Popular Guyanese Calypsonian, Godfrey “The Mighty Rebel” Phillips, passed away this morning after ailing for a while.
News Source understands that he had suffered a stroke and never fully recovered. Relatives confirmed the death of the 72-year-old, who had won a number of Calypso titles over the years.
He retired from competitions back in 2011 but vowed that it was not his retirement from music. At the time he told the Stabroek News that “I was thinking about retiring for some time, but I keep coming back because of my fans and because I love singing… I want to make it clear that I am not done with singing, just with competition”.
For more than three decades, the calypso pieces of The Mighty Rebel flowed across the country with his take on issues of the day, whether it was telling “Desi Yuh Wrong” or reminding another former President that “Is We Put You Deh”.
One of his most popular songs was titled “Second Hand Man”, which Chronicled his early years in calypso competitions and always ending up in the second position rather than capturing the crown.
A few years ago at an event to honour his cultural contribution to Guyana, he explained that he loved entertaining and simply loved music, especially calypso.
He was crowned Calypso Champion of Guyana six times, but captured the second spot nine times. He once joked that his career had been a six to nine.
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