Reggae in “the promised land”




Back in 1996, upon stepping on Ethiopian soil for the first time, reggae singer Ras Kawintseb took off his shoes to show his respect to 'the blessed land'. His fans call him 'the dusty-foot philosopher'.

He remembers how people used to look at him and his fellow Rastafarians strangely for waving the banner depicting the Lion of Judah 15 years ago. Now he sees the concept of reggae music being widely appreciated by Ethiopian youth: reggae festivals and radio programs doing their part.  Even Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said he loves reggae.

Ras Kawintseb dreamed for years to come to Ethiopia and continue his musical career. He and many other reggae musicians are part of the Rastafarian repatriation movement.

One reggae festival, Exodus, was held a few weeks ago. In his opening lecture at the Alliance Ethio-Française, Professor Robert Hill of the University of California in Los Angeles highlighted the pioneers of the repatriation movement by presenting an unpublished letter found in Kingston, Jamaica, which dates back to the 1940’s. In the letter, a man asks the colonial authorities to let him go to Ethiopia, his homeland. The desperation and the frustration of his situation are read through the lines as he threatens the officials and begs them for mercy at the same time. He refers to Ethiopia as “paradise” and the Promised Land.

According to Prof Hill, this was one of the first Rastafarians who urgently wanted to visit Ethiopia. Unfortunately, those pioneers passed away without making the journey.


The later generation, however, have seen their dreams come to fruition with the granting of land in Shashemene, 250 km south of Addis, by Emperor Haile-Selassie. This has encouraged many Rastafarians to repatriate to Ethiopia. Making Ethiopia their home, the Rastafarians brought their reggae music with them.

Reuben Kush, 50, a mechanical engineer, sees reggae as the music for oppressed people. When the Rasta movement started,  it was suppressed. The only way to share the faith was through music.

“Back in those days, you had DJs that used to sing; listening to them was like reading a newspaper. Most reggae singers were Rastas and those who weren’t, joined the movement and reggae was the reason,” says Reuben.

Reggae music and the Rastafarian movement have gone hand in hand. Reuben explains how the Rasta man gave it an edge, the legendary Bob Marley being one example.

At his most glorious times, Bob Marley stated, ‘Everyone has the right to choose his home and destiny,’ referring to emigrating to Ethiopia. The renowned Ethiopian music arranger Teddy Mak reminisces the time when Bob Marley jammed with the young crews, including himself at the Ghion Hotel, but nobody knew how famous he was.  His raggedy denim pants and shirt and his dreadlocks were deceiving.

With the strong connection to reggae music, Rastafarianism and its repatriation to the homeland started in the 1960’s. Bob Marley's music was the major reason for many to join the Rasta movement and come to Ethiopia.

Ras Kawintseb joined the repatriation wave in the 1990's. He played with different artists, including Ethio-jazz creator Mulatu Astatke, and bands like Express, Axumite, and then established his own reggae band in 1998 named Zion Crown Band. He went to different parts of Ethiopia to increase reggae music’s exposure within the country and now sees the acceptance and understanding of reggae music. It wasn't until the early 1990's that clubs fully dedicated to reggae were introduced in Addis. There were places like Coffee House, Ghion Hotel, Black and White, that played reggae as an alternative music. Ram Jam Club, which was founded by Reuben and Juda in 1992 around Flamingo on Bole Road, was one of the few clubs that played reggae and only reggae six days a week.Reggae spots still have hard times, says Ras Kawintseb.  Reuben Kush says introducing reggae music has been the biggest challenge; clubs couldn’t sustain it for years and eventually came out of the business over the years.

Sydney Salmon was one of the musicians who chose to open their own venues. He started a club in the Imperial Hotel near the Bob Marley Square.  Since the transfer of Imperial Hotel, the club was shut down and he and his band, the Imperial Majestic Band, are now looking for another venue.

The former basketball player, promoter and DJ Ras Keish, who started playing reggae music in his hometown Asmara, remembers playing music at the club and recalls the initial reggae scene back in 1992. The manager of the club, Reuben, used to play music at his place. According to Reuben, the place used to be a center for the diplomatic community for three years.

Reuben claims introducing a new style of DJ-ing to Addis, staying on the open mic for hours while playing music.

Bob Marley, UB40, Tony Rebel, and Shabba Ranks were frequently heard in that club, but Ras Keish says other clubs were scared of this music.

“I used to go to other clubs and ask them to play reggae music but they always hesitated and only played one or two songs,” states Ras Keish.

