Two South London reggae legends have at last received the Dub Innovator awards they were honoured with last summer, joining a third to be honoured on International Reggae Day (IRD).
Veteran sound system operator Jah Shaka last month broke the habit of a lifetime to interrupt a session at 6am to accept the IRD award. “Give thanks for the support of reggae music all over the years,” he told a capacity audience in North London, as he received the award from IRD UK and British Black Music Month co-ordinator Kwaku.
IRD is 1 July. The first official London IRD event took place last year at University of Westminster in Marylebone, when another veteran South London sound system operator, Lloyd Coxsone, got his award.
The second delayed recipient of the IRD Dub Innovator award was the ever-busy producer and label owner Neil “Mad Professor” Fraser. He recently received his award at his Thornton Heath-based Ariwa recording studio. After 40 years in the industry, he said it was the first award had been given.
IRD 2018 is expected to take place across several locations in and outside London. See British Black Music Facebook page.
