Ras Jesus

About Ras Jesus

RAS JESUS MOSOKWE PROFILE

BORN: QUETT KEABONA JESUS MOSOKWE

PERSONAL PARTICULARS:

Date of Birth: 29 September, 1970 Email: steppinjesus@(expired link)
P. O. Box 1052 Gantsi Farm 54NK, Portion 95, Potion of 132 Morama, Gantsi

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

- Maun Senior Secondary School, Form Five 1989
- Tlokweng College of Education, Primary Education (University of Botswana – 1992)
- Assessment College of South Africa, Evidence Collection Facilitation Certificate,
(South African Qualifications Authority; SAQA – 2007)
- Standard Based Vocational Assessor Certificate (Botswana Qualifications Authority; BQA –2007)
- Interface in Political Administration in Local Government ( University of Botswana; UB-Centre for Specialisation in Public Administration and Management; CESPAM – 2016)

PROFFESSIONAL Engagements:
Chairman of The Standard Setting Task Force at Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) and member of The Assessment Material Development Panel both for Traditional Song and Dance and Traditional Instruments from 2010 - 2014.

Current Vice Chairman of the Ghanzi District Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee.

Founding Member of the Copy Right Society of Botswana (COSBOTS)

Founding Member of the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU)

Certified Judge in Traditional Song and Dance by Ngwao Loshalaba Association 1993.



ACHIEVEMNTS AND HONOURS:
- RAS JESUS IS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF STEPPIN RAZOR BAND (AUGUST 1997) WHICH RELEASED ITS FIRST ALBUM “AFRICAN CHILDREN” IN 2000 AND ANOTHER ONE “STEPPIN IN KHALCHAH” IN 2006. STEPPIN RAZOR WAS HONOURED WHEN IT WAS RECOGNISED AS THE CONTEMPORARY LEGENDS OF REGGAE IN BOTSWANA IN 2014 AND WAS INVITED TO PERFORM LIVE AT THE 48TH BOTSWANA DAY CELEBRATIONS AT DITSHUPO HALL GROUNDS ATTENDED BY HIS HONOUR THE VP THEN RRAETSHO PONATSHEGO KEDIKILWE.

- AMONGST THE MANY SHOWS THAT HE HAS PERFORMED THROUGHOUT BOTSWANA, RAS JESUS PERFORMED in October 2005 AT “THE REGGAE BY THE PARK” SHOW, BLUE TREES IN GABORONE, WHERE HE SHARED STAGE WITH LUCKY DUBE IN A SHOW THAT BECAME DUBE’S LAST SHOW IN BOTSWANA BEFORE HIS PASSING ON (MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE).

- IN DECEMBER 2005, RAS JESUS WAS INVITED, (BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA), TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NINTH INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY FOR CARRIBEAN RESEARCH (SOCARE). THE THEME OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WAS *GLOBAL FIRE –MUSIC, LITERATURE, ARTS AND PHILOSOPHY OUT OF THE CARRIBEAN*. RAS JESUS ALSO PRESENTED A PAPER AT THE CONFERENCE ENTITLED, “SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST” MAKING HIM THE NINTH GUEST STAR AFTER THE JAMAICAN MUSICIAN AND POET, MUTABARUKA TO BE HONOURED WITH THIS INVITION. HE ALSO PERFORMED LIVE AT A WELL ATTENDED SHOW AT THE REIGEN CLUB IN VIENNA, TO WRAP UP THE CONFERENCE.

- IN FEBRUARY 2007 RAS JESUS PERFORMED AT MU AFRIKA IN WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA. DURING 2008, HE SUPPORTED THE *SOUND OF HOPE* INNIATIVE TO FUND RAISE THROUGH MUSIC FESTIVALS FOR THE PRESIDENT’S “SPONSER A CHILD CHARITY FUND” CULMINATING IN THE “ROCKCEMBER SHOW”, A WORLD AIDS DAY COMMEMORATION IN DECEMBER 2008 ALONGSIDE MANY OTHER LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS.

- HIS ALBUM, KGALAGADI HIGHWAY OF 2008 WAS NOMINATED TWICE IN THE PRESTIGIOUS ANNUAL MASCOM / (expired link) MUSIC AWARDS 2009 FOR, ALBUM OF THE YEAR AND BEST REGGAE ALBUM. HE SCOOPED THE LATTER AT THE AWARDS GIVING CEREMONY AT THE GABORONE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE ON THE 31st OCTOBER THAT YEAR, AND IT WAS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF ANY AWARDS IN BOTSWANA THAT A REGGAE ALBUM HAD SECURED A NOMINATION IN THE CATEGORY OF ALBUM OF THE YEAR, THERE BY MAKING KGALAGADI HIGHWAY BY RAS JESUS ONE OF THE BEST THREE ALBUMS, THE INDUSTRY HAD PRODUCED.