‘I used to be a young man’ (the opening cut of ‘Bless Me Jah’); on the title track, he admits to past mistakes; asks for forgiveness and announces a return to the Roots consciousness of his early work. ‘I’m only a vessel but, I know a vessel must be clean’, he stated not to his legion of fans but to his Creator’. He knew the magnitude of personnel identification but he refused to give in and with the Lord by his side, he fought for a true meaning of himself.
Brown was one of the most productive and influential Reggae musicians ever. Many an artist today looked to him to find out how a Reggae song was sung effectively. He had tremendous knowledge and a deep understanding of melodies and lyrics. He was dedicated to making music and always looked forward to the future. He rarely looked back on his past work because he was so focused on producing new material and keeping in tune with the Reggae world. He knew that he must always move forward with his music to keep his listeners’ attention. This entailed much hard work. He was always looking for new sounds; he had an open mind to all melodies and rhythms. He loved to experiment and try new vibes. He had a strong connection to rhythm and worked with these rhythms to create the mood of his songs. There was always the question of how many albums he had actually produced during his career. Some people say over a hundred and some say more - his legacy of hard work and dedication to his music sparked these rumours. Brown himself admits to making 80 albums and claims he does not have all of them in his musical library. He had stated that ‘people don’t want to hear that you are keeping records for the sake of an archive, they want the music so I give it to them’. This shows his extreme generosity to his listeners - the will to spread his message and songs overcame his own personnel ties to his own creations!
Well respected for his humbleness, Dennis’ fame never caught up with him and because of this quality, he has inspired many artists and fans alike. DJ ‘Ranking Joe’ Jackson explained Brown’s humble demeanour: “he wasn’t a person who was big-headed. The fame wouldn’t bother him cah he was just easy going and was the easiest person as an artist that one could really meet. He was always welcoming people and would always show up wid him face inna smiles. You never really saw him in an angry mood”. This appealing characteristic of Brown shone through his music and he was admired by all. He was always open to criticism from other artists and producers. He never took his knowledge and skill for granted. On the massive hit ‘No Man Is An Island’, he explained that ‘no man stands alone; you must work with the people around you; you cannot be alone in this world’. This was the nature of Brown that had helped create such effective music. His individual vision combined with outside influences worked together to produce his much loved songs.
Brown was an intelligent artist. He was well-educated and interested in world issues that are apparent in his lyrics. He was tremendously influenced by Malcolm X, having read his books and speeches. He once stated, “it was while reading about Malcolm X that I got certain impressions, gained certain understanding within his delivery of his speeches and it was inspiring”. His music was very influential in the Black cultural revival of the ‘70s. Many young African-Americans [the world over] had looked for inspiration and hope from Brown’s lyrics. They felt a strong connection to him and his music, especially during the times of racial un-acceptance in the ‘70s. His music was [and still is] an inspiration to these people and many others during times of inequality. Dennis knew that people living under restrictive conditions and in poverty needed unification and guidance so, he focused on positive points in his music, rarely touching on the negative aspects of a situation. In the song ‘Revolution’, he speaks directly to the people in the mass movement of the ‘70s, asking ‘do you know what it means to have a revolution… and what it takes to make a solution’. Songs like these offered suggestions on how to beat the struggle. His dedication to his listeners was highly respected and his message quickly spread worldwide.
However, despite his iconic status, Brown had a ‘habit’ and many of his friends that knew he had a drug problem labelled it as a ‘bad habit’. This did not lead them to question him, they simply accepted the fact that everyone has downfalls and this was Dennis’ only flaw. The press had often blown the issue way out of proportion but, he wanted to avoid the issue. It had created an awkward environment for him where it was difficult to find the support he needed to help himself with the addiction. The drug rumours were a constant detraction from his career. He looked for companionship with people that approved and stayed away from those that did not. His brother, Leroy Clarke, had stated that he’d never seen Dennis use drugs and that there were certain things that he wouldn’t do in front of him. He explained that ‘if Dennis had a problem, he kept it to himself as he was a very private person’. DJ ‘Ranking Joe’ Jackson knew Dennis well and was aware of his drug problem but, looked at this on a positive note, hoping that people could learn from his mistake and remember him for his many positive attributes.
Dennis Emanuel Brown died on 1st July 1999 at the University of the West Indies Hospital. He had become sick at the end of June after a return trip to Miami from Brazil where he had spent a month. Although he never contracted any illness in Brazil, many people that were with him and other bands performing there caught a virus. Leroy Clarke had reported that Dennis was complaining of chills on the plane ride from Miami back to Kingston, Jamaica. He checked into the hospital, seven days later, on 30 June 1999. He died the next morning. The mass media had spread the news and that Brown had died from lung failure related to pneumonia and heart failure. There was significant evidence to suggest that he did live a destructive lifestyle. Clarke’s responses to Brown’s death were very defensive which is understandable. He felt that his brother’s personal life should be kept private. He stated, “I just give Jah thanks and praise for Dennis’ life and what he has contributed to the world through the root of music, regardless of the rumours out there about him, he has done a lot. He has paid his dues. You want to know the true Dennis? Listen to his lyrics. He was singing from the heart”!
Several weeks before Brown’s passing, Jamaica had lost three popular Reggae artists: Augustus Pablo, Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes and Pat ‘Jah Floyd’ Francis but, with Dennis it was different. He was a Reggae figurehead having never faded from the Jamaican and global consciousness during his 30-year career. He was seen as a role model to all - artists, friends, family and fans. A Jamaican broadcast journalist dedicated three consecutive programmes to Brown on his RJR radio show and many others in the Reggae fraternity globally paid special tribute. Before the funeral, his body laid at the Ward Theatre in downtown Kingston where, over ten thousand people came to visit him. The funeral was held at the National Arena on July 17 and was reported internationally by the Associated Press. The event, organized by his colleague and friend Freddie McGregor, became a musical celebration of Brown’s life. His music was performed by McGregor, John Holt, Richie Stephens, George Nooks, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Gregory Isaacs, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Carlene Davis, Nadine Sutherland, Heather Cummings, JC Lodge and Pam Hall, all backed by Brown’s long-time associate Lloyd Parks and his ‘We The People Band’. The funeral’s dutiful international coverage showed Brown’s great influence on generations of Jamaicans and others who considered him to be their favourite Reggae artist.
As one of Reggae’s greatest Ambassadors, Dennis Emmanuel Brown is affectionately remembered for his immense musical talent, sincerity, humbleness, vocal prowess, lyrics and sheer love for Reggae music.
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