Reggae icon Max Romeo has died

Reggae legend Max Romeo has died at age 80.

He reportedly died at a private medical facility in St Andrew on Friday.

Born Maxwell Livingston Smith, Max Romeo was a singer and songwriter known for hits such as War Ina Babylon and Chase the Devil.

In a tribute on Saturday, the People's National Party described him as "a cultural revolutionary whose music spoke truth to power and uplifted the oppressed."

"With a career spanning over five decades, his songs were deeply rooted in the struggles and aspirations of the Jamaican people. From the soulful cries of Let the Power Fall to the bold declarations of War Ina Babylon, Max Romeo used his artistry as a weapon of resistance and a beacon of hope," the party said. 

In 1972, Let the Power Fall on I became the anthem of the People's National Party (PNP).

As one of the key artistes on the PNP's Bandwagon, Max Romeo travelled the island alongside fellow musicians and political activists.

"Romeo's song, adopted by the PNP, marked a moment when culture and politics walked hand in hand toward the promise of a more just Jamaica," the PNP said.

It said Romeo was from North West St Catherine and lived  in the Treadways division with his family, many of whom have carried on his musical tradition.

Opposition Spokesperson on Culture and Creative Industries Dr Deborah Hickling Gordon remarked, “His contribution to nation building, culture, and consciousness will never be forgotten. His musical artistry will be remembered globally, but here at home, we will also remember the courage it took to lend his voice to the people's cause”. 

In 2023 Max Romeo filed a £12.3 million/US$15 million lawsuit against music giants Universal Music Group (UMG) Recordings and Polygram Publishing, Inc.

The legal action against the label stemmed, according to court documents, from unpaid royalties spanning more than four decades.

“I have covered a lot of ground for reggae music,” Romeo told The Gleaner ahead of a panned world tour in 2023. “Instead of staying here and hustle, I go out and look it and bank it all right here in Jamaica and spend it right here,” Romeo, who was also a farmer, shared.

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