Legendary Nigerian singer, songwriter and guitarist, Majekodunmi Fasheke popularly known as Majek Fashek, is dead.
He died, aged 57 in a hospital in New York on Monday, 1st of June 2020. However, the cause of his death is yet to be confirmed.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday morning, his manager, Omenka Uzoma said Fashek “has gone to be with the LORD his Maker.”
The ‘Rain Maker’ as he was usually called was born in Benin City to an Ijesha father and an Edo mother. His initial stage name was Rajesh Kanal.
Back in the early eighties, Fashek joined the group Jastix with McRoy Gregg, and Drummer Black ‘Rice.
In 1988, soon after Jastix dismissed Fashek, and he changed his name to Majek Fashek and signed with Tabansi Records.
Rain-Maker began a solo career by releasing the album ‘Prisoner of Conscience’.
He soon became Nigeria’s top reggae artist after the song “Send Down The Rain”; which became the most popular song of the year.
Fashek won six PMAN awards for “Song of the Year”; “Album of the Year”, and “Reggae Artist of the Year” among others in 2019.
He has worked with several artists across the world including Beyoncé, Tracy Chapman; Jimmy Cliff, Snoop Dogg, and late Michael Jackson.
The ‘send down the rain’ crooner married Rita Fashek. She inspired the song “Without You”.
Majek and Rita had four children together. However, they have since divorced.
As of 2015, it was revealed that Fashek was bankrupt and struggling with drug addiction.
Fashek admitted that he needed help, he was admitted into a drug rehabilitation centre in Abuja. However, has since recovered, and came back to music.
They were rumours that he died in September 2019 but his manager debunked those claims.
However, he revealed that Majek had really been critically ill and was hospitalized at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, England.
In any case, his manager also revealed that Majek was in dire need of financial assistance.
See Uzoma’s post below: