Nigerian reggae icon, Ras Kimono, has died, sources close to the musician said, according to multiple reports on Sunday. He was 60 years old.
Kimono was said to have taken ill on Saturday on his way to the US.
Friends rushed him to a hospital in Ikeja from where he was transferred to Lagoon Hospital in Ikoyi.
He died on Sunday morning.
According to several biographical sketches, Kimono served a long apprenticeship on the Nigerian music circuit, experimenting with a number of styles, before making his late 80s breakthrough as a reggae singer.
Together with his Massive Dread Reggae Band, Kimono released his debut album, Under Pressure, in 1989. Accompanied by the popular single, “Rum-Bar Stylee”, this revealed both a Jamaican and native African influence.
Before he released his solo album, he was in a group called The Jastix along with Amos McRoy and Majek Fashek.
Born in Delta State, Nigeria, he went to Gbenoba Secondary School, Agbor and later joined the legendary Jastix Reggae group, alongside Majek Fashek, Amos McRoy Jegg and Black Rice Osagie.
He won several awards including the Nigeria Music Awards, Fame Music Awards and many more.
