Prof William Lez Henry AKA Lezlee Lyrix International Reggae Day UK

After the Jamaican High Commissioner to the UK H.E. Seth George Ramocan giving the IRDUK (International Reggae Day UK) welcome for the past two years, we delighted that this year's honour goes to a British-born of Jamaican parentage veteran.
Prof William Lez Henry, as Lezlee Lyrix, is a premier, conscious dancehall reggae DJ. He's featured on several south London sound systems, including Saxon, Ghetto Tone, Frontline International, and Diamond's A Girl's Best Friend.
Speaking to the IRD theme of Ska @ 60, and the IRDUK themes of Lovers Rock @ 50 and the Region Focus: Bristol and Southampton, Prof Lez reminds the audience that as performers, they "chattered anywhere that there was a venue that would let us in"!
He goes on to say: "Without reggae music, there would be no grime, there would be no hip-hop, there would be no drill, there would be no house, there would be none of that in the context of Britain.
"There would be no black British rappers. There'd be no black British spoken word who perform to music in that way. Reggae music is the music that opened up that door. When our people came over so-called Windrush generation, on post(-Windrush), they brought the music with them - the flavours from the Caribbean, the flavours from the continent and other places and spaces, and what happened was we started to experience those in the context of the UK.
"And then sound system culture, as we know it, which was created in Jamaica unequivocally - let's make that straight - started to take root here in the UK. And in fact that's why we had our own versions of ska. And we created musical genres such as lovers rock. Because we were mixing all those flavours.
"One of the things that people need to appreciate about the UK is, it is a crucible for international exchange. Many of our brothers and sisters from the Caribbean didn't know they were West Indians until they met other so-called West Indians in the UK. They didn't know they were Africans until they met Africans, brothers and sisters from the continent - Nigeria, Ghana, you name it.
"And for me, this is why it is important that we commemorate music in this outernational way; we commemorate reggae music in an outernational way. Because it gives us that outernational flavour, and I know for this day you are all going to full joy yourselves. You're in good hands with Brother Kwaku and Sister Serwah, and I truly give thanks for this invite and I trust you will all enjoy, a full enjoy yourselves today.
"Stay blessed. Stay focused, and as we sent Jamaica - walk good. Peace and blessings to you all."
July 1 2022
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