A lot of artistes now doing worse than Majek Fashek - Ras Kimono | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Friday 17 October 2014

A lot of artistes now doing worse than Majek Fashek - Ras Kimono

In an interview with Sunnewsonline where he shared his opinion on the current state of the Nigerian music industry, Reggae legend Ras Kimono said the current Nigerian music artistes are doing worse than Majek Fashek. According to him, there is nothing to celebrate in an artiste who releases just a single and declares himself a superstar. He says back in his days, they produced 12-tracked albums for their listeners who would then determine how many of the songs in the albums were hit songs. He says things have changed.

He also said most of the hip-hop stars today smoke and drink to stupor because they think that it is a way of being inspired. He warned that they should be careful about indulging in such as the Nigerian music industry gives an artiste only one chance and that once an African artiste falls, he is dead and buried. Find excerpts from the very interesting interview after the cut...

As a veteran musician, what would be your advice to young musicians that are traveling for the first time?
It all depends on your mission. If it is for a show, just know that you are going to play for people who know your musical background, but do not let that bother you. Apart from international promoters, all other Nigerian artists who travel abroad to play music, play for Africans. None of them travel for the purpose of playing in a pure concert.
They do not go to play in a pure concert, rather they just travel there to play for some group of Nigerians and Africans abroad and nothing more. When I travel abroad, I play in a pure concert. Though a lot of them are Africans, but then when you go for concert, you have to try to play in concerts that are not filled with known faces. They should play more in concert where there are no known faces from home.
Those artists I know that travel abroad to play in concert that way are Sunny Ade and Fela. I consider it a great way of selling the Nigeria’s kind of music. By so doing, more people will get to know you. Now, if you are playing for a crowd of people who do not know you from back home in a pure concert, then your fan base and size is growing. You will gain more grounds.
Nigeria music sell everywhere in Africa. If you visit Cameroun, Ghana, Abidjan, everybody wants to come and see the Nigerian musician who did a popular song. That is the kind of concert I am talking about, not the one being organised by those who know you well back at home. Even when I was back there in America, I did hear of some of them coming to play and when I go there, I see Nigerians take over the hall, jumping up and down. There is no promotion in that of tour. Rather, you are just recycling, not growing or selling yourself to new fans, who have never met you before at home. After they have finished playing in such Nigerian concerts, they come home to boast that they played in a concert abroad. Whenever I hear that, I just laugh and say balderdash.
My advice to the young artists is that they should keep their head cool and humble so that they will grow. Another thing they do is the single-track thing. In our days, we did no such injustice to our fans. Rather, we always do 12 tracks and above in one album. Then, music lover do get good deal for their money, not now that you spend money just to buy a single for same amount for 12 tracks.
Even then when you drop an album comprising 12 tracks or more, we still look out to know if five of them are hit tracks. It is only when you hit such height that you can score yourself good. Artists worked harder then than now, you know what I mean. I see a lot of them who do singles, and it makes waves and then you will see them parading themselves as super stars. I just say, you guys do not know the foundation of the industry.
A lot of our musicians today are doing even worse than Majek Fashek did. I will say this to those who care to know; show me one hip-hop artist who do not smoke or drink and I will show you five reggae artist who do not smoke or drink. Check all the hip-hop artists, they smoke and drink to stupor because they think that it is a way of being inspired.

I am one, but I do not do any of such things before and after going on stage or any time… 
A close friend of mine used to talk to me and he said all this hip-hop stuff, Zaaki started them. But I said to him, who cares. Do the young ones of today care to recognise such a person or even his efforts? You see, we do not keep history, so nobody knows. These young once just spring out, make some wave and call themselves kings and champion of a particular music.
Now, because of the pride of these younger artists, they fail to humble themselves and learn from the mistakes of the older once.

Yes, because they believe that they know it all… 
Oh, you need to see how they smoke. They smoke and drink their senses out, but I keep telling them that the latter will be greater. If they do not take care now, they will regret it in the future. One important thing they must know is that the Nigeria music community is not like that of Europe where they give an artist two or four chances to rise again when you fall. Here, it is once. Once you fall, just forget it. It is all over for you.
Over there, artist like Bobby Brown sang, fell, sang again and fell many times. So did most of them. But here, you have just one chance.  Africa does not give such luxury to artists. It is just one chance for you and once you fall, you are dead and buried.

Source: Sun News Online

41 comments:

Bishop Dammy said...

Whatsoever you hand find doing, do it to the glory of God..watch and also pray..it is well. Phil 4:13. BishopDammy#

Alloy Chikezie said...

