Veteran Dancehall artiste Sister Charmaine has is dead at 53-years-old.
The prolific 80’s deejay, whose real name is Charmaine McKenzie, died in her sleep at home in the Bronx, United States.
Sister Charmaine was one of the most prolific female deejays during the 1980s with hits such as “Bun” and “Granny Advice.” She is perhaps best known for her performances at the infamous Sting stage show in Jamaica.
She would often clash with other stars such as Lady Mackerel, Junie Ranks Lady G, Patra, and Lady P.
The tributes have continued to pour in since the news broke on social media on Tuesday. Longtime friend and fellow Dancehall legend Lady Ann was one of the first persons to break the news.
“She lay down to have a nap, and never woke up. I know she had the asthma, and she had it so bad that she couldn’t leave the house without her pump, but she wasn’t sick otherwise,” she explained.
Lady Ann said her favorite memory of Sister Charmaine was her eccentric culinary preferences.
“She loved to eat Irish potato and sardine, she would come ah mi yard and cook, so I always had to have sardines over there and as she come, she would head to the kitchen, she love her Irish potato and sardine,” Lady Ann recalled.
Lady Ann would go on to dub her as one of the best performers to ever touch a stage.
“She ah the maddest ting onstage, nothing no bad like her. No one can talk bout dem have big song and perform after , that no mean nothing, she come in like a man onstage, ah the maddest ting. She came to my birthday bash in 2019 and steal the show from me,” Lady Ann said.
“All who ah hype now, dem never bad like her. Dem team up and get rid of her her. Dem fraida her, dem all say dem not doing no show with her, ah nuff fight and obeah inna the business, but she was the greatest.”
Sister Charmaine is survived by her daughter, Kadisha and one granddaughter.
