Ras Willie

Ras Willie
Background information
Birth name	William Wamudambo Mbewe
Born	1970
Died	2014 Lusaka, Zambia

Ras Willie (born William Wamudambo Mbewe) was a Zambian singer, composer, writer, percussionist and music engineer.

Early life

Ras Willie was born William Wamudambo Mbewe in 1970 in Kabwe. In the mid 1980s he changed his name to Ras Willie after listening to the sounds of Burning Spear, Israel Vibration and Bunny Wailer, and ultimately embracing Rastafarianism.

Musical career

Lunda Lunda album

His 2001 album Lunda Lunda won him several awards including Best Traditional National Award at the AZAMI Awards and a nomination at the Kora All Africa Music Awards. The title-track of the album talks about the Luba-Lunda migration with Ras Willie saying music was inspired by the mystics of Mwata Kazembe and the Mutomboko dance.

Songs of Joy album

In 1993, Willie released his first album Songs of Joy and was was distributed the world over by Teal Records. The album hit number one in Japan on the African music charts.

Discography

• Luba Lunda — 2001
• Songs of Joy — 1993

Death

A week before his death, he asked for friends to remember to pray for his mother who he said was not feeling well. Within that same week, he expressed sadness at the passing on of former National Soccer Team striker Dennis Lota. His death came shortly after he released his third album, Ras Willie and the Kings Rhythms Original Sounds of Zambia in Jazz.