Reggae icon Max Romeo has died. The musician — who's known for hits like "Chase The Devil" and "War Ina Babylon" — passed away after heart complications in Jamaica's Saint Andrew Parish. He was 80.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Max," a post on his official Instagram reads. "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and tributes, and kindly ask for privacy at this time. Legends never die."
Max Romeo was born Maxwell Livingston Smith in St. D'Acre, St. Ann, Jamaica. He was 14 when he left home to work on a sugar plantation, and he was 18 when he won a local talent competition. He moved to Kingston to pursue a music career. He joined a band called the Emotions in 1965 and their first hit came the next year with "(Buy You) A Rainbow."
In 1968, Romeo began his solo career. "Wet Dream" was his first massive hit, and its explicitly sexual lyrics resulted in it getting banned by the BBC Radio, though it still became a top 10 hit in the UK. In 1969, he released his debut solo album, A Dream. He followed it with the more politically charged LP Let The Power Fall in 1971. The democratic socialist People's National Party chose its title track as their theme song for the 1972 Jamaican general election.
He unveiled the critically acclaimed War Ina Babylon in 1976, which contained his beloved songs "Chase The Devil" and "War Ina Babylon." In 1978, he moved to New York City and co-wrote and starred in the Reggae musical. In 1980, he did backing vocals on the Rolling Stones' Emotional Rescue track "Dance," and Keith Richards later co-produced and played on Romeo's record Holding Out My Love To You.
In 2023, Romeo filed a $15 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Polygram Publishing, Inc., alleging that they had not paid him royalties for his work for more than 50 years.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=XcMNfX5yh28
https://youtube.com/watch?v=_ILjMmfAGXQ
