Yasus Afari
Yasus Afari stands among the defining voices of modern Jamaican cultural expression. A dub poet, author, performer, philosopher, reggae artiste, and Rastafari ambassador, he has used words not merely as art, but as instrument, witness, and awakening. Through poetry, music, books, festivals, performances, and cultural education, Yasus Afari has advanced a vision of Jamaica rooted in dignity, consciousness, spirituality, resistance, and self-knowledge.
Born in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, he has carried Rastafari philosophy and lived experience into public life with conviction and clarity. His works, including Eye Pen, Overstanding Rastafari: Jamaica’s Gift to the World, Vocal Ink, Dancehall Baptism, Mental Assassin, Ancient Future, Public Secret and Golden Spoon Maroon reflect a lifelong commitment to “edutainment”, using creativity to teach, heal, provoke, and uplift.
As founder of the Jamaica Poetry Festival, and principal organiser of Poetry in Motion, he has widened the platform for literary arts, performance poetry, and intergenerational cultural exchange.
For his pioneering and continued contribution to Jamaican cultural identity, Rastafari thought, social consciousness, and global appreciation of Jamaica’s literary arts, today we honour Yasus Afari
RJRGLEANER HONOUR AWARDS 2026
