Caribbean news. My friend Robert Allen, who has died of a brain haemorrhage at the age of 52, was a youth worker and pioneering DJ who was instrumental in the establishment of Jamaican dancehall music in Britain.
Born and raised in Brixton, south London, to Jamaican immigrants Winnifred Viola and John Allen, Robert was a star pupil at William Penn school in north Dulwich, and his musical journey took off when he met the sound system operator Neville King at Gavton Shepherd‘s youth centre in Brixton, in the late 1970s.
Robert Allen was a pioneering DJ and concert promoter, and later began working for the children’s charity Kids Company. Photo courtesy http://www.theguardian.com
Under King’s guidance he developed his DJ credentials both as a selector and mic man. He soon began working in the Dub Vendor reggae record shops in Battersea and Ladbroke Grove, and also helped out at the London-based Fashion Records reggae label, co-producing Peter Hunnigale’s single Perfect Lady, which gained national attention. Robert went on to work with top reggae artists such as Sanchez, Cutty Ranks, Top Cat, Tenor Fly, General Levy, Janet-Lee Davis and Maxi Priest.
His radio career began when he was headhunted by the community station JFM, which he joined in 1984. He then went on to Solar Radio, alongside his friend Papa Face, followed by shows on Time Radio, LWR, and Unique FM, plus guest slots on BBC London, Capital Radio and Kiss FM.
With friends he formed the Nasty Love sound system in 1990. It dominated the UK dancehall scene as ragga exploded across the UK and was known for its exclusive dub plates, with performers such as Cutty Ranks, Shabba Ranks, Eek-A-Mouse and General Levy. Nasty Love won countless “sound clash” events in competition with other sound systems, and Robert’s commanding, deep voice was part of what made the outfit outstanding.
In the new millennium, under the moniker of Roberto Allen, he joined the Brixton-based community station Vibes FM, where he became one of the biggest “revival” DJs, focusing on the classic reggae of the past. His Rice and Peas show, which had aired every Sunday for the past five years, enjoyed a significant listenership, while his musical knowledge and affinity with the audience gave him a cross-generational fan base, within and beyond the West Indian community. He was also involved in live concert promotion.
In youth work, Robert began working for Kids Company, a charity that supports vulnerable inner-city children, as a duty manager in 2008, and later joined its outreach team, eventually becoming lead outreach worker. In 2012 he transferred to Kids Company’s Urban Academy, where he made a dramatic impact as senior youth worker, teaching life skills to post-16-year-olds.
Robert was fundamentally a family man and a true “people person”. He had an impact on the lives of many children, even though he didn’t have any of his own, and helped countless individuals through his music and youth work. He was outgoing, confident and empathetic, and had a natural charm, humour and warmth. But despite his many talents he remained a humble gentleman.
Robert is survived by his siblings Roy, Alcian, Alison, Delroy, Sonia, Ava, Elizabeth, Robert Junior and Patsy. Article courtesy courtesy http://www.theguardian.com
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