I agree with him.


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Unknown said...

A word is enough for the wise..but i disagree on the one single hit thing,gone are d days u have to release an album to make ur mark,now one single is enough, times have changed Sir..

Anonymous said...

If u dnt bliv him, ask 9ice, black faze, n even the almighty etcetera.....


cherrykoko.

Anonymous said...

Here, it is once.
Once you fall, just forget it. It is all over for you.

If u dnt bliv him, ask 9ice, black faze, n even the almighty etcetera.....


cherrykoko.

snowflix said...

Lele lekwa ha mtcheew, sucks!!! #onelovefromSnow#

BONARIO NNAGS said...

But Majek Fashek at his peak was way better than you. He deserves that respect.

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA LUMIA

Anonymous said...

True talk Oga

Uche Emma said...


Ras Kimonooooooooooooooooooo

Unknown said...

True Talk.

ary said...

He could be right but like he said, time has changed and with it the tide.

#king said...

lool..true talk sha..But d most important tin is money..Artists dis days are making alot of Money..who cares about album wen singles can make u rich.............................#KingOfKings

Anonymous said...

WIZKID YOU DEY HEAR???????????? Parading yourself like ure something when ure NONE!

Anonymous said...

Eedris Abdulkareem, Tony Tetuila, Faze, Styl Plus etc....they all FELL like a LOG OF WOOD

Mz MNB said...

hmmmmmmmmmmmmn...

Anonymous said...

Na so bro, we giv no fuck up, u do shit we shit U assap! Omo OLa say so

Mischievous said...

"Now, because of the pride of these younger artists, they fail to humble themselves and learn from the mistakes of the older once."

Words of wisdom.

Anonymous said...

Women are trying ooooooo how to make love to this one now biko noo ooooooo

Anonymous said...

Scary

Anonymous said...

Ras Kimono, tell them, the likes of David, Wiz Kid, and the rest of them, showing off and bragging all over the place, as they own the life they live.

#REALREALITY said...

'TELL THEM SIR' KIMONO DE WANT...back inthe days. i still have ur complete album. Good u still keep ur head but seems uve lost inspiration to stage a come-back inth industry!ALL THE BEST!!!

IWP said...

yes i..real talk from one of naijamost respekted....rasta say so....preeach www.iwonpopular.com

Unknown said...

What RAS SAYS IS TRUTH JUST LOOK AT OUR TODAYS MUSICIANS AN JUDGE

Anonymous said...

Good talk!

#REALREALITY said...

'TELL THEM SIR' KIMONO DE WANT...back inthe days. i still have ur complete album. Good u still keep ur head but seems uve lost inspiration to stage a come-back inthe industry!ALL THE BEST!!!

Unknown said...

I concur with him
He's right.
You can predict/ observe this from their facebook, Twitter & other account. They have low fans base yet they call themselves superstar. Pure concept that's what can get them far & increase fans base which most of them don't get involve.
Just one hit track/ single, you called yourself superstar that's impossible.

BORN TO SHINE!!!

Sugarvie said...

Exactly!

Unknown said...

If it's about cutting across after fela, majek is next

Sugarvie said...

Exactly!

Subomi said...

I was very shocked and impressed a while ago when I was told he does not smoke or drink.

Unknown said...

Fela, sunny Ade and majek are the true musician in this category

Unknown said...

Truely true

Unknown said...

Truely

Fredrick Seewonders said...

There are exceptions like KCee whose comebacks are even stronger...

Anonymous said...

Who sabi Ras Kimono for oversea self besides Nigerians overseas. Which big concert wey him play self during his time. And abeg, u no, Majek was a much more famous and better artist than Ras. Majek was so famous oversea that he appeared on the David Letterman show once. Ras was a local artist, so he should just leave Majek out of this unless he's referring to his drug use, which I can agree with him on. The habit killed Majek's talents and career, so younger artistes today should listen to him on that issue.

BLAJO said...

Pls tell them if they would listen.

Anonymous said...

Sharrap joor!go and read your books.

APPLE said...

This man look's so dirty.

Anonymous said...

Bonario, I think he was referring to majek on the drinking and smoking part, not the music or artistry.

Banga Banga said...

This is pure truth. Artists nowadays in Nigeria put very less efforts into their work. They lack passion, they only go in for the money. They forget that it is passion first and then the goodies come in. They also need to learn from the veterans.

Unknown said...

Tell them oooooooooooooooooooo.

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