Brother Resistance

Roy Lewis aka Lutalo Masimba,^[1] better known as Brother Resistance, is a rhythm poet and musician from Trinidad and Tobago.

Career

Born in East Dry River, Trinidad, Brother Resistance became the lead singer of the Network Riddim Band, a Trinidadian ensemble, in 1979.^[2] He developed a hybrid of soca and rap that he called 'rapso', a genre for which he credited Lancelot Layne as originator.^[2][3] Considered subversive by the authorities, the band's rehearsal space and offices were destroyed by the police in June 1983.^[2] The group released their first album, Roots of de Rapso Rhythm, in 1984, which was followed by Rapso Explosion and Rapso Takeover in 1985 and 1986 respectively.^[2] International performances brought recognition from overseas, changing the attitude of the T&T government, who selected Brother Resistance as their cultural delegate to the World Festival of Youth and Students in Korea.^[2]

He appeared at New York's 'New Music Festival' in 1992 and in 1993 at the International Dub Poetry Festival in Toronto.^[2]

In between completing studies at the University of the West Indies, Brother Resistance continued to write music for the ensemble, and his 1981 debut album, Busting Out, became a major hit, defining the musical genre that would come to be known as rapso. Busting Out was the first album to use the word rapso.

Solo discography

Albums

• Touch De Earth with Rapso (1991)
• Heart of the Rapso Nation (1992)
• De Power of Resistance (1996), Rituals
• Let Us Rejoice (2001)
• When De Riddum Explode (2001)

Singles

• "Tonite Is De Nite" (1987), Riddum Distribution Network
• "Jah Never Fail Me" (2001), Blue Flame

References

External links

• Official website
• Allmusic entry