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Celebrating 1 Year with CBMA!
Genre: Dub Poetry
Period: 1983-present
Region: Ontario
Clifton Joseph was born in Antigua and moved to Canada in 1973. He is a journalist, broadcaster, poet, and performer with several recordings of poetry and music. His work is influenced by calypsonians Short Shirt, Lord Obsinate, Swallow, Braggo, and others. Joseph collaborated with Lillian Allen and Devon Haugton on the compilation album De Dub Poets in 1982, creating the foundation for Canada’s dub poetry movement. His poetry book Metropolitan Blues the following year in 1983.
While Joseph has primarily been associated with performance poetry, his 1989 album Oral/Trans/Missions saw great success with the song Chuckie Prophesy earning a shortlist spot as a nominee for the 1990 Juno Award for Best Reggae Recording.
Joseph wrote for Michael Douglas’ short film Blu Shifts Desire, poems for CBC Radio and TV, the Globe and Mail, produced and interviewed for TVO’s Imprint and Technology Show the Future, and reported for CBC News programs The National, Marketplace, and Undercurrents.
His work on Undercurrents won the Gemini Award for Best Writing in and Information Program or Series in 1998 and 1999, a Freddie Award from the International Health and Medical Media Awards, and a Silver Medal Award from the New York TV Festival. Other awards include a Silver Fleece Award from the Chicago Film Festival for Imprint, a documentary on dub poetry, and two awards from the Canadian Reggae Music Awards for Best Dub poet. Joseph has received Juno and CASBY nominations for his poetry and hosted the 2000 Gemini Awards.
Clifton Joseph maintains an international presence, sharing his talent and skills with crowds across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, and most recently, North Africa and Europe.
Awards
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