Joseph Hill, born on January 22, 1949, in the Jamaican parish of St. Catherine, was a singer/songwriter/arranger/producer that filled the voids that exist in all of us. He was the lead singer and songwriter for Culture - the roots reggae group he formed with Albert “Ralph” Walker and Roy “Kenneth” Dayes. One of reggae’s most enduring bands, Culture was led by Hill for nearly 30 years.
Once you are a music lover, especially Reggae, you will know who Joseph Hill is. He was one of the talented early pioneers of reggae whose rich vocal and classic recordings made him one of the greatest reggae icons, along the line with Jimmy Cliff, Gregory Isaacs etc.
Originally they were known as the African Disciples. Culture are a Jamaican roots reggae group founded in 1976. In 1976, with third singer, Kenneth Dayes, Culture was born. They were one of the most consistent and potent groups ever to grace a person's ears.
In 1981 the three singers went their own ways. Hill carried on using the Culture name, and recorded the Lion Rock album, which was reissued in the United States by Heartbeat Records. Hill and his new band recorded a session for long time supporter John Peel in December 1982, and the group went on to record further studio sessions for Peel in 1998 and 2002, and their performance at the Royal Festival Hall in July 1998 was broadcast on his show. For their part, Walker and Dayes recorded a handful of songs on their own; a few of which turned up on an album titled Roots & Culture.
Culture indicates that Africa remains the spiritual home of the Rasta faithful with King Selassie as King in ‘Adis Ababa’. Culture, the Shock Bronze Medal recipient for music, intimates that we don’t need tribal war, all that is needed is education, love and togetherness as tribal war can’t solve the problem on ‘Tribal War,’ . ‘Why worry about them’ perhaps explains the prayerfulness of Mr. Hill. ‘Slice of Mount Zion’ sums up the Jamaican Reggae Walk of Fame inductee’s hope.
Read also: A Journey of Faith and History
Culture, featuring Joseph Hill on lead vocals, performing in 2005.
Musical Style and Influences
Culture's music avoids the absence of harmony singing, horns and acoustic sounds, opting instead to make great reggae without any apologies. Joe Gibbs helped shape the group's sound and understanding of the world. Other influences included McKay, The Heptones and The Abyssinians.
The group's first releases included "This is The Land," followed by "Take Me Girl" shortly after. World Peace on Heartbeat Records, released in June 2003, encapsulates the past, present and future of the group's messages and sounds. The songs are still as relevant and timeless today as they were then.
Themes and Messages
The foundation of Culture's messages is the idea that looking at what one does not possess in life is not important. The music of Joseph Hill and Culture addresses the current problems facing the world. To begin, Hill and Culture first expose wrongs in the world, acting as witnesses and warning others about them.
The personas of preacher and mystic/shaman, that attempt to alter negative actions, are incorporated into many of his songs. He touches on the ills of Babylon and triumphing the oppressed and overlooked. He often draws from this fabled location, showing that Culture truly understands peoples' troubles, which is why people continue to turn to Culture.
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The behavior-equals-reward relationship is key to a happier life for all of humankind. This is a kind of heaven directly on earth that sits ready for those right-minded people. The idea of enlightenment is a state of mind rather than a physical location.
Culture performing live, showcasing their energetic stage presence.
Advocacy and Peace Missions
Apart from his masterful compositions and his invigorating style of writing his songs, the calm and humble gentleman who inspired a lot of musicians did what many world leaders tried and failed. In over three decades as a professional musician, Joseph Hill didn’t only sing as a peacemaker but practically involved in seeking peace worldwide.
During the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Joseph Hill bravely went to Israel promoting peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. Mr. Hill’s bold attempt was seen as an ironic approach to world peace. That wasn’t the end, after seeking peace in the Middle-East, Mr. Hill visited Sierra Leone during the war. The forced recruitment of child soldiers by the Revolutionary United Front and the rebels’ atrocious behaviour against civilians killed thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
As soon as Mr. Hill arrived in Freetown, he told the rebels “I will only go if you put down your gun.” The rebels quickly obeyed him and they lay down their guns. Afterwards, they sent a message to the president saying “You are lucky that Paa Joe Hill is in Freetown, else we shall destroy Freetown within 24 hours.”
Read also: "Joseph: King of Dreams" and "Spirit"
How Joseph Hill Paused A Civil War In Sierra Leone
Personal Life and Legacy
Catherine in 1949, Joseph Hill started his musical career in the late 1960’s as a percussionist. During the Rastafarian influence on reggae in the 1970’s, Mr. Hill formed Culture producing more than 30 albums. Hill’s life and times make for interesting observation. Here was someone who was conscious and kept reminding consumers of his work to be mindful of their actions and prepare themselves to render account to Jah after death, yet had a weakness for alcohol and smoking.
For a man who yearned to be closer to Jah and attain paradise, one of his weaknesses was the love of alcohol which reports say sometimes left him in a stupor unaware of his surroundings. Then there was his short fuse which made him prone to anger easily. Nonetheless, Hill had done enough in the music space.
Hill’s death in Berlin while in the middle of a European tour stunned the music world who grieved over his loss. Mr. Hill suddenly fell sick and succumbed to his illness. liver cirrhosis as the cause of Culture’s death on August 19, 2006 aged 57. If there ever was a man who sought to know Jah and serve Him better, that man was Joseph Hill also known as Culture of the Culture Music Band.
In 2005, the singer and devout Rastafarian, was honored by the Jamaican government with its Independence Award presented by the Prime Minister of Jamaica for his contribution to the Island nation’s culture.
