According to reports, Ras Kimono passed away in the early hours of Sunday, June 10 in Lagos.
Ras Kimono was reportedly supposed to travel to the United States on Saturday, June 9 before he complained of feeling ill. He was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, where he was later referred to Lagoon Hospital on the Island where he died.
The news of his death was announced by the commissioner for tourism, arts and culture in Lagos state, Steve Ayorinde on social media.
Mourning the reggae artiste, President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Mr Pretty Okafor, described his death as a big loss to the music industry.
According to Channels TV, a family source revealed that the reggae musician was rushed to a hospital in Ikoyi after he slumped on Saturday, June 9.
Ras Kimono, who was born in Delta state, is a Nigerian reggae artist whose debut album ‘Under Pressure’, led by the single, ‘Rum-Bar Stylée’, was a big hit in the Nigerian music scene in 1989.
He started out his career, firstly as a student of Gbenoba secondary school, Agbor, and later as a member of the legendary Jastix Reggae Ital, alongside Majek Fashek, Amos McRoy Jegg and Black Rice Osagie.
His music was greatly influenced by the poverty, inequality and hardship he witnessed in his early life.
Music veterans, Tony Okoroji and Sir Shina Peters have confirmed the incident.
