He was famously known as Sound Sultan, and he couldn’t have chosen a better stage name for himself as he is exactly what he calls himself, the Sultan of sound.
Born Olanrewaju Fasasi, Sound Sultan was not only a veteran and a legend of the Nigerian music industry, but he’s also contributed in every way, shape, or form to its growth, and would be remembered candidly for his impact.
The “Mathematics” crooner died on Sunday, 11 July 2021, aged 44, after succumbing to Angioimmunoblastic T-cell Lymphoma, a form of cancer of the blood. Before that, the singer said he was suffering from throat cancer.
His passing also comes two months after reports surfaced in the media that he was undergoing chemotherapy in a hospital in the United States of America.
The rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor is survived by his wife, three children, and his siblings. He used his music to lift the spirits of Nigerians far and wide and will never be forgotten so easily.
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Let’s celebrate the life and time of Sound Sultan by looking through the top 10 iconic moments of the veteran music star.
1. Perfect intro with the highly infectious song “Mathematics”
Most 90s kids would remember this song vividly as it was highly relatable and easy to sing along. Even the elderly at the time identified with the song.
It was so popular that when it went viral, the title of the record confused the marketers and producers in the Alaba International market, as most of their ‘DJ selection’ CDs were either wrongly titled the song “BODMAS” or “Jagbajantis”.
Sound Sultan ensured his music always carried a definite message and that’s one of the reasons this particular one has stood the test of time.
2. Served as mentors to a lot of Nigerian acts including Wizkid
It is no news that the veteran do-it-all also served as a source of inspiration and motivation to many Nigerian artists who are big in the music industry today. In 2017, he said that he didn’t feel the current crop of successful Nigerian music stars intimidated him, according to a Vanguard article.
It was also very easy for him to work with them and on his last studio album “8th Wondah“, he had many of them featured on it.
Watch Sound Sultan and Wizkid on “Kokose” below
Sultan further said in a chat with Showtime, “So many artistes that are big now, when they were budding artistes I inspired and motivated them. From P-Square to Wizkid, Dbanj, Timaya, Asa, and all the other guys. That I want to mentor young up-and-coming artistes doesn’t stop my own movement, it’s more like a positive energy; it’s not something you need to take a break from”.
He also continued, “You don’t have to wait for your fire to die before igniting another person’s, while your fire is burning you can use it to ignite another person’s fire, so they could feed off the good energy that you emit. That’s why I’m always here.”
3. A loving and caring husband and father
Sound Sultan is married to Chichi Morah, his longtime girlfriend, who is now mother to his three lovely children. The pair got married in 2009 and have been together ever since.
Although he claims his wife is a bit shy of the limelight, the couple had found a way to make their union work for more than a decade and are blessed with a girl and two boys.
4. Uses his music to touch on social issues
If there’s a Nigerian artist whose music shines rays of light on the state of the nation, Sound Sultan would lead the line.
His song “Motherland” was a very touching one which cuts across every generation, both young and old. He used the song to tell the story of how an average Nigerian travels abroad in search of greener pastures but also urging them never to forget home.
Also, his classic “2010” featuring M.I Abaga directly points to the bad governance in the nation. He spoke directly at the government’s inadequacies especially on the issue of electricity.
5. Fashionable Suit Sultan
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He made a fashion rebrand and started rocking suits from when he released “Back to the Future” in 2010 and it became his style till his latest album. “Back to the Future” produced several hits including the aforementioned “2010” featuring M.I Abaga.
6. Became a UN Ambassador for Peace
In 2012, Sound Sultan was chosen as a UN Ambassador for Peace for his exemplary lifestyle and career. He was asked to be part of the greater cause alongside late Nigerian music pop queen Golden as well as Weird MC.
Other Nigerian entertainers who have been named Peace Ambassadors include Kefee, D’Banj, Timaya, and many others.
7. Entertained fans with eight solid albums
Listing out iconic things Sound Sultan has been involved with will never be complete without mentioning one that has to do with his core, music. During his time as an entertainer, Sound Sultan preached his gospel with eight studio albums that span almost two decades.
His first album “Kpseeeeeeew” was released in 2001, bringing about an era of uniquely giving titles to projects. He defied the norm and was a pioneer in his right.
After then he released 7 more albums, here is a complete list of Sound Sultan’s 8 albums:
- Kpseeeeeeew (2001)
- Textbook (2004)
- Naija 007 (2007)
- SS4 (2008)
- Back to The future (2010)
- Me, My Mouth and Eye (2012)
- Out of The Box (2016)
- 8th Wondah (2020)
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Rest in power legend.