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 is a famous Canadian dub poet, writer, and singer. She has won many awards, including two Juno Awards, which are like Canada's Grammy Awards! She is known for her powerful poetry that often talks about important social issues.
Contents
About Lillian Allen
Early Life and Education
Lillian Allen was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, on April 5, 1951. 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 Kitchener, Ontario, in Canada. She then settled in Toronto, where she continued her studies at York University.
Discovering Dub Poetry
In 1978, Lillian Allen met a poet named Oku Onuora in Cuba. This meeting inspired her to start working with dub poetry. Dub poetry is a type of poetry that is often performed with reggae music. It uses rhythm and spoken word to share messages. In 1983, she released her first recording, called Dub Poet: The Poetry of Lillian Allen.
Award-Winning Music
Lillian Allen has won two Juno Awards for her music. These awards are a big deal in Canadian music!
- In 1986, she won for her album Revolutionary Tea Party.
- In 1988, she won again for her album Conditions Critical.
Working with Other Artists
Lillian Allen has worked with many other talented musicians.
- In 1990, she helped create a song called "Can't Repress the Cause." This song was made with a group of Toronto musicians called Dance Appeal. They wanted more people to listen to hip-hop music in Canada.
- In 1992, she helped organize Toronto's First International Dub Poetry Festival. This festival brought together many dub poets, including Ahdri Zhina Mandiela and Afua Cooper.
Teaching and Documentaries
Lillian Allen is also a professor and a filmmaker.
- In 2006, a TV show called Heart of a Poet featured her and her work.
- She teaches creative writing at the Ontario College of Art and Design University.
- She was the first Writer-in-Residence at Queen's University's English Department. This means she was a special guest writer who shared her knowledge with students.
- In 1991, she helped make a documentary film called Blak Wi Blakkk. This film was about another Jamaican dub poet named Mutabaruka.
Toronto's Poet Laureate
In 2023, Lillian Allen was chosen as the Poet Laureate of Toronto. This is a special role where she represents the city through poetry for three years. She helps promote poetry and literacy in Toronto.
Albums and Recordings
Lillian Allen has released several albums and recordings throughout her career. Here are some of them:
- 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)
