REGGEA LEGEND - RAS KIMONO IS DEAD

Nigerian reggae music legend, Ras Kimono (Ekeleke Elumuelu), died yesterday morning, weeks after turning 60, at a private hospital in Lagos, where he was rushed to after complaining of feeling funny.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/ras-kimono-jah-majek-fashek/

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the late reggae star, Ras Kimono, will be remembered for his contribution to the elevation of reggae.
In a statement issued on Monday, the minister said Kimono’s contribution to that genre of music can never be forgotten.
Mr Mohammed expressed shock at the passing of the reggae star, adding that he would be remembered for his love for the masses, life of discipline and service to humanity.
“Kimono helped to blaze the trail for the phenomenal growth of the Nigerian music industry.
“He was a worthy mentor to the younger generation of Nigerian musicians. His legacy will surely endure,” Mr Mohammed said.
The minister extended his condolences to the family, friends and fans of the late artiste.
He said the music industry had lost “a foremost proponent of reggae, a prominent campaigner for a better life for the people and a patriot.”
The minister prayed that God will grant his family the strength to bear the loss and grant repose to the soul of the departed.

• ABOUT RAS KIMONO  
  Ras Kimono (9 May 1958^[1][2] – 10 June 2018) was a Nigerian reggae artist whose debut album Under Pressure, led by the single "Rum-Bar Stylée", was a big hit in the Nigerian music scene in 1989.^[3] Before he released his solo album, he was in a group called The Jastix along with Amos McRoy and Majek Fashek.
  
  Born Ekeleke Elumelu, in Delta State, Nigeria, he started out his career, firstly as a student of Gbenoba Secondary School Agbor and later as a member of the Jastix Reggae Ital, alongside Majek Fashek, Amos McRoy Jegg and Black Rice Osagie. His music was greatly influenced by the poverty, inequality and hardship he witnessed in his early life. He released his solo debut album Under Pressure on the Premier Music label in 1989, which propelled him to instant continental stardom. The album had hits such as "Under Pressure", "Natty Get Jail" and the massive hit "Rhumba Style". He later released a string of hit albums, touring all over Africa, Europe and the United States, promoting his brand of reggae music. He won several awards including the Nigeria Music Awards, Fame Music Awards and many more. In 2010, he was still performing to a loyal fan-base of all ages and his music is still played on radio, throughout West Africa. Kimono served a long apprenticeship on the Nigerian music circuit, experimenting with a number of styles, before making his late 1980s breakthrough as a reggae singer. Together with his Massive Dread Reggae Band. Kimono released his debut album, Under Pressure in 1989, accompanied by the popular single, "Rum-Bar Stylee", this revealed both a Jamaican and native African influence (the latter particularly evident in his ‘Patois’ delivery, as frequently employed by Fela Kuti to communicate with the urban underclass). His strongly polemical lyrics produced album sales of over 100,000 copies, and a fervent following for his advocacy of social change. What’s Gwan proved even more successful, with the topics selected including legalisation of marijuana, and the need for Africans to intellectually repel colonialism and its arbitrary boundaries between tribes. Most controversially, he was not averse to naming directly those in power he saw as synonymous with backdoor imperialism.
  
  He died, at the age of 60, on 10 June 2018 in Lagos, Nigeria.^[4]
  

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Nigerian reggae music legend, Ras Kimono (Ekeleke Elumuelu), died yesterday morning, weeks after turning 60, at a private hospital in Lagos, where he was rushed to after complaining of feeling funny.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/ras-kimono-jah-majek-fashek/

According to reports, the legendary reggae artiste suddenly slumped and was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, from where he was taken to Lagoon Hospital on the Island and later confirmed dead. Kimono was initially married to Cybil, who had a set of twins in Nigeria, before they later separated in USA. Kimono, a revolutionary singer, last public outing was at Sir Shina Peters 60th birthday celebration at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. Majek Fashek His reggae peer, Majek Fashek’s words say a lot.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/ras-kimono-jah-majek-fashek/

According to reports, the legendary reggae artiste suddenly slumped and was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, from where he was taken to Lagoon Hospital on the Island and later confirmed dead. Kimono was initially married to Cybil, who had a set of twins in Nigeria, before they later separated in USA. Kimono, a revolutionary singer, last public outing was at Sir Shina Peters 60th birthday celebration at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. Majek Fashek His reggae peer, Majek Fashek’s words say a lot.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/ras-kimono-jah-majek-fashek/