Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek (pronounced as Ma-je-ko-dun-mi Ifa-kii-she-eke ), is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known in his home country for the 1988 album Prisoner of Conscience, which included the multiple award-winning single "Send Down the Rain". Also known as The Rainmaker.
Born on 7th March, 1963 in Benin City to an Edo mother and an Ijesha father, but identifies with his Benin roots. Various translations of his name Fasheke (Ifa-kii-she-eke) include "high priest who does not lie", "powers of miracles" and "(system or medium of) divination does not lie" After his parents separated Fashek remained in Benin City with his mother, and soon joined the choir in his local Aladura church and learned to play the trumpet and guitar whilst composing songs for the choir.
In 1988, shortly after Jastix disbanded Fashek, who now used the name Majek Fashek, signed with Tabansi Records and began a solo career by releasing the album Prisoner of Conscience and quickly became Nigeria's top reggae artist after the song " Send Down The Rain " became the most popular song of the year, and in 1989 he 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.
After leaving Tabansi Records, he was signed to CBS Nigeria in the early 1990s and 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 , as it was more 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 – whom he resembles vocally – Jimi Hendrix , and Fela Kuti.
He was one of the original Nigerian artists to be drawn to the music of the Caribbean, specifically reggae, rather than indigenous hybrids such as fuji , jùjú , but has been known to mix these genres into his own style which he calls kpangolo , and the song "My Guitar", an ode to his favourite instrument, was also heavily influenced by rock.
Fashek played a supporting role in the 2000 Nollywood movie Mark of the Beast, and starred in a commercial for non-alcoholic beverage Diamalt.
He has worked with various artists worldwide, including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dog, etc.
He recently (2016) performed in a comedy show (with more than ten thousand audience in attendance) in Lagos, Nigeria, with a roundly power-filled and soul-lifting performance.
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 formerly married to Ms Rita, but they later divorced, they were blessed with four children.
He battled with an health issue for sometime and eventually died in his sleep on June 1st, 2020.
RIP Musical Icon Majek Fashek.
