Legendary African reggae music star Majek Fashek, whose birth name is Majekodunmi Fasheke got international recognition in 1987 after the release of his popular music, ”Send Down The Rain”.
The popular single, ‘Send down the rain,’ was said to have ended one of the worst droughts to hit Nigeria, causing a stormy rain in the nation.
Fashek was termed a ”Prophet’ after that incident. He further went on to become one of Africa’s greatest and most influential reggae performers. His solo debut album, ‘Prisoner of Conscience,’ which he released in 1988, was reported to have sold more than 200,000 copies in Nigeria at that time alone.
Fashek, who hailed from Benin City, got his music love from his mother, an Edo woman. His mother raised him alone following the death of his father when he was just 11-years-old.
His mother was a businesswoman who was into a concrete business. She sold concrete to road contractors. His mother inspired his music career during her effective participation in traditional ceremonies where the Olokun rhythms are used to accompany the worship of the river goddess.
As a young lad, Fashek played the maracas during the river goodness ceremonies.
Fashek’s first music love was Jamaican, but he also had a thing for Indian cinema music. He learned how to play the musical instrument, guitar when he was in secondary school, where he joined a band, Jah Stix. After he joined the club, Fashelk began playing in clubs at Ikeja, the capital of Lagos state.
Fahsek, whose name is interpreted to mean ”power of miracles, the high priest does not live”, was very close to the Afrobeat legend and activist, Fela-Anikulapo Kuti.
Sending tribute to the Reggae legend, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy, among other celebrities, recounts how he recorded his popular song, ‘Send down the rain’ in his studio.
Charley Boy, who was the then-president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), said his first time working with Majek was 30-years ago.
“My father came from Lagos to Oguta, my home town, along with Majek Fashek, and he spent one year with me. In fact, he (Majek) sketched his hit song ‘Send down the Rain’ in my small studio back then in the village. This was where I also learned a lot from him about music.
“Majek was both handsome and talented as a music artist, and he was a lyrical wizard because his lyrics were so powerful and revolutionary. There were other talented musicians during his era, but the message in his songs is so on point, and that is why I admired him so much,” he said.
Charly Boy who is also fondly called the Area Father said though Fsshek is gone, his timeless music would keep living on because of the inspiration it brings.
Majek Fashek was 57-year-old when he passed on.
