Negus - I

About Negus - I

Ras Mabandla aka Negus-I is a multi talented reggae artist, singer, song writer guitarist and composer who hails from Nelson Mandela Bay with a debut album entitled "The Journey" in which he worked with the local heavyweights in the industry Bongani Tulwana aka Kora X and Vincent Fraser. The album showcases Negus-I multi talents as a composer,song writer, arranger, singer and producer. The album was well received by the music lovers world wide and was put on rotational airplay by many radio stations locally and abroad which includes SABC Umhlobo we Nene FM, 5FM, KQFM and Costa Rica Online Bless Up radio among others. Promotional tour around the country followed touching places with a strong reggae following like Johanessburg and Cape Town and sharing the stage with likes of Black Dillinger and Blak Kalamawi. Negus -I is working on his second album which is produced by a renowned California based producer Bruce Lincoln Benjamin. A lovers rock single entitled " Lets Take A Ride" which is a romantic ballad from the forth coming album is being promoted on various radio stations and on live performances it is captivating (expired link) long awaited album will be released before the end of 2022. Negus-I music career began when he would freestyle on b side instrumental versions of Jamaican reggae artists 45s and 12 inches vinyls and entertain friends who were cheering him up and suggesting he make it a career when they were impressed by his lyrical delivery. He then joined a local reggae band called the Roots Radicals and appeared on stage for the first time with the Roots Radicals band at the reggae event held in December 1990 at the historical Great Centenary hall with the crowd of people dancing and enjoying his (expired link) was asked to be a lead singer of Makashanti reggae band by its manager and founder Mawonga Ncapayi when he saw his artistic talent. He performed and wrote most of the material of the band Makashanti from 1999 to 2005 when he decided to go solo .Performances with Makashanti band included a historical performance in 1999 with the renowned South African musician the late Johnny Cleg at Wolfson stadium. In 2005 Negus - I decided to go solo and penned a couple of songs and went to the studio to record his debut album "The Journey" and the rest is history.