Jamaican dub poet Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze has died
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Dub poet and recording artiste, Jean “Binta” Breeze, has died.
The 64-year-old passed away at her home in Sandy Bay, Hanover on Wednesday night. She had been suffering from COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease, for some time.
In the 1970s she was a part of the ‘dub poetry’ movement based at the Jamaica School of Drama alongside Michael Smith and Oku Onuora. Her poetry went beyond that genre after she settled in Britain from 1985. Her poem, ‘Riddim Ravings’ (‘The Mad Woman Poem’) is considered a classic of modern Caribbean poetry.
Her books include Riddim Ravings, Spring Cleaning, The Fifth Figure, Third World Girl and Verandah Poems.
She is survived by her son, former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Gareth, daughters Imega and Caribe, and two grandchildren.
