Ras Howard Henry is a Jamaican dub poet and music writer. His full name is Rastaman Howard Henry. Read our guide for more facts and information…
Ras Howard Henry was born and raised in St. Andrew parish in Jamaica, which is in the West Indies. Henry later lived in England and presently lives in Syracuse in upstate New York. He has become a dub poet of some note, writing for the last ten years. He has a regular poetry column in the black paper “The Pride of Syracuse”. He is also a blogger and a frequent writer of editorials to various Jamaican papers.
What is Dub Poetry?
Dub poetry is a type of poetry that is based on political and social themes. It is performed by putting it to Reggae music. It was most popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s but there are still quite a few dub poets around.
Works by Henry
Ras Howard Henry performs with the Eternal Riddim Reggae Band. His first collection of poetry entitled “Doors to Reality”. This collection, true to dub poetry form speaks out against social injustice and reminds people that the past shapes our future.
Having been raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Henry came to the United State is 1991. Having heard that America was the land of opportunity, it did not take long for the dreams to burst for Henry. He instead turned to dub poetry and taking up the cause of the down trodden. That is what his poetry is about and that is what his blogs and editorials in Jamaican papers are all about. In his editorials, he takes up the cause of the people that society has treated unjustly.
Henry has had his poetry and music published internationally in London, New York and Jamaica. He has performed as a poet and a reggae singer at many places all over the world. Some people may be offended by the wording of his poetry, but Henry tells it the way he sees it and feels he tells the plain truth that society quite often overlooks.
As reggae music originated in the West Indies and is still very popular there, Ras Howard Henry is an important performer in this area. As such, he is well respected and his opinion, which he does not seem to mind giving, is important. He might write his editorials on anything from Jamaica needing to look for another source of energy to slavery not being totally the fault of white men, but the black slavers should take their blame as well. Again, this is simply an example of how Mr. Henry sees and writes. You may not agree with him, but his opinions seem to be well thought out and should be considered.
At any rate, like Mr. Henry or not, his opinion is always interesting and entertaining.
