Benjamin Dube

BIO

Gospel superstar Benjamin Dube was born in 1962 into a Christian and musical family and learnt to play the guitar and drums at a young age. In the mid-70s they began performing together as the Dube Family Singers. Despite his father passing away, the family Holland toured with their mother, even recording an album there, before returning to record another album, 'Amen'. In 1980, while still in high school, Benjamin founded a singing group called Share the Good News. He entered and won an SABC talent search, where he was spotted by upcoming artist and producer Sello ‘Chicco’ Twala, who invited Dube to join him in the the pop band Image.

By the mid-1980s Benjamin recorded the Family’s ‘We Pray For Love’, and his first solo single, ‘I Live Joyfully’. Joining Chicco at Dephon Records, Benjamin soon released his first hit, 'Holy Spirit’ with Chicco in 1986. He followed these up with 'Ebenezer' (1988) featuring Lucky Dube, the Family’s album 'We’re What We Are' and 'Love Africa', all at Gallo. Dube moved to EMI’s CCP Records, recording a self-titled album him with star producer Sizwe Zako. After that, he then went on his own, recording 'Celebration', which he financed and produced himself.

Since 2000 he spread his reach internationally, cutting a deal with Harmony Records in the US and recording his first live album I Feel Like Going On. With local label Spirit Music he has released a string of big-selling albums, including In His Presence (2008), which went double platinum and earned him a Sama for Best Urban Gospel. Pastor Dube’s music al ministry has spread to the US, Sweden, Netherlands, Paris, Australia, Japan and the UK. He is the founder and CEO of High Praise Centre in Boksburg, Johannesburg. He also runs a label called Dube Connection cc, where he uses his talents as songwriter, producer and arranger to discover and develop young talent. In 2009 he founded Artist Hope Arise (AHA) and co-founded God's Worshipers Convocation (GWC) in 2009. Dube lives in Johannesburg with his wife and four sons.