Apart from the club scene, there were also various celebrations, including the birthday of Emperor Haile-Selassie, who is seen as a high spiritual figure, with his coronation in Shashemene as well as in Addis.

But through the live shows that were held over the years, there are three that Ras Kawintseb considers particularly important. The first one was held in 1997 to celebrate the victory at Adwa. Around 80,000 people attended. Apart from reggae musicians, Chachi Tadesse also collaborated with other artists during the performance. The Marley family was expected to perform but they did not show up.

The second biggest show was the 2005 Africa Unite concert to celebrate the birthday of Bob Marley. An estimated 500,000 reggae fans attended. Performers included the Marley family, Angelique Kidjo, Lauren Hill and many Ethiopian musicians. The film “Africa Unite,”was born of that concert and directed by Stephanie Black. It highlighted many Rastafarians who came from Jamaica. For some of them, Ethiopia was too good to be true; they were seen struggling with their tears because they had reached Ethiopia, “The Promised Land”.

The third show was to commemorate the Ethiopian Millennium in Addis. Luciano, a famous reggae star, performed. For Abreham Hailu, 29, who changed his style because of reggae music, including locking his hair, seeing Luciano here in Ethiopia was a dream come true.

The young reggae fan started listening to Reggae music when he was a child. Six years ago, he used to go to the club, Changes, every Saturday, where Sydney Salmon used to play there.

“Changes Club gave the reggae scene of Addis a whole new phenomenon, but after the club was shut down, there was no club that could bring that unique vibe,” explains Abreham.

Singer and musician Sydney Salmon believes he managed to bridge the gap between Ethiopian culture and reggae with his biggest single ‘Ethiopia is calling and Babylon is falling’.

“When I came here, the reggae scene was crippling among the youth; the few reggae artists who were based here couldn’t create the connection with Ethiopian community and I was able to create that,” explains Salmon.

When he was performing at Changes Club, many people sang along to ‘Ethiopia is calling and Babylon is falling’ and with the verse ‘Shashemene’, the cheering became even more louder.

When he first came to Ethiopia, he had the chance to play with renowned Ethiopian singers Mahmoud Ahmed and Aster Awoke with his band The Twelve Tribes of Israel. He believes the messages of reggae music being orthodox resulted in no reggae venue that plays only reggae music.

But for 1987 repatriate Teddy Dan, with most of his reggae songs being in Patwa, he sees the language barrier as the reason for reggae not being too popular as expected. But he now believes reggae music has reached a stage where Ethiopians have come to claim reggae music as their own music.

Most of the artists and the promoters argue that even if there is no venue, there is a tremendous change within a decade where the Ethiopian people have embraced reggae music.

Nikrumah Selassie is a tofu producer who has resided in Ethiopia since 2004. He organized the first reggae splash concert in 2009 bringing artists like Luciano, Mikey General, and Ragga Lox to the Juventus Club.

He says Ethiopians are closed off and not open to new cultures but through the years, society seems to have accepted. Now you can turn on the radio and hear reggae programs like Reggae Boat-ride on Afro FM.

Ethiopian artists have also delved into reggae music, including, Nikrumah says, Teddy Afro, who puts reggae beats into his music. “I think he is being sympathetic to our cause and we appreciate that,” says Nikrumah.

Malik Boulibai, who has a reggae program on France’s national radio, organized the music program for Exodus at the  Alliance Ethio-Française. He claims that since his first visit here, he has seen a tremendous change and believes that reggae music is now a part of the culture, seeing musicians who are big in the West like King Kong settling here.

It has been a couple of years that the 80’s superstar King Kong has started living here in Shashemene. Now involved in farming, many people do not know that he lives here but he doesn’t mind; he is seen performing once in a while at different events, otherwise he goes to Shashemene.

“I came home to relax, not to make it as a singer. For me, there is no challenge and I live as a normal person,” states King Kong.

After 11 albums, his latest album ‘Rumble Jumble Life’ in 2005, King Kong is one of the celebrated artists who have chosen to live a simple life farming in the place he considers his homeland.

The same goes for the 56-year-old Teddy Dan, who came from England and previously released five albums. He is living in Shashemene and tells how he has found peace since leaving the Western world.

Ethiopian artists are also in the reggae scene and one of these Ethiopian musicians is Haile Roots, who grew up listening to Bob Marley, Luciano, Morgan Heritage, Tony Rebel and Third world.

