Is a pity that we have to announce the death of
Ukeleke Onwubuya a.k.a Ras Kimono who passed away today morning.I can't believe someone I see and chat with in COSON meetings,so full of life is going to die soon.
Ras Kimono was known for the hit singles ‘Under pressure’ and ‘We no want’.Sources said that he was schedule to travel to the United States Saturday night, but complained of not feeling too well.He was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, Lagos, then later taken to Lagoon Hospital in the Island.Ras Kimono was one of the veterans from the 90’s who continued to remain relevant on the music scene, mentoring and contributing to the Nigerian entertainment industry.He was born in Delta State.
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 legendary 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 like “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. by 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.May his soul rest in Peace Amen.
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