Rastaman with a true human touch

The name Ras Albino may not sound common to you, but believe you me, he is a man of big potential. He is one of those musicians who do what they do for the community they live in- to change the livelihoods of the vulnerable people. Ras Albino is also on a mission to demystify what Rastafarianism means, breaking from old stereotypes where it is associated all sorts of social deviations. Born in Bujumbura over twenty eight (28) years ago, Butera Fabien also known as Ras Albino among his peers was educated in Burundi before returning to his motherland. Ras Albino originates from a family of musicians. Just like the famous Jackson Five, with his four brothers and one sister, he is a member of the Waze Wa Blaze band. When they returned to Rwanda in 1998, the music industry was still developing, “We composed songs at home with the rest of my family members and sung them to ourselves or the neighbours,” he recalls. Apart from the music, Ras Albino is also into art and crafts and is one of the brains behind the many art pieces that used to be assembled behind Hotel Mille Collines. “We sold the pieces we made there, and then they told us to form associations. Next thing they shifted us to Rugunga, and the association later told us we should part with our hair (dreadlocks) or leave the association,” he explains. “They claimed that dread locks are associated with rogues, and drug trafficking but I knew what they meant to me. As a Rasta man, I believe in the spirit of love and respect, I left peacefully and still love those brothers,” he adds. It is then that Ras Albino started to create his art and crafts from home until recently when he was embraced by the East African Rastaman Association. So far, they have participated in three expos in the region. Despite the success in arts and crafts, Ras Albino says he will never rest until the day problems of street children and other vulnerable human beings are addressed. He took up his nickname to associate himself with Albinos- in solidarity as a show of support and raising awareness so that that something is done for them. He is also concerned with the welfare of street children. He says, “I want to live with them, educate them about self sustaining jobs and advise them against certain behaviours that they are fond of.” He also says, “Most of the street children misbehave because they lack someone close to them who will listen to their problems.” He further observes, “They treat themselves as outcasts, and in the end they take the rest of society as their enemies, sometimes blaming us for their woes.” That’s Ras Albino, the people’s Ras. A man with such feelings for other people will hardly get at logger heads with anyone, more so a fellow Rasta Man. In 2006, Waze Wa Blaze released a song ‘Pendo Lako’, it created very bad blood between them and Family Squad, because this song had the same beats with their (Family Squad) hit song ‘Zuena.” However every thing, he says “is back to normal because we are all Rastafarians and always forge a way to peace and love” In all his work, Peter Tosh is nothing but an inspiration. “I have always played music for the sake of passing a message to my listeners, this is because Peter Tosh did exactly that- educate the Jamaican population” he says of the Jamaican legend. His greatest song by Peter Tosh is ‘Equal rights and Justice.” In Rwanda, no one moves him, though Dr. Claude tries because, “ apart from the style on stage, he also has an African and Jamaican blend that makes his music good for the ears.” Internationally Akon is the man, because he sees him as an African ambassador to the international stage, and he comfortably combines Hip-Hop, Reggae, and R’n’B. The confessed Orthodox Christian advises Rwandan musicians to give their all to what they are doing, and to stop the hate campaigns against each other. He also encourages them to “create songs that will help enlighten the society, not music that will make them gain money and fame. Such songs will be forgotten after one month.” Ends