Kukudoo’s final farewell filled with music, memories Posthumous album set for August release

Surrounded by a sea of green, said to be one of his favourite colours, David McDermott, better known as ‘Kukudoo’, had his final showing on Sunday at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre before a large gathering of state officials, family, friends and well-wishers.

The celebration of the life of the spirited singer and revivalist, who passed in May, was exactly that: a musical tribute that lasted close to four hours. Music and memories carried the service, which evolved from a simple funeral into a full-fledged revival session complete with dancing, singing, chanting, foot stomping and twirling.

It was all about music from start to finish, and to demonstrate this, Kukudoo’s manager, Nicholas Marks, came prepared with his legacy album presentation to preview the artiste’s last body of work titled The Journey. The 10-track album, which is set to be released on August 19, held a mixture of reggae, dancehall, soca, Afrobeats, revival and mento and demonstrated the singer’s push to explore new musical art forms with a refreshed sound and perspective.

The gathering watched a running video montage of some of Kukudoo’s cherished milestones and events while listening to the new tracks, which included Amen, Journey My Jesus, Incredible God, and Come Down and Deliver Me.

In delivering his eulogy, his niece Latifah Smith stated that his voice was a vessel God used to transform lives.

“His mother was his first inspiration as Pauline possessed a beautiful singing voice and faithfully ministered through music in churches, set-ups and community concerts. Although he often joked that he wanted little to do with church in his younger years, it is evident that his mother’s prayers never stopped following him and even while he pursued secular music, God was preparing him for a greater purpose,” Smith said.

The defining moment in Kukudoo’s life, she added, came after the passing of his beloved mother.

“When he was invited to sing at her former church, he chose an old gospel hymn, a favourite of his, Loveth Thou Me. During that performance, something extraordinary happened. What began as a song became an encounter with God and in that sacred moment, the seeds his mother had planted began to spread. After an incident that placed him in isolation, he had time to reflect and drew closer to God. David made one of the most important decisions in his life and fully surrendered his heart to Christ. What followed was not merely a career change but a divine calling,” she said.

She noted too that while he never imagined becoming a gospel artiste, it was the “encouragement of musicians who recognised God’s hand upon his life” which led him to accept that “his voice was never simply intended for entertainment, but for ministry”.

State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alando Terrelonge, in his tribute, emphasised that Kukudoo was a connection to our past and our African ancestry.

“He kept that tradition of African revivalism alive in Jamaica. His energy was just magnetic. He was kumina, he was gerreh, he was a cultural phenomenon, and all of Jamaica must give him thanks for the legacy that he has left behind,” he said.

“I was told that in another life, he was a sound system operator before he embraced the spirituality for which he is known, and boy, God never do a better thing. I think it was Saul that God touched on the road to Damascus, and He touched Kukudoo playing dancehall selections and said ‘You are going to hide yourself in Me’.”