Farewell, Fashek

Editorial

He was known as “The Rainmaker,” following his 1987 hit song Send down the Rain, which gave a big boost to his visibility. His album Prisoner of Conscience, which included the hugely popular song, heightened his ranking; and in 1989 he won Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) awards for “Song of the Year,”  “Album of the Year” and “Reggae Artist of the Year.” His death in New York, USA, on June 1, at the age of 57, ended a life of musical distinction.

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Majekodunmi Fasheke, better known as Majek Fashek, brought a new dimension to reggae, mixing various indigenous music genres to create his own unique sound, which he called Kpangolo. He was said to have been the first to use talking drums in reggae.

”I was inspired by Bob Marley and Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,” he said in an interview. Indeed, he was said to have a striking “vocal and lyrical resemblance” to Marley. It is a credit to his creativity that the influence of these legends of reggae and afrobeat only helped him to seek his own path to music stardom.

His 1989 album I&I Experience, also for Nigerian label  Tabansi Records,   included the anti-apartheid song Free Africa, Free Mandela, demonstrating his political consciousness and understanding of music as a tool for social change. He released the album So Long Too Long in 1991.

He moved to America to raise his game.  It is a testimony to his quality that he signed a deal with American record label Interscope Records, and in 1991 released the “critically acclaimed” album Spirit of Love, which was included in Putumayo World Music’s first album. American record label   Putumayo World Music, founded in 1993, specialises in compilations of world music.

Fashek’s 1992 appearance on the popular American TV show Late Night with David Letterman, to promote his brand, reflected his international recognition. He performed the song So Long Too Long on the show. Another international music promoter, Flame Tree, released The Best of Majek Fashek in 1997. He released a version of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song in his album for Mango, a division of British-Jamaican record label Island Records.  He also recorded Rainmaker for Tuff Gong (1997) and Little Patience for Coral (2005).

He worked with various internationally known performers, including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Beyonce and Danny Erskine, which showed the stuff he was made of.

Born in Benin City to an Edo mother and a Yoruba father, he sang and composed songs in a local white-garment church where he learned to play the trumpet and guitar. As Rajesh Kanal, his stage name in the early 1980s, he was a member of the group Jastix, the in-house band on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Benin show Music Panorama.

Tragically, his fame and success brought demons; and Fashek became a shadow of his former self as he struggled with drug addiction.  After his reported bankruptcy in 2015, he finally went into rehab in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. This happened after a long period of public denial during which he claimed to be a victim of “depression” and “spiritual attack.”  Perhaps the greatest lesson to be learned from his life and lifestyle is: Say no to drugs.

Fashek never recovered completely, and struggled to make a comeback. In December 2016, he contributed the song We Are Not Afraid to a video to raise funds for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW).  The video featured many celebrities, including 53 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

His concert to celebrate 30 years on stage, held in Lagos, in September 2017, was a celebration of his undeniable musical talent. He released a new album Weep Not Children. The magic of his sound, and his stage presence, will endure.