Lillian Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lillian Allen
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| Background information | |
| Born | 5 April 1951 Kingston, Jamaica |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | Verse to Vinyl |
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Lillian Allen, born on April 5, 1951, is a famous Canadian dub poet and writer. She has even won a special music award called the Juno Award!
Contents
About Lillian Allen
Early Life and Education
Lillian Allen was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica. In 1969, she moved from Jamaica to New York City. There, she studied English at the City University of New York. Later, she moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She continued her education at York University and earned a degree.
Starting Dub Poetry
In 1978, Lillian Allen met a poet named Oku Onuora in Cuba. This meeting inspired her to start working in "dub poetry." Dub poetry is a type of poetry that is often performed with reggae music. It uses rhythm and spoken word to tell stories and share ideas.
Her first recording, called Dub Poet: The Poetry of Lillian Allen, came out in 1983.
Award-Winning Work
Lillian Allen has won the Juno Award twice! She won the award for "Best Reggae/Calypso Album." Her album Revolutionary Tea Party won in 1986. She won again in 1988 for her album Conditions Critical.
Working with Other Artists
In 1990, Lillian Allen worked on a special song called "Can't Repress the Cause." This song was made by a group of Toronto musicians called Dance Appeal. They wanted more hip-hop music to be played in Canada.
Two years later, she helped organize Toronto's First International Dub Poetry Festival. This festival brought together many talented artists, including Ahdri Zhina Mandiela and Afua Cooper.
Teaching and Other Projects
In 2006, Lillian Allen was featured in a TV show called Heart of a Poet. This show was about her life and her work.
Today, she is a professor at the Ontario College of Art and Design University. She teaches creative writing to students there. She was also the first "Writer-in-Residence" at Queen's University. This means she was a special guest writer who shared her knowledge with students.
Lillian Allen also helped make a documentary film in 1991. It was called Blak Wi Blakkk and was about another Jamaican dub poet named Mutabaruka.
In 2023, Lillian Allen was chosen to be the Poet Laureate of Toronto. This is a special honor given to a poet who represents the city.
Discography
- Dub Poet: The Poetry of Lillian Allen (1983)
- De dub poets (1985)
- Curfew Inna B.C. (1985)
- Revolutionary Tea Party (1986)
- Let the Heart See (1987)
- Conditions Critical (1988)
- Nothing But a Hero (1992)
- Freedom & Dance (1999)
- Anxiety (European release) (2012)
