Ska and reggae pioneer Desmond Dekker died Wednesday, May 24 of a heart attack at his home in Surrey, England. Dekker, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, had a string of hits both in his home country and in the UK. His most well known singles included “Israelites,” “Rudie Got Soul” and “007 (Shanty Town).” Many of his songs were about rudeboy culture, glamorizing the lifestyle for the growing mod subculture in 1960s England. Dekker is credited for bringing world attention to Jamaica‘s ska and reggae movements, as well as paving the way for artists like Bob Marley. Dekker continued to record into the ’70s, though the singer declared bankruptsy in the ’80s when Two Tone ska fans dwindled. A re-release of “Israelites” and a full touring schedule up until his death kept Dekker busy.
