{"id":1915,"date":"2015-05-04T00:33:50","date_gmt":"2015-05-04T00:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/ng\/?p=1915"},"modified":"2015-05-04T00:33:50","modified_gmt":"2015-05-04T00:33:50","slug":"exclusive-interview-bob-marley-is-my-mentor-majek-fasheksays-marleys-day-open-air-concert-holds-in-lagos-may-15explains-rita-marley-children-embraced-me-into-their-familyreminis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/exclusive-interview-bob-marley-is-my-mentor-majek-fasheksays-marleys-day-open-air-concert-holds-in-lagos-may-15explains-rita-marley-children-embraced-me-into-their-familyreminis\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! ‘Bob Marley is my Mentor’-Majek Fashek*Says: ‘Marley’s Day open-air concert holds in Lagos, May 15’*Explains: ‘Rita Marley & children embraced me into their family’*Reminisce: ‘My songs were recorded in Tuff Gong studios’*Confirms: ‘Returning to United States next year to meet my wife, kids’* Confesses: \u201cI only smoke Marijuana occasionally for meditation, believe in Rastafari\u201d*Echoes: ‘Prayer & Fasting help me derive Inspiration, Why I\u2019m a Sing-alike of Bob Marley’"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/strong><\/p>\n

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

‘Bob Marley is my Mentor’<\/b><\/span>–<\/span>Majek Fashek<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

*<\/b><\/span>Says: ‘Marley’s Day open-air concert holds in Lagos, May 15’<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

*Explains: ‘Rita Marley & children embraced me into their family’<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

*Reminisce: ‘My songs were recorded in Tuff Gong studios’<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

*Confirms: ‘Returning to United States next year to meet my wife, kids’<\/b>
\n* Confesses: \u201cI only smoke Marijuana occasionally for meditation, believe in Rastafari\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

*Echoes: ‘Prayer & Fasting help me derive Inspiration, Why I\u2019m a Sing-alike of Bob Marley’<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU, CNN iReport & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NORTH AMERICA<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MAJEK Fashek, is unarguably one of Africa’s most gifted reggae musicians. The fact is, he remains the only Nigerian artiste that share similar, almost identical vocal-chord with late Bob Marley, world reggae icon, both on performance and choreography while on stage. After several decades in the entertainment industry in Nigeria, later in United States tainted in sundry controversies which led to his return to Lagos-the economic nerve center of Africa’s most populous nation. In this interesting interview, Majek takes us through his emotional attachment to Marley’s family, his endorsement by the children, belief in Rastafari movement, and why he is leading a concert performance for Marley among other issues:<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Majek-Fashek<\/a>Majek, can you shed insight into the show you are putting together in honor of Bob Marley?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Let me firstly thank the CNN iReport team in United States to have taken out time to speak to me being Africa’s reggae legend. I am happy to be back home in Nigeria where I fully participated in progressive campaign for peace, growth and unity in last election. Prince Wadada, another reggae musician and I are putting up a historic concert in memory of Bob Marley & Wailer come May 15. We shifted from our earlier date of May 11 to afford us more opportunity in ensuring we have all logistics properly put in place. The concert is taking place within the open-pavilion of Durban Hotel, Lagos.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Can you tell us what Marley means to you?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bob Marley is my mentor. I see in him my father, my inspiration. Let me re-phrase my statement by saying Marley is my spiritual father, the greatest Angel I could have ever asked of. Just the same way late Fela Anikulapo Kuti remains my father. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What lesson did you learn from Marley?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I learnt from Marley how I could get inspiration, think outside the box to make the world a peaceful place using the platform of music that is deep in meaning and touching the soul. From Marley, I learn to believe in Rastafarianism. Music is a spiritual power of God given by Jah to his own people. Music is spiritual, and I further derive more song inspiration through prayers and fasting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Does that mean you also smoke Marijuana?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Like I earlier said, Marley is my spiritual father. I can never be on same level with him on how he derive his own inspiration. But I smoke Marijuana once in a while for meditation into higher consciousness of inspiration. I represent prisoners of conscience. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tell us about your thought on Rastafarianism<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marley said Rastafari is ‘a mystical movement of the Jah people’. Fela said ‘Rastafari is movement of the people’, but I believe in movement of Jah people. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How about your encounter with Marley’s family?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2008, far away in New York I met with Rita, Marley’s wife, in company of Ziggy, Damien, Stephen, Rohan and Julian. They all received me in open arms. Marley’s children said I am one of their fathers. That was when Tuff Gung Records had two of my songs: ‘Pangolo, Promised Land’ mixed and produced in their studio. <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Marley was also a prophet, how about you?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, I am a prophet. To tap into the realm of Marley, you must be a prophet. When I sang ‘Free Mandela’, late Nelson Mandela, a former President of South Africa was freed. When I sang ‘Send Down the Rain’, Nigeria witnessed a huge downpour of rainfall those periods. <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

How come you sing exactly like Marley?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is just a gift by Almighty Jah. Music is my life. Reggae is my soul. My vocal-chord that strikes semblance with Marley is just an endowment by Jah.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Tell us about your latest album<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

My latest album titled ‘Gangster Rasta’ will be released locally and internationally by next month into the market. But Wadada’s album titled ‘Omnipotent’ where I featured prominently will hit the market this month.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Are there other issues bothering your mind?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I am returning to United States by next year to meet my wife and children.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What is your message to your fans globally?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I am informing my fans all over the world that Majek is still as refreshing as ever in reggae music. My fans should live in peace, since we want peace in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Syria and the world. Say no to violence, crime and evil. Marley lives forever. <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! ‘Bob Marley is my Mentor’–Majek Fashek *Says: ‘Marley’s Day open-air concert holds in Lagos, May 15’ *Explains: ‘Rita Marley & children embraced me into their family’ *Reminisce: ‘My songs were recorded in Tuff Gong studios’ *Confirms: ‘Returning to United States next year to meet my wife, kids’ * Confesses: \u201cI only smoke Marijuana […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1916,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1915"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1915\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}