Even if his performing career started with him playing with Zema Lastas at Buffet de la Gare, many know him for featuring Teddy Afro in two of his songs, ‘Lambadina’ and ‘Bob Marley’.

The 29-year-old musician collaborated with Mikey General and Luciano on a song entitled ‘Abatachin Hoy’, which is included in Mikey General’s album ‘Born to Rule.’ The song reached number two on the Jamaican reggae chart, Reggae vibes.com.

Haile Roots says after the popular Africa Unite concert in 2005, the reggae scene has changed here, even if many people don’t understand it and see it from a religious perspective. He argues reggae should be seen as music with positive message.

Now playing Wednesdays with Mehari brothers in Illusion club, he sees the young shifting to reggae and a shift in the DJ’s who didn’t play roots reggae before.

With the different celebrations and his tours in Italy making an alternative for him, Sydney is now promoting his album “Ethiopia is calling Babylon is falling” and his single “Feeling You” and heading to Jamaica.

Seven weeks ago, ‘Uptown Thursdayz,’ a Caribbean night with reggae music started in Nirvana Lounge. Reuben serves as the open mic DJ and also DJ Docta B from Germany, featuring singers like Kapo Israel and Ras Seyoume.

Nirvana Lounge is trying to bridge that gap by giving reggae sounds on Thursdays and they have also a plan to add Sundays with a reggae band according to the promoter of the club, Reuben.  For the official opening of the Caribbean night last Thursday, he extended his invitation to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Reuben sees a bright future for reggae music, plans to perform a  concert at the Millennium Hall where everyone can come together through music.  “Sometimes the Rasta man’s voice is not heard but reggae became a platform to make our voice heard,” says Reuben. Financial concerns, for example sponsoring renowned artists, remains a difficulty in holding an event such as this.

Most of the reggae artists sing about Ethiopia even if they haven’t even seen the place, preaching about repatriation if they haven’t come here, and according to Ras Kawintseb, the practical challenge of being legal in Ethiopia and labor being cheap, are the main problems.  Ras Kawintseb, who moved to Shashemene seven years ago, says the repatriates who chose to live here are faced with legality problems. “Most Rastafarians are repatriating but there is no clear thing how to get a legal residence permit, which is creating a problem for us and the responsible officials should think about that,” concludes Ras Kawintseb. He believes that it's Ethiopia, not Jamaica that ought to be the center of reggae because it's the choice of the artists expressed clearly in their songs.

Reggae salutes Rastafarian icon Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I with tribute
Jared Mccallister

  It may be news to some, but reggae music owes a great debt of gratitude to the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.

For decades, Carlyle McKetty and Sharon Gordon of the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music have recognized his influence and continue to pay him tribute.

"People don't understand the popularity of Selassie," said Gordon. "We've been doing this since the early '90s," she said of the event marking the coronation of Emperor Selassie and Empress Mennen.

The CPR commemoration - noting the 80th anniversary of the Nov. 2, 1930, coronation takes place Saturday at CPR's annual Reggae Culture Salute. Reggae greats Ernie Smith and Big Youth will be featured stars.

"We try to look at how his life and work influenced the Rastafarian movement and reggae music," said McKetty, CPR's president. The tribute features an educational performance of traditional nyahbinghi drumming by Junior Wedderburn, master drummer for Broadway's "The Lion King" musical, added McKetty.

There will also be a screening of a biographical video on Selassie, who gained international fame for leading his nation's battle against fascist Italy prior to World War II, working toward African unity in the 1960s and reigning as a spiritual inspiration for members of the Jamaica-born Rastafarian movement.

Smith and Big Youth will receive congressional proclamations from Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brooklyn) during the Brooklyn event at Nazareth Regional High School Performance Center, 475 E. 57th St. (between Clarendon Road and Avenue D) at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Smith will star in the lineup with Big Youth, African Brothers group member Tony Tuff, Sugar Minott protégé Nahki, deejay Mikey (Mack Daddy) Jarrett and Tom Tom Club group front man Mystic Bowie, who will perform in tribute to Minott, who died this year

Bob Marley family loses case over hit records
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bob Marley's family lost a lawsuit seeking the copyrights to several of the late Jamaican reggae singer's best-known recordings.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan said the UMG Recordings unit of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group is the rightful owner of copyrights to five albums that Marley had recorded between 1973 and 1977 for Island Records.

The albums "Catch a Fire," "Burnin'," "Natty Dread," "Rastaman Vibrations" and "Exodus" were recorded with Marley's band The Wailers. They include some of Marley's best-known songs, including "Get Up, Stand Up," "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman, No Cry" and "One Love."

