Thursday, August 19, 2010

Spartacus R,Gone But Never to Be Forgotten




Early this week we received the news of the death of a friend, who for all intensive purposes was a star globally - My Friend and Former Boss Spartacus R.

The news of a death is never easy. but it's especially hard when it'd the news about a great old friend and artist from the UK and Grenada.  He Was After All Supposed to Live Forever - so said Spartacus R. in many conversations we had over the years.  I always secretly wished he could do it.

Tthe news was shocking, so much so that momentarialy when receiving it I denied it in my mind and told the person who told me that I'd have to write to the family to see what they had to say. wow..

This is a short bit about Spartacus R Bedeau - who was my friend, boss and sometimes human reminder that we all need to give back for people to remember that we were ever here.. we will always remember you Brother Spartacus because you shouted Jahmahariyah long before it was popular. You traveled to Fiji and made a new life; you reached out for your people where ever you may have found them globally. For that I am eternally grateful to have known you.

Spartacus R. came to prominence in the early 70s as the founder and driving force of the first internationally famous African Rock band, Osibisa, at the forefront of the genre now called World Music.



After Osibisa, Spartacus recorded the seminal acoustic masterpiece, "Africa I See" - which is the photo at the top of his cd cover. This is one of four successful, self-penned solo albums released on his own Zara Music Records label. With an acoustic guitar, ankle bells and some face paint, Spartacus R. travelled the world playing to audiences of 3 to 300,000 people in Africa, America, Australia, Europe, Japan.


An outspoken Musician, Poet, Author, Columnist, Talk Show Host, Seer and TruthSayer, Spartacus R. is one of the most highly respected of writers in the UK. Many of his contemporaries, including the late Bernie Grant, MP, have attested to his "honesty and integrity". As a Human Rights Activist and Teacher, Spartacus has shared platforms with some of the world's most celebrated speakers, including Jesse Jackson who dubbed him the "African", and Paul Boateng, MP.

This is Spartacus R Playing Bass with Osibisa on the UK Hit  "Music for Gong Gong"
this was filmed when he was a member of Osibisa in 1974.




Spartacus R,Gone But Never to Be Forgotten



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