Majek Fashek
Category: Nigerian Musicians
Majek Fashek has worked with various artists worldwide including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, and Beyoncé.
Fashek was born in Benin City, Edo State in Nigeria to an Edo Old Bendel State mother and a Ijesha father,(Osun State, Nigeria) but identifies with his Benin roots. After his parents separated Fashek remained in Benin City with his mother. He later joined the choir in his church and learned to play the trumpet and guitar whilst composing songs for the choir.
In early eighties Fashek, who at the time went by the stage name Rajesh Kanal, joined the group Jastix with musicians McRoy Gregg and Black Rice. The trio soon gained popularity as the in-house band on the NTA Benin show Music Panorama, and toured with fellow reggae group, The Mandators.
He was later signed into Tabansi Records in 1988, shortly after Jastix, the group he belonged to, disbanded. Shortly after in 1989, he released the album that launched him to limelight, "Prisoner of Conscience" which contained "Send Down The Rain" track which became the most popular song of the year, and won six PMAN awards for "Song of the Year", "Album of the Year", and "Reggae Artist of the Year" among others.Fashek's next album was I&I Experience which was released in late 1989 under the Tabansi Label, and included the anti-apartheid anthem Free Africa, Free Mandela which sampled Steam's Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.
He was later signed to CBS Nigeria where released So Long Too Long. It was included on Putumayo World Music's first album. In 1990 he was signed to Interscope Records and released the critically acclaimed album Spirit Of Love, produced by "Little Steven" Van Zandt.
In 1992, he appeared on Late Night with David Letterman in support of his new 1991 album, and performed the song "So Long Too Long" for the television audience. Flame Tree released The Best of Majek Fashek in 1994.
He was later dropped by Interscope before moving to Mango, a division of Island Records accustomed to marketing reggae internationally. His first album for the company included a cover version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". He has recorded several albums for various labels since, including Rainmaker for Tuff Gong (1997) and Little Patience for Coral (2004).
Fashek's musical influences include Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, and Fela Kuti. He calls his style of music "kpangolo".
He took a supporting role in the 2000 Nollywood movie Mark of the Beast and starred in a commercial for non-alcoholic beverage Diamalt. In December 2016 Fashek contributed the song "We Are Not Afraid" to a video featuring 200 celebrities to raise funds for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW).
He was married to Rita Fashek who inspired the song "Without You"; they had four children together before they divorced.
In 2015, it was revealed that Fashek was bankrupt and battling drug addiction. After admitting that he needed help, he was admitted into a drug rehabilitation centre in Abuja, but recovered and returned to music.
He was rumored dead in September 2019 but his manager quelled the rumors, confirming that Fashek had indeed been critically ill, hospitalized at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich in the UK, and in dire need of financial assistance.
Fashek died on the 1st of June, 2020 at 57 in the United States, after battling an unknown illness. His death was confirmed by his manager, Omenka Uzoma, on the late singer’s official Instagram handle.
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