‘Gone but not forgotten’ — remembering Lucky Dube on the 16th anniversary of his passing

18 October 2023

TshisaLIVE
Entertainment

Today marks 16 years since legendary reggae star Lucky Dube died after being shot in Johannesburg.

The musician gave Mzansi and the world many hits.

Born in Ermelo, Mpumalanga on August 3 1964 and raised by a single mother, Lucky recorded 22 albums and made his mark across the globe.

X was abuzz with users sharing their memories of the megastar and their favourite songs.

“On this day in 2007, Lucky Dube was assassinated. Lucky fought injustice and brought hope to many in Soweto who thought life would never change. He was raised by a single mother who named him 'Lucky' because she considered his birth fortunate after a number of failed pregnancies,” wrote an X user.

“Legends rest, they never die. May your spirit live on and continue to inspire unity among the human race,” another wrote.

“16 years on. RIP Lucky Dube. Black philosophy and music at its best.”

Lucky won the Best-Selling African Musician prize at the 1996 World Music Awards. Other accolades included a Sama in the Lifetime Achievement category in 2008 and the MTV Africa Music Legend Award in 2009.

The legendary musician also starred in a number of movies, including Getting Lucky, Lucky Strikes Back and the popular feature film Voice in The Dark.