Jubal Kanayo pays tribute to the man who brought down the rain on us all…
On Tuesday morning, when yours truly awoke to the news that Majekodunmi Fasheke (known by loving fans as ‘Majek Fashek’), one of Africa’s greatest Reggae artists has passed on, the first memory that came to mind was dancing to his songs ‘Send Down the Rain’ and ‘Mother’ with our neighbour Eyo, a much older fellow, in the 90s, in Koko, a town near Sapele.
Now, Eyo was a little rowdy for my parents’ liking but, in that moment when he listen to Majek Fashek, he would scoop me up with his right hand and shout “let us send down the rain”, his left hand holding his ‘shot’ of the popular ‘Sapele’ water. Enthralled by the spirit of the man, I would abandon my ‘banga’ rice. In those moments, my mother’s stern stares failed to deter me.
At the point where he crooned “Mama dey dey, oyoyo; mama dede, oyoyo…,” Eyo would lose himself and stoop low, his eyes closed. He sailed away.
Years later, I got to know those were the songs of Majek Fashek. I always return to listen to the song ‘Mother’ and feel the power of the lyrics “Mother, show your smile. Mother, never cry. Never cry, never cry, mother…”
Once, the song ‘Free Mandela’ which called on Magaret Thatcher to free Mandela from prison was a street anthem. Like millions of Nigeria children, I sang the song as it blared from speakers around me but I never knew the artiste. It was one of his gifts to the continent and it will never be forgot.
I recalled Eyo many years ago and smiled. It was not difficult to see why anyone would be held spell-bound by the lyrics of his songs. He was from another time, a time when it was the norm to perform live music with a band and not mime to thousands of people who paid to watch you.
With his beret perched on his head and his guitar hanging from his shoulders, the fair-skinned reggae star drew the rain wherever he performed.
The Rainmaker, as he was popularly known, was the first African artist to be signed to Interscope Records in 1990 ($20 million deal) – two years after that hit tune ‘Send down the rain’ and the accompanying video of gap-toothed women in their farms, waving their hoes, cutlasses and cassava, as they welcomed the rain. Just in case it doesn’t hit you so quickly, let me break it down for you: Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint.
Two years after his debut with the label, he appeared on the ‘Late Nite Show With David Letterman’, where he did a live rendition of his hit song ‘So Long’, to the admiration of Letterman’s audience. The album he made with Interscope ‘Spirit of Love’, produced by ‘Little Steven’ Van Zandt, was critically acclaimed.
He went to make a number of albums: ‘The Best of Majek Fashek’ (Flame Tree, 1994), ‘Rainmaker’ (Tuff Gong, 1997) and ‘Little Patience’ (Coral, 2004).
Watching the young Majek in his majesty dance so daintily as his band introduced the song was a huge moment for African artists. Till this day, that video, circulating on Twitter, is a testimony to how huge he was.
He was a hit wherever he stepped into and on whatever stage he crooned on. Once, after rendition of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’, the late Marley’s wife, Rita, gifted him $100,000.
Blessed and crested with the voice and powerful lyrics, he held his audience spell-bound. It was a blessing to have the Majek around when we did. We love Majek Fashek, warts and all. Even sadder is the fact that we will miss his fighting spirit and his personality. When things were great, he sang. When things were going down-hill, he sang. When he found himself at the lowest ebb, he sang. When he found himself on the mountain-top, he sang. Singing was his life and, even on his sick-bed, when the rain clouds threatened his resurgence, he nursed hopes of a return.
Born in Benin City, Fashek inherited his love of music from his mother, an Edo woman who raised him following the death of his father when he was a wee lad of 11.
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 Indian music. Learning to play guitar while in secondary school, Fashek joined Jah Stix, a band (which had the late Ras Kimono and Amos McRoy Gregg) and began playing in clubs in Lagos. They toured for a few years, in the company of The Mandators (remember Victor and Peggy Eshiet?), before they self-disbanded in 1988.
He went on to Tabansi Records, left just as quickly as he joined; went on to CBS Nigeria, before moving on to Mango Imprint, where his first album for the label included a cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’.
His debut solo album ‘Prisoner of Conscience’ sold 200,000 copies in Nigeria alone.
Shortly after that, while mulling over his future, he recorded ‘Send Down the Rain’, which turned to be an outright hit and earned him 6 US-based PMAN Music Awards.
Fashek was one of the increasing number of African artists then to be drawn to reggae, rather than indigenous hybrids such as fuji, jùjú 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.
It is sad that the man who coaxed his stardom out of a song about rain and made such a huge splash has taken an eternal break. Even sadder is the fact that this is his coda.
