Ras Kimono, Nigerian Music Legend is dead

Veteran musician, Ras Kimono has passed on today June 10th at the age of 60.

Ras Kimono was said to have concluded plans to travel to the United States last night, and he complained of feeling funny. He was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, where he was later taken to Lagoon Hospital on the Island where he died.

Ras Kimono is 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.

Before he released his solo album, he was in a group called The Jastix along with Amos McRoy and Majek Fashek. 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”, “Rasta get jail” and the massive hit “Rhumba style”.

He later released a string of hit albums, touring all over Africa, Europe and the USA, promoting his brand of Reggae music. He won several awards including the Nigeria Music Awards, Fame Music Awards and many more.