JAMAICANS need to document their culture and history was one of the major driving forces behind the docufilm Dennis Emmanuel Brown: The Crown Prince of Reggae; the Man and the Music, which has its world premiere at the Little Theatre in St Andrew today at 7:00 pm, International Reggae Day.

For the project’s producer, media personality Judith Bodley, the docufilm is part of her passion to uncover the stories behind our music by interviewing Jamaican entertainment stalwarts.

“We are behind the ball in terms of documenting our history, culture, and heritage, but we are catching up. It is something that we must do and are doing and will continue in the future. The truth is Jamaica’s influence is so evident in global culture. I don’t have to mention that it birthed hip hop and can be seen as it influences pop culture all over the world,” Bodley told the Jamaica Observer.

“The Jamaican cultural footprint resides in so many areas of global music and culture so it is imperative that we tell these stories ourselves, rather than risk the key and critical aspects being told through someone else’s eyes, and our story being told in someone else’s voice,” Bodley added.

She explained that her deep-seated interest in sharing stories about Jamaican music and culture formed the subject of a conversation she had with senior advisor in the entertainment and culture ministry Lenford Salmon.

A few month later, Salmon called Bodley asking her to create a storyboard to pitch for a docufilm on the late reggae icon for the ministry’s reggae archives. She jumped at the opportunity and began pulling information together.

“I wanted to know more about Dennis Brown, not just from the people who had met him or seen him perform. I wanted to know more about the individual. What made him tick? Who was the person behind the performer and the reggae icon? So I set out to gain information from those who knew him best… friends, associates and family. And it all came together,” said Bodley.

She noted that throughout the data gathering there seemed to be a missing link– not many persons knew anything about Dennis Brown’s mother. Bodley noted that the final piece to the puzzle was finding Brown’s sister on his mother’s side, Penny, who now lives in Canada.

“Penny was such a find. She was so open and she could fill in the blanks about his mother, who died when D Brown was only 10 years old. That piece of information allowed me to understand his search for love and why he was able to be so charming when you met him in person. Dennis Brown had a disarming warmth about him. If you ever met him in person, you would know that he always reached out to you in love,” she said.

Reggae luminary Dennis Brown was dubbed the Crown Prince of Reggae. He was a child star and rose through the ranks, thanks to hits such as Here I Come; Love Has Found Its Way; If I had the World; Revolution; The Promise Land; Should I; Have You Ever; and How Could I Leave. He died in 1999.

The premiere of Dennis Emmanuel Brown: The Crown Prince of Reggae; the Man and the Music will also feature a performance by reggae artiste Richie Stephens and a dance piece set to Brown’s Revolution choreographed by Dr L’Antoinette Stines of local dance company L’Acadco.

Bodley, who is also the director of the docufilm, has nothing but the strongest commendations for her team, who assisted in bringing the project to the screen. She mentions editor Mykal Cushnie, cinematographer Fernando Hevia, co-writer Cleo Anderson, and music insider Sharon Burke, who assisted with logistics.

“I want the audience to go in with an open mind when they view the project. I don’t want to put any of my own ideas in their heads. Just know that this is an epic story of a love affair between one man and a nation,” she shared.

Could this be the start of more similar projects for Bodley?

“Absolutely! I have already started working on two more… but I can’t talk about them at this time.”

And who is on her list?

“I would love to have King Jammys [veteran sound system operator and music producer Lloyd James] as my subject. He is simply so engrained in reggae’s journey. He has worked with so many of the music’s greats… he would be fascinating. I would also like to do Sean Paul, as he is still current. I am sorry I never got to do Bunny Wailer while he was alive,” Bodley shared.