Ras Michael
Encyclopedia
Ras Michael is a Jamaican reggae
singer and Nyabinghi specialist. He also performs under the name of Dadawah.
’s legendary Studio One as a session musician and released a number of singles. He was the first member of the Rastafari movement
to have a reggae radio program in Jamaica ("The Lion of Judah Radio" program first aired in 1967). His band is called The Sons of Negus and are known for their drumming. He performed with Bob Marley
at the One Love Peace Concert
in Jamaica
in 1978. In addition to acting as an evangelist, ambassador and diplomat for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahido Church internationally, Ras Michael is one of the founders and president of the Rastafarian International/Marcus Garvey
Culture Center in Los Angeles
, and the Fly Away Culture Center in Kingston, Jamaica
. Currently he lives in California
.
Recently Ras was seen performing at the Calgary Spoken Word Festival on April 4, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with the Canadian Son's of Negus. [Bambalamb], Ras Michael's long time friend and nyabinghi student assisted in securing Ras a spot in the [Calgary Spoken Word Festival] headed by [Sheri-D]. Ras played for 3 hours in the Chinese Multicultural Centre to an intimate crowd.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer and Nyabinghi specialist. He also performs under the name of Dadawah.
Biography
In the 1960s he worked at Coxsone DoddCoxsone Dodd
Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...
’s legendary Studio One as a session musician and released a number of singles. He was the first member of the Rastafari movement
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
to have a reggae radio program in Jamaica ("The Lion of Judah Radio" program first aired in 1967). His band is called The Sons of Negus and are known for their drumming. He performed with Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
at the One Love Peace Concert
One Love Peace Concert
The One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on April 22, 1978 at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in 1978. In addition to acting as an evangelist, ambassador and diplomat for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahido Church internationally, Ras Michael is one of the founders and president of the Rastafarian International/Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
Culture Center in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and the Fly Away Culture Center in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. Currently he lives in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Recently Ras was seen performing at the Calgary Spoken Word Festival on April 4, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with the Canadian Son's of Negus. [Bambalamb], Ras Michael's long time friend and nyabinghi student assisted in securing Ras a spot in the [Calgary Spoken Word Festival] headed by [Sheri-D]. Ras played for 3 hours in the Chinese Multicultural Centre to an intimate crowd.
Birds in the treetop
- Birds in the Treetops
- Praising Far I
- Flowers in the Garden
- Bowing Down their Heads
- Rastaman sit up giving praises
- Praises unto Far I
- Then why should I?
- Why should I?
- Not praise Rastafari?
- Birds in the Treetop by Ras Michael
Discography
- Dadawah - Peace & Love + Nyahbinghi (1974)
- Peace and Love (1975)
- Rastafari (1975)
- Rastafari Dub (1975)
- Tribute to the Emperor (1976)
- Irations of Ras Michael & Sons of Negus Volume One (1977)
- Kibir Im Lak (1977)
- Movements (1978)
- Love Thy Neighbour (1979)
- Promised Land Sounds (1980)
- Disarmament (1981)
- Revelation (1982)
- Ras Michael & Zion Train (1984)
- Rally Round (1985)
- Zion Train (1988)
- Know Now (1990)
- Glory to God (1992)
- Spiritual Roots (1999)
- Lion Country (1999)
- A Weh Dem a Go Do Wid It [re-recorded and remix by SubaDread] (2003)
- Run Aggressors Run (featured in the film Catch A Fire 2006)
External links
- Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus - Rastafari December 2003
- Discography