Reggae Pioneer Max Romeo Passes Away at 80: A Look at His Iconic Career

Max Romeo, a leading reggae pioneer, has died.

He reportedly passed away on Friday from a heart-related issue. He was 80.

Max Romeo achieved chart success in Jamaica and in the United Kingdom throughout several decades. He had several hits with the vocal group The Emotions and scored his first solo hit song with the 1968 risque Wet Dream which included overtly sexual lyrics.

He is also known for iconic works as the critically acclaimed album, Let the Power Fall. Released in 1971, it included a number of politically charged songs, most advocating the democratic socialist People’s National Party (PNP), which chose his song Let the Power Fall as its theme song for the 1972 Jamaican general election.

In 1976, Romeo released War Inna Babylon, an album perceived as his best work. This album had deep political and religious themes and included the popular single Chase the Devil, which would become one of his most known songs.

In a BBC interview recorded in 2010, Romeo explained that the devil is everything negative in our minds, “the iron shirt is our strength of spirit that allows us to cast out the devil”.

The song has been covered several times by artistes such as Dreadzone, UK band The Prodigy, Madness and Earl Sixteen.

Super-producer Kanye West used samples from Chase the Devil to produce Jay Z’s song Lucifer, which appeared on Jay Z’s 2003 release, The Black Album.

In 2023, he filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Polygram Publishing, Inc for US$15 million, claiming that he had not been given royalties for his work for over 50 years.

Max Romeo completed his final tour in 2023, an eight-week odyssey, organised by Free People Entertainment-Mediacom, which included a total of 50 concerts in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, UK and Switzerland.

This farewell tour, dubbed The Ultimate Tour, also featured his daughter Xana Romeo and son Azizzi Romeo. (Jamaica Observer)