“I will only go if you put the gun down”
(Sierra Leone)
Reggae fans on the African Continent, especially in the West African countries of Ghana and Nigeria, as well as SADC countries are
devastated by the passing of Joseph
Hill, the late reggae icon internationally
known as Culture.The veteran singer/
songwriter, who died while on a tour of
Germany on Saturday, August 19, was
buried in Jamaica.
In a career spanning
over 30 years, Joseph Hill and his band;
Culture toured extensively in Africa
(where he became a huge fan-base),
Israel, Japan, Britain and Northern Europe.
Kenya, the Ivory Coast (Burkina Faso)
and Sierra Leone, where some time back
Culture asked rebel forces to lay down
their arms which they did, are among
the hardest hit in terms of mourning by
The Passing away of Mr Hill.
At his memorial service, the rows of
empty pews spoke volumes about the
scant regard that most Jamaicans appeared
to convey towards an icon who
was revered in the West African countries
of Africa, but treated with only an
iota of that same accord and awe in his
native country.
Still, a large number of friends, family
and members of the entertainment
fraternity turned out to bid ‘Culture’
farewell in a beautiful ceremony occasioned
by several musical and spiritual
highs on Saturday at the the Emmanuel
Apostolic Church, 12 Slipe Road in
Kingston. Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Lloyd Evans (member of the
Joseph ‘Culture’ Hill Planning Committee),
Neville Willoughby of RJR, Natalie
Corthesy, senior director of entertainment
policy, family member, Erica Hill-
Myers all gave glowing tributes to the
fallen music icon.
Afrine Hill-Walker
delivered the eulogy.
Speaking with Yardflex.com, his son,
Kenyatta, who will take up the mantle
of being the lead singer of the Culture
band, vowed to continue his father’s
legacy.
“He was a wonderful man, loving,
supportive, all anyone could ask for in
a father, he was the one who guided me
through, and I will walk proudly in his
footsteps,” he said.
Kenyatta and the Culture band will
begin a tour of three continents, North
America, Europe and Africa beginning
October 14th.
“In Sierra Leone, rebels wanted him,
and he said ‘I will only go if you put the
gun down while I am here’. If you read
his website, you will see it, he asked us
to put down the gun, and guess what, we
put the gun down. Did you know that,
Jamaica? That’s the man,” Lloyd Evans
Joseph ‘Culture’ Hill laid to rest
said. “The man knew his God, there is
only one God and Joseph knew him.”
Prime Minister Miller called him a
“towering representative of our homegrown
idiom, reggae’, and lauded his
“gritty melodious voice, keen ear for
harmony, earthy humour, stylish dress
and electrifying performances”.
“Joseph Hill, your train is bound for
glory, rest well, my inspiration,” Prime
Minister Miller intoned passionately.
Rastafarians and Christians sat shoulder-
to-shoulder in a ceremony tinged
by reggae and beautiful traditional
Christian music. Spontaneous applause
broke out during the Bethel Mass
Choir’s rendition of ‘Leaning on the Everlasting
Arm’.
Notables in attendance included Bongo
Herman, Louis ‘Flabba’ Holt, Audrey
Reid, producer Joe Gibbs and his son,
Rocky, and JFM President Dezzie
Young. Promoter Cristoph Tewes, who
was the promoter of the German club
tour during which Joseph died, was also
in attendance.
Hill was buried at the Dovecot Memorial
Park , in St Catherine, his native
parish.
In a career spanning over 30 years,
Culture has toured extensively in Africa
(where he has a huge fan-base), Israel,
Japan, Britain and Northern Europe.
Interestingly, there was a service of
thanksgiving in Ghana for Hill on the
same day as the one in Jamaica .
Not many artistes showed up at the
funeral itself, but they had already celebrated
his life on the previous night,
September 8th, with a memorable night
of performances at the bursting-at-theseams
Ranny Williams Entertainment
Centre.
The lineup consisted of Luciano,
Anthony B, Bob Andy, Big Youth, U
Roy, Jimmy Riley, George Nooks, Tony
Rebel, Dean Fraser, Tamlins, Leroy Sibbles,
Carlene Davis, Taurus Riley, Josie
Wales, Natty King, Lovindeer, Prodigal,
Junior Kelly, Bunny Brown, Nadine
Sutherland, Sly Dunbar, Peter Lloyd,
Lloyd Parkes, Gullibanque, Limey, Boscom
X, Mystic Revealers, Grace Thrillers,
Pam Hall, Charlie Chaplin, Mighty
Diamonds, Toots, Queen Ifrica, Bankie
Banx, Etana, Katalyst Crew, Chuck
Fender and more. MCs will be Tommy
Cowan, Mutabaruka and Denise Miller.
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