Artiste, Austin Peter, mourns reggae icon

Austin Peter, a popular reggae artiste known as ‘King Wadada’, on Sunday expressed deep sadness over the death of Ekulele Elumelu, popularly known as Ras Kimono.

Peter told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the entire music industry would miss Ras Kimono.

NAN reports that Ras Kimono, 60, died on Sunday at the Lagoon Hospital in Lagos.

Peter said that Kimono was one of the greatest rub-a-dub artistes to have reigned in the whole of Africa.

“Ras Kimono is gone, I am going to miss him a great deal because he really impacted positively on some of my music.

“It is going to be a sad moment in the music industry because he had a lot of friends and fans all around the country,” he said.

The musician said that he was short of words and could not say much because he was still in shock of the reality of Kimono’s death.

NAN reports that Ras Kimono hailed from Asaba in Delta. The deceased 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 1988, which propelled him to instant continental stardom.

The album had hits like “Under pressure”, “Rasta get jail” and the massive hit “Rhumba style”.

He was to release 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.

He continued to perform till date to a loyal fan-base of all ages and his music is still played on Radio, throughout West Africa. (NAN)