Marley died of cancer in 1981 at age 36.

Friday night's ruling is a defeat for Marley's widow Rita and nine children who had sought to recover millions of dollars in damages over UMG's effort to "exploit" what they called "the quintessential Bob Marley sound recordings."

L. Peter Parcher and Peter Shukat, who are lawyers for the family, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. UMG spokesman Peter LoFrumento said the company is pleased with Cote's ruling.

Marley's family accused UMG of intentionally withholding royalties from their company Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Ltd, and ignoring a 1995 agreement assigning them rights under the original recording agreements, court papers show.

It also accused UMG of failing as required to consult with them on key licensing decisions, including the use of Marley's music as "ringtones" on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile phones, the papers show.

But Cote concluded that Marley's recordings were "works made for hire" as defined under U.S. copyright law, entitling UMG to be designated the owner of those recordings, for both the initial 28-year copyright terms and for renewals.

"Each of the agreements provided that the sound recordings were the 'absolute property' of Island," Cote wrote. "Whether Marley would have recorded his music even if he had not entered the recording agreements with Island is beside the point."

She added that it was irrelevant that Marley might have maintained artistic control over the recording process. What mattered, she said, was that Island had a contractual "right" to accept or reject what he produced.

Cote also denied the Marley family's request for a ruling upholding its claims over digital downloads, citing ambiguity in a 1992 royalties agreement.

She directed the parties to enter court-supervised settlement talks, and scheduled an October 29 conference.

The case is Fifth-Six Hope Road Music Ltd v. UMG Recordings Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 08-06143.

Reviving reggae scene in Addis By Tibebeselassie Tigabu

Ethiopia being a spiritual home for many Rastafarians it is ironical to notice the non-existent of reggae club especially in these couple of years.

Since the 1960’s with the granting of land in Shashemene by Emperor Haileselassie, many Rastafarians repatriated here in Ethiopia where many of the repatriates being related with reggae music or that sort even they were able to influence Ethiopian singers in to Reggae music.

Ethiopia became the destination of well established singers since the legendary Bob Marley visit here in Ethiopia many artists followed his foot steps where many singers come for different occasions.

Even if many artists come here and also reside here in Shashemene and Ethiopia in the past decade there are no reggae clubs which surprise many people who want to see the reggae scene in Ethiopia.

There were reggae clubs like changes and Harlem Jazz where reggae bands used to perform every now and then, but with in the years these clubs didn’t have the consistency to stay in business. Many clubs after working sometimes they cease to work.

To bridge the gap in relation with reggae club that existed now a new reggae club is going to launch this week at the basement of Imperial Hotel namely Imperial majestic reggae night club on the eve of Ethiopian New Year’s Eve with a concert and bazaar.

The New Year’s Eve celebration will give a glimpse on what they are planning to do with the club and the restaurants.

“Its not going to be only a night club rather we are planning to make it a cultural center where different events will take place. This place will be a center for the Diaspora and to strengthen the relation ship between the Diasporas and Ethiopians through art and to create a better understanding of us among the Ethiopians. “The founder of the club and a reggae singer Sydney Salmon explains
Apart from the club scene poetry, cultural dances of Caribbean, Ethiopian, salsa dance will be presented by different artists and also a youth forum where group discussions on the different issues will be held on Sundays.

The reggae band by the name of Imperial Majestic will play live reggae music and also Djs like Dulas one from Shashemene will jam and as Sydney explains this place is also will work to develop the youth and to give them an opportunity to work on their talents.

“Its not only going to be a night club to earn money rather there is a mission behind the music we play.” Sydney comments

Many youth are attracted to western celebrities which are mainly the commercial singers who seem to glorify money, materials and sometimes diminishing and objectifying women, and as Sydney tells this is affecting young minds in a wrong way.

“Most Ethiopians are fan of these superficial singers and in the contrary reggae music is a music that has always championed Africa, Ethiopia and humanity. Reggae music is about struggles, justice, day to day fight of the people, poverty and the real things we face as human being. As most of the investors want their business they don’t sponsor reggae clubs or singers  so that is the  reason why we don’t see much of reggae club.. ” reveals Sydney

With the coming of many commercial singers many singers are struggling not to water down their lyrics which became a blessing at the same time a curse where they struggle every day to make their voice heard as Sydney tells this is how the reggae music is now internationally.

With that struggle they are still persistent to fight even if they don’t get sponsors but they are making a voice to be heard.