As a young Rastafarian in Papine, St Andrew, Moses I heard and read a lot about black leaders like Marcus Garvey and Alexander Bedward. Tribute To A Hero, a song by The Ethiopians saluting Garvey, also made an impact on him.

Moses I recently covered the 1999 single as Tribute To An Hero (Marcus Garvey Day), which was recently released to commemorate the pan-African giant’s 138th birthday on August 17.

“Throughout di history of black consciousness it was Marcus Garvey. Mi hear him used to chant inna Papine, suh mi grow up hearing ‘bout dat history an’ what him guh through. Dat never sit right wid I an’ I meditation,” said Moses I.

Although known for party songs like Train to Skaville and Everything Crash, The Ethiopians also recorded a version of the Ethiopian National Anthem and roots tracks like Conquering Lion.

Moses I, whose biggest hit song is Crazy Look (with Capleton), said Tribute To An Hero (Marcus Garvey Day) is part of a personal campaign to have Garvey’s birth date a public holiday.

“I an’ I waan fulfil di vision dat Marcus set, an’ di first step is to give him a public holiday,” he said.

Garvey, who was born in St Ann in 1887, is Jamaica’s first national hero. He died at age 52 in London in 1940.

On January 19, one day before leaving office, United States President Joe Biden pardoned him for mail fraud, for which he served a two-year prison term. The questionable charge was upheld in 1925 and Garvey was deported to Jamaica two years later.

The Jamaican Government arranged for Garvey’s body to be returned to his homeland from the United Kingdom in 1964. He is buried at National Heroes’ Park in Kingston.