| Biography of Majekodumni Fasheke |
 |
 |
 |
Born to an Igbo mother and a Yoruba father, - popularly known as Majek Fashek - is a top Nigerian reggae singer and guitarist. Various translations of his name include "high priest who does not lie", "powers of miracles" and "the high priest does not live". He claims he was born with dreadlocks, the holy hairstyle of Rastafarian's. Fashek grew up in the hinterland of Benin City where he had a very tough childhood, but found solace along with his mother, brother and sister, who were all staunch members of the 'Aladura' church.  Fashek inherited his love of music from his mother, an Edo woman who raised him following the death of his father when he was eleven years old. A businesswoman, who supplied concrete to road contractors, she inspired him through her participation in traditional religious ceremonies where the Olokun rhythms were used to accompany worship of the river goddess. As a youngster, Fashek played maracas during the ceremonies.While he developed an early interest in the music of Jamaica, Fashek was equally drawn to the music of Indian cinema. Learning to play guitar while in secondary school, Fashek joined a band, Jah Stix, and began playing in clubs in the capitol city of Lagos. Fashek first gained national fame on a television show in the early 1980s as a member of Benin-based reggae group Jastix. His bandmates included Ras Kimono and Amos McRoy Gregg. They toured for many years with fellow reggae group The Mandators. The African reggae star Majek Fashek however attracted international attention, in 1987, when his self-penned tune, "Send Down The Rain," seemed to coax a rain storm that ended one of the worst draughts in Nigeria' s history. Labled a "prophet", Fashek went on to become one of Africa's greatest reggae-influenced performers. His debut solo album, Prisoner Of Conscience, released in 1988, sold more than 200,000 copies in Nigeria alone.  In 1988, shortly after Jastix disbanded, he began a solo career and quickly became the biggest reggae singer in the country. His song Send Down The Rain was a huge hit, and he won six awards at the PMAN Music Awards ceremony. After leaving Tabansi Records, he was signed to CBS Nigeria in the early nineties before moving to Island Records' Mango imprint ,a label more accustomed to marketing reggae internationally. His first album for the company included a cover version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". In 1990 he was signed by Jimmy Iovine to Interscope Records and released the critically acclaimed cd "Spirit Of Love" produced by Little Steven (Van Zandt). He has recorded several albums for various labels since, including Rainmaker for Tuff Gong (1997) and Little Patience for Coral (2004). Flame Tree released The Best of Majek Fashek in 1994. Fashek is one of the increasing number of African artists to be drawn to the music of the Caribbean, specifically reggae, rather than indigenous hybrids such as fuji, juju or highlife. Having grown up in a fervently religious and musical family, he was exposed to the imported sounds of Bob Marley at an early age, alongside the innovations of local stars such as Fela Kuti.Fashek's major influences are Bob Marley (whom he strongly resembles vocally), and Jimi Hendrix Fashek, whose name means "power of miracles, the high priest does not live", had a very close involvement with the late Nigerian drummer and bandleader Fela Anikulapo Kuti. |