Levi Duffus,
son of Adina Cameron & Ezekiel
Duffus born 5th July 1937 in
York Hill within the
parish of
St Thomas, Jamaica fell in love with music and dancing
at a young age. He often travelled to the USA to earn extra money
cutting tree cane and at night working as a chef in a restaurant. During his spare time in
the USA, he would spend his money on purchasing
Doo Wop records, (his favourite band
was The Platters),
before bringing them back to his home in Morant Bay, Jamaica hanging
out with his sound friends buying and selling tunes in and outside
of
Randy’s Records. Levi was a professional dancer, dancing in and
around Jamaica dance events winning competitions with his favorite
dancing partner at the time Rossata Black who
worked in store in Morant Bay.
During his stay in the USA with his best friends he became
semi -professional boxer. Professional promoters and clubs wanted him
to stay to go professional but he refused to stay in the
USA due to commitments in Jamaica and the passing of his parents
back home in York Hill, Jamaica.
Having a great love for the
‘Kumina drum’ Levi had a personal friendship with the
Blake
Brothers, members of
Merritone Music Band & Sound System who were
considered the oldest continuous Jamaican Sound System bands in
Morant Bay, Jamaica.
Levi
moved to the
United Kingdom during/around the
Windrush period, married his sweetheart from back home Morant Bay,
Jamaica.
He settled in the small town of
Walsall, near Birmingham where he
formed his own sound system 'The Jet Set'
with a strong focus on bringing black and white people together for
the love of 'Reggae & Calypso Music'
with his best friends Carl (front-man) and Keith
and friend Arthur. His son
Mark Duffus was his box-boy (Crate
Boy, carrying speakers and spinning tracks during his breaks).
Levi Duffus passed his private and most valued music collection
and his intimate stories of his life unto his only son
in 2013 before becoming sick. He passed away on
19th April 2020. Five years later
after unknown to his only son, Levi's wife, mother
to Levi's first and only son Mark Duffus also became sick. Mark
was only notified an hour after his mother passed away via a very
short abrupt text from his sister. He later found out that his mother
had been in sick hospital less than 6 miles away for over a week prior the
evening of 16th
February, 2025 without her living and only son of her and
Levi Duffus at her side.
Mark Duffus (son), Mrs Duffus (center), Mr Levi Duffus(right)
Information
provided/told by Levi Duffus himself,
Mrs Duffus (his mother), provided & sourced by
his only son Mark Duffus (Blak Prophetz)
www.blakprophetz.com
/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blak_Prophetz
Further
Reading
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