Linton Kwesi Johnson is a British based Jamaican born dub poet and activist born in 1952.

Following Jamaican independence in 1962 he moved to England to join his family.

They were part of a large diaspora of families “The Windrush Generation” who settled in the UK from the late 1940’s -as Britain relinquished the hold of its vast empire and transitioned to independence and the formation of a Commonwealth of autonomous former colonial territories.

In a recent interview he describes how he started:

"I began to write verse, not only because I liked it, but because it was a way of expressing the anger, the passion of the youth of my generation in terms of our struggle against racial oppression. Poetry was a cultural weapon in the black liberation struggle, so that's how it began.”

While at school he joined the British Black Panther Movement as well as developing his work with poets and drummers with Rasta Love

His work is based on his experiences and prejudice he -as well as all other immigrants of African or Asian descent -experienced navigating British society in the 60’s , 70’s and beyond.

This was the era of MP Enoch Powell’s 1968 “Rivers of Blood” speech and the incendiary racist rhetoric and politics of skinheads and the National Front.

Fusing his Jamaican patois lyrics with reggae and working with acclaimed musician producer Dennis Bovell - amongst other -created a whole new genre of artist expression : dub poetry.

Allied to that is the Jamaican “toasting” tradition and you have the precursor to rap.

Performance poetry such as “Inglan Is A Bitch” and albums on the Virgin and Island labels secured his importance in the music and arts culture of the time.

“Inglan is a bitch

dere's no escapin it

Inglan is a bitch

noh baddah try fi hide fram it”

I remember at the height of Punk and New Wave- the poetry and music of Linton Kwesi Johnson was prominent.

He wrote for the music papers (New Musical Express and Melody Maker) and album notes for reggae artists.

He was respected by the punks - as reggae and punk coexisted with crossover in styles - notably The Clash and The Police in the late 70’s.

That in turn ushered in the whole “Two Tone” and Ska culture with The Beat,The Specials and The Selector to name a few.

Ironically Jamaican culture was now adopted and celebrated in the mainstream -by the younger population of the old colonial masters.

Today he has been celebrated worldwide with a host of honors and the first black poet to have his work published in Penguin’s Modern Classics series.

Check out more here:

https://lintonkwesijohnson.com/