KINGSTON, Jamaica – Just six years old when her father was murdered by gunmen, Niambe Tosh is passionate about keeping Peter Tosh’s legacy in the limelight. On October 19, the singer-songwriter’s 81st birthday, the Peter Tosh Foundation will stage the second Tosh Fest. It will take place in his hometown of Belmont, Westmoreland parish.
Her brother, Andrew Tosh, Beenie Man, Mutabaruka, and Narado Williams are some of the artists who will perform at the free event.
Niambe, who was born in Kingston, told South Florida Caribbean News that getting young Jamaicans acquainted with Peter Tosh’s message is among her priorities.
“My father would be turning 81 this year, so that’s a couple generations ago, so it’s really important that we make sure that every generation has the opportunity to connect with the legacy and learn how we use his music to have global impact. He was a revolutionary, so these events spark those moments,” she said.
Tosh was an original member of The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston (later Bunny Wailer). As a solo act, he is known for hard-hitting songs such as Legalize It, Equal Rights and Buckingham Palace.
In 1988, one year after Tosh’s death, his No Nuclear War won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. To help maintain interest in his music, Niambe oversaw the reissue of five Peter Tosh albums in 2024. Those are Bush Doctor, Mystic Man, Wanted Dread & Alive, Mama Africa, and No Nuclear War.
Niambe and her older brother Jawara, moved to Boston, their mother’s birthplace, in 1985. She is an educator while Jawara pursued music as a rapper named Tosh1; he was killed in 2020.
Although they were raised in the United States, Niambe and Tosh1 grasped the impact of Peter Tosh’s music as children. As an adult, she wants to ensure more youngsters discover his songs.
“That is why I am here (in Jamaica), my work as head of the legacy and brand is to make sure young people start seeing his merchandise in the airports and stores. We want to see tours coming into Kingston to the Peter Tosh Museum and to Belmont, so it becomes a staple,” she said.
