Biography
The African Brothers helped establish roots reggae through a series of potent, culturally charged singles. Derrick “Bubbles” Howard, Dessie “Roots” Young, and Winston “Tony Tuff” Morris launched the group in the late ’60s, with Howard initially serving as frontman. Their debut release, “Behold I Love,” appeared on C. Hanna. Young soon departed to pursue solo work, prompting the remaining members to recruit Lincoln “Sugar” Minott, then an eager schoolboy. Because Morris alone possessed prior musical background, he assumed the lead role. Early efforts met limited success until producers showed interest during the ’70s. The trio recorded “Hold Tight” for Clive Chin, “Mysterious Nature” for Rupie Edwards, and both “Party Night” and “Torturing” for Duke Thewell; the last two marked their first sound-system breakthroughs. Having drawn inspiration from the Abyssinians, Minott pressed for a Studio One session, which finally occurred in 1971. They cut “No Cup No Brook,” their sole release for Coxsone Dodd—an experience that left Minott disillusioned, as Howard and Tuff believed the producer had withheld royalties.
Thereafter the African Brothers began self-producing, issuing a steady run of singles on their Ital imprint, among them “How Long,” “Youths of Today” (Minott’s first turn on lead), “Lead Us Father,” and “Righteous Kingdom,” the latter pair widely regarded as their strongest and most popular. Tuff’s commanding leads, the group’s understated close harmonies, and the militant riddims beneath their songs drew widespread notice, leading several producers to offer album deals, all of which the trio rejected over insufficient compensation. Chronically ahead of prevailing trends, the African Brothers disbanded in the mid-’70s; Tuff and Minott launched solo careers while Howard turned to production. Their singles endured, yet without an album their profile dimmed until Easy Star assembled most of the key tracks on the 2001 compilation Want Some Freedom. Nature Sounds later collected the associated dubs on African Brothers Meets King Tubby in Dub in 2005.
Thereafter the African Brothers began self-producing, issuing a steady run of singles on their Ital imprint, among them “How Long,” “Youths of Today” (Minott’s first turn on lead), “Lead Us Father,” and “Righteous Kingdom,” the latter pair widely regarded as their strongest and most popular. Tuff’s commanding leads, the group’s understated close harmonies, and the militant riddims beneath their songs drew widespread notice, leading several producers to offer album deals, all of which the trio rejected over insufficient compensation. Chronically ahead of prevailing trends, the African Brothers disbanded in the mid-’70s; Tuff and Minott launched solo careers while Howard turned to production. Their singles endured, yet without an album their profile dimmed until Easy Star assembled most of the key tracks on the 2001 compilation Want Some Freedom. Nature Sounds later collected the associated dubs on African Brothers Meets King Tubby in Dub in 2005.
Albums