Legendary reggae artist Max Romeo has died at the age of 80, following heart complications. The influential Jamaican singer's death was confirmed via a statement shared on his social media accounts.
The message read: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Max. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and tributes, and kindly ask for privacy at this time. Legends never die." The artist, who was born as Maxwell Livingston Smith in 1944, ended up shaping generations with his music.
Romeo defined the international rise of reggae with his six decade career. He became best known for hits like War Ina Babylon and Chase The Devil, and the latter even went on to be famously sampled by The Prodigy and Jay-Z.
Romeo first burst onto the UK charts in 1968 with the cheeky single Wet Dream, which went on to spend 25 weeks on the charts despite being banned by the BBC.
He maintained that the song was simply about a leaky roof, even though it raised eyebrows with lyrics like "give the fanny to me". The reggae pioneer followed up with two standout albums, A Dream (1969) and Let The Power Fall (1971).
The musician then finally achieved international acclaim with his 1976 album War Ina Babylon. This marked a turning point in his career, as he started to be listened to by global audiences which opened the door for collaborations with other big artists.
In 1978 Romeo moved to New York City and co-wrote a reggae musical that he also starred in. This was a creative way to demonstrate his musical prowess, and it paid off. Two years later, he contributed vocals to the Rolling Stones' Dance.
He also worked closely with Keith Richards, who co-produced and played on Romeo's album Holding Out My Love To You. Romeo was not only nown for his musical talents but also his commitment to his beliefs.
He was a devout Rastafarian, and often referred to his faith as a guiding force in his life. In an interview he once said: "Every time I open my mouth, I must be giving praise. But it’s always about Rastafari… that’s my faith."
By the 70s, the artist had become a voice for political change, and his song Let the Power Fall on I was used as a campaign anthem for Jamaica’s People’s National Party in their 1972 election victory.
More recently, Romeo made headlines in 2023 after filing a $15 million lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Polygram Publishing. He made allegations about not having been paid royalties in decades, adding: "After 47 years, I have exhausted every resource available to me to get this matter rectified."
Tributes have been pouring in since news of the artist's passing. His lawyer, Errol Michael Henry, spoke of him fondly saying: "He was a perfect gentleman and a gentle soul. He had great love for his family, and he was a legend in his own right. You couldn’t meet a nicer person – which makes the loss more difficult."
A fan added to this on social media, writing: "Sending out Love & Light. RIP." Another person added: "Remembering Max Romeo."
