Reggae Singer Lazah Current of Messenjah Laid to Rest in Canada

Lazah Current, a former member of the JUNO-award winning reggae band Messenjah, was laid to rest in a private ceremony at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. Duggan passed away at home in Jamaica on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, where he had returned to pursue his solo career and reconnect fully with his roots.

Born Hal Duggan, the Jamaican-Canadian artist known globally as Lazah Current was a singer, producer and philosopher whose five decades in music traced the full arc of the Caribbean diaspora experience, from the hills of Manchester, Jamaica, to the concert stages of Toronto, Kingston, the United States, Cuba and beyond. A former member of Messenjah, a JUNO Award-winning Canadian reggae band, Lazah Current migrated to Toronto in 1975 and immersed himself fully in the city's roots music scene, eventually enrolling at Humber College before finding his way into the band that would define Canadian reggae for a generation.

One of Messenjah's founding members, Rupert "Ojiji" Harvey, recalled Lazah's early days: "He joined us from Humber College at about 19 years old. He was a ball of pure energy and pure fyah. A fantastic entertainer who connected with audiences. He will be greatly missed."

Messenjah was formed in 1980 in Kitchener, Ontario, and were the first Canadian reggae band to be picked up by a major label, Warner Music Canada. The band won a JUNO Award in 1998 for the album Catch De Vibe in the category Reggae Recording of the Year, had been nominated on three other occasions, and had their music featured on the soundtracks of the films Cocktail and Milk and Honey. Messenjah made an appearance in the film Cocktail with Tom Cruise, which brought them much-needed exposure and allowed them to tour more extensively at major venues in the USA and Canada.

After several albums, the band eventually dissolved, and Lazah stepped confidently into a solo career. The years that followed saw him rekindle one of the most important relationships of his life. George Vassell O'Gilvie, a childhood friend from Manchester, described a bond that went back decades: "I migrated to Montreal, and Lazah went to Toronto. Lazah always loved music and track and field." Their shared past included more than music. "We competed in track and field in primary and high school, but I was always faster than him," O'Gilvie laughed. "However, when it comes to singing, his voice was special."

O'Gilvie recalled that "Lazah contacted me several years ago and shared some creative ideas, including working on an album together," and that collaboration produced Betta Tomorrow in 2011, one of Lazah's most celebrated solo projects. The album was produced by Gorilla Production in Jamaica, with executive production by his longtime friend Vassell Ogilvie, and supported by Percy Miller, CEO of Sunlight Production. His solo catalog also included the track "Power to the People" featuring Luciano, and one of his latest songs, "AI," showcased that forward-thinking consciousness. Just days before his passing, plans were being finalized to arrange an interview to discuss that very single, with O'Gilvie having spoken to Lazah Current on February 26 about the project.

Lazah's sister, speaking to Observer Online, captured the person behind the music plainly and without hesitation: "My big brother was always there for me… He was a good person and artiste. His music was clean. He was also a very good father."

O'Gilvie remembered him as a man of immovable conviction: "Lazah Current is a real roots man. His lyrics remained positive and uplifting even when the noise became unbearable. He stayed focused on singing roots music." Canadian reggae singer and radio personality Tony Anthony described him as a cultural bridge: "He was a bridge between worlds… carrying the soul of Jamaica into Canada."

Lazah Current is survived by his children and a wide network of friends and supporters. O'Gilvie closed with words that felt like a send-off written in Lazah's own key: "His music and lyrics will live on forever. To Lazah's family, thank you for sharing this visionary and lyrical genius with us. As Lazah would always say, keep on 'Zapppping.