Lutalo Masimba (24 October 1954 – 13 July 2021), born Roy Lewis and known professionally as Brother Resistance, was a rhythm poet and musician from

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

. He died on 13 July 2021, after being diagnosed with cancer.

Background and career

Born in 1954 as Roy Lewis in East Dry River,

Laventille Laventille is a ward of Trinidad and Tobago. Etymology The name ''Laventille'' hearkens back to colonial times, especially when the French dominated the cultural traditions of the island. One etymological derivation of the name is because the no ...

, Trinidad and Tobago, he began writing poetry in primary school, and went on to study at

Queen's Royal College Queen's Royal College ( St.Clair, Trinidad), referred to for short as QRC, or "The College" by alumni, is a secondary school in Trinidad and Tobago. Originally a boarding school and grammar school, the secular college is selective and noted for it ...

. He was influenced by Trinidad's 1970 Black Power movement to become conscious of his African identity, and he would eventually change his name to Lutalo Masimba in 1982, in order to better reflect his heritage. He assumed the soubriquet "Brother Resistance" when he began performing and chanting his poetry at school. He went on to further studies at the

University of the West Indies, St. Augustine The University of the West Indies at St. Augustine is a public research university in St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. It is one of 5 general campuses in the University of the West Indies system, which are ranked 1st in the Caribbean. It is ra ...

, graduating with a B.Sc. degree in Social Sciences with History in 1980. Brother Resistance became, together with

Brother Shortman Everard Romany aka Brother Shortman, also known as Rapso Rebel, is a rhythm poet and musician from Trinidad and Tobago. Biography Born in Trinidad in 1951, Brother Shortman (Bro. Shortman) became, together with Brother Resistance, the lead si ...

, the lead singer of the Network Riddim Band, a Trinidadian ensemble, in 1979.Thompson, Dave (2002), ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 42–43. They developed a hybrid of soca and

rap Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

that they called "

rapso Rapso is a form of Trinidadian music that grew out of the social unrest of the 1970s. Black Power and unions grew in the 1970s, and rapso grew along with them. The first recording was ''Blow Away'' by Lancelot Layne in 1970. Six years later ...

", a genre for which they credited

Lancelot Layne Lancelot Layne (died 28 July 1990) was a rapso artist from Trinidad and Tobago. Biography Lancelot Layne was born to a Ms. Ethel Strawn (''née'' Serrano) and raised in Gonzales, Trinidad, a village near Port of Spain. He had a start in many loca ...

as originator.Oumano, Elena (1999)
"Resistance Exports Rapso to US, Europe"
''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'', 9 January 1999, p. 18. Retrieved 29 September 2013. The band was considered subversive by the authorities, and their rehearsal space and offices were destroyed by the police in June 1983. The group released their first album, ''Roots of de Rapso Rhythm'', in 1984, which was followed by ''Rapso Explosion'' and ''Rapso Takeover'' in 1985 and 1986 respectively. International performances brought recognition from overseas, changing the attitude of the T&T government, who selected Brother Resistance as their cultural delegate to the

World Festival of Youth and Students The World Festival of Youth and Students is an international event organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) and the International Union of Students after 1947. History The festival has been held regularly since 1947 as an eve ...

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

. His best known song was 1987's "Ring de bell", in which he advocates symbolically ringing the bell for justice and freedom. In 1992, Brother Resistance was honoured with a national award, the

Hummingbird Medal The Hummingbird Medal is a state decoration of Trinidad and Tobago, instituted in 1969. The medal is awarded for loyal and devoted service beneficial to the state in any field, or acts of conspicuous gallantry or other outstanding humane action. Th ...

. He appeared at New York's New Music Festival in 1992 and in 1993 at the International Dub Poetry Festival in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada. In 2002 he was nominated for a Cacique Award for his performance as Aldrick in

Earl Lovelace Earl Wilbert Lovelace (born 13 July 1935) is a Trinidadian novelist, journalist, playwright, and short story writer. He is particularly recognized for his descriptive, dramatic fiction on Trinidadian culture: "Using Trinidadian dialect patterns a ...

's dramatization of ''

The Dragon Can't Dance ''The Dragon Can't Dance'' (1979) is a novel by Trinidadian author Earl Lovelace, his third to be published. Set in Port of Spain, the novel centres on the life of Aldrick Prospect, a man who spends the entire year recreating his dragon costume fo ...

''. In 2017, Brother Resistance was inducted into the Queen's Royal College Hall of Honour for his contributions to art and culture in Trinidad. He was president of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO). He died aged 66 on 13 July 2021, at the West Shore Medical Private Hospital,

Western Main Road The Western Main Road is the main road in Trinidad and Tobago that runs west from Green Corner in downtown Port of Spain, through St. James, where it is the main thoroughfare, til the Military Base in Chaguaramas. It is most notable as the sce ...

, Cocorite, Trinidad and Tobago.

Solo discography

Albums

*''Touch De Earth with Rapso'' (1991) *''Heart of the Rapso Nation'' (1992) *''De Power of Resistance'' (1996), Rituals *''Let Us Rejoice'' (2001) *''When De Riddum Explode'' (2001)

Singles

*"Tonite Is De Nite" (1987), Riddum Distribution Network *"Jah Never Fail Me" (2001), Blue Flame

References

External links

* * Allmusic entry* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brother Resistance 1954 births 2021 deaths 20th-century Trinidad and Tobago male singers Alumni of Queen's Royal College, Trinidad People from Port of Spain Rapso Recipients of the Hummingbird Medal Trinidad and Tobago poets University of the West Indies alumni