Clifton Joseph facts for kids

Clifton Joseph is a talented Canadian dub poet. He is well-known for his 1989 album called Oral/Trans/Missions. A song from this album, "Chuckie Prophesy," was even nominated for a Juno Award in 1990. This award was for Best Reggae Recording.

Early Life and Dub Poetry

Clifton Joseph was born in Antigua. In the 1970s, he moved to Canada with his family. He published a book of poetry called Metropolitan Blues in 1983. However, he is mostly known for his live poetry performances.

What is Dub Poetry?

Dub poetry is a type of poetry that is often performed with reggae music. It uses strong rhythms and spoken words. Clifton Joseph helped start dub poetry in Canada. He worked with other poets like Lillian Allen and Devon Haughton. They even made a collection of their work together called De Dub Poets in 1982.

Career in Media

Besides being a poet, Clifton Joseph has also worked in television and newspapers. He was a reporter and writer for many important Canadian media outlets.

Journalism and Broadcasting

Joseph was a correspondent for TVOntario's show Imprint. He also reported for CBC Television news programs. These included Undercurrents, Marketplace, and The National. He also wrote for major newspapers like the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

Awards for Writing

Clifton Joseph won the Gemini Award twice. This award is for excellent writing in a TV information program or series. He won it for his work on Undercurrents in both 1998 and 1999.

Recent Recognition

In 2017, Clifton Joseph was nominated for another important award. The League of Canadian Poets nominated him for the Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award. This award celebrates spoken word poets.