Tribute to Carlos Djedje: The death of a reggae legend

By Moshidi Nkgaphe Joseph (DJ Boogieman International)

Carlos Djedje is the pioneer of Reggae music in Africa, a legendary musician, promoter, an activist and freedom fighter who contributed in the South African liberation struggle project through music.

He (full names Marisana Carlos Djedje, Marisana meaning Shepherd) is from Hlakubela street at Saulsville, Pretoria, City of Tshwane Metropolitan.

He started playing music from a self – made guitar at the age of 10 years. His Music carreer began in Tshwane, SOUTH AFRICA.

He miraculously survived arrests and death attempts by the previous apartheid regime for his ability to attract black and white audiences at his events, and for the conscious political lyrics in his music that led to the national broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporarion (SABC) banning and sensoring some of his songs.

He used to organise festivals and perform at the SAULSVILLE ARENA and across the country during times of segregation where he would bring all races together (social cohesion) during the 70’s, 80s, 90s, and even before his final breath he was still pushing the agenda of unity, equal rights and justice for all.

This world renowned legend has travelled all over the world (most of which I travelled with him) to places such as Japan, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Malaysia, UK, America, Botswana , Mozambique, Namibia, just to mention a few, including Jamaica in year 2017 October where he was invited, honoured and awarded by the government of JAMAICA during the celebration of the most celebrated activist in the world, Mualimu Marcus Mosiah Garvey, for his (Carlos) contribution to Reggae music. “It felt like a dream coming true when i walked on a red carpet with an army and police guard of honour, as i proceeded to lay a wreath at Marcus Garvey’s grave after the governor did so”, said Carlos Djedje with a wide smile.

This occasion made history in Jamaica as no foreign artist was ever honoured by the Jamaican government / or during the Annual Marcus Garvey Day Celebration nor lay a wreath at Marcus Garvey’s grave.

This is when he met Elder Bunny Wailer and the Rasta Elders where he gifted them (elders) with a stone that I picked with him in South Africa. Our song DON’T KILL THE RASTAS was the main song for the highly emotional ceremony. After the JAMAICAN elders touched the stone and kept it in a special container, the next day one of the elders reported that he dreamed of his late mother for the first time after 50 years of her passing.

Our Album ‘CONSCIOUS REGGAE’ is our best offering that opened the world wider for us, and we went on to rock (not the parties but) the biggest Internation Music Festivals worldwide. He couldn’t stop talking about the legendary international guitarist Oupa Makhubela for his contribution in this album and many song that we did in studio and Oupa’s contributions in the band.

Carlos DjeDje’s music was very influencial that Peter Mokaba confessed that he was persuaded by his music to join politics. His song ‘Jah Give Us This Day’ was used in Botswana, Malawi and Namibia for prayer and meditation. He also introduced James Mange to me and we recorded Mange’s album, ROBBEN ISLAND based on his true story of being an awaiting – death political prisoner in Robben Island, where he (told me) he found comfort and motivation in Carlos DjeDje’s music.

Carlos Djedje also performed with Peter Tosh, the former member of Bob Marley and The Wailers band in Swaziland (now Eswatini) in 1983. This trip to Swaziland also involved a life – threatening action where he crossed the border and back with a letter from the UDF for Peter Tosh to endorse with his signature for the organisation’s fund – raising purposes. He also honored the legendary Bob Marley through his wife Rita Marley. Eric Donaldson, Andrew Torsh, Trevor Hall and Don Carlos are some of the offshore artists that he performed / engaged with, and many local musicians and practitioners such as Lucky Dube, Oyaba, Richie S, Rastaman Nkhushu, Neill Solomon, Demos Takoulas, Sello Motshekga, Slave, Travolta, Machance, PapaNaledi, PHELI FM, MOTSWEDING FM, UMHLOBO WE NENE FM, Ras Sipho Mantula, SOWETO TV, GauTv, TUT FM, LESEDI FM, SABC TV, RADIO 2000, POWER FM, THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATER, CITY OF TSHWANE, just to mention a few, with his brothers, sisters and wife Sergerin as his best friend and pillar of strength.

Mr Djedje ‘s legacy was also recognised by the Tshwane University of Technology, led by a Bulgarian musical Dr Viktorvna Rostislava Pashkevitch, Patrick Sanku Bokaba (actor) and DJ BoogieMan International / Joseph Moshidi (Carlos DjeDje’s producer). A Musical Theatre Play was written, adopted and executed by this university students and formed part of the academic program of the University. This occasion made history as the first in the world where a Musical based on a person was played while the person is alive and part of the play.

At the age of 73, and 63 years of playing the guitar, it was recently discovered by South African authorities that he is the only Tshwane Metropolitan artist in the Performance and Celebration sector, qualifying for the ‘Legend’ status.

One of our recent songs is called UNIVERSAL PEACE KEEPER. When Carlos DjeDje and I composed this song we were prophesying about the war in Ukraine, because a few months after we released this song, the war began. On this song we had a multiple of legendary artists / friends namely Neill Solomon, Tim Par, Patrick Sanku Bokaba, Anthony

Stevens, Greg Georgiades.

Carlos Djedje spend his last years in studio and, at ROSE HAPPY TIMES Centre in Saulsville where he persued his studies, and contributed immensely leading to a recognition by VOLVO. He contributed immensely to the centre alongside Basetsana, Mr Dombo, Lesiba Moshoeu, Dos Moleele, Patrick Sanku Bokaba, Joseph Moshidi and the rest of the team.

We still had joint plans but God also had His plans.

I still anticipated your presence in my studio (Moshidi Music / Boom World Wide) but God also anticipated your presence in Heaven. Go well Carlos DjeDje, my Eldren, colleague, Artist & source of spiritual and general wisdom.

You spent most of your artistic life with me, and I will share more of you to the world. JAH RASTAFARI

Moshidi (Joseph N) (DJ Boogieman International) is an artist who collaborated with Djedje for several years Djedje’s memoral service was held at Sate Theatre on Thursday, December 21 2023.