Majek Fashek resurrects at COSON night of fun and panache -Says: I get $10,000 royalty per month

It was a shattering climax last week Saturday for

RAS KIMONO  & MAJEK FASHEK

COSON Week 2013 during the COSON Awards, which held at the New Ballroom of Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos. The event, which was graced by both the old and young generation of showbiz stars, was indeed a celebration of Nigerian music.

Celebrities who lit the red carpet included Tuface Idibia and wife, Annie Macaulay, Sunny Neji, Ras Kimono, Victor Uwaifo, Sir Shina Peters and wife, Sammie, Kenny Saint Best, Ras Sparkle, King Wadada, Dayo Adeneye (DI), Obiwon and wife, Nkechi, Mr. Kool, Delight, Ify Chukwu, Blossom Gabriel, Azeezat and husband, Seyi Allen, and Alariwo of Africa among a host of others.

It was a night that the flag of Nigerian music was hoisted aloft as Nico Mbaga’s Sweet Mother clinched the award for The Song of the ‘70s while Majek Fashek got the award for the Song of the ‘80s with his classic, Send Down The Rain. Femi Kuti’s Bang BangBang ran away with the award for Song of the ‘90s while Tuface Idibia’s African Queen clinched the award for Song of the 2000s.

Man of the moment

However, the man of the moment was none other than Majek Fashek, the reggae icon popularly known as the Rainmaker, who put up a fabulous and outlandish performance to the delight of the audience. As soon as the star made his entry to a rousing welcome around 11pm, the entire hall stood up to receive him and as he was ushered into the VIP arena, Majek showed he still had a lot of respect for elders when he went on his knees and pleaded with veteran highlife musician, Sir Victor Uwaifo to pray for him which he promptly did before the reggae artiste mounted the stage.

However, it was a different Majek that went on stage as he virtually brought down the roof with the dazzling performance of his hit tracks, Send Down The Rain and Little Patience. Majek later spoke to TS Weekend describing COSON Week as the greatest thing to happen to Nigerian music

MAJEK FASHEK & BISI OLATILO

“Thank God, Tony Okoroji has always projected and protected the music industry and this is awesome! I am an American superstar and when Americans play your music, they pay the artiste. That’s what COSON is trying to do for the industry. You don’t have to bribe for your copyright. I get $10, 000 from BMI every month so when Nigerian press said that I was broke, I just laughed at them because they know nothing. I am registered with BMI. They handle all my royalties and I get paid so I am not broke. It’s time for Nigerian press to promote me so I can promote young artistes and so that we don’t create discord in the industry,” Majek said.

Against the backdrop of reports that he’s very sick, how come he was able to perform so well? Majek responded thus: “I used Jesus juju; that was what you saw on stage just now. Nigerian press has to help the younger artiste. If you help me you will help young artiste.”

Majek also talked about his new album entitled, Gangsta Rasta, which should be released in a couple of weeks by April Records. “Right now, I am the Gangsta Rasta. I am working on a new album entitled, Gangsta Rasta, which is dropping by month end. Gangsta Rasta is all about working with the youths. It’s a brand new concept of how we can balance the youths and Majek wants to have a blend of the old and the new. As a Rastaman, I feel the gangsta are ruling right now so let’s have a fusion of the gangsta and the rasta hence we have gangstarasta. The album is unique. It is dropping by month end. We are looking at 16 tracks,” the Rainmaker explained.