Ras Ray exits the stage

Ras Ray Harawa has been a stout player in the music industry doubling the roles of artist manager and event organiser.

His passion and drive towards promoting the local music industry cannot be questioned. He has largely made his name as the manager of one of the country’s long-lived music outfits Black Missionaries Band and solo artist Anthony Makondetsa.

Besides that, Ras Ray is also a force when it comes to event management as he is a key cog within the establishment of Impakt Events Management, organisers of the Sand Music Festival. He also works with Entertainers Promotions, Phindu Promotions and Thom’s Park.

After an illustrious involvement with music, spanning over two decades, Ras Ray has announced that he is stepping aside from his respective roles as artist manager and event promoter. His reasons are simple, he says he has done his part and he wants to pave the way for new ideas.

Said Ras Ray: “When you are doing something, there comes a time when you feel the need to pass on the baton to others according to how you look at yourself. As you grow, you discover that some tasks require youthful indulgence.

“This is me trying to give a chance to the youth to continue with this journey. I believe the youth are the best drivers in any set-up if we are to achieve progress as a country. The youth are better equipped to carry various tasks.”

Ras Ray’s involvement in music goes as far back as 1994 while he was still in school. He says he started promoting small shows.

After his secondary education, he continued with his passion and he was part of the team that organised the African Unite Reggae Concert in 1997 which featured I Cura Rastafari and Junior Delegado together with Oscar Thomson and Jamaican Bob Morgan.

He later left for the United Kingdom (UK) for academic pursuit, but his ties with music remained firm. It was during his stay in the UK when he had his first flirtation with the Black Missionaries Band then under the tutelage of its founder EvisonMatafale.

“I used to manage Matafale. The year that he died we were scheduled to travel to South Africa to record what would have been his third album. It was after the death of the group’s manager Foster Mijiga that I fully came in as manager of the group,” he said.

The 49-year-old said managing an artist goes beyond just being present in the artist’s affairs, but being in charge of the artist as a person.

He said: “You need to manage his public appearances and his presentation in both dress and conduct. You need to book shows for the artist. Sometimes we even get personal with the artist to help him deal with his issues away from his professional career.”

Ras Ray said he will always look back with fondness on his time as manager of Black Missionaries Band. He said contrary to what people speculate, the group is one of the easiest to manage.

“They are good boys. Very understanding as human beings. I have really enjoyed working with them. They can seek counsel on a number of issues. I am more like an elder brother to them,” he said.

In his career as a manager, Ras Ray said his biggest regret is his failure to secure equipment for the artists, but he feels he did his best in promoting their talent.

The manager said although artist management has become prominent in the last few years, the role has always been there. He said he is impressed with the way artists have embraced the concept. He also pointed out that the job is rewarding financially.

Ras Ray will officially step aside in December and a planned farewell show has been scheduled for December 23 at Waka Waka Leisure Centre in Lilongwe. A number of artists have committed to perform at the show for free.

“I am a farmer besides my passion for music. So, after this retirement, I will focus all my energies on farming,” he said.

Black Missionaries Band front man AnjiruFumulani has described the group’s journey with Ras Ray as exciting and full of lessons.

“He is like an elder brother to us. It is sad that he has had to make this decision probably not out of will but other forces. We know he will always be there for us and we will always look up to him for any assistance,” he said.

Entertainers Promotions founder Jai Banda said: “Ray has passion in event organisation. I have known him for decades. The first time I met him was when he came to my house with Jambo requesting me to assist in organising their event. It has been nice working with him.”