Biography

Ras Nas aka Nasibu Mwanukuzi, is a Tanzanian musician and poet who blends african music and reggae with a dash of poetry.

Nasibu has experimented with painting and carving. He started playing music at the age of ten and sang for a while in a church choir at St.Peter's Cathedral in Dodoma, Tanzania, in 1968.

Growing up in the 60's and 70's Nasibu listened to a lot of Tanzanian music by master guitarists like Wema Abdallah, the mighty Mbaraka Mwinshehe and his Likembe Mahoka style, Segere Matata, as well as Michael Enok of Dar Jazz, from Dar-es-salaam.

Other influences is from the Congolese maestros like Luambo Luanzo Makiadi and his immortal T.P OK Jazz, Dr. Nico of African Fiesta Sukisa and countless other African musicians who have helped to mold African music and inspired another generation of musicians. More impulses came from Caribbean music of the late 60's which was popular in East Africa. Also influenced by the early reggae greats, the likes of Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, and Linton Kwesi Johnson, to name but a few. All this has helped to shape Ras Nas' musical style.

Nasibu started writing African poetry at the age of 17 and experimented with various forms of African chanting and African drumming. He is also a painter who ran short of paint at one point. Studied Law at the University of Dar es salaam where he graduated with an L.L.B degree in 1984. After graduation he worked for a while as a journalist for Daily News as well as a correspondent for Africa Magazine covering mainly cultural issues.

While at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Nasibu co-founded a powerful poetry and drama group "SAYARI" in Dar-es-salaam in 1980. Other SAYARI members were Freddy Macha, Chiku Ali (who joined after Anna Lukindo) and George Chioko. The group combined African music, poetry, miming, dance and drama and toured extensively in Scandinavia. In 1985 Nasibu moved to Oslo, Norway to study Mass Communications at the University of Oslo, UIO. He has since lived in Norway, also as a father of three children.

In 1985 he initiated "UMOJA CULTURE", a group in Oslo that blended traditional African music and dance. He also co-founded "ARTISTS FOR LIBERATION", a forerunner to Nordic Black Theater. In 1989 he published his first collection of African poetry, "Double Focus", (Kongoi Productions). Together with Reginald T.Oliver (Papa Lion) and James Toney Jr. he formed NASIBU and the DUAL VISION, a trio that performed Rhythmic Poetry coated with vibrant African chanting, harmonies and drumming. The trio changed name to "THE COLD FIRE" bringing in a Zimbabwean bassist, Clive Brown, and produced a music cassette during a tour in Germany.

In 1990 Nasibu went solo and formed his own band under his artist name, RAS NAS. The band had a debut concert in July 1991, at a party to mark the 99th anniversary of His Imperial Majesty Haile Sellasie I. The party was organized by the Rastafari Cultural Foundation in Oslo. The year after, Ras Nas performed for Nelson Mandela, celebrating his release from Robben Island prison. This happened in Oslo, o¬n Mr. Mandela's first visit to Norway.

In 1997 he produced Ras Nas debut CD "Cut You Loose," (Kongoi Productions http://www.kongoi.com). (RNCD9701), working together with Charles Mena from Nicaragua, Chuck Frazier, a musician from Texas and Ishmael de Leon from Trinidad.

Ras Nas tracks can be also be found in other music compilations, the most notable being "RAW 2000" by Reggae Ambassadors Worldwide.

Ras Nas' second album "Dar-es-Salaam" has received rave reviews. One of the biggest Norwegian dailies, Dagsavisen, gave the album a 5 star review, a record in Norway in many ways! The album was released in July 2008 by Kongoi Productions.

Nasibu’s latest CD is “Double Focus” (2010). The CD combines music and poetry and is also released by Kongoi Productions.

Samples

1. Way Over Yonder


I do not want our love
To start in flames
For
We will stay hot for long
But in the end
Tremble into ashes
And the biting cold

I do not want our love
To start as a fresh life
For
It will end as pure death
And marks of our graves
Will haunt our empty selves

I do not even want our love
To start as a bright new day
For
Light is not here to stay
Dusk will break our hearts
And throw the fragments away

I want our love
To start like…like…

Oh
I do not even know!


2. A search

Writing poems
Is like a journey
Where I never ever
Reach my destination

Alone I try to pursue
A blurred dream
Up the sky
Held by a fountain
Atop a misty mountain
With a style

Only to discover
That in the dead of night
Dreaming becomes living
But with daylight in sight
Living turns to dreaming

And I go on searching
In the paths of my conscience
That thing I would like
For my dear delight

All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.

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