The response of the British reggae to the Aid band

In 1985, a group of British black musicians, including well -known names as Aswad, Dennis Brown And Janet Kayjoined to record a charity single entitled “Let’s make Africa Green Again“(of which the 40th anniversary of the publication occurs this month), with the aim of raising funds to support the victims of the famine in Ethiopia.

This project, led by Leon Lefferan activist and musician (founder in 1974 of The Blackstones), was born in a context in which the Ethiopian crisis, before the media clamor of “Do they know it’s Christmas? “He was already well known among the Rastafarians, who considered Ethiopia their spiritual homeland and a free place from the iniquities of the West. And saw the former emperor Haile Selassie Like their messiah.

Leiffer at the time is an influential social activist, a driving force of the Brafa (British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal), an ensemble that included, among others, the famous Jamaican vocalist Dennis Brown, the Aswad and Janet Kay, the Queen of Lovers Rock, a typically British romantic kind of ruling reggae.

The musician and activist initially thought of organizing a concert to raise funds, but found difficulties in logistics and therefore decided to opt for the recording of a disc whose proceeds would have been sent to Ethiopia through Save the Children. With the help of Eddy Grantwhich put his study available for free, the project took shape. On the day of recording, Leiffer invited all the artists to participate without selfishness, creating an atmosphere of inclusion and collaboration. More than 200 people contributed to the project, creating a sense of community.

Despite the success among the fans of the reggae, the individual did not obtain the visibility he would deserve in the national media, and Leiffer expressed his disappointment for the lack of representation of British black artists in events such as the Live Aidwhich took place in the same period (13 July 1985 at the Wembley Stadium in London and John Fitzgerald Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia).

Although their song did not enter the rankings, the group continued to work and finally managed to organize a charity concert at Shoreditch Park in 1986, which attracted over 10,000 people and collected 8,000 pounds.

The concert represented not only a musical event, but also an important affirmation of the British black culture, contrasting the negative images circulating on young blacks after the unrest of Brixton and Toxteth (1981). In the following years, the recognition for the work of Leiffer and the Brafa (British reggae artists Famine Appeal) arrived in 2021, when a square was named after them.

Today, Leiffer continues to devote himself to music with the Blackstones and proudly reflects on what he and his collaborators have created, while recognizing that they could have had greater media coverage.

Their story, although less known than that of Band Aid, represents an important part of the British musical response to the Ethiopian crisis of the